The Life of Steven

Home for the Holidays (at last)

2011-12-18T21:33:00.000-07:00

I never quite thought I'd make it to this point: I'm home. The fact is still settling in, and ever so slowly the cares of last semester diminish as I spend time amidst the people and scenes I find so dear.

I guess I have a lot to say. I've experienced quite a range of moods, from reflective to melancholy (I love pronouncing that differently ever since I watched Megamind), to nostalgic. So let me spill the thoughts.

I surpassed my weight goal. At the start of my training sessions with my awesome trainer, Ian,I set a weight goal for what I wanted to weigh when I finished training. I started weighing 214. My goal was 195. I'm thrilled to be able to say that last week I weighed in at 193. At the end of my training, I sent Ian a text:

"Yeah seriously it's been a life-altering experience for me in a lot of ways. It's affected the way I feel, my mood, my confidence, and of course how I look. It carries over into every other aspect of my life. It's way cool to experience that change."

The next week I came into the gym, and that very text was quoted word for word on the white-board they use to promote training. I had to smile. I am their anonymous poster-child, kind of, I guess.

Another accomplishment: I decided to make my bed every day for the last two semesters. My friend Becky once told me that if you just make your bed, your whole room will look cleaner. It's true. So I tried it. I'm proud to say that I made my bed every single morning. And the success continues. It's a habit now. At the end of the day, no matter how cruddy life feels, it always seems a little brighter when you see that you have a neatly made bed to end it in.

Coming home for the holidays, I never quite know what my sleeping arrangement will be. This year, Julianne is off to serve the Lord (hiking, play volleyball...) so her room was vacant. It is now serving as a guest room for this man.
The funny thing is, this was my room all through high school. And the bed is in roughly the same spot. So much similarity in setting as my high school days, that I was instantly led to reflect on all that's transpired since I last resided in this place. That's the cause for the nostalgia.

There are certain things that I always look forward to at Christmas. If they don't happen every year, the world and life still go on, but some rituals have memories attached to them and the memories are renewed as the ritual plays out. The first is my Mother's orange rolls each Christmas morning. The smell is absolutely entrancing, the taste, enamoring. I savor that memory even now.
Another ritual is holiday carriage rides. Not too many people around have access to a carriage, let alone a good horse and horseman. Our family has all that (and more!). It's hard to put into words the feeling of a Christmas day carriage ride. In the very instant, you're given a taste of older days, a flavor of what the Currier and Ives scenes depict, a feel of timeless thrill that you can get no other way. I love this ritual and love that my dad is just the man for the job.

My younger brother asked me what I wanted for Christmas this year. It's come to this: my real gift is being with the people I love in the place I love most. That is what I want most. And every year I get that, all other gifts seem like trivialities. Not that I mind the trivial fun things, but my heart is on the true lasting joy of making memories with my family.

This year, I engaged the old man's enthusiasm for the season (his inner-child really shines through at this time of year) and got him excited about putting up some lights. Our house sure looks sad without any exterior glow.
I'll interject and confess that the lights are my favorite part of Christmas decoration. Can you imagine this holiday without the lights? Do you feel the excitement I do when you see a great light display? I love it. It makes everything that much more festive. (May you days be merry and bright)
So dad bought some lights. And I think I'll be stringing them up tomorrow.

To all my dear friends and my lovely family, Merry Christmas! I love this holiday almost as much as I love making memories with you all.

The Triple Ten

2011-11-14T17:47:00.001-07:00

I've meant to write this post ever since the 8th. It's one of those reflective posts.

The year 30 is something of a mile-post age. I mean there's no inherent magic in a number, it's just another digit. But it does provide the opportunity to look back on things and see how things have changed.

I look in the mirror, and here's what I see:

-White hairs. They aren't that prevalent, so fairly inconspicuous (to anyone but me). I confess, every now and then I grab the tweezers and pull a few of them. I can't help but think I should wear them proudly, but my vanity still wins out over my aged wisdom.

-The healthiest version of me I've seen in decades. I seriously have more muscle and less fat than I can ever recall having in my life. I think that's almost the inverse of what one might expect from another single American dude of my age.

-Youth. I'm constantly reminded by the youngsters on this campus that 30 is the age of decrepit geezer-hood. I think that is a very relative judgment. I know that almost anyone else would look at the age 30 and would love to be that young. The truth is, I don't feel old. I feel young, vibrant, and energetic. I usually let the number be untold and let my youth speak for itself. Maybe I should also point out that my actions denote a less-than-mature individual. But I can't help that.

I thought for sure that I'd be graduated and moved onto the next stage of my life by this age. I almost made it, and that's close enough for me to be content.

Another measurement is my single status.
I helped lead a field trip to the Grand Canyon last weekend, and all the students assumed that I was married. That came as quite a surprise to me, and it shocked them all to hear that I was indeed unmarried and (gasp) single. I know that this may evident the need for reprimand, but I'm going to say it anyway: I love my life. I'm really glad I'm still single and have the freedom to do things that married folks only think of doing "someday". I don't care if people call me a "menace". I'll smile, not able to subdue the thought that they're at least a bit jealous. It's not that I would shun the amazing opportunity of a blissful companionship. But it hasn't happened and life is still awesome.

