Scott Bartholomew

Export Using Compressor FAQS

2010-05-27T08:57:00.000-07:00

Bartholomew 50th Wedding Video

2010-05-03T10:50:00.000-07:00

Q-tips anyone

2009-10-10T16:32:00.001-07:00

Don't you hate that feeling of having water stuck in your ears?

My first post in a long time

2009-10-09T14:59:00.001-07:00

Hey all - I'm alive still, don't worry.

Just wanted to say that I think the world we live in gives us a skewed sense of reality. Please see the picture below...

SUMMER 2009

2009-08-23T12:08:00.000-07:00

Well all, I do apologize for my lack of blogging. I have been super busy this summer with EFY, travel, etc. But - the moment you've all been waiting for...

I have posted below my favorites from this summer. They span 9 weeks, 4 timezones, 4 states, 2 lenses, 1 camera, rain & shine, and hours of editing/filtering/downloading.

I hope you enjoy - please feel free to comment on ones you like/dislike.

Thanks

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More EFY pics

2009-06-24T14:44:00.001-07:00

EFY FG 1

2009-06-17T11:32:00.000-07:00

Here are a few pics from Monday night FHE:

We got here early and after setting up the session, site office, and meeting with the campus we took a little drive out to the coast.

We went to Tillamook - home of the world's greatest cheese and the factory that makes it all.

Afterward we drove along the coast.

Jewkes Family Pictures

2009-05-24T21:37:00.001-07:00

Here are some pictures I did for a friend. Aren't her and her husband cute? By the way she had her baby last week....Congrats!

ALL THE PICS FROM THE PHILIPPINES

2009-05-20T13:40:00.000-07:00

I finally finished going through and editing the best of the pics from my trip to the Philippines...

Enjoy

Look for another post tomorrow of some photo shoots I've done recently...

Cheers

PHILIPPINES TRIP

Philippines trip

2009-04-30T08:44:00.000-07:00

50th Anniversary

2009-04-15T08:38:00.001-07:00

Portraits - My beautiful little Sister

2009-04-15T08:34:00.001-07:00

My little sister wanted to have some senior portraits taken...

You look beautiful Emily!

If anyone who follows this blog knows anyone else who needs some portraits taken (personal or family) I would love to do some more!

Trip to Kentucky

2009-03-29T11:31:00.000-07:00

I just got back last night from a 4-day trip to Louisville, KY. It was so much fun. I was presenting some research I did with a professor (the same research I got the ORCA for) at a research conference in Louisville. I also competed in a lesson teaching competition for BYU at the same conference. I didn't win the competition, but Louisville was great, and the whole trip was a much needed break.

I ate wonderfully well (everything from Thai to Outback to Ma & Pa's diners, etc), learned a lot at the conference, got really sick of planes and layovers, read The Giver, and took some fun pictures.

We went to the Louisville Slugger Museum/Factory while we were there. They have some pretty impressive machinery (including a machine that makes all the MLB players bats...they have separate programs written for each player...this machine can make a bat in 16 seconds and makes them exactly the same - apparently if there is a difference in any of the bats it makes for the player it will be less than the thickness of two sheets of paper)

One really blinged out limo...
They have statues of the mayor of Louisville all over the city doing different things (sitting, standing, waving to people across the street, etc)
See above
The buses (yes that is a bus) are made to look like street cars
4th street live is at the heart of downtown Louisville. Our hotel was about 2 blocks from here so we came down often. They have live bands, tons of restaurants, comedians, homeless people, etc. all on this street.

Photo Shoot with Jillian

2009-03-24T18:42:00.001-07:00

Here are some pics I took for a friend who is graduating from BYU. She heard about my new camera and asked to do a shoot. It was loads of fun.

Fun with my new 40d

2009-03-16T09:27:00.000-07:00

I got an ORCA grant for some research I did last year with one of my professors. I had already bought my ticket the the Philippines (yes, that's right. I am going to the Philippines next month for two weeks---pictures forthcoming) and I decided to use the grant to buy myself a new toy. I got the Canon 40d with 2 lenses - a fixed 50mm and a 28-70mm Tamron. If anyone needs family pictures, senior pictures, engagements, etc. I would love to do them for you...

Enjoy

Abraham Lincoln's Thoughts on Dating

2009-03-08T22:17:00.000-07:00

Letter to Mrs. Browning ^[1]

SPRINGFIELD, APRIL 1, 1838.

Dear Madam: Without apologizing for being egotistical, I shall make the history of so much of my life as has elapsed since I saw you the subject of this letter. And, by the way, I now discover that in order to give a full and intelligible account of the things I have done and suffered since I saw you, I shall necessarily have to relate some that happened before.

It was, then, in the autumn of 1836 that a married lady of my acquaintance, and who was a great friend of mine, being about to pay a visit to her father and other relatives residing in Kentucky, proposed to me that on her return she would bring a sister of hers with her on condition that I would engage to become her brother-in-law with all convenient despatch. I, of course, accepted the proposal, for you know I could not have done otherwise had I really been averse to it; but privately between you and me, I was most confoundedly well pleased with the project. I had seen the said sister some three years before, thought her intelligent and agreeable, and saw no good objection to plodding life through hand in hand with her. Time passed on, the lady took her journey and in due time returned, sister in company, sure enough. This astonished me a little, for it appeared to me that her coming so readily showed that she was a trifle too willing, but on reflection it occurred to me that she might have been prevailed on by her married sister to come, without anything concerning me having been mentioned to her, and so I concluded that if no other objection presented itself, I would consent to waive this. All this occurred to me on hearing of her arrival in the neighborhood--for, be it remembered, I had not yet seen her, except about three years previous, as above mentioned. In a few days we had an interview, and, although I had seen her before, she did not look as my imagination had pictured her. I knew she was over-size, but now she appeared a fair match for Falstaff. I knew she was called an "old maid," and I felt no doubt of the truth of at least half of the appellation, but now, when I beheld her, I could not for my life avoid thinking of my mother; and this, not from withered features,--for her skin was too full of fat to permit of its contracting into wrinkles,--but from her want of teeth, weather-beaten appearance in general, and from a kind of notion that ran in my head that nothing could have commenced at the size of infancy and reached her present bulk in less than thirty-five or forty years; and, in short, I was not at all pleased with her. But what could I do? I had told her sister that I would take her for better or for worse, and I made a point of honor and conscience in all things to stick to my word, especially if others had been induced to act on it, which in this case I had no doubt they had, for I was now fairly convinced that no other man on earth would have her, and hence the conclusion that they were bent on holding me to my bargain. "Well," thought I, "I have said it, and, be the consequences what they may, it shall not be my fault if I fail to do it." At once I determined to consider her my wife, and this done, all my powers of discovery were put to work in search of perfections in her which might be fairly set off against her defects. I tried to imagine her handsome, which, but for her unfortunate corpulency, was actually true. Exclusive of this, no woman that I have ever seen has a finer face. I also tried to convince myself that the mind was much more to be valued than the person, and in this she was not inferior, as I could discover, to any with whom I had been acquainted.

Shortly after this, without attempting to come to any positive understanding with her, I set out for Vandalia, when and where you first saw me. During my stay there I had letters from her which did not change my opinion of either her intellect or intention, but, on the contrary, confirmed it in both.

All this while, although I was fixed "firm as the surge-repelling rock" in my resolution, I found I was continually repenting the rashness which had led me to make it. Through life I have been in no bondage, either real or imaginary, from the thraldom of which I so much desired to be free. After my return home I saw nothing to change my opinion of her in any particular. She was the same, and so was I. I now spent my time in planning how I might get along in life after my contemplated change in circumstances should have taken place, and how I might procrastinate the evil day for a time, which I really dreaded as much, perhaps more, than an Irishman does the halter.

After all my sufferings upon this deeply interesting subject, here I am, wholly, unexpectedly, completely out of the "scrape," and I now want to know if you can guess how I got out of it-- out, clear, in every sense of the term--no violation of word, honor, or conscience. I don't believe you can guess, and so I might as well tell you at once. As the lawyer says, it was done in the manner following, to-wit: After I had delayed the matter as long as I thought I could in honor do (which, by the way, had brought me round into the last fall), I concluded I might as well bring it to a consummation without further delay, and so I mustered my resolution and made the proposal to her direct; but, shocking to relate, she answered, No. At first I supposed she did it through an affectation of modesty, which I thought but ill became her under the peculiar circumstances of her case, but on my renewal of the charge I found she repelled it with greater firmness than before. I tried it again and again, but with the same success, or rather with the same want of success.

I finally was forced to give it up, at which I very unexpectedly found myself mortified almost beyond endurance. I was mortified, it seemed to me, in a hundred different ways. My vanity was deeply wounded by the reflection that I had so long been too stupid to discover her intentions, and at the same time never doubting that I understood them perfectly; and also that she, whom I had taught myself to believe nobody else would have, had actually rejected me with all my fancied greatness. And, to cap the whole, I then for the first time began to suspect that I was really a little in love with her. But let it all go! I'll try and outlive it. Others have been made fools of by the girls, but this can never with truth be said of me. I most emphatically, in this instance, made a fool of myself. I have now come to the conclusion never again to think of marrying, and for this reason--I can never be satisfied with any one who would be blockhead enough to have me.

When you receive this, write me a long yarn about something to amuse me. Give my respects to Mr. Browning.

Your sincere friend,
A. LINCOLN.

National Geographic Photo of the Day

2009-03-04T08:20:00.000-08:00

Just wanted to put a plug in for National Geographic's Photo of the Day

Sweet Looking Fish

2009-03-04T07:28:00.000-08:00

Click here for more info on this sweet fish.

Good article

2009-02-27T07:26:00.001-08:00

This is what we need more of these days...

Don't do drugs

2009-02-27T07:11:00.000-08:00

Check this out!

Church's New Youtube Channel

2009-02-27T07:03:00.000-08:00

The Church has a new Youtube Channel. This is a great way to learn more about the church from a reliable source. Pass it on.

No way, did that really just happen?

