Q & A With Seth

Questions and Answers for my aunt Kelly

February 16, 2011 by sethvogel

Q- Hey Seth, how are you and what have you been up to?

I’m “good”.  I am going to school at BYU taking some really fun classes such as cell biology, physiology, and Chinese. I quit my job this semester so that I could focus on schoolwork since last semester I never had enough time to get everything done. I’m doing mentored research with Dr. Stark in the PDBIO department, the project is to try and come up with a better way to introduce specific mutations into the chicken genome, it is a lot of fun!  I’m also volunteering at the hospital as a Spanish interpreter and at an elementary school teaching first graders Chinese. Other than that I’m getting ready to take the MCAT this summer and go live in China for a year starting in the fall.

Q- So, let’s just get this out of the way…Are there any wedding bells ringing in your ears lately? Just kidding, you can reserve the right not to answer that if you don’twant to. I’m sure we’d all be interested to know though : )

Uh, not that I’m aware of? Don’t worry though, like any good Chinese I’ve got a five year plan and marriage is probably on it somewhere.

Q-Seth, do you remember when you used to press your extra-tough forehead against my rather soft head until you gave me a migraine? It was when you were about 3 years old. I think you should recall… Why do you think you liked to do that so much? It must have been painful for you too. What is your pain tolerance anyways?

You are making that up. No, but really. I have no idea what you are talking about. I have a pretty high pain tolerance though since you brought up the subject. Have you ever seen the movie Lawrence of Arabia? There is a scene near the beginning where an officer lights a cigarette and Lawrence takes the still burning match out of his hand and then just holds it as the flame burns up to his fingertips and then goes out. It’s really hard, but I’ve done it.

Q- How is school going? What are you studying? Do you find you have had anylong-term effects from pressing your head against things as a toddler?

School is going well, I’m double majoring in Chinese and neuroscience. I’m planning on going to medical school and earning a PhD at the same time. But I probably won’t apply until 2012. I was a very conscientious toddler and would never press my head up against things.

Q-How was your trip to China? Tell us what your favorite part was please?

China was absolutely fantastic. Picking a favorite part is going to be hard, there was the time that we hiked yellow mountain and did Taiqi moves on top of big rocks in the fog, there was our trip to the world expo in Shanghai, there was running at night with my roommate at the outdoor track, there was salsa dancing outside in the rain. I don’t know, I can’t pick a favorite.

Q- Tell us a favorite memory of Mexico would you please?

Favorite Mexico memory: catching frogs in the showers.

Q-How are you liking living on your own? Do you miss all the kids at your home?

It’s nice, but having to cook for myself is somewhat less than ideal. If you saw the enormous collection of empty pop tarts boxes that we have in our kitchen you would agree that my eating habits could use some help. It’s not that I mind cooking, it’s just so dreadfully inconvenient. I get to go home a lot so I wouldn’t say I really miss all the kids yet.

Q-Do you still rock out to Keane? What are some of your other favorite bands?

Keane fell into disfavor after their latest album, but I still like listening to their older stuff for sure. My new favorite bands are include: Feist, The Innocence Mission, Missy Higgins, Passion Pit, Phoenix, Sufjan Stevens, The Temper Trap, Two Door Cinema Club, The Weepies.

Q-You just had a birthday. Don’t you think November is the best month for a birthday and especially the 11th day of the 11th month? What did you do to celebrate it?

Well, my birthday was now a while ago, but it was sure good. We went to Pirate Island Pizza which was just incredible. I got to wear a pirate hat, Adam got to wear a pirate hat, the pizza had a piratey taste to it… basically everything was ideal. And then we played at the arcade and thanks to Adam’s luck, skill, whatever you want to call it, we amassed enough tickets to buy an enormous pirate flag that says “surrender the booty” on it. Classic. It is now hanging in our apartment. 11/11/11 is going to be such a big party this year. I can’t wait.

Q- I will be interviewing other relatives of yours in the future. Do you have any interviewing advice for me?

Hmm… nah.

Winn (or just Ed)

The name Edwin actually means "rich friend."  I just looked it up.  Other meanings are "blessed" and "wine friend."  I think we'll just ignore that last one.  One thing I do know is that Ed is everyone's friend.  Maybe it's because he got some teasing as a kid and he knows what it's like to be in need of a friend.  He's a friend even to those who are not kind to him.  This I have seen.  He is a defender of his loved ones.  I seem to recall an incident where he was willing to bend apart my car door in defense of his little sister's honor.  

Ed has a sense of humor.  Oh yes he does.  Does anyone remember this classic joke created by our brother Ed (back then known as Winn)?  Here is the joke: knock knock... who's there?... Parrot.  Parrot who?  Parrot on you!  Then laugh hysterically for effect.  My kids totally get this joke but it didn't come overnight.  I suggest telling it often enough and laughing loud enough at the end that there is a 'band-wagon' effect.

Remember the time we were in Mazatlan and Ed almost drown?  It took 3 grown men to pull him out of the undertow.  He was in the middle of barfing up sea water back at the motor home when he begged Mom to give him swimming lessons again so that he could swim better next time.  That was a scary day indeed.  But the big point here is that even just moments after the incident, Ed was not quitting.  Ed was trying to figure out a way to succeed.  Say what you want about Ed, but he does posess what one could call the "Whatcott Bounce."  I don't know how many jobs Ed has had over the years, but it is a lot of jobs.  This doesn't seem to get him down for long.  He just gets back on the horse over and over and over.  Even when his chips are down (which is often-lets be honest) he manages to stay up and stay happy.

I hope that Ed gets a chance to read this on his birthday.  I love him.  Ed is a good reminder to me that "nobody's perfik" but that is okay.  Happy Birthday Ed!

Just Shauna

It's Shauna's birthday!  Hooray!  Aren't we all glad that Shauna came our way?!  Remember when she was a cute little bald toddler who'd roar to scare you until you just couldn't stand it anymore?  Then she'd relieve us with her famous catch phrase of "I just Shauna."  What a relief indeed.  When I was in the throws of preparing for a visit from Shauna Juana last October I texted her that I had just purchased a new (overdue) bath mat for the guest bathroom for her.  She texted back "don't worry about getting ready for me Kelly, remember 'I just Shauna.'"  She is one funny gal indeed!  I love laughing with her, and I am lucky to have her as my sister. She is first in command on Team Cougar.  For those who don't know what Team Cougar is.... basically it's: Kelly, Ed, Shauna & Marcy.  The last 'set' of kids- if you will.  Not knowing what would be the best way to refer to the second set of Whatcotts, I believe it was Shauna who made up that nick name for us.  Sometimes Team Cougar isn't doing so well.  Sometimes we are having a good season.  Overall it's been a good year for Team Cougar, and most of the credit for that would have to go to our head cheerleader -Shauna.  She takes care of Ed which is a huge undertaking.  She makes sure Dad is doing well and stocked in medications that she can provide for him.  Basically she saved Dad's life a few years ago when he needed his heart looked at and she picked up on it.

Shauna was recently introduced at a family get-together before Dad's wedding as 'the smartest Whatcott' and I would have to agree that she is one smart cookie.  I don't think she ever slacked off in school for as long as I've known her.  She has always excelled.  She is also a caring kind person who looks out for the underdog.  She has impeccable taste (have you seen her house?!) and loves to search out a good deal calling herself a "freegan." She enjoys reading self-help or do-it-yourself books and then plunging into a project like building a deck or planting a garden.  I really admire her for that.  She recently took on the brave project of finding a husband for herself.  She put herself out there and found love with her new husband Greg and we are all so happy for her in her new life as a wife and chosen mother to Douglas and Zoe.  I have especially enjoyed seeing her step into motherhood with such grace.  Those are some very lucky kids!  Shauna has always been great with children and now she gets to use those talents in a very real way.