I'm not a conventional person. While I know that convention is formed on the basis of hard-earned wisdom, I can't help but question it all along the way. Humanity is composed of the widest spectrum, and we're supposed to all fit into one societal norm of convention? Sorry, but I like to think of convention as more like guidelines. Life is far too dynamic to restrict it to the rigid expectations that have been laid down by society. That's not to excuse behavior that is out of line, it's just reality, and I find it fascinating. It brings color to life.

I'm also aware that I'm not as conservative in my views now. Life experience has taught me that I should be more objective in my approach to life.

That's how I view myself at this stage. It would be fun to know what other people see. Not their modified opinion that would be suitable for sharing, but their honest view. Not that it would necessarily (I spelled that right on the first try!) change my view, but gosh people are interesting.

Thanks to all of you who have helped me survive to this ripe old age and helped to shape me into the guy I see in the mirror.

News

2011-11-10T09:18:00.001-07:00

I know I've had a lot of back-and-forth talk of graduating and the possibility of one more semester. I'm sorry the story changes so frequently. The truth be told, I want a simple solid answer too.

But here's the real situation, and I'm really just swallowing all sense of pride to disclose it to you:
I'm not going to be able to graduate in December.
Before you say "Oh NO!!!" just keep in mind that I'm not freaking out over it, so you shouldn't either. Let me explain. No, too much. Let me sum up.

I spread myself too thin this semester. I hate to admit that, but current grades and my stress levels are firm evidence that can't be overlooked.

I have very good instructors, and I feel I've learned the concepts in class well, but as far as keeping deadlines for homework submission, I have failed across the spectrum. My exam scores are high, but that's not enough to counter the point deficit indicated by my grades. That's one thing I really hate about school: when busy work takes precedent over learning. The learning is happening, it shows in my exam scores. But the busy work dominates my agenda, forces me to rush, and utterly decimates any chance of long-term retention of any of the concepts I'm learning.

Long story short (too late!), I am (and this is final) coming back for one more semester.Here is the silver lining in that dismal blotch of water vapor:
I already have financial aid awarded for one more semester that would be forfeit if I were to graduate this semester.
And I have a break from January to April before I'm scheduled to come back to school.

So my GPA has suffered, my pride is laid out on the table for everyone to mourn prior to its graveside service, and I continue on: learning as much as I can from my classes and not giving a hoot in Hell of a damn about busy work.

The plan for my off-semester? Arizona, Flagstaff, living with my best friend Jay, working, and enjoying time near enough my family and friends to visit often.
Oh, and by the way, thanks for those of you who made an effort to make me feel loved on my birthday. I had a great day!

The Status of Things

2011-11-10T09:14:00.001-07:00

I just got back from a paid trip to Arizona. Okay, so it's not quite that glamorous; I was helping lead our physical geology class on a field trip to the Grand Canyon. I had a great time, but it snowed on us Friday night and was below-freezing temperatures for most of Saturday. All in all, it was an awesome trip. Here's the bad thing:

I wanted to stay in Arizona. I have 6 more weeks of school left at BYU-Idaho, then I graduate. And a trip to Arizona at this point made me want to be done even worse than before.

I am kind of freaking out at this point. I'm completely focused on post-graduation details and care almost nothing about my current classes. They have nothing to do with geology, and I am just hoop-jumping at this point with the end so close I can almost taste it!

Not only does Arizona call my name, but its allure is magnified by the prospect of the holidays with my family: a holiday I don't have to come back from.

But that also means big life decisions and grown-up living. That scares me some. I think the excitement outweighs the fear in this case, and that's an encouraging thought.

What should I do for Thanksgiving? They're only giving us a part of a week off, so there's no point in traveling home, just to turn around and come back a few days later, especially when the end of the semester is only a few weeks after that. I have friends who are staying in Rexburg, so if I stick around I'll be in good company.

So that's it. I'm freaking out. Wanna freak out with me?

All the Fun I Can Muster

2011-10-30T14:05:00.000-07:00

My week has been an absolute blast. I've reveled in the full range of fall activities and really gotten a good fill of enjoyment.

Highlights:

Carving jack-o-lanterns with our Home Evening group.

The Haunted Mill (ok, so that was last week, but I'm still giddy).

Costume dance party Friday Night in the basement of the Hemming Village shopping plaza. It was super crowded and sauna hot, and the fire dept. showed up to enforce fire-code regulations (I guess we had too many people in there).

Costume dance party at the Legacy flight museum. This party was SO much fun! Afterwards, me and my friends Riley, Kat, and Alicia defied curfew (yes) and went to Denny's.

When life seems too good, something always happens to bring your head out of the clouds.
In this case, my head must've caught a cold up there in the clouds (not a huge surprise after all the close contact with a bunch of sweaty dancing college kids). I woke up this morning stuffy, congested, and with the unmistakable grogginess that can only mean one thing: it's a sick day.