2009-02-23T10:11:00.001-08:00

Now, I am a nerd. I recognize that, and I'm kind of proud to be a nerd. I'm sitting here in class right now and my professor (who I really like - he is a way nice guy) was talking about properties of metal. I kind of zoned out until the music started.... "Wait. What is that? Is that seriously the Lord of the Rings soundtrack?" Next thing I knew I was sitting through a 45 minute lecture on the magical properties of the different swords used in the Lord of the Rings, the viability of actually creating a ring with magical properties, the proper sword to be used to kill a spider, why the dwarves were worse at making tools then the elves, the oxidation of swords made in the casting pits of the Nazgul, etc.
I couldn't believe my ears. My professor kept saying: "I hope I'm not rambling. I hope I'm not digressing. I hope I'm not wasting your time." The saddest thing was I couldn't leave because I was in the middle of the room, and I could tell that he was so passionate about what he was talking about that I didn't want to hurt his feelings.
Then the fateful moment...Someone in my class raised their hand and made a point of something that was different in the movie from the book (I think it was something about a sword that broke or something) - well my Professor wouldn't have that. He knew that it was the same. He even referenced a page # while arguing his case... Wow.
So what did I do? I sat through it. I wanted to leave very badly (I had a lot of things to do) but I didn't want to hurt his feelings.... I thought about muttering something about saving middle earth as I made my way to the door...

Hidden Messages

2009-02-23T09:59:00.000-08:00

I found this information on a friends blog and thought it was pretty cool. In the Taylor Swift album cover for the CD she has the lyrics for all her songs. There are some "randomly" capitalized letters in each song. Well they are so random after all. If you put all the capitalized letters in each song into a sentence it completes her hidden meaning...

1. Tim McGraw--CANT TELL ME NOTHN
2. Picture to Burn--DATE NICE BOYS
3. Teardrops on my Guitar--HE WL NEVER KNOW
4. A Place in This World--I FOUND
5. Cold As You--TIME TO LET GO
6. The Outside--YOU ARE NOT ALONE
7. Tied Together With a Smile--YOU ARE LOVED
8. Stay Beautiful--SHAKE N BAKE (The name of someone she mentions in her thank you's at the end of the CD)
9. Should've Said No--Actually... I'm going to tell you this one at the end... it's my favorite...
10. Mary's Song (Oh My My My)--SOMETIMES LOVE IS FOREVER
11. Our Song--LIVE N LOVE

In Should've Said No it's the name of the boy --- SAMSAMSAMSAMSAM

I like hidden messages....

Success

2009-01-26T13:03:00.000-08:00

I was thinking today about success. We all have things we want to get/do/accomplish... What can we do to help ourselves be successful. Here are some of my thoughts from my journal (Note: Many of these are quotes or excerpts from lds.org ((If you are unfamiliar with lds.org or the Latter-day Saint church please click here for a great explanation)) and other greater works. I have tried to show proper citation for anyone wanting to read further):

President Monson’s formula for success: “First, fill your mind with truth; second, fill your life with service; and third, fill your heart with love.”

“Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony.” and to me, happiness is success.
-Mahatma Gandhi

"Again and again I therefore admonish my students in Europe and America: Don't aim at success -- the more you aim at it and make it a target, the more you are going to miss it. For success, like happiness, cannot be pursued; it must ensue, and it only does so as the unintended side effect of one's personal dedication to a cause greater than oneself or as the by-product of one's surrender to a person other than oneself. Happiness must happen, and the same holds for success: you have to let it happen by not caring about it. I want you to listen to what your conscience commands you to do and go on to carry it out to the best of your knowledge. Then you will live to see that in the long-run -- in the long-run, I say! -- success will follow you precisely because you had forgotten to think about it."
~ Viktor Frankl
---Man's Search for Meaning

In 1905, President Joseph F. Smith made this most profound statement about true greatness:
“Those things which we call extraordinary, remarkable, or unusual may make history, but they do not make real life. After all, to do well those things which God ordained to be the common lot of all mankind, is the truest greatness. To be a successful father or a successful mother is greater than to be a successful general or a successful statesman.” (Juvenile Instructor, 15 Dec. 1905, p. 752.)

The following are from “What is true greatness?” by President Howard W. Hunter:

"Joseph Smith is not generally remembered as a general, mayor, architect, editor, or presidential candidate. We remember him as the prophet of the Restoration, a man committed to the love of God and the furthering of His work. The Prophet Joseph was an everyday Christian. He was concerned about the small things, the daily tasks of service and caring for others. As a thirteen-year-old boy, Lyman O. Littlefield accompanied the camp of Zion, which went up to Missouri. He later narrated this incident of a small yet personally significant act of service in the life of the Prophet:

“The journey was extremely toilsome for all, and the physical suffering, coupled with the knowledge of the persecutions endured by our brethren whom we were traveling to succor, caused me to lapse one day into a state of melancholy. As the camp was making ready to depart I sat tired and brooding by the roadside. The Prophet was the busiest man of the camp; and yet when he saw me, he turned from the great press of other duties to say a word of comfort to a child. Placing his hand upon my head, he said, ‘Is there no place for you, my boy? If not, we must make one.’ This circumstance made an impression upon my mind which long lapse of time and cares of [later] years have not effaced.” (In George Q. Cannon, Life of Joseph Smith the Prophet, Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Company, 1986, p. 344.)

On another occasion, Sheriff Thomas King of Adams County and several others were sent as a posse to arrest the Prophet and deliver him to the emissaries of Governor Boggs of Missouri. Sheriff King became deathly ill, and the Prophet took the sheriff to his home in Nauvoo and nursed him like a brother for four days. (Cannon, p. 372.) Small, kind, and yet significant acts of service were not occasional for the Prophet.

Writing about the opening of the store in Nauvoo, Elder George Q. Cannon recorded:

“The Prophet himself did not hesitate to engage in mercantile and industrial pursuits; the gospel which he preached was one of temporal salvation as well as spiritual exaltation; and he was willing to perform his share of the practical labor. This he did with no thought of personal gain.” (Cannon, p. 385.)

And in a letter, the Prophet wrote:

“The store has been filled to overflowing and I have stood behind the counter all day, distributing goods as steadily as any clerk you ever saw, to oblige those who were compelled to go without their Christmas and New Year’s dinners for the want of a little sugar, molasses, raisins, etc.; and to please myself also, for I love to wait upon the Saints and to be a servant to all, hoping that I may be exalted in the due time of the Lord.” (Cannon, p. 386.)

To be a successful elders quorum secretary or Relief Society teacher or loving neighbor or listening friend is much of what true greatness is all about. To do one’s best in the face of the commonplace struggles of life—and possibly in the face of failure—and to continue to persevere in the ongoing difficulties of life in order to contribute to others’ progress and happiness and one’s own eternal salvation—this is true greatness.

The small things are significant. We remember not the amount offered by the Pharisee but the widow’s mite, not the power and strength of the Philistine army but the courage and conviction of David.

To those who are furthering the work of the Lord in so many quiet but significant ways, to those who are the salt of the earth and the strength of the world and the backbone of each nation—to you we would simply express our admiration. If you endure to the end, and if you are valiant in the testimony of Jesus, you will achieve true greatness and will one day live in the presence of our Father in Heaven.

As President Joseph F. Smith has said, “Let us not be trying to substitute an artificial life for the true one.” (Juvenile Instructor, 15 December 1905, p. 753.) Let us remember that doing the things that have been ordained by God to be important and necessary—even though the world may view them as unimportant and insignificant—will eventually lead to true greatness."

Elder Glenn L. Pace said the following: "You will have won a great personal battle when the successes of your classmates become a joy in your life rather than a jealousy. Our quest for exaltation is our own. Entrance into the celestial kingdom isn’t determined by competition or popularity; we don’t have to “beat” anyone to get there. And when we greet each other in the celestial kingdom, we will know what Alma meant by 'my joy is more full because of the success of my brethren.'

Just some thoughts to ponder about success and how we can achieve it. If anyone else has any favorites about success please feel free to share. Thanks.

There are some games in which cheering for the other side feels better than winning. by Rick Reilly

2009-01-25T19:29:00.000-08:00

This is a story written by Rick Reilly on ESPN.com

One of those good stories that makes you feel better about the world.

Click HERE

My Hiatus

2009-01-24T17:02:00.000-08:00

Hey all,

I know, I know - I've been a blogging slacker as of late. Here's the reason (just a lame excuse): I've started writing in my journal again (yep, you guessed it - one of those new year's resolutions that will probably last until at least March) so I don't really feel the need to express myself on my blog as often because I am always writing in my journal. Anyway, I will try to be better.

This post goes out to two things this year that have already had a huge impact on me. The first is ASL. I am in an ASL class - first time I've ever attempted anything like this. I never took it in High School or anything like that, I just really decided that I wanted to learn it. I have fallen in love with. So much so that I am pushing back my graduation from BYU a couple semesters so that I can take all the ASL classes and hopefully become certified to teach it in a HS someday. I really don't have the words to express how enamored I am with ASL, the language, the culture that goes with it, etc. If you ever want to hear all about it just ask me in person and you may be sorry, but I'll definitely let you know how much I love it.

The second thing I wanted to post about is an interesting phenomenon that I've talked about before but just recently had show up in my life again. The idea that sometimes we resist good things. Sometimes it seems like we are given the most incredible opportunities (often exactly what we want) but rather then smile and run with it, we turn and run away from it. What is it about us that makes us shy away from something that we actually want? Why would we ever run from what we've been working for? Now, some of you are probably a little confused as to what I am talking about - allow me to explain. I love country dancing - love it. But when the chance to perform a country dance routine in our ward talent show came around my first reaction was to say: "Yeah, right. No way." I love the chance to serve in leadership positions and have really enjoyed a lot of the chances I've had the past few years, and yet when my professor joked about me being the President of my major for yet another year the first thing that came out of my mouth was: "No way, you wouldn't do that to me...." Even though I really do like it - I don't get it. Or another classic that has been heard many times by many people: "You are exactly what I am looking for in a _________ ((husband, wife, boy, girl, etc)), but I can't date you..."
Why do we run from what we are looking for?
I have two ideas. I'm not really sure if either one is right but they could be.
1 - When we get what we want we realize that it's not really what we wanted after all.
2 - We are creatures of habit and it's just easier to not change the status quo than it is accept something great and also make the changes that would come with that change. It's scary to make changes - it's hard.
I'm not really sure if those are the only two reasons we do this, but I think they are some of the reasons we run from great things that come to us.
Let me end with this quote:
"Let us not take counsel from our fears." - President James E. Faust

This is too cool

2009-01-13T21:44:00.000-08:00

Who knew that all you had to do was be elected president to roll around in the coolest car I've ever seen.....?

http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/01/cadillac-one_01.jpg

Geeks enroll in 'flirting course'

2009-01-13T21:43:00.000-08:00

I borrowed this article off of yahoo.com

I think they offer this class at BYU don't they?