Some of my childhood memories of Shauna are making pretend hair for our hands out of yarn.  We'd make elaborate yarn hairdos and then loop them over our hands.  'Henrietta Hand' was what we'd dubbed our hands when they were in action with their hairdo's on.  I'm still not happy with that name choice.  Oh well.  We used to watch "Gone with the Wind" over and over until we pretty much had all the dialog memorized.  We both had great ability to memorize lines.  Other movies we tackled in this way were Cinder Rabbit, and Bugsy Malone.

Shauna had a great talent for torturing people.  She and I would sometimes sleep in the same bed on vacations together, and she would lie on her stomach and thump the mattress we were both on with her foot, keeping me awake.  Try as I might to get her to stop she enjoyed bugging me so much she just couldn't bring herself to do it.  She once managed to get Marcy to walk across rocky terrain up in the hills across the street from our house barefooted.  I'm not sure about the details, but it seems to me that broken glass may have been involved.  She had the lovely habit of starting to tell you something and then stopping herself quickly and suddenly remembering that she wasn't supposed to tell you that.  "Never mind" she'd say with a sly grin.  Oh she was a clever one.  We had our fair share of fights and I may or may not still have the scratching scars on my arms (and emotional scars on my psyche) to prove it.

But through it all I am super glad to say that Shauna is my sister.  She has turned out to be a fine upstanding woman who I am proud to be related to.  And to show her how much I love her I am going to post a very flattering photo of her here on the blog.  This picture proves once and for all just what my 7 yr old pointed out to us a couple years back.... That "Mom looks a lot like Aunt Shauna but Mom has a bigger tummy."  Blast those 5 babies!

Happy Birthday Sis!

A Wedding Tribute

Ladies and Gentleman, welcome aboard Blended Family Airlines flight 115 with non-stop heart warming service to Salt Lake City.  Please turn your attention to the lovely couple here in the cock pit, Captain Keith and his new sweetheart and the stewardess for our flight, Ms Right Wright.  Please take notice that there are no safety instructions for this flight and no under seat floatation devices.  We like taking chances on this airline.  At some point however we may need to administer some oxygen to our pilot.  He is after all in his eighties.  In case of a lot of pressure yellow oxygen masks will deploy from the ceiling compartment located above you.  Please make sure to secure your own mask before assisting others.  Please make sure that your seatbelt is securely fastened at this time and that all carry-on emotional baggage is stored away as we may experience some turbulence.  Currently our outlook is sunny and the skies are clear.  Our fine Captian is most experienced although his head may be in the clouds today.  Ms Wright will be serving him beverages and pretzel packages for many years to come.  We have a triple feature for our inflight movie for this flight, starting with "Yours Mine and Ours", followed by "Yours, Mine, Ours and Hers," and finally "Yours, Mine, Ours, Hers, and Hers."  At the end of this flight please allow Captain Keith and Stewardess Thelma to exit the plane first as they have a connecting flight to get to.  We all wish them a bon voyage!

Happy Birthday Brian

Today is Brian's Birthday and I am thinking about him.  This post will be a bit more challenging to write since Brian has not been on contact with the family for so long.  I love and miss our brother Brian.  I hope he has a great day on his birthday.  Here are some of the things I remember/like about my brother Brian...

Brian has several great qualities.  He is incredibly smart and motivated.  He sticks up for the underdog and he is loyal.  Brian has a sense of adventure and likes to try exciting things.  If you need someone on your side that will never waver, Brian is your man.  Look up the word determined in the dictionary and you will probably see a photo of our handsome brother Brian.

Brian has an eye for beautiful things.  He married the Lovely Dianne!  He has served in the US military and earned a couple degrees in Engineering.  He has 3 great kids who we all wish we could see more of.  I remember when he taught his very young daughter Rachel to say that her Dad was "32 and ancient."  I also remember that his daughter Rachel really really loved the primary song Once There Was a Snowman.  She would sing your name (or anyone's for that matter) to the tune of that song.  He has such sweet kids!

Things I can think of to share about Brian are that he stuck up for Rhonda when she was being disrespected at school.  As mentioned before on this blog someone got themselves beat up when they thought it would be funny to flip Rhonda's bra-strap.  Where was he when I was in middle school?  Probably on his mission.  Too far away to ask for help in that department. When I was quite young, he gave me a spelling lesson.  He taught me that there is a letter 'r' in the word 'shirt' once.  I had written it without one you see, and he wanted me to spell it right but not until he made me sound it out the way it was written.  I think that is where my swearing habit must have started.  He also helped teach me about the birds and the bees  by having me relate what my thoughts were and either 'confirming' or 'denying'  .  ...Thanks bro!

Well here's hoping we will get to see more of Brian in the future.  We love you and hope you have a great birthday.  If anyone cares to share a Brian memory feel free to comment or post.  I am sure Brian would appreciate hearing from you on his big day.  How old are you anyways?  '55 and ancient?'

Happy Birthday Brian!

Bro Brian on his BDay

Today is my brother Brian's Birthday and though I have not seen him much over the last number of years, I continue to talk to him somewhat regularly via phone and email. I remember lots of stories about my brother Brian, you can say lots of things about Brian but my relationship with my older brother has been nothing if not colorful. Brian is a dear brother that I love with all my heart who is as Kelly has said loyal and true to a fault! Following is a is a quick list of some memories that I have of my brother and of course these memories are from my memory so the reality may be slightly different, as both time and my memory may have morphed them somewhat.

My first memories are of a very tough brother who took on every bully on our street, several times all of them at once, because they were calling him and me Whatnot instead of our given name of Whatcott. Then helpful brother who taught me never, never, never to give up by holding me down and giving me chicken noodle soup on the chest until I cried uncle and then slugged me in the arm 50 times for giving up, I believe this treatment is what got me through engineering school. (Okay maybe it wasn't 50 times but I swear that arm still hurts when I think about it) The brother who with me tried the paper sack and cedar bark cigars rolled by our next door neighbor when we were 5 & 8 years old, let me tell you we inhaled deeply one time and we were coughing for a week, to my knowledge neither of us ever tried a smoke of any kind again ever.

This was my brother who cut a swath so wide a swath through Junior High and High School that often times it was hard for me to follow. I remember one time in 7th grade rounding a corner in Gym locker room and taking a punch in the stomach from a very large intimidating 9th grader and him saying thats for being Brian's brother. And yet on another occasion the largest kid in the 9th grade saying leave that kid alone he is Brian Whatcott's brother, in fact a number of the teachers in Math, Utah history, wrestling, & science didn't know my first name but just called me Brian's brother. Brian had been so good in Math, Science, Wrestling that he was a legend there in Farrer Junior High, Brian was so brilliant in math that he later placed in the national math contest in High School.

Brian has always been a great athlete and mountaineer, he has the ability to put physical pain behind him and thus has great endurance. Brian excelled at Wrestling at Provo High School where I believe his record as a Sophomore was 26 wins and only 2 losses. Brian participated as a scout in the 50 20 which was 50 miles in 20 hours, Brian started hours later than anyone else at about 2am because he had another activity to attend, but he ran when he got there until he passed everyone and once he was ahead a ways he laid down on the road and slept until the first group caught up to him when the found him the road the thought he was dead, they kicked him and he woke up. Brian got up and finished with the hike with first group, starting last and finishing first. In his older years Brian has been solo hiking the higest 50 peaks in the US in each state, despite his sometimes not being in the best shape Brian has already finished many of the higest peaks. Brian has incredible drive!!!


Brian was especially helpful with my dating life, I was a very shy backward kid who would rather talk to fish all day than talk to a girl for a second. When I was 14 & Brian was 17, Brian had somehow scored the key to a very, very cool cave up our local canyon (Rock Canyon) and he and his friends had made a rope ladder for the descent into a a huge room full of stalactites, soda straws, and stalagmites. He told me the only way he would allow me to go to this cave with him is if I got a date to go with me. After many agonizing hours, I finally called the 14 year old sister of Brian's girlfriend and asked her to go with me to the Cave. Mr. Losee whom I'm now sure must have been insane let his 14 and 17 year old daughters go up Rock Canyon and descend into a hole in the mountain at least 100's of feet at least 40 of them were vertical free swinging feet, on a rope ladder made of pine 2X2s and hemp rope, in Junior High School wood shop, with two Whatcott brothers 14 & 17. Due to Brian's great leadership and mountaineering experience we all had a great time and made it out just fine with the exception of one very smashed up lantern of my dad's. So thanks to a brother who encouraged me strongly to go on my first date, I pretty much figured it out from there.

For further help in the dating department Brian taught me how to drive his old beater car, when I was 15 by taking me out on Sundays and letting me drive from one of his girlfriends houses to the next as we made "Sunday Visits" to the beautiful and refined. Thanks to a brother willing to drag a chubby awkward brother along to see his girlfriends.

Then in college when I thought I wanted to go to Utah Technical College Brian took me up to BYU and showed me what Electrical Engineers did. I was very intimidated, Brian let me know just how hard it was, but also that I could do it! After all I was a Whatcott, and Whatcott's don't give up, and besides he would not let me fail!!! I didn't fail, I once again followed my Brother, this time through BYU and Electrical Engineering, I made it through despite my doubts and some very difficult and trying times. I don't think my brother Brian every doubted I would, though I did on a number of occasions!

Happy Birthday Bro!!!!!

Erico from Jerico

In my years of growing up at 1841 North there was something noteworthy in my big brother Eric's room. There on the perfectly dusted shelf sat a large white hero-sized bust of his head.  A childhood likeness.  Only two other busts ever made it through the door of the home.  They were the likenesses of Jesus and Joseph Smith (and they were not as white)....  I remember looking at Eric's childhood head and wondering what made Eric so special that he, and only he, had his head made into a statue like that.  Where was my big head?  Then Eric would do something great like clean and organize the entire garage without being asked, or wipe down the scumminess of the ski boat, and wash all the cars, and I had my question answered for me.  Eric was special.  He still is.

Eric was a much needed peacemaker in our home.    Eric was seminary president.  Eric got excellent grades.  Eric never disobeyed to my knowledge.  You'd think that would make him quite unlikeable but no, once again, all you had to do was spend some time around Eric and he'd suck you in with his lovable personality.  I remember hearing Mom once say that she thought maybe Eric was her gift from heaven for having such a loss in losing her first husband.  God knew she'd need some special kids to cushion the blow of George's death.  Eric was a big part of that I think.  Jerico must be where all the good eggs come from.  We can't all be perfect like Eric.  Some of us have to perform the task of making the great ones look that good by comparison.  You're welcome Eric!

Eric turned 50 on Dec 23rd and I am sure (since he is my perfect brother) that he will forgive me for posting this late.  I did call him in Mexico on his birthday though so that should count for something.  Eric is running a 50 mile run in the mountains this year to commemorate his 50 years of life.  I think when I turn 50 I will celebrate by sleeping in an extra 50 minutes.  I heard from a little bird that Jolynn, his perfect wife (it's true, she is also pretty perfect) really threw a great party in Mexico for his big day.  While Eric was away at the store, Shanelle and her husband Mike decorated the campsite.  Peter had been hard at work (for days I am sure) getting signatures from friends on the beach on multiple cards for Eric's birthday.  Eric's dental assistant Eileen had people sending him 50 things (anything from black ornaments to depends undergarments) to the office all day on his last day of work.  What fun!

Here's hoping that Eric will have another 50 great years ahead and that he won't be translated due to perfection any time soon because we would all miss him very much!

Happy Birthday Eric!