I love and I hate sick days. I've never taken a sick day when I wasn't sick. Blame that on my genes. So while a sick day means a day full of dilly-dallying, lounging, eating whatever sounds good, and sleeping, it also means that you can't fully enjoy it because you are sick. I still try and make the positive aspects of it outweigh the awful symptoms (sniffle, blow, toss tissue, continue).
It's a warm enough day that I may just go take a walk in the park. Getting the blood circulating always seems to do some good. Plus, it gets me out of the house and the fresh air has to be good for me.

So what have I been doing on this day of sickness? Well, I ventured out all bundled in my coat and beanie (which I still haven't taken off) to WalMart where I bought some pills, some cough drops, and lotion-infused tissues.

Whenever I bring that combo of items to a cashier, I have to wonder if it scares them. I half expect them to pull out a respirator and latex gloves, and say a quick prayer that I'll pay with a card so they don't have to handle cash that I've touched.

If my cashier was apprehensive today, she did an amazing job not showing it. It makes me wonder about the bravery of ordinary, everyday people. Anyway...

I've also been downloading some songs I've been wanting, reading my sister's blog (that in itself is making me feel better), checking out people's pictures from the weekend, and contemplating checking out Pinterest.

I haven't yet started a movie. I usually stick to 3 choices when I'm sick: You've Got Mail, The Princess Bride, or Phantom of the Opera. I think it's Phantom for sure this time.

But after that I may venture beyond my usual choices in an attempt to fool myself into thinking I'm not really sick and that I'm just having a fun day at home. I'm feeling kind of "Clue" vibe.

What do you do when you're sick?

Lessons

2011-10-27T15:09:00.001-07:00

I feel bad: not the weepy, remorseful, sickened, self-loathing sort of bad (though the Phantom get-up may give that impression). It's fairly mild, but present nonetheless so I'm writing about it.
I hope this makes sense as I divulge an explanation.
The reason for the feeling is that I have left some things undone. I have a tendency to focus on the here and now far too much, and anything remote or quiet or non-demanding gets shoved aside, even when I care about it. I'm sure some of you know what I'm talking about, but deal with the tendency in a much better way.
I just checked my Yahoo mail. I had 136 unread emails. Talk about neglect. There were letters from friends and loved ones, loving notes from my mom and a letter from my sister who is in the MTC. I think I should probably close that account and have you all change to my gmail address, which I check nearly every day.
Along those same lines comes this lesson:
I had to go talk with my Calculus professor. He's an awesome guy, very cheerful, knowledgeable, approachable, and down-to-earth.Here's the situation: his class has no deadlines for homework. It's up to you to tackle class material in preparation for class discussion and exams. So there is no deadline to drive you to act; it's up to you to learn.
I like that, and at the same time, it's hard. My academic history has taught me to focus on the things that require work with deadlines attached. I hate that, but it's the hard reality. If I don't have a deadline, I let a task float in the back of my mind and bother me, not to the point of action, just a constant hum of mental nagging, "you really should get that done". Then I swat the idea away, as if it were a mosquito buzzing in my ear, and move on, working away to meet a deadline for something else.
Does anyone else see the flaw?
My instructor pointed it out for me:
Some of the most important things in life do not come with deadlines.
For example, children don't come with deadlines. There is no deadline saying that "by ____ date, by 6:00pm, you need to have taught your child the importance of honesty". Does that mean that your child will go through life never learning that important lesson? Let's hope not.
We have to learn how to prioritize those things without deadlines so that we devote ample time in their direction because they are important to us. Deadlines help us accomplish things and society wouldn't be driven to the level of efficiency that it maintains without that structure, but time-management requires some personal decisions and some real balancing and prioritizing.
For me, that means that I need to spend at least 6 (probably more, but I know that's not gonna happen) hours on Calculus each week. It also means that I should plan out times to take care of other important things, like talking to the people I care about, even if they live hundreds of miles away and I don't have to have it done by a certain time.
Has it taken me this long to realize this principle? No, it's a fairly simple fact. It has taken some real experience though for it to sink in and stick.
That being said, I'm excited about life. It's my favorite time of year right now (despite the Rexburg chill) and this weekend is sure to be filled with fun adventures. Halloween is Monday and I'll be writing about it soon-ish thereafter. (The picture above is a preview of coming distractions)
If I neglected your email, I'm really sorry. There's no valid excuse. The truth is that I let deadlines suck my attention away from things I care about. Let's hope that by the end of the semester I have satisfactory grades to end all deadlines pertaining to this school and come home for some quality time with you.

It Feels Autumnal

2011-10-12T19:37:00.000-07:00

It's October. You know this, but it finally feels like October. The leaves are all changing, the wind is chilly, pumpkins are appearing on porches, and I updated the playlist on my blog.
I went to my second haunted attraction of the season on Saturday night: Dr. Slaughter's House of Terror in Idaho Falls. It was fun. It wasn't quite as good as people had made it out to be. I still like the Haunted Mill the most. I have yet to go, but I can't wait.
Idaho really has a lot of options when it comes to Haunted attractions. And most of them are really reasonably priced. I've discovered that I love to be scared. Not scared in general, just the kind of scared you experience when you're expecting it and know that what's scaring you is not really dangerous. I love the feeling of being frightened.

