To start with, the word meme is pronounced “meem” (like “seem”). The word comes from Greek and means “something that has been imitated.” Memes are those often funny captioned pictures or little videos that get passed around the internet and shared zillions of times.

I know. Why not just call them funny pictures or videos? It took me a while to get on board with using the word meme. But like anything new that becomes popular, I’ve learned I may as well just accept it and not make a big deal about it. “If you can’t beat ’em, join ’em.”

As for Michael Bublé, all you need to know is that he’s a popular singer who has sold more than 75 million records and has five Grammy Awards. I read that his main audience age group is “between 45 and the grave.” Oh, and the important point here is that his net worth is around $80 million.

In the meme I saw, Michael says, “… rich sounds like money and stuff and things… That’s not rich. Rich is having a strong faith. Rich is having a great family and loving your family. Rich is having great friendships. …the people I know who have the most stuff are the most miserable people that I know.”

I can hear some of you out there (and me) saying, “Give me some misery. I want to be more miserable.” I do get what he’s saying though. Having money and material things don’t equal happiness. (Yet again, some of us would say, “I don’t have to be totally happy. Just serve me up six or eight million dollars worth of non-DisneyLand days.”

Over the past several days, I’ve tested Mr. Bublé’s philosophy. I’ve spent time with family, friends and strangers. I’m throwing strangers into the mix here because I’m a believer in what Will Rogers once said, “A stranger is just a friend you haven’t met yet.”

We’ve spent time with family members: at a rock’n’roll concert (last Thursday), at a gathering to welcome a young man home from a Tennessee church mission (on Sunday), and an unannounced stop at a relative’s home in Orem. As I think back, time with family is, indeed, a “rich blessing.”

We saw “Chicago” at a concert in Sandy. In Lehi we had pulled pork sandwiches, Bush beans, moon pies, and Mountain Dew. Who knew all those things have Tennessee connections? I’m told that Mountain Dew originated as a mixer for moonshine. An early slogan was, “It’ll tickle yore innards.” Our other stop was in Orem.

On Friday evening, we went to the Box Elder County Fair in Tremonton. (I know, I know – the Sanpete County Fair was happening as well. We’ll get to that in a minute.)

This trip to the north end of the state was another rock’n’roll event. This outing was motivated by friendship. The members of The Malibu Revue have been our friends for many years. They were at BYU in the 70’s. They play 50’s and 60’s music. We show up at their appearances at random times and places

We went out and danced a couple of times to Beatles songs. For once, I behaved myself and didn’t over-exert my knees for “Twist and Shout.” I’ve paid dearly in the past for attempting to do the twist like I did 40 or 50 years ago.

I was surprised my wife wanted to dance since she was kind of hurting and sore. She was still recovering from crashing on her bike a day or two before. (Oh, did I say that out loud? She may not want everyone to know that. The ladies and gentlemen of the readership are hereby directed to disregard what I just said.)

It was great to be with friends and experience the “rich” aspects of friendship as emphasized by Micheal Bublé’s meme. There was, of course, a somber side to being in Tremonton where two officers were recently killed. A sheriff’s department meeting was going on close by the dressing room for our performing friends. We sensed the serious mood there.

Saturday was friends and strangers day for us at the Sanpete County Fair. It took us hours to get through the car show. Friendships were caught up on and strangers became friends. It took us at least 45 minutes to see the first half-dozen cars. Every car and every owner has a story.

One guy from Utah County told us that if he were 20 years younger, he’d move to Sanpete in a heartbeat. To get away from the crowds of people and traffic of the city would be a dream come true. I told him to “come on down” while at the same time silently I was saying “stay where you are and just come down to visit.”

A couple of young guys in their twenties had VW buses in the show. It was interesting to visit with them. We have a VW campmobile that we’ve yet to show off at the fair — maybe next year. It’s a 1978 model that my parents bought new. It’s been from coast to coast and border to border multiple times.

If I didn’t understand it already, a new VW friend demonstrated that car ownership can become a passion. At 24 years of age, he tells me that he owns 19 vehicles. He may be a new version of Jay Leno as a car collector.

Well, as you can tell, I’m a very rich guy – at least by the Micheal Bublé standard. We have a great family on both sides. We have terrific friends. And we have a world of strangers, who are just friends we haven’t met yet. I suspect a huge part of Sanpete’s population is rich too, regardless of “net worth.” — Merrill

P.S. A bonus Will Rogers quote: “I don’t make jokes. I just watch the government and report the facts.” One more: “If you find yourself in a hole, stop digging.”