BERLIN (Reuters) – Even the most quirky of computer nerds can learn to flirt with finesse thanks to a new "flirting course" being offered to budding IT engineers at Potsdam University south of Berlin.

The 440 students enrolled in the master's degree course will learn how to write flirtatious text messages and emails, impress people at parties and cope with rejection.

Philip von Senftleben, an author and radio presenter who will teach the course, summed up his job as teaching how to "get someone else's heart beating fast while yours stays calm."

The course, which starts next Monday, is part of the social skills section of the IT course and is designed to ease entry into the world of work. Students also learn body language, public-speaking, stress management and presentation skills.

"We want to prepare our students with the social skills needed to succeed both in their private life and their work life," said Hans-Joachim Allgaier, a spokesman for the institute at Potsdam University where the course is being offered.

(Writing by Anna Brooke; Editing by Nick Vinocur)

Annual List of Banished Words

2008-12-31T20:28:00.001-08:00

Apparently there is a group in Michigan that gets together every year and chooses words that they believe should be banished from the English language. They took over 5000 nominations of words, phrases, and other such jargon that people deemed banishable (yes I know that's not a real word).

This year was a record year because for the first time ever the list included an emoticon. The heart formed from a "less than" symbol and a number 3.

Rough year for love all around...

Octopinion

2008-12-26T20:04:00.000-08:00

Apparently Octopi have an opinion about movies....

When shown videos in standard 24 frames/sec format the octupi had no reaction, but when sped up to 5o frames/sec (to accommodate for their highly significant eyes) the octopi displayed different reactions depending on the genre of movie shown...

Their favorite was Disney's Little Mermaid...

Ever ever after....

2008-12-25T17:35:00.000-08:00

Just saw Disney's Enchanted for the first time.

Cheesy? Incredibly. Did I love it? Yes!

What can I say? I'm a sucker for the sappy Disney movies

Merry Christmas

2008-12-21T16:36:00.000-08:00

Just wanted to spread a little Christmas cheer and remind all to read the Christmas story in the Luke 2 and 3 Nephi...

Shoe attack

2008-12-14T21:03:00.001-08:00

The Dog House

2008-12-10T13:43:00.000-08:00

I can't take credit for finding this:

Dani found it and I saw it on her blog - it's good enough though that I believe it's worth your time.

The DogHouse

I really do not like Dogs at all

2008-12-10T08:38:00.001-08:00

I very much hope that whoever I marry is okay that I never want to have a dog. Not a small one, big one, furry one, hairy one, loud one, quiet one, etc. Just not a dog fan

I'm a nerd

2008-12-02T21:51:00.001-08:00

Just playing around with Photoshop

2008-12-02T20:43:00.000-08:00

I thought I would try the new grunge style that seems to be so popular these days...

Send Email to Cell Phone

2008-12-02T11:08:00.001-08:00

Hey ya'll - I found this pretty useful. You can send an email directly to your phone...

Definately worth your time.

2008-12-02T09:51:00.000-08:00

I wouldn't listen to the music if I was you, but the sports plays are incredible

Sign of the times?

2008-12-01T14:54:00.000-08:00

Apparently there has been a mad shortage of acorns this year....

Could this be a sign of the times?

Happy Turkey Day

2008-11-30T14:05:00.000-08:00

In honor of the Thanksgiving break I decided to post about some of the things I am grateful for.
These are in no particular order - Some of these are religious, others are more humorous...a good smattering of what makes up my wonderful life:

1 - God
2 - Jesus Christ & His Atonement which allows me to continually overcome my weaknesses
3 - The Restored Gospel and my membership in the True Church here on earth
4 - Joseph Smith and every prophet in this dispensation through President Monson
5 - The Book of Mormon (and all scriptures for that matter)
6 - My Family
7 - My angelic mom who can only be described as a Saint
8 - My Dad who is the epitome of a righteous priesthood holder and treats my mom like his princess
9 - All my brothers and sisters and how much they make fun of me for being single
10 - James Reed Belliston - a fine man and an even better friend. Roommate for three years now and a great pillow-talk partner
11 - Steven Christopher Fisher - 1 part oaf, 3 parts cowboy, and an all around genuinely loving person - couldn't ask for a better friend
12 - Bryce Kimball Gandy (also known as Bruskers) - childhood sandbox playmate and official apartment entertainment - not a mean bone in his chiseled body
13 - My baby - My MacBook computer - she never lets me down
14 - My 1995 gold Toyota Camry (who by the way is still unnamed - I'm open to any recommendations - she's a girl, I know that much)
15 - My wonderful job at the MTC
16 - Great professors who take the time to help me realize my potential - specifically Geoff Wright who pushes me to accomplish things I wouldn't do on my own
17 - Ice Cream - nothing gets me ready for bed quite like it
18 - Cheesecake - see ice cream
19 - BYU - I love it here
20 - My 18 pairs of basketball shorts (I gave away my 5 least worn pairs)
21 - Hoodies - makes getting out of bed bearable
22 - Sportscenter - no description required
23 - My mission experience in the Philippines
24 - A pair of jeans that fits just right (Click Here to get my exact feelings) - I actually have a pair I bought in 1999 that I love
25 - My extended family (aunts, uncles, grandparents, cousins, in-laws, etc.) - I get to see them quite often and I actually enjoy spending time with them
26 - Orange slices (the candy)
27 - Anything with the word cream in it (Ice____, ____ cheese, Whipped ____, etc.)
28 - Pineapple
29 - Rice (the good kind - long grain - from Asia)
30 - Tillamok Cheese
31 - EFY
32 - Good friends (yes that includes you - all 368 of you on facebook who claim me as a friend) - I would list you all by name but then no one would want to read this...
33 - My mom's homecooking - I get it every Sunday night
34 - Earplugs (Reed says some weird things in his sleep)
35 - Tabs (I hated having to open a new window for every new web page you went to)
36 - Trix and Peanut Butter Crunch
37 - Belts - not a huge fan of suspenders
38 - Strawberries and Rasperries
39 - Meat
40 - Cheese
41 - Nerdy people who understand me (I spend about 30 minutes a day at least surfing the internet and reading all my RSS feeds)
42 - Hot Showers
43 - My pillows
44 - Toothbrushes - I really like brushing my teeth
45 - Good books (Les Mis, Harry Potter, Man's search for meaning, etc)
46 - Country Dancing - love it
47 - Country Music (George Strait, Brad Paisley, Taylor Swift, Emerson Drive, etc)
48 - Christmas lights
49 - Good smelling Candles
50 - Deodorant
51 - Musicals
52 - Christmas Music
53 - Peppermint Ice Cream & Hot Fudge
54 - Plaid
55 - Adobe Creative Suite CS3
56 - Chicken Alfredo
57 - Good Socks (the champion socks from Costco - I have yet to find a better sock)
58 - The internet
59 - Volleyball
60 - Park Football
61 - Family Home Evening
62 - My roommates printer (I've printed many a paper of that printer)

And, there are many more, but I'm sure half of you who get on here don't make it even this far so I'll just stop there.

Happy Thanksgiving - there's a lot to be grateful for!

Great Christmas Gift

2008-11-29T09:54:00.000-08:00

This is one great deal if you ask me...

Great Christmas Gift

Fishing anyone...

Patents

2008-11-27T19:45:00.000-08:00

Just so you all know - McDonalds has put in a request for a Patent on making sandwiches. Apparently they have included a flow chart as well to ensure that no one steals their precise way of making a hamburger that doesn't taste very good.

When do we reach the point that we just say: "Hey, that's dumb," and worry about more important things?

For your viewing pleasure

2008-11-23T21:45:00.000-08:00

See more funny videos and TBT Videos at Today's Big Thing.

Noodling

2008-11-17T21:03:00.000-08:00

All right ya'll - maybe you have heard of this already - I don't know. But, whether or not you've seen this I think it's awesome.

It's called "Noodling"

Noodling is a southern US practice of fishing for catfish using only bare hands. Many other names, such as catfisting, grabbling, graveling, hogging, dogging, tickling and stumping, are used in different regions for the same activity. Noodling is currently legal in eleven states.^[1].

The term "noodling", although today used primarily towards the capture of flathead catfish, can and has been applied to all hand fishing methods, regardless of the method or species of fish sought. Noodling as a term has also been applied to various unconventional methods of fishing, such as any which do not use bait, rod & reel, speargun, etc., but this usage is much less common.

Although the concept, catching fish with only the use of the arm in the water, is simple enough, the process of noodling is more complicated. The choice of catfish as the prey is not arbitrary, but comes from the circumstances of their habitat. Flathead catfish live in holes or under brush in rivers and lakes and thus are easy to capture due to the static nature of their dwelling. To begin, a noodler goes underwater to depths ranging from only a few feet to up to twenty feet, placing his hand inside a discovered catfish hole. If all goes as planned, the catfish will swim forward and latch onto the fisherman's hand, usually as a defensive maneuver in order to try to escape the hole. If the fish is particularly large, the noodler can hook the head around its gills.

Most noodlers have spotters who help them bring the catfish in, either to shore or to their boat. When a catfish bites onto a noodler, it holds on for quite a while.

With some of the biggest fish caught weighing in at up to 50-60 pounds, very few noodlers are strong enough to attempt noodling by themselves. Although carrying the fish after they have been subdued is not difficult, trying to secure a fish and remove it from one's hand at the same time can be a challenge.

Now that's cool

Even if you don't know Tagalog I think you can appreciate this...

2008-11-11T21:57:00.001-08:00

Role Reversal

2008-11-09T19:13:00.000-08:00

So, me, Bryce, and Reed were all sitting in his front room just shooting the breeze and we started talking about dating (I know, I know - big surprise right?). Well Reed had an epiphany that I believe is worth mentioning. He had the thought:

What if we switched roles for a month? For example - we talk to President Samuelson, and here at BYU for a month we do a social experiment. Guys and girls switch roles for a month. Girls have to ask guys out (and the expectation is at least 1 date a week - this is the expectation for guys right now so it shouldn't be any different for girls), girls pay, and girls take the lead role in planning the date, leading the conversation, and showing they are interested. Guys on the other hand try to flirt with girls they would like to be asked out by, they turn down or accept date offers, etc.
Wouldn't that be incredible? I think it would be fascinating - I mean, think about it. Guys would finally understand what it feels like to be the only one of your roommates no asked out, to be the one who hasn't been on a date in weeks and really can't do anything about it, to be on a date with someone you really don't want to be with, etc. Girls would finally understand what it feels like to drop 40 bones on someone only to have them turn you down the next time, to be turned down by someone you are interested in, to have to plan and come up with new and innovative dating ideas, etc.

I personally think this would be awesome - just to open all our eyes a bit to what it's like for the opposite gender. Any thoughts?

Road Trip

2008-11-04T12:33:00.001-08:00

This past weekend me and 3 of my best buddies went to the BYU-Colorado State Football game. The game was in Colorado so we made a road trip of it. We left Provo on Friday around 3:30 in the afternoon and pulled into Denver around Midnight. We spent the night with some of Reed's family. They were incredibly gracious to us (offering us beds, a wonderful hot breakfast, too many treats for even Fish to eat, and a great lunch before the game) and we had a great time with them. Saturday morning was spent playing outdoor volleyball (3 on 3) in a local park - my team won - poor Reed, Steve, and Bouch.
Then we headed for the game. Boy was it a game. BYU gave us a great scare - waiting until there was abou 1:12 left in the game to finally seal up the deal.
They really know how to watch a football game there in Colorado. The stadium was located out in the middle of a huge field (no parking lot - just a lot of dirt, cowpies, and beer cans) and when we pulled up we could tell that they had been partying for awhile. There were trucks everywhere (in fact the only thing I saw more of than truck s was beer) and everybody was pretty plastered.
After the game we waited for a little while before taking off - we wanted to let all the drunk people get in their cars and drive a little before we joined them on the road.

We drove halfway home that night and spent the night in podunkville Wyoming @ a super 8 before coming the rest of the way home in time for an afternoon sacrament meeting.
A few highlights from the trip:
To break up the monotony of the trip we decided we would all sing our new favorite song at the top of our lungs. We sang "Love Story," by Taylor Swift 13 times that trip. Tears were shed, voices cracked, and gosh darn it I love that song.

We passed numerous windmills on the way. It was always interesting to see a line of them - all of them but one would be spinning. The same wind, same location, yet some were spinning quickly, while others weren't moving at all. Me and Reed had a pleasant conversation as we related this to dating. Same people, same place, same game, and yet some are really working it (having success) while others appear to be completely stationary. Interesting how that works out isn't it?

We also stopped at the Abraham Lincoln monument in Nowhereville, Wyoming. We saw two gay cowboy truckers with their arms behind each others backs as they walked. Yes, the words: "two", "cowboy", & "gay" all describe the truckers. Rather distrubing.

Hat

2008-10-28T17:59:00.000-07:00

I would simply like to ask a question.

Please vote. In favor or or opposed to this hat?

I happen to own it and would simply like to hear what everyone's thoughts are. And please don't say: "Well only in certain situations." I know that - I'm not planning on wearing it skiing or to my classes.

Thank you

Pig Tails & Overalls

2008-10-26T20:38:00.000-07:00

Can I just put in a plug for pig tails and overalls. It seems like no matter how many girls I talk to they all think that pig tails and overalls are ''not cute" and ''so third grade.'' I think they both look very cute on girls. Pig tails give girls this look of cute and blissful innocence that I find very attractive. Overalls do the very same thing.

I'm not really sure why girls would think these negative things about pig tails and overalls (if you feel inclined to clue me in please do) - I mean, when I was in third grade I wore plaid shorts and a t-shirt. I don't hear too many guys complaining about plaid shorts or t-shirts these days.
Can I also add one disclaimer? I think the pig tails look the best when they are braided (I don't know enough to know if that has a different name than a pig tail - like maybe a braided tail or something) and those are definitely preferable. As far as overalls go - go with khaki.

Dating

2008-10-19T15:35:00.000-07:00

So the whole 'dating' title - it's just a facade. I mean who wouldn't read your blog if you have a post dedicated to dating? I know when I hear the word 'dating' my interest is usually peaked fairly quickly.

This post is about pet-peeves. Everyone has them - they're weird (ever notice how weird is spelled with an E before an I even though it doesn't follow a C? Weird, huh?) but we all have them, and I think it's fun to try and point them out. One thing that I have noticed is that it's usually easier to point out someone else's pet-peeves than it is to identify your own. My roommate Reed for example - we have lived together for 3 years now, and I know his pet-peeves. Probably better than he does. But, with a little help from Reed, I have identified many of my own pet-peeves, which I will now be so gracious as to share with you.

1 - The little thingy in the shower. The pin that you pull to make the water come out of the shower instead of going into the tub. I like for that to be down. The reason is this: I hate it when I get in to turn on the shower and - not expecting it to come out of the shower - am surprised by a blast of icy water when I first turn it on. Also it drips and wastes water. Peace, Love, Granola.

2 - Routines. I don't like my routines to get messed up. Before I got to bed every night I always do the following (in the order given): Wash my face, brush my teeth, say my prayers, stretch, make my going to bed noises (hard to explain over a blog post), place my pillow under my knees while lying on my back (I do this until I am almost asleep), then I turn over onto my stomach and sleep with a pillow under my one arm.

3 - People who do stupid things. Not just people who do stupid things - but, people who know better and do stupid things. It drives me bonkers when I know that someone knows better and still does something stupid.

4 - Loud things. I don't mind loud things in loud places (football games, carnivals, rodeos, etc.) but, I hate when people have loud things in the wrong places. The car that revs it's engine 546 times outside our window at 1AM, the person in the cougareat talking on their phone loud enough for everyone in the WILK to hear them, the person in the movie sitting behind you who sniffs every 5 secs so loud you thought he was bending down to get close to your ear to do it, and so forth.

5 - Dirty hands. I'm no OCD (at least if I am I don't know about it) but I really like to have clean hands. I wash my hands a lot - especially while cooking - to make sure they are clean. I also like to have a nice wash rag to dry my hands on after I wash them. I bought some for our apartment and I wash them every week.

6 - When things don't work. That may seem like an odd category but it drives me nuts when something that is supposed to be working won't work the way it's supposed to. My car, computer, cell-phone, etc. I hate it when something doesn't work - it always seems to happen at just the wrong time.

7 - Wet toes. It drives me nuts when my toes are wet. I always dry off in between them in the mornings. Don't know why - just can't stand it.

8 - Fruity Gum. I seriously want to throw up just smelling it. It makes it 10X worse when someone chews fruity gum and smacks it. I feel bad but I made up my own rule for the MTC - No fruity gum in class - ever!

9 - Doctrinally incorrect statements that are used in church. Christ never said (that we have record of) " I never said it would be easy, I only said it would be worth it."

10 -Parking in provo.

Anywho, those are some of my pet-peeves. I thank you not to judge, I promise, for the most part, I'm still a pretty normal person. Feel free to share your #1 pet peeve, I would love to hear about them

Check this out

2008-10-12T21:15:00.001-07:00

If you hate parking in Provo as much as I do . . .

Parking Tickets

Prop 8

2008-10-12T21:06:00.001-07:00

Watch this:

Video

Rain

2008-10-09T18:41:00.000-07:00

I recently was introduced to the song "Like the Rain," by Clint Black. I really like it. I did a little research and found out that there are, in fact, according to muze.com, over 5,000 albums containing at least one song with the word 'rain' in their title, just since 1960.

In my opinion the top 3 are:

1 - Rainy Days And Mondays, by The Carpenters

2 - Raindrops Keep Fallin' On My Head, by B.J. Thomas

3 - Rain, by The Beatles

Why do you suppose that is? Why are there so many songs about rain? Well I stick with the guys @ http://www.lacarte.org. They make the claim that it's probably because rain is the easiest word to rhyme with 'PAIN.'

Pain - it seems to show up on a lot of songs... In fact that's one reason why I love country songs so much. Not so much the pain aspect as much as the ability country music has to put into words the feelings that are hard to describe. In honor of my love for country music (don't judge me) I present to you the top 100 country songs.