I really have the urge to go out and explore some of the little ghost-towns out in the outskirts of Rexburg. I don't know why I get so thrilled over that sort of thing, but I do.
I'm updating my iPhone's software right now. It's the big IOS5. It's supposed to be mind-blowing amazing. I should know by later tonight if that's really the case. I'm sure I'll love it. It's crazy what I can do with that phone.
In less than a month, I'll reach my third decade. That is so crazy to me. I told my friend I'd be 30 in November. He said, "You're OLD!" I don't feel old. I feel young. In fact, I don't think the number says much about my age. Old and young are matters of perspective. To students here, 30 is old. To those my parents' age, 30 is the prime of youth. I say that I feel young and nobody can convince me I'm not. One day I'll be old. But I don't know if I'll ever act like it.
So I am now completely excited that it's fall. I hope to have plenty more exciting fun things to write about all throughout this month. Stay tuned.

Feeling at Home

2011-10-04T22:15:00.000-07:00

I’m on a mini-sabbatical. I’m ditching out on a week of school and I’m okay with that.
I needed to be home. I needed to see my family in person. I needed to hear their voice, see their face, feel their arms around me. I needed to touch the hand of my new tiny nephew. I needed to spend some time with my Ju before she is gone to the island of Cebu for a year and a half.
Sometimes, when you are determined to do the things you need, other things, like school, are pushed to the back-burner. And you know what? That’s all right. When I get back from my trip, school will still be there, as stress-ridden and busy and wonderful as it always has been.
And now, a few other thoughts.
Here are a few little things I love:
-the warmth of candlelight
-the sound of trickling water
-the smells of autumn
-fresh soft towels
-rainy days
-a good book with a comfy chair and blanket
Once in a while, a list like this forms in my mind, and I just sweep it out onto the page.
It’s good to be home. It’s good to hear all the sounds I’m accustomed to. This morning, I woke up completely disoriented. I thought, where am I? This isn’t my bed. What is going on? It’s funny how your mind settles into a routine and when that routine is altered, it really throws you off. It took a good 20 seconds for me to realize where I was.
I feel refreshed. I’ve been able to stop and see the new baby calves in our herd, see our horses, taste the sweet corn my family raises, breathe in the scent of freshly-cut hay, and the approach of a rainstorm, and hear the sound of the tractor go by the house. These are the sensations that set things right. These are the feelings of home. This has been my therapy. (And Cat’s hot tub helps too)

It's Go Time!

2011-09-29T21:04:00.001-07:00

I have a lot on my mind. I figured I should sit down and write about it; that always helps me to sort things out and let my mind stop mulling it over.
The past two weeks have been, and I do not exaggerate, the absolutely most stressful time of my life.
I've been told, and I'd have to agree, that I'm normally the calm one amidst any chaos. The past two weeks dissolved that cool constitution into a more frenzied and anxious version of myself.
I can sit down and write about it now, because I've braved the worst of it and worked through things.I want to sort of spell out all that's happened, just so you'll have an idea of where I'm coming from. This is not a "surprise, you were expecting a blog post and instead got thrown into a pity-party!" I'm trying to avoid that tone; as I said, the worst is past. And I'm now calm, collected, relaxed ...ish.

First, I only just yesterday finalized my schedule for the semester. I'd visited the Academic Advising center 3 times, each time I got a different take on my situation. On my last visit, their conclusion was that I was 1 credit short of graduating and that I had no other choice but to come back to school for another full semester to finish one credit. I explained what that implied for me and asked if there wasn't anything else they could do. They wouldn't budge. I think they're trained to respond that way.
So in despair, I went to a miracle-working man who is the chair of the geology department, Dan Moore. He looked things over and within a 5 minute visit, he had signed his name to a paper authorizing a change that would allow me to graduate in December. He had also, in that brief time given me some sound advice about weathering life's storms, what steps I should take to prep for grad school, and how to cope with challenges. He really merits the title "game changer".
Two weeks back, on Friday, I noticed an itch in my throat. I checked things out in the mirror and realized my tonsils were bright red and swollen. So I went to the student health center. They tested me for mono and strep. And then tested me for mono again 5 days later. Both tests were negative. So I'm fighting some sort of sinus infection, taking antibiotics since the steroids they gave me didn't seem to help the inflammation.
I got a call last week from the secretary of the VP of the University. One worries when one gets such a call -even if one hasn't done anything they think would merit such a visit. My mind was busy reviewing all my recent actions, scrutinizing every act that might have been out of line with what the university expects. The anticipation of that visit tormented me for a full day. On the day of the appointed visit, I called the secretary to see if I could get the interview moved up: I couldn't endure the wait any longer. An hour later, I was in his office having a chat. He's an amazing man and he approached the issue as "I'm sure I can learn a few things from you and I'd like to teach you a few things if I can." The issue at hand: I posted a picture of a campus banner on my facebook page, having added a twist to it by throwing in an additional line to the message on the banner. All that agonizing over something I had considered so laughable.
On top of that, I hadn't yet received my financial aid funds, and I was feeling the squeeze.
I was taking 5 classes, all labor-intensive.
I got called in for an interview with the Stake President. He talked a bit with me, and then instead of issuing me a call explained that he could tell that this semester was not the semester for me to take on a calling. The interview was to extend a call, but he decided not to even issue it. I didn't want to have to refuse a calling. I was saying an honest prayer of thanks on the walk home from that meeting.
There's more to the list, but I think this paints enough of the scene for you. One of the beautiful things about life is that things end. Tonight, for the first time in almost 2 weeks, I am able to breathe easy; my stomach is not in knots, and I am smiling. I have to send a thank you to those people in my life who have empathy, to those who listen patiently while I spill my woes, to those who send much-appreciated aid my way. You know who you are, and your timing is uncanny. If you take anything from this, it's that life will send you Hell sometimes. But Heaven is still where it's always been, and it's closer than you think. The phrase "this too shall pass" is really a wonderful truth (and it sounds best when said in the voice of Sister Encarnacion).
Now, onto something else. I recently read "The Help". Now, my usual book choice is chosen from the classics. I rarely pick up a modern best-seller, because a lot of the time they provide entertaining reading, but nothing very meaningful or worthwhile. The Help was the surprise of the year for me. It was endearing from the first chapter. I was able to finish it in three days. After reading a few chapters, I got an idea. I added the "Patsy Cline" station to my Pandora list. I found it to be an ideal mix of music for playing in the background as I read. The day I finished reading, I knew I had to send the book on to my sister. So that afternoon, I packaged it and sent it. She read it and passed it on. While I did yearn a bit to hang onto it, I wanted even more to share it. If you have any interest in reading at all, read it. And pass it on. It's full and deep and will get you thinking and laughing, loving and crying. It's a book that touches you deeply.
Now, I make an announcement. I am taking a trip. I've been trying to announce this to my family over the phone, but haven't gotten an answer yet, so it's being blogged first. I'm heading down to Salt Lake City for general conference weekend. I'm spending the weekend with my besties Perla and Misty. I can't tell you how excited I am for that. And on Sunday, I'll leave my car in the care of friends in Utah and I'll travel with my Perla and Misty straight to Arizona! I can't express how excited I am. I need to see my sister Ju before she leaves for her mission. I explained this decision to one of my instructors, and she totally agreed with my choice. (Her name is Sister Hansen, and she is amazing).
So for at least 4 days I'll get to be in Joseph City sort of taking a break from school and enjoying a long-overdue visit with the people and places I love the most. I know that after a few days on the road, I'll miss my Rexburg friends, I'll miss my bed, I'll miss the gym, and I might even miss school. When I get back to Rexburg, it will be October. And despite any reason school gives me to fret, I will have plenty of reasons to be content, to be calm amidst the storm.

Seasons

2011-09-18T20:19:00.000-07:00

I suppose it's time for another entry.

I spent the majority of today lounging around in my bedroom watching movies. The reason? My tonsils are red, inflamed, and swollen. I don't really feel sick, except for the fact that it hurts to swallow. This set in on Friday night and I think I might go in and have it checked out at the Student Health Center tomorrow morning since it shows no sign of clearing up.

Isn't that life for you? You have a beastly first week of classes, and instead of a weekend of recovery, you are fighting sickness and stacks of homework. I keep trying to focus on the positive.

After being in my room nearly all day, I had to venture out. A walk gets me out of the house, gets me some fresh air, fresh imagery, and gets the blood circulating. It was refreshing to notice the subtle beginnings of autumn approaching. I love the fall season. I only hope my school schedule will allow me to enjoy it, at least a little.

My walk was just over 3 miles and at the perfect time in the early evening to catch the prime warmth and glow of the setting sun, enjoy the hint of breeze, take in the smells and sounds of the outdoors, and stop at a few bridges to sit and watch the water flow in the canal.

I know I had more to say ...

Oh, yeah. One of the coolest things happened this week: the reunion of Team 109.All my pre-mission roommates from the Fall of 2008 are now home from their missions and are all now back at school here! We met for dinner Wednesday night and had a blast just reminiscing on old times/inside jokes, and getting caught up. How did I get so lucky that semester? We were all really good friends. I've had some great roommates since, some that I've become great friends with, but never since that semester has the whole apartment been 100% awesome like that.

Speaking of roommates, I feel 100% isolated at the moment. All of my roommates except one are big time geeks. I am not exaggerating. I don't feel I can relate to any of these guys, except one. The one exception is the one I share a room with. He is really easy going and down-to-earth and considerate. But he's also engaged, and his fiance has a house here in town. So he is never around, except to sleep.

I think I need to start planning to spend more time on campus. Because sharing an enclosed space with 4 sci-fi/computer/gaming enthusiasts is just starting to make me cranky. I keep telling myself it will all be over in 12 weeks; that still seems a long way off.

I finished reading the book "The Help" this week. I haven't enjoyed a book that deeply in years. I'm usually not one to go for more modern novels, especially those that are super popular. But this book was well worth reading. I was amazed by what I found in it. I finished it within a week, and I highly recommend it.

I am still awaiting financial aid money. When it comes, I can book a flight down to Arizona. There is a danger in this: if I go to Arizona, I'll have to leave it again. And I may not want to.

By the way, I've decided something this week: I am not going straight to grad-school after graduation. I know it's not the conventional thing to do, but it is my choice. I need a mental break and some time to shift focus for a bit. Since I can, I will. Now I've got to find a job. The world is open, and I'm ready to seize it.

So that's it. The season for feeling like it's my last semester.

It Begins

2011-09-12T21:27:00.001-07:00

Today was the first day of my last semester (fingers doubly-crossed) here at BYU-Idaho.I don't usually like to share things that make you fret, so please don't. I'm only writing this because this is my online journal, and it's my creative outlet. Right now, my stomach is in knots. I'm stressed. It's nothing I can't manage, but if it's prolonged, I may need some sort of professional help (I need Ramses!).Here's what's on my plate:7:45am Calculus II9:00am A computer programming course ( I don't care to remember the name)10:15 am Physics. Again. Yipee.11:30am Persuasion.I have friends in all of the classes except persuasion (which is a comm class). I know that 'ere long I will have enough friends in that class too. Of all those courses, the only one that excites me is persuasion. It will undoubtedly be my saving grace, refreshing my mind and bringing excitement to my academic realm.That does it for classes. Now, I've also been given the opportunity to be a student coordinator over talent exploration activities on campus. That means that I oversee all the managers of things on campus like dance workshops, writers workshops, stadium singing, ...yeah. Totally voluntary, and a fun thing to be involved in, but one more thing to take care of.And I've had two phone-calls in the past week, both of them from the executive secretaries of two different stakes. The first was to confirm that I was still a "student rep" for the Institute of Religion in Rexburg (a calling I got a year ago, and never had any follow-up contact about). They still want me to do that calling, whatever it is. And the second call came today from my own stake. I find out tomorrow what joyous calling they are considering adding to my life.Did I mention that I work? And that I donate plasma? And that I am still waiting on my financial aid funds to be made available?The reason for my stress, in this instance is that my current world involves all give and no take. Dear stake president, please say just kidding.Ok. So the photo at the top is what I've currently got as the desktop background on my computer. Sometimes images can do so much to enhance my mood. When I see that photo, it's a reminder that I do, in fact, love the fall season. I love the smells, the change in temperature, the colors, the fun. It reminds me that the holidays are right down the road, and with them, family and friends.The photo below is what's hanging (a photo-on-canvas print) on my bedroom wall. I, in the years of transferring my belongings from one apartment to the next, have learned not to decorate. It's a sad reality that bare walls are much less hassle when moving time comes around. But I saw this piece of wall-art at Ross. It was ten dollars, and that made the decision easy. It's now adding some warmth and life to my once bare off-white wall.I'll end with that. Any good stress-management insights? Feel free to share them!

Summer is Waning

2011-09-10T10:13:00.000-07:00

I don't know why, but I'm feeling poetic today.

I'm hanging onto these last few slices of summer and trying to savor them for all they're worth; school starts for me on Monday. And while that comes with an excitement all its own, coupled with the thrill of the change in seasons, I'm just not ready for summer to be over yet.

I thrive on days that were meant to be spent swimming in a river.

I live for afternoons when the sun invites you to lay out, when the breeze is just right.

I can't bear the thought of not enough time in the afternoon for a quick nap with the summer sun warming my skin through the window.

But in anticipation of a season of change, I am starting to get ready. Here's where I tell you the things that will most certainly jeopardize my man-card holding privileges.

I bought some L'oreal exfoliating scrub. I use it every night and it's heaven to my face.

My friend Diana offered to wax my eyebrows ---and I accepted.

I went and had my back waxed. (Now that should redeem some man-points. That took some real ...cojones). I was reminded of the scene in the movie Hitch where Albert is getting his back waxed: "Sweet Georgia Brown!"
After the waxing, I got a massage.

Today, I go in for a trim.

I will be ready for school. All these little self-indulgent things are helping me to get excited.

Note: the eyebrow treatment took a total of maybe 10 minutes, and let me put it this way: I never thought I could love my eyebrows this much.

The gym has been good to me. I continue to make progress, losing flab and gaining that dense, strong, lovely stuff we call muscle.

Friends are coming back into town -friends I haven't seen since my first semester here. Reunions will be joyful.

I fear that the fun of the Fall semester will pass all too quickly and that before I know it, I'll be plunged into real society to decide my next move and determine the path that I will travel next.

Hi there!

2011-08-18T08:58:00.003-07:00

It's been about 7 weeks, and I am full of guilt; see, when school was in, I had every bit of an excuse to not be blogging. I was finishing out a very demanding semester. But that was over almost 4 weeks ago, and here I am just now writing anything. All I can offer in the way of an explanation is that I've been enjoying summer, and for that, nobody can expect me to apologize.

So, some of you need an update, the rest of you can just skim through the details you already know to get to the better, fresher ingredients that make this blog stand out amongst it's competitors like Papa John's pizza.

I decided to stay in Rexburg for the 7-week semester break. The geology dept. offered to allow me to work through the break, which is nice. But while that means a source of income and a something productive to do during my break, it also means that I won't be seeing my family and friends in Arizona. It also means that a much-less-exciting Rexburg is my home with most all of the college students leaving.
But here is my pledge: when school starts up again, I'll be planning a trip (during school?!! ...I know). I'd like to visit before my Ju leaves for her mission to the Filipino island of Cebu.

But for the meantime, I'll be hangin' with the spud farmers here. And in my free-time, here's what I do:
1) SWIM! There are some awesome places to go here: Rigby Lake (5 bucks per vehicle), The sandbar in St. Anthony (free), Monkey Rock (where the picture at the start of this post was taken, also free), and lots of others that I have yet to try.
2) GYM! You're all sick of hearing about it, but I stick with it. I'm making extra efforts since I don't have school.

3) MOVIES! God bless the dollar theater! I've seen some really great movies this summer. If movies were a drug, I'd need an intervention. I recently acquired a few new titles I've been meaning to add to my collection for years: the Hunt for Red October and Freaky Friday. I know those two are at opposite ends of the entertainment spectrum, but such are my tastes. I found them at Hastings. If movies were a drug, Hastings would be my dealer. That store is altogether way too fun.

So here's the story of the photo at the start:
It was the last week of school and a group of us decided to (ok, promise not to tell. Promise? ok, keep reading) ...break curfew and go night-swimming and then go eat out at Denny's. It was awfully mischievous and awfully fun. I might add that the water was FREEZING cold. Monkey rock is a fork of a river where the water passes over a rock ledge (a jointed basalt vitrophyre, to be precise ...and I know my Mom now knows at least what basalt is). It's a great little swimming hole where you can actually swim under the waterfall and come up behind it. We took glowsticks to light the way, then stacked them on the rocks behind the waterfall. It looked all strangely glowy, kind of like the planet Pandora on the movie Avatar.
I adjust pretty quickly to cold water, as long as it's not too cold. So it was fun, until everyone else couldn't stand it any longer and we headed off to Denny's. We got home around 3:30am. Then at 10:00am, I went to take my Group Dynamics final, which was fine because it was an interview with my instructor, not a written exam. I really like those kind a lot better. So while breaking curfew is really not acceptable behavior here, it was totally worth it.

I mentioned finals, so here are the outcomes: An A in Book of Mormon (my final religion class), An A in Group Dynamics (so sad this class is over!), A B+ in Calculus (which is a KILLER because it's an 89.4%! Only .6 of a percent away from an A-!!!), and an F in Physics. Yes, I failed that awful, awful class. I was concerned about it, because I need it to graduate. I talked with my good friend, the division chair of geology, Dan Moore about it. He said "just take the lower-level Physics and call it good." If he says so, I'm 100% fine with doing that. Physics 105, here I come. I've said it before, but I know the reason that I don't do well with Physics is that it is highly-detailed in areas that I just have no desire in. I love learning, and I love knowing that we have methods for deriving the physical details of the minutia that make up the foundation of our physical world, but I'd rather leave it to those who get a kick out of solving it. I have to literally force myself to even try at every turn along the Physics path. There's no desire there to keep me trekking along otherwise.

For the rest of the break, I'd like to go camping, keep swimming, and gym-ing, and movie-ing. And I'd really like to come home, but for the sake of finances, that one will have to wait.

The One About Motivation

2011-06-27T22:06:00.004-07:00

I thought that if I titled this post like an episode of FRIENDS, it would have more appeal.

Here it is, the promised post about motivation and fitness. I'll start with this one idea: one is a product of the other. In fact, either can produce the other. This should become clearer as I explain.

I'm going to lead you on a little trip: it's the story of how I found my motivation.
I don't pretend to be some fitness guru or even close to being in great shape. What I can say, with confidence brimming, is that I found a start to the journey!

Here's some back-story to bore you all into leaving the computer: If I want to remember what it was like to have a flat stomach, I have to think back decades. Even then, I carried that cute-at-the-time baby fat. Still, I was a healthy little guy. For all the rest of my life, I've had some extra flab hanging onto my body: belly, sides, cheeks, arms, legs, you name it. I didn't consider myself obese, but I knew I was overweight. I know that weight or size does not equate self-worth, but it sure is a factor in self-image. In high-school, I went from being a 210 lb.-sophmore to an eventual 185 lb.-senior...

What had I changed? My junior year I started running, and my senior year I added football to my activities. The daily cardio-burn really helped me shed the pounds. That was a very positive feeling, and I learned something from it: I have the potential to change. I didn't have to abandon hope and accept my belly-flab as my constant companion.

So, I had lost weight. I look back at pictures, and I can see it in my face: I look more lean. However, the mid-section still held onto that stubborn flab. Once I left home in the individual pursuits of the next few years, running became less of an option (especially in Canada) and football was a thing of the past. I slowly regressed into the 210-220 lb. range (thank you, MTC Cafeteria).

Since returning from the mission, I've had spurts of motivation that have led me to the gym pretty consistently to run the treadmill or use the elliptical machine, but it never made a huge difference for me. My weight would fluctuate, but I'd never get any promising results and my motivation wavered.
Let me fast-forward to this year.
2011, January. I was off-track, in Arizona having the time of my life being with family and friends. The holidays at home provided a great dosage of rich food, then I moved to Queen Creek to live with my brother and sister-in-law.
I worked with my brother for a bit, and our most convenient source of food was the entire imaginable gamut of fast-food chains. We also thrived on caffeinated soda to keep us running steadily through the long work-days. I didn't have a scale handy at the time, and was happy to avoid one. I didn't like eating that way, but I lacked desire to do anything different.
Then I stopped working (yeah, it happens to college students from time to time). Suddenly, I had some time to do things. I could read, I could nap, I could walk the dogs, I could visit friends, watch movies, shop, eat, laugh, cry, ponder, spit, hike, breathe, or make funny faces in the mirror if I wanted! This was actually the best thing that could've ever happened for me at that point.

Enter Perla.

Perla had been talking about P-90X. I wanted to try it, so one day we planned to get together and do Yoga. (Yoga isn't for everyone, but I LOVE it. The best de-stressing mechanism for me. Moving on...) Once I had a taste of work-out time with Perla, it became a regular thing. We'd decided a time, we'd get together, and we'd work out. On days when we weren't, I would always go jog the running trails that go through the neighborhood (and they are AWESOME!). I decided to cut all soda out of my diet and to really avoid fast food and sweets. Perla and I also did some looking into foods that are nutrient-rich and low-calorie and started getting creative with including them in my diet. Things were changing.

This was the start of a journey I wasn't even aware I was on.
My weight-drop wasn't drastic, but I started to see subtle signs of a leaner physique.

I want to point out that 1) motivation got me started and 2) improved fitness fueled my motivation.

Let point out some other key factors here: in high-school, my weight-loss was due to cardio alone. Quit or reduce the cardio, and fat will start taking up residence like you've just refurbished its dwelling. I've since learned that a great combo for long-term leanness has three key elements: cardio, weight-training, and eating right.
Let me explain why, and then I'll get on with "the rest of the story". Cardio burns calories and results in a slimmer build. But weight-training builds muscles. More muscle mass in your body means more calories/nutrients are needed to sustain the body, so the calories you do take in are being used -not stored as much. And proper eating even further limits calorie intake so that you get more nutrients and less junk. Summation: you can fight calories from 3 different angles. It's a triple-combo that brings more satisfaction than any combo meal at Burger King ever will.

So, in April, I came back to Rexburg for school and I got a screaming deal on a gym membership (seriously, it's 10-dollars a month with no contract). I weighed in at 212 lbs. when I got here. Since then, I've dropped 12 lbs. I remain right around 200 lbs. as I swap muscle mass for fat.
Every week, I see new changes for the better. I wear a 32-waist now, and that just thrills the heck out of me (thrift-store shopping possibilities just increased!). I try on shirts, and they fit me really well. I can look in the mirror with real satisfaction and smile at what I see. I do that every day now.
Looks aren't even the best part. I feel so amazing! I keep kicking myself for waiting so long to feel so good! Prior to my changes, I felt sluggish most of the day. I could do what I needed to do, but felt like a nap was what I really needed most. Now, I am energetic, much more happy, and I feel things much more! When I laugh, I feel the emotion, not dulled by any bodily fatigue. When I am moved to tears, I feel that emotion in its fulness. When I feel joy, I really feel like I'm brimming with goodness. My body was made to perform! Let me emphasize that by repetition: My body was made to perform. It seems to go against our intuition that a tired, worn-out body would benefit by added activity. But it does!

My friends here at school have noticed the change in my mood and behavior and will frequently ask me what energy drink I'm on. It's fun to be able to respond, "LIFE!" I seriously feel that I have been physically reborn. I have a new and different frame. I have defined muscles. I can see that there is a frame under the layers of flab that were once there. I see the veins that operate to send nutrients to the ends of my limbs. The body is an amazing machine, and it is made to perform.

The reason that I have taken the time to write this down is 1) I need to record these thoughts for later, 2) I have learned a lot through this process and feel obliged to pass it on, and most importantly, 3) I hope that my insights can serve as a spark to make some changes in your own daily routine. *I am not trying to brag.
I know that you are many things: parents, students, teachers, employees ...and it is a real challenge to find the way to bring fitness into your life even when the motivation is there. Start with eating right. That's one of the biggest favors you can do yourself. Eat often, and eat the things that are good for you. Learn to turn down sweets. It's an un-American thing to do, but it's so good for you.

I can stand confidently and say that every person reading this has the potential to change. Some things are out of our control. We can accept that. Our personal fitness is completely in our own hands.

Now, if you're serious about this, here is your first assignment: find your motivation.
Here's how I found it: I went to Vegas, we took pictures. When I came back, I was really not pleased at all with how I looked. That got me started. The progress I see along the way keeps me going. Find your motivation, and start your journey -even if it's small steps in the start.

Summer Days

2011-06-23T22:41:00.003-07:00

I have a lot to say. Some of it will be worthwhile, some of it will be extemporaneous. If you know what that word means, props to you and I hope we're friends.

First, let's talk about the weather. Summer has finