Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Photo Shoot with Jillian
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.
Monday, March 16, 2009
Fun with my new 40d
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
Sunday, March 8, 2009
Abraham Lincoln's Thoughts on Dating
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.
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Friday, February 27, 2009
Church's New Youtube Channel
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.
Monday, February 23, 2009
No way, did that really just happen?
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
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....
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....
Monday, January 26, 2009
Success
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.
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.
Sunday, January 25, 2009
There are some games in which cheering for the other side feels better than winning. by Rick Reilly
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
One of those good stories that makes you feel better about the world.
Click HERE
Saturday, January 24, 2009
My Hiatus
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
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
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
This is too cool
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
http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/01/cadillac-one_01.jpg
Geeks enroll in 'flirting course'
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)
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Annual List of Banished Words
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...
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...
Friday, December 26, 2008
Octopinion
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...
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...
Thursday, December 25, 2008
Ever ever after....
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
Cheesy? Incredibly. Did I love it? Yes!
What can I say? I'm a sucker for the sappy Disney movies
Sunday, December 21, 2008
Merry Christmas
Just wanted to spread a little Christmas cheer and remind all to read the Christmas story in the Luke 2 and 3 Nephi...
Sunday, December 14, 2008
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
The Dog House
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.
Dani found it and I saw it on her blog - it's good enough though that I believe it's worth your time.
I really do not like Dogs at all
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
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
Just playing around with Photoshop
I thought I would try the new grunge style that seems to be so popular these days...
Send Email to Cell Phone
Hey ya'll - I found this pretty useful. You can send an email directly to your phone...
Definately worth your time.
I wouldn't listen to the music if I was you, but the sports plays are incredible
Monday, December 1, 2008
Sunday, November 30, 2008
Happy Turkey Day
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!
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!
Saturday, November 29, 2008
Thursday, November 27, 2008
Patents
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?
Sunday, November 23, 2008
Monday, November 17, 2008
Noodling
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"
Now that's cool
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
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Sunday, November 9, 2008
Role Reversal
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?
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?
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
Road Trip
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.
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.
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Hat
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
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
Sunday, October 26, 2008
Pig Tails & Overalls
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.
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.
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