A Woman in Love - Ronnie Milsap
Almost Like a Song - Ronnie Milsap
Always On My Mind - Willie Nelson
Amanda - Waylon Jennings
Amazed - Lonestar
Anymore - Travis Tritt
Before The Next Teardrop Falls - Freddy Fender
Behind Closed Doors - Charlie Rich
Blue Eyes Crying In The Rain - Willie Nelson
Breathe - Faith Hill
But For The Grace Of God - Keith Urban
Carrying Your Love With Me - George Strait
Cold Cold Heart - Hank Williams
Cowboy Take Me Away - Dixie Chicks
Crazy - Patsy Cline
Don't Take The Girl - Tim McGraw
Feels So Right - Alabama
Forever and Ever, Amen - Randy Travis
Forever And For Always - Shania Twain
From Here To Eternity - Michael Peterson
Gentle on My Mind - Glen Campbell
Golden Ring - George Jones and Tammy Wynette
He Stopped Loving Her Today - George Jones
He'll Have To Go - Jim Reeves
Hello Darlin - Conway Twitty
Hello Walls - Faron Young
Help Me Make It Through the Night - Sammi Smith
Help Me Understand - Trace Adkins
How Do I Live - Trisha Yearwood
How Forever Feels - Kenny Chesney
I Believe - Diamond Rio
I Believe In You - Don Williams
I Can't Help It (If I'm Still In Love With You) - Hank Williams
I Can't Stop Loving You - Don Gibson
I Cross My Heart - George Strait
I Do - Paul Brandt
I Do (Cherish You) - Mark Wills
I Fall To Pieces - Patsy Cline
I Love the Way You Love Me - John Michael Montgomery
I Melt - Rascal Flatts
I Still Believe in You - Vince Gill
I Still Miss Someone - Johnny Cash
I Swear - John Michael Montgomery
I Walk The Line - Johnny Cash
I Wanna Make You Cry - Jeff Bates
I Will Always Love You - Dolly Parton
I'd Love To Lay You Down - Conway Twitty
If Tomorrow Never Comes - Garth Brooks
I'll Go On Loving You - Alan Jackson
I'm Already There - Lonestar
I'm So Lonesome, I Could Cry - Hank Williams
It Only Hurts When I Cry - Dwight Yoakam
It's a Love Thing - Keith Urban
It's Your Love - Faith Hill & Tim McGraw
Keeper Of The Stars - Tracy Byrd
Kiss An Angel Good Mornin' - Charley Pride
Let's Make Love - Faith Hill & Tim McGraw
Love Me Tender - Elvis Presley
Love, Me - Collin Raye
Lovesick Blues - Hank Williams
Me And You - Kenny Chesney
Must Be Doin' Somethin' Right - Billy Currington
My Woman, My Woman, My Wife - Marty Robbins
No Place That Far - Sara Evans
One More Day - Diamond Rio
Only One Love In My Life - Ronnie Milsap
Pure Love - Ronnie Milsap
Raining On Sunday - Keith Urban
Remember When - Alan Jackson
She's In Love With The Boy - Trisha Yearwood
She's Got You - Patsy Cline
She's More - Andy Griggs
Somebody Like You - Keith Urban
Something That We Do - Clint Black
Strawberry Wine - Deana Carter
The Dance - Garth Brooks
The Heart Won't Lie - Reba McEntire
The Man In Love With You - George Strait
The One - Gary Allan
This Kiss - Faith Hill
To Make You Feel My Love - Garth Brooks
Today I Started Loving You Again - Merle Haggard
Tonight I Wanna Be Your Man - Andy Griggs
Two Sparrows in a Hurricane - Tanya Tucker
Unanswered Prayers - Garth Brooks
We Danced - Brad Paisley
What a Beautiful Day - Chris Cagle
When I Call Your Name - Vince Gill
When I Said I Do - Clint Black and Lisa Hartman Black
When Somebody Loves You - Alan Jackson
When We Make Love - Alabama
When You Say Nothing At All - Keith Whitley
Where've You Been - Kathy Mattea
You Had Me From Hello - Kenny Chesney
You Won't Be Lonely Now - Billy Ray Cyrus
You Won't Ever Be Lonely - Andy Griggs
Your Everything - Keith Urban
Your Man - Josh Turner
You're My Best Friend - Don Williams
You're The Best Part of Me - Dale Watson

I borrowed this list from http://countrymusic.about.com

Reminders...Skadush

2008-10-05T15:38:00.000-07:00

Hello all,

I'm back and plum-full of blogging topics. I dedicate this post to reminders. Before I embark on a verbose post all about reminders I just wanted to take this opportunity to introduce everyone to my new favorite word "skadush"

Now - on to reminders. I am one of those people who has to have reminders - I am known for being notoriously forgetful. I have my schedule all spelled out for me on my computer (using Ical), I have it again in my Missionary Planner (which I get complimentary from the MTC), I use a minimum of 5 post it notes a day as reminders of things to take to school, to turn in, to read, etc. I have printed out versions of my schedule I carry with me, I have them posted on my wall, and I have my schedule on my google homepage. Despite all of my efforts, invariably, I miss appointments, forget birthdays, show up late to meetings, and completely space commitments. Due to my cursory nature I am constantly on the look-out for new ways of reminding myself. I stumbled on one today that I found very interesting and wanted to share with all of you.

Check out HassleMe - it's awesome. Now I wouldn't recommend using this for set appt's like a meeting, etc. But, for things like calling someone you want to check up on, feeding your pet, etc. This is revolutionary. With random email times you avoid falling into a rut and forgetting altogether. Skadush that!

The Rose

2008-09-14T14:29:00.000-07:00

This post goes out to everyone. I love this song. This could be the one non-country song that really speaks to my soul like a country song does. I like this song because I think everyone can relate to different parts of this song at different times of their life. At the risk of taking away from the song I will say no more.... Enjoy "The Rose"

4 Puppies

2008-08-28T08:52:00.001-07:00

There once were four puppies. Each was different, but each was good in it's own way. Each morning the puppies would awake to the sound of children as they walked by their puppy pen. "Choose me! Choose me!," each barked out loudly.
Afternoons were spent wrestling, digging, and doing other such puppy things. Days past and the puppies grew - each day looking for that special child to come who would choose them.
Scratch.
The largest of the puppies was named Scratch. Scratch was one of those puppies who was always the biggest and the strongest when all the puppies wrestled, and yet, he had an incredibly soft heart. Scratch would never do anything to hurt anyone. He often spent time talking with the other puppies when they felt alone or hurt. One day along came a child. Her name was Linda - Linda was young, happy, go-lucky, and carefree. She was excited for a puppy and immediately began playing with the puppies when she arrived. Something about Scratch stood out to her. He was big, but gentle. Linda decided that Scratch was the puppy she most wanted and took him home with her. Days past in bliss - they were best of friends - playing, laughing, and crying together. They spent the better part of a year together - everyday Linda running home from school to meet Scratch and play. There were few things Linda enjoyed more than Scratch and nothing Scratch enjoyed more than Linda. Then Linda joined the drama club at school. She began to see less and less of Scratch. She wanted nothing more than to be with him, but she just didn't feel like it was right for her to miss her drama meetings. Scratch began to try harder and harder to get her attention and there were days when Linda skipped out on drama to spend time with Scratch - but, afterward she felt bad. She didn't feel good about spending all that time with Scratch and not going to her drama meetings. Until eventually Linda's parents took scratch back to the puppy pen. Linda couldn't give Scratch the commitment he needed and it wasn't fair to leave him tied up in the backyard waiting for her.
Spud.
Spud was another puppy who grew up with Scratch in the same pen. He wasn't quite as big as Scratch but he was happy and enjoyed life at the pen. Spud had been taken by different kids at different times but always seemed to end up back at the pen - it just didn't work out with the different kids and Spud was sad. One day in walked Chelsea. She was unlike the other children - her and Spud just seemed to click. She came back to visit him in the pen, time and again, and each time Spud hoped more and more that she would take him home with her. Just when Spud had given up hope in walked Chelsea and told him she was taking him home. Joy filled little Spud's heart as he walked out with Chelsea - surely this would be wonderful. Days were spent together talking, confiding in, laughing, and enjoying one another. Spud was as happy as he had ever been. Hours flew by as they spent time together and it seemed that there was never enough time for them to talk about all the things they wanted to talk about.
Then one day Chelsea started acting differently - she didn't seem as excited to see Spud as she had been before. She seemed more aloof and not as happy. Spud tried to understand what had happened but couldn't seem to come up with anything.
Why could this be? Then one day, out of the blue, Chelsea told Spud that he would have to go back to the pen. "But, why?" he inquired, "What about all the wonderful times together, what about, what about..."
Spud was heart-broken. He didn't understand why this was happening. He felt alone, confused, and most of all sad. Chelsea still promised to visit him often at the pen and promised many more memories, talks, and laughs. But, Spud was still sad - why did such a good thing have to end? How could they possibly have as much fun if he wasn't with her anymore?
But, the day came and Spud returned to the pen.
Brutus.
Brutus was an extremely kind, soft puppy. His name definitely didn't suit his soft demeanor and attitude. He was the most carefree of all the puppies - nothing seemed to slow him down. He was often found in random and solitary projects where he was content and happy. None of the children who came to play seemed to suit Brutus - he was content being himself and spending occasional time with the other puppies. One day, all that changed. Brutus wasn't feeling up to his usual solitary games and on the recommendation of another puppy decided to play with one of the children he had seen so many times before. Her name was Abby. Something strange happened that day - it was love at first site. Brutus hardly knew what to do with himself. Having no expectations whatsoever of even enjoying himself he found himself utterly stunned with the amazing time he had with Abby. They both seemed to find each other hilarious. Brutus began to spend less and less time in his usual endeavors and more and more time with Abby. She was amazing - his new best friend, confidant, and joy. Well, the time comes, as you may have now expected that Abby decided to take Brutus home. For 2 weeks they both spent every waking moment together. Laughter filled the yard as they played together. Brutus was as happy as he had ever been. Then one day Abby did the unthinkable - she brought home another dog! His name was Gilbert. He was nice enough of course (Abby wouldn't have any of the other kind of dog in her house), but Brutus was devastated. He had thought that he and Abby were to be together - he didn't at all expect to be sharing time with Gilbert. Why had Abby done this? The next week was the hardest for Brutus - he tried to be as happy as he had been before - but he wasn't. He tried to spend time with Abby, but always felt that it was some sort of competition between him and Gilbert - each vying for her time. It wasn't fair, and he wasn't happy. The time arrived that Brutus had to be taken back to the pen. It just wasn't working out - 3's a crowd and he felt crowded.
Ricky.
Ricky was one of those charming puppies. It seemed he could charm his way into the heart of any child - and he did. The problem was Ricky never seemed to have any sort of attachment to them. He watched as the other puppies left then returned but never seemed to find himself attached to any child in particular. Until...
In walked Brandy. She was unlike any of the other children. She was intellectually challenging to Ricky. He couldn't just charm her into getting his way - and he liked it. Here was a child that he could attach himself to. She challenged him and he challenged her. Ricky found himself being more and more drawn to Brandy. They would have long talks that Ricky kept thinking about long after Brandy had left. This is new, this is exciting. Maybe here was finally a child that Ricky could see himself going with. For 3 weeks Brandy and Ricky would spend time together - almost daily - Ricky found life more satisfying when he was with Brandy and he looked forward to seeing her. One weekend Brandy didn't come - Ricky was worried sick. What could have happened to her? But then the next Monday she was back. "I had to go and visit another puppy pen to take care of some things," she explained. Ricky was just happy she was back and they had a wonderful time that day. But Ricky still felt a little unsettled. Something wasn't quite right. Why was she visiting other puppy pens? Wasn't this one the only puppy pen should she be at? Day by day his fears grew as Brandy spent less and less time at the puppy pen. Oh, she always had a good excuse for why she needed to leave early or why she wouldn't make it the next day - but that's just it - all of a sudden she was full of excuses. Ricky was distraught - he felt empty, discouraged, and sad. Then one day as Ricky was talking with another puppy he overheard one of the children: "Oh, Brandy. No, she doesn't come here anymore. She's always going over to that other puppy pen. I think she found a puppy over there that she's actually taking home..." Ricky stopped listening. That was all he could take. He ran to the corner and plopped himself down. "I'm done letting myself get attached," he thought. And there he remained, in the corner, saddened by the experience that left him hurt.
4 puppies. All a little less willing to smile at the children as they walked by. All hurt by those they had grown close to. All confused.

4 puppies, back in the pen
4 puppies fighting the blues
4 puppies start over again
4 puppies sad and confused

Haircuts & Nintendos

2008-08-25T12:04:00.000-07:00

I was just thinking today about haircuts. Haircuts are great for many reason (all of which I will not take the time to discuss here) but I want to discuss one of my favorite reasons for haircuts.
When you get a new haircut it's like a fresh start - you're a new person - it's like a new chapter in your life. I always love getting my haircut right after I take midterms - My mom cuts it, I shower and then when I step out and look at myself in the mirror I think: "Self, your a new man. You haven't bombed any tests with this haircut, you haven't offended anyone with this haircut, you haven't had any embarrassing moments, bad days, etc. with this haircut. So don't screw it up"

It's almost like you get a new identity - untarnished, with no baggage, etc. Now as I have thought about it the interesting thing is that from as far as I can tell this affect only affects the receiver of the haircut. When my buddies get haircuts I don't look at them and think: "Oh, wow - this is the post-haircut Steve I am dealing with now..." but the receiver of the haircut gets the wonderful new chapter feeling. Interesting.
While we are on the topic of new identities I found this website that allows you to generate a new name, email address, mom's name, social security #, etc. It's pretty cool.
Anyway - I was trying to think of other things/events in life that seem to signify a new chapter in life(aside from spiritual events such as baptism and taking the sacrament at church) and from as far as I can tell nothing happens as frequently as a haircut. Thank goodness for haircuts and the chance to "start over." It's almost like the reset button on the old nintendo game systems.

Long time

2008-08-18T19:45:00.000-07:00

First of all I must apologize to all of you faithful readers out there - I readily admit that by now there might not be more than 2 or 3 of you, but at one time I was averaging 30-40 hits per day...
Anyway, I'm back from a long and wonderful summer as an EFY coordinator in the Northwest. I grew to love my team, we were all about as different as we could be but that was what made it so fun. I need to give a shout out to all of them - they made it what it was and I'm grateful for that.
I love the kids, the dances, the games, pizza night, devotionals, late night talks with counselors, ice cream, big mama (this monsterous black lady from the south who always gave you more food than you could eat), the speakers, the testimonies of the youth, sleeping on a different bed every week, driving, flying, navigating through airports (always made me think of Brian Reagan), rental cars, working with administrators, coordinating, having ample time for scripture study everyday, running on no sleep week in and week out, random trips to lighthouses, tillamook, volleyball, ultimate frisbee, bowling, cafeteria food everyday for 8 weeks, french toast sticks every morning, spending time with my dad, talking to my mom on the phone, telling everyone I met about the color code, refusing to be part of the drama and then getting sucked into it all, being he liaison with the university when we broke their hammock or their big screen TV, making kids get haircuts, dancing, Miley Cirus and all her wonderful music, learning how to fall asleep anywhere at anytime, talking trash with 50 yr old men, having my eyes opened to the world outside Utah, the sunsets over the Puget Sound, the same music at the dances twice a week for 8 weeks, inside jokes, new sweat pants, the doghouse, cheesecake for dessert, French fries everyday for lunch for 4 weeks, giving haircuts, the Olympics, more facebook friends than I've ever had before, the clapper, random talents kids have these days, pokemon, and so on and so forth.
If I could sum up the summer into one lesson learned it would be this: Always give everyone the benefit of the doubt - you never know what they are going through. Time and again this was pounded home to me as I talked with youth, counselors, friends, etc. You never can tell what they are going through and 99% of people really do try to do the right thing and be good. And when they don't they almost always know it - they usually don't need someone to tell them.
I loved it - I'm different because of the experience. The people I met have and will continue to change my life. The experiences I had have and will continue to shape me. If I was Julie Andrews EFY would definitely make my favorites things list...
Right behind raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens.

Ouch

2008-07-06T09:27:00.000-07:00

Howdy all. I know it's been quite sometime since I last posted but I've been busy with EFY. I am a coordinator up here in the Northwest (Oregon, Washington, & Idaho) and I love it. I have been moved to post again because of an experience I had. In all honesty I could probably feel 300 posts with all the learning experiences I am having, but I just wanted to highlight one.
Have you ever had someone say something to you that really hurt? They were joking, and you knew they were joking, but it still really hurt? I consider myself and pretty easy-going guy, with pretty thick skin (judge for yourselves, I could be wrong on that one) but, I had something said to me that really stung.
We all have things we believe in - things we try and do. Things we stick up for, invest ourselves, in, commit ourselves to, etc. I have some things like that (I think everyone does) and it was when someone began to poke fun - to call me out in a way - on one of those things that I really do believe in, something I am trying really hard to do because I really think that it's important - it was when they began to make fun of that, that I was really hurt.
This caused me to think. We really do need to be careful about what we say. This person and I have a great relationship - we tease each other all the time. I expect that we will continue to be good friends and tease each other. But, this experience made me think about how careful I need to be. A little slip of the tongue and I may hurt someone else.
Sarcasm. It's one of my favorite things in the world. I love it - use it, laugh at it - all the time. I also think though that it gets me into more trouble than anything else. It's hard to know when you've crossed the line. When your remarks may stray into an area that someone else feels really strongly about, somewhere that they really believe in, and have committed themselves to do. Even though it's simply sarcastic it still hurts. And as has been said many times: "There's a little truth under every sarcastic remark."
Don't worry - I'm fine. I have moved on, and everything is okay. But, I still think the point stands. We need to be more careful about what we say - especially when it is sarcastic. You never know when you may say something that really hurts someone.

The Felt Family

2008-06-09T20:08:00.001-07:00

So... My little sister asked me to take some pictures of her family.

I'm no photographer by any means, by I thought it was fun...

Parents

2008-06-02T11:51:00.000-07:00

I have an interesting question running around in my brain. I have heard it said that if you are a guy you generally look for a girl who is like your mother. And if you are a girl you look for a guy like your dad. Now, this makes sense as they (your mother if you are a guy, your dad if you're a girl) are most likely the most important person of the opposite gender in your life before you get married. Is that really a true thing though?
I had an interesting conversation with a friend a few days ago who mentioned to me that the guy she's been dating for a long time now just isn't the one for her. We talked for a long time and when it finally came down to it - there were just some little things that he couldn't do for her that she needed. She really wanted someone who would bring her flowers on her birthday (she had even told him this) but, he cooked her a nice dinner instead. She wanted someone who would tell her she looked beautiful all the time - that's just not his style. Not that he was a bad person or anything, he just wasn't what she needed. As I talked to her it finally came out - she wanted those things because she had seen her dad do those things for her mom. As she had grown up and thought about the man she would marry she had already placed certain qualities on him - and most of these had come from her dad and mom's relationship. Interesting.
Another case in point - I have another friend. This particular person dated someone for a long time - long enough to get engaged/married for sure. They broke up multiple times, got back together, etc. Why didn't it work out in the end? Well the person he was dating could never feel good about them getting married - and one reason was that he didn't have certain qualities that she had seen in her dad and brothers. Not that he was a bad person, or her expectations were too high, because I don't think either one of those is true - he just wasn't what she had seen herself marrying. Hmm.... interesting.
So...this makes me think. Maybe there was something to arranged marriages. I mean if my mom has the qualities I am looking for in a potential wife - who better to find her for me than my dad (who is married to my mom and found those same qualities) and my mom (who would be able to relate extremely well to this girl who would be just like her)?
Just some food for thought.

Decision Time

2008-05-27T16:43:00.000-07:00

So, I've long thought that there was something weird about the dating game - well many things maybe. But, lately I've been thinking about this weird phenomenon that happens to me sometimes, and to many others that I know. There's this guy/girl that is mildly interested in a girl/guy so they take them on a date. The date is fun - they have a great time so they decide to do it again. Second date - much the same - fun time. Well this whole time the guy/girl is thinking to themselves: "I wonder if they are interested as well...I'm having a good time with them...hmm...maybe this could work out..." So they go out with the significant girl/guy again. Once again they have a good time. Then they get the post-date text..."Hey thanks for taking me out, I had such a good time! :)" The next day they get another text: "Hey, what are you up to today? Hope everything is going well! :)" That's it - game over. The blatant use of exclamation points and smiley faces gave it all away - your cover is blown. Now the guy/girl knows that the other is interested. At first they jsut suspect - they aren't sure, and they let their inner-selves talk them out of it. But, subsequent texts follow - each interlaced with more and more punctuation and smiling faces. Until the day comes - theres no room for doubt any longer. They know the other is interested.
They should be way happy right? The two of them should hook up now, and be happy, right? But, it doesn't happen that way. All of a sudden our initial guy/girl who asked the other out isn't that interested anymore. For awhile they respond to the texts with gusto, then slowly responding becomes more of a chore, until they don't respond at all. Initially they may take the other person out, but as the dates winds on they realize that they aren't nearly as interested as they thought they were before they realized the other was reciprocating feelings of interest.
Why?
Why does this happen?
Well, I don't really know - but I am prepared to propose an answer. When everything is vague and unclear it's easy to still be interested. Theres no commitment, no decisions, just interest and those exciting tinglies inside. But, the second the other party shows their interest all of a sudden it's D-day. Now you've got to decide - no more playing around. If you take her out again but you aren't really interested then you're leading her on - if you don't take her out again then you are breaking her heart because she is interested now. What do you do? Well you get all frustrated with the whole thing, and with yourself because you realize that you weren't really that interested in her in the first place. But, it took her forcing you into decision time for you to realize it. Interesting...isn't it?

Kids

2008-05-18T15:28:00.000-07:00

Aren't little kids adorable?

Cause I'm going, going, back, back, to, Cali, Cali . . .

2008-05-08T16:33:00.000-07:00

Sorry ya'll I know I haven't blogged in far too long. It's been a crazy few weeks though. First of all - don't worry, I have successfully recovered from my run, and enjoyed 13 oz of top sirloin from Outback Steakhouse.
So, the other day me and my buddy Reedo went to California. No real reason - just needed a vacation of sorts. And, I mean - it's that time of life - I'm young (relatively speaking), single, free as a bird, and a college students - just seemed like the thing to do.
We drove out on Wednesday afternoon - getting there about 10pm that night. It was my first time ever driving through 'the strip' in Vegas. Interesting - that's about the only word I can think of to describe it. Sometimes peripheral vision can truly be a curse if ya know what I mean. Well bright and early things got rolling the next morning. We were in Westminster, CA so we drove out to Huntington beach for the morning. The morning was spent watching the AVP tour (that's the association of professional volleyball players) on the beach, and then played a game ourselves. What a sight it was to see the 4 of us, topless, and white as the day we were born, running around trying to get our 'sand feet' under us. We weren't very good, but it was a blast. On the way home we went to In n' Out - I am still at a loss for words to describe the way I feel about the Double-Double Animal Style that I ordered. Incredible doesn't do it justice at all. We were greeted by a very friendly who immediately told us that she was 'very happy' that we were doing 'just fine.' When asked what we wanted the driver of the car (Reed's uncle) answered: "How about a better attitude?" Anyway - the burgers were great. We then went home, showered, and headed out to the Semi-Finals of the Men's NCAA volleyball championship. The games were good - we were pleasantly surprised by Ohio State as well as Penn State - we went in assuming neither had a chance but they actually put up some good games.

The next day was once again spent on the beach, playing beach volleyball, watching the AVP tournament, and eating at In N' Out burger. We went to an Angels game that night. The baseball was good - but the people there were much more entertaining. First we have the double-fister's.

These were the people who for some reason unknown to me kept going back for more beer. It seems like each inning was a signal to our friends to get up and spend another 12$ on a glass of beer (12$ on a glass of beer! Holy cow - these people must be rolling in it) and then there were the teenage girls who got in a fight in the middle of the game and had to be escorted out by the police. And finally - there was the nice lady in the car next to us. You see at Angels games it's pretty much impossible to get out of the parking lot so we ended up sitting in the lot for awhile. The lady in the truck next to us was carrying on an extremely loud conversation with the man in the truck (her boyfriend or husband, or just some really realy unlucky stranger) about how bad she needed to go to the bathroom. Over the course of the conversation we learned that she had drunk 'just a few beers' and that before the game she had wanted to take a cab and he had wanted to drive. Well now there they were sitting in the lot and she was screaming at him - literally screaming. I think the following quote will illustrate the scene we viewed from our front row seats:
"You *&^%ing idiot. I told you to take a cab. But, No, we need to drive. I *&^%ing have to pee - and here we are sitting - I hate you you (*&^er. Get me the (*&^ out of here! Don't tell me to shut-up. *&^%! I don't (*&^ing care if the kids are watching me - I'm no (*&^in role model"
It was at this point that our friend (this guy was a champ - I figuratively raise my glass to him)
simply rolled up her window with the power window switch (thank goodness for power windows) amidst her progressively louder screams. Good times.
The next day we went to a Filipino market/restaurant and spent the day with the people I love. We actually met Ramiele Malubay, a Filipina who was on American Idol for awhile. Me and Reedo were the only white boys there who could speak Tagalog so we went up to her and asked to get a picture with her. She was fairly surprised but consented - so amidst the cheering of all the Pinoy's in the restaurant we got our picture taken with her.

That afternoon we went to the Men's NCAA Volleyball championship. I only took pictures during the first game because it was too exciting and I got tired of watching through the lens of the camera. It was incredible - if I could think of a better adjective than that I would use it (Dani feel free to offer suggestions). Incredibly close games, phenomenal spikes, awesome digs, etc. Good volleyball, ice cream, and cheesecake might be the three closest things to heaven found here on earth - well Lake Powell gets pretty close as well.
We got up the next morning and made the drive home. We knew we needed to be back in Provo bu 2:30 to make sacrament meeting. Without going into too much detail I'll tell you that we made it from Anaheim to Provo in 8 hours... Use your imagination...
From the ambrosial taste of In N' Out to the Jack-Johnson-feeling of Huntington beach, California was wonderful.
One day I'm going, going, back, back to, Cali, Cali...

5 Miles 45 minutes One big ole' piece o' Meat

2008-04-27T15:00:00.000-07:00

So as many of you know I had a roommate who was challenging my physical finesse.
In January he came in our room and told me and Reed (my roommate) that he was willing to bet we couldn't run 5 miles in less than 45 minutes. Well the natural man came through and our ego wouldn't let us back down on this one. April 26th was set as the day and a steak dinner the prize. Of course as you can imagine we didn't even think about it again until about march when I began to go running 1, maybe 2 times a week. I would run anywhere between 1-3 miles depending on how ambitious I was feeling - each time promising myself I would never do something so stupid as this again.
I don't like running - at all. There isn't one thing about it that appeals to me. Some people do it because they want to lose weight, others because it 'feels good after,' and still others because they feel it's a stress reliever - yea, none of those apply to me. I don't like it - I don't hate those who do, I just count myself one of the lucky ones who doesn't have to go through it ever again.
So yesterday was the big day. We (Reed, Steve, and I) set out at 4:16 PM on the charted course (up 9th east around to freedom blvd, back down 5th north, and into the colony). We brought Steve along because we knew he would keep a good pace and he wanted to keep training for the football team. It was - well, I guess exactly as you would suspect - 5 miles of not a whole lot of fun - although we did have some good music (I put together a way awesome playlist). About 3.5 miles in Reedo stopped on us and we were afraid that he wasn't going to make it. We were low on time so me and Steve had to keep going. At 4.5 miles Steve had to stop as well (stomach cramps) and I'll be honest - it's a lot harder to run all by yourself. With no one there to push me that last 1/2 mile was by far the longest. Well, I came in at 40 minutes with Steve pulling in at 42. I was worried that Reedo wouldn't make it and so I got in the car to go pick him up - but, props to this guy. He came sprinting in just in time to make the 45 minute mark - he had run all the while by himself after taking a break in the middle.
All I know is this better one hecka good steak.
Oh, and it does feel pretty good to be able to say that I ran and 8 minute mile - I mean that's not like something to brag about but at least I know if I'm ever being chased by some lunatic murderer guy, as long as he doesn't run anything faster than an 8 minute mile then I'm off the hook.
Now the big question: Now that you've developed this habit of running are you going to keep running all the time to keep it up? I answer with a resounding: "Yea, right! I don't think I will ever run again. I'll just buy myself a steak the next time I want one." Well let me give two disclaimers to that blanket statement. I will run again to:
1 - Escape a psychopath murderer
2 - Possibly win over the heart of a young lady

Holes, feet, and pimples

2008-04-25T14:57:00.000-07:00

Have you ever had one of those conversations where it starts out just great, and then when you weren't thinking you say something - something little, just a little thought, phrase, etc. - it slips out - you didn't even consciously think to say it. Next thing you know you're 10 feet under trying to dig yourself out of a mine shaft that's caving in with amazing speed.

Yea, I had one of those the other day - I said something that I probably shouldn't have. It wasn't anything bad or anything - just something that I had thought, but didn't necessarily need to say. I won't go into too much detail as the person I was talking to will probably read this. I look back now and it's almost comical to me. I mean what do you do? You weren't watching your mouth closely enough, and then woop, it slipped out. Now you gotta backtrack, run circles, douse fires, dislodge your foot from your mouth, and all those good things. All the while you're sitting there beating yourself upside the head thinking: "Gee flippin' whiz, why did I say that?"

For me it was sad because no matter how I tried to remedy the situation I could tell the damage was irreversible. It was like trying to glue back a shattered mirror - never can make it exactly how it was before. Even though the person I was talking to said they understood what I meant - I could tell that my simple slip-up was a mountain they were having a hard time scaling.
This post goes out to all who've ever had the uncomfortable situation of digging you foot of your mouth, grasping for air in a quickly filling hole, or any such situation. While I really like the metaphors we already have for such situations I propose a new one.
It's like when you have a pimple on your face. You know you shouldn't pop it, but you do anyway. But, it's not ready. So what happens? Well first of all it hurts like the dickens, and then every morning when you wake up and walk into the bathroom you're greeted by your own stupidity as it stares at you from the mirror.
Good morning sunshine, it's me. I'm that pimple you shouldn't have popped - now I'm huge, and ugly, and I'm going to stick around for awhile just to make sure you remember how stupid you were to pop me. (I think this is the point where it seems to laugh at your from the mirror)
So next time you see a hole, look at your feet, or resist the temptation to pop that pimple - remember: some things just don't need to be said.
Watch yourself, or you might be struggling in that proverbial hole, foot in mouth, staring straight at the swollen reminder of your folly.

Man's Search for Meaning

2008-04-23T07:40:00.001-07:00

I just finished reading "Man's search for meaning," by Viktor Frankl. It's one of those books that changes your life, causes a paradigm shift, makes you re-evaluate what you're doing, etc. It was awesome. Included are some of my favorite quotes from the book.

"It did not really matter what we expected from life, but rather what life expected from us. We needed to stop asking about the meaning of life, and instead to think of ourselves as those who were being questioned by life—daily and hourly. Our answer must consist, not in talk and meditation, but in right action and in right conduct. Life ultimately means taking the responsibility to find the right answer to its problems and to fulfill the tasks which it constantly sets for each individual."

"Man is capable of changing the world for the better if possible, and of changing himself for the better if necessary.

We who lived in concentration camps can remember the men who walked through the huts comforting others, giving away their last piece of bread. They may have been few in number, but they offer sufficient proof that everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms—to choose one's attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one's own way."

"Nietzsche's words, 'He who has a why to live for can bear with almost any how.'"

I just remember on the mission people would always ask: "Why do you walk around everyday? People turn you down all the time, it's hot, and it's got to be tiring... Why?" I never really knew how to put into words the answer - but I think Viktor Frankl taught the principle fairly clearly. If our "why" for living is strong enough, we can and will go through any "what" and "how" that it takes to get there. Passion, vision, discipline, and conscience are the keys to success.
Passion - drives you
Discipline - controls your passion and focuses it
Vision - inspires you
Conscience - Keeps it all in check

Spring

2008-04-22T09:32:00.000-07:00

Well it's that time of year again. The time when stress abounds, finals get taken out one by one, tears flow, and good-bye's are said. It's also the time when flip flops start appearing, the lock on the pool disappears, and me and my roommates start singing Grease songs. What a great time of year it is. I'm sad at this season as once again I need to say goodbye to so many people who I have grown to love. I'll miss things like Garrett's laugh (which is raucous, violent, and quite entertaining if you've never heard it), Chase's voice (which I heard many a morning coming through the vent from downstairs), Bob's puns, Bouch's ability to connect me with the real world, Brusky's laugh and random noises whenever I would massage his shoulders. Good times, good memories.
But, once again - it's time to move on. On to bigger and better - new people, new roommates, new experiences. Isn't it weird how that happens? We meet people who we swear we'll never forget, who we consider some of our closest friends, and inevitably the time comes when we all have to move on. People graduate, go home, get jobs, or just move to another ward. We go our separate ways, and try as you might - you can't ever really go back to how it was. You can't ever re-live all those old memories. But, you know what? I think maybe it's supposed to be that way. We couldn't possible function if we always had all the people we have ever known or loved around us at all times. It would be chaos - way too many people to talk to, things to do, etc. I guess the only thing we can take with us is the memories and the lessons learned. But how cool is that? We get to start over again, meet a whole bunch of new people, and make a whole bunch of new memories. Only this time - you've got the added experience from the things learned previously.
So, while I am sad at this time to say goodbye to so many friends, I'm also pretty darn happy. Bring on the warm weather, the long warm nights, the stars, the new friends, and the new experiences. I'm sure that I'll get to see a lot of them again - that's the way life works - real friends always seem to show up again at random moments. Usually right when you need 'em.

Parenting

2008-04-15T20:45:00.000-07:00

I have always wanted to have 12 kids. It's been something that I thought would be awesome for some time now. Tonight I had an experience that is causing me some serious reconsideration. I love kids, always have, but...
Well it all started about 5:30 when my little sister showed up at my apt. She had asked me if I could watch my nephew (5 months old) for a little bit while her and her husband went to the temple. Of course I agreed - I love my nephew. He's a way good baby, and I thought, hey this will be good practice for the future. Well he was asleep when they got here but woke up before they left. He was really good for the first 1/2 hour. He just sat there playing and when he got a little fussy I just put him on my lap or played with him. About 7:05 he started getting really fussy - so being the renaissance man I thought I was, I decided to change his diaper. No big deal - I've changed heaps, so that wasn't anything too exciting. After the diaper I gave him a bottle which he gulped down. By now it was about 7:15 and I even remembered to burp him. I thought - I'm doing pretty good - this isn't too bad. Well come 7:20 it was a proverbial November 9th for me as my own wall of self confidence came crashing down (Nov. 9th was the day the Berlin wall fell). He began to cry, then to really cry, and finally to scream. I tried everything I could muster up. We walked up and down the stairs, we walked around the apartment, I rocked, bounced, swayed, cradled, cuddled, rubbed, patted, tickled, and blew on him. Nothing worked. I was truly up a creek of tears without a paddle. I finally ended up rocking him on a chair while he finished off the bottle and finally went to sleep. I was so exhausted by this point that I actually fell asleep as well. I woke up about 15 minutes later and put him on my bed where he slept for another 20 minutes. I thought that the worst was over, his parents would be here soon to get him, and that I had performed my christian service for the day. Little did I know. Hah, really little indeed. At about 8:15 he woke up again. This time he was returning in all his glory. He didn't even lull me into a false sense of security - he just started screaming - no games or false pretenses this time buddy. Well I tried the diaper thing again - nothing. Then the bottle - nothing. Then the walk, the stroll, the bounce, etc. Nothing. it got so bad my downstairs neighbors were asking who was dying upstairs. I finally just sat on the couch and let him scream in my ears - all the while being on the very verge of tears myself. If only I knew what was wrong. I was beat, humbled to the very depths, a truly broken man. As I sat on the couch in this exhausted state I couldn't help but ask myself - Do you really want 12 kids?
Interesting indeed. This was a good experience for me. I learned many lessons. When his mom and dad finally came back (9:30) I was so tired I could barely see straight. I told both of them that I would never make fun of them again - I was a new man, blessed with a new found respect for all mothers and fathers. I also called my mom and thanked her for raising me. Man, it's a miracle anyone can make it through it at all.
I finish where I begun. I really do want to have 12 kids (my wife agreeing of course will be a must) but I think I need a good dose of practice, and humility first. I have never felt so humbled in my life as I did while holding my nephew while he screamed. You want me to tell you the resistance across a 470K ohm resistor hooked to a 12 volt source with 100 watts pounding through it? Done. You want me to write you a 12 page paper comparing Hitler to a Book of Mormon character? Done. You want me to teach 12 elders how to speak a foreign language in addition to basic English? Done - no sweat. But, you want me to calm Mckay Felt after he's been crying for 35 minutes - can't do it. No idea.
Here's to all the parents out there who stay up late and get up at all hours of the night. To all those who get humbled everyday with the unsolvable problems. To all those reduced to the state of tears while trying to stop the tears of another.

College Students

2008-04-13T13:24:00.000-07:00

So last week I didn't have the internet for 5 days. Ridiculous. Completely ridiculous - someone better have lost their job, or at least been sorely reprimanded. Anyway. Why is it that everyone seems to think they can take advantage of college students. Sometimes I feel that we are the scum of the earth, the bottom of the totem pole (save only junior high kids) to everyone. When I called to ask them to come and fix it all I got was the run around. "Oh, sorry - there's nothing we can do." Or, "Well, we might be able to send someone out there to fix it by next week." Are you kidding me - if I called and told them that I was the CEO for NuSkin I don't think that's the tune I would have heard. What about me being a college students equals out that I can be taken advantage of? Another example, the really annoying people who drive around and boot/tow cars from parking lots. Nothing in the world can be counted on to be as punctual as the dang booters - 50$ here, 100$ there. Preying off college students trying to visit friends, significant others, or family who are 3-4 minutes late. Just like that your 35$ date just got a whole lot more expensive. One more example - landlords. They stink - they treat you like dirt. Somethings broken - oh, it's okay. They all served missions in 3rd world countries - they probably like not having flushing toilets, running water, or heating in their house. Yea, sure, we'll get around to fixing it next week. Oh, and we're upping your rent next month - Why? Just because we can that's why.

Text Messaging

2008-04-11T21:52:00.000-07:00

My internet has been out for like a week. I'm not happy about it, so I won't go into it. So, I've been thinking about text messaging. I know, you're probably thinking to yourself - who is this kid, and why does he have time to think about things like text messaging? Maybe he should get a facebook account or something to fill his time - to this I refer you to my previous post. Anyway, text messaging. . .
I really like text messaging - it's a great medium that allows us to pass information quickly and efficiently. Simple statements such as: "Hey, I'll be home at 3," or "The jazz lost again" are perfectly conveyed through text. Things like this might be weird to say over the phone - I probably wouldn't call someone just to tell them that the jazz won, and if I did the whole conversation might last all of 29 seconds. This is one of the great joys of text messaging. Comments that don't necessitate a response are perfect over text, and those that need a simple one word answer are equally fitted to text.
Dating - I think that text messaging adds a whole new dimension to dating that was never there before my mission. A simple text from someone you have a crush on can go miles. To this day I can't think of anything quite as effective for a girl to do after a date to let a guy know she's interested as sending him a post-date text. Text-flirting is great - it knows few bounds - during class, while your roommate is sleeping, and other small moments are perfectly suited to text-flirting. One cannot but help getting the willie bejillies when the phone is pulled out and the screen reads: "One new message." It's almost like Christmas morning or sometime - is it from her? What does it say?
But, I do see some problems with text messaging. First and foremost - you sacrifice voice inflection for silence and ease. With the loss of voice inflection, a large dose of ambiguity is added. A simple message: "Hey, and don't be late this time." could be interpreted: 1) Hey, you were late last time, don't do it again (said in a stern, serious tone), or maybe 2) Hey, remember that one time we were joking about how you are always late, and now I'm bringing that up again just to be cute and hopefully make you smile, or maybe even 3) This is just a nice friendly reminder that we need to be on time.
This can be the cause for confusion at times, but at the same time I think it has it's awesome benefits as well. Just something interesting to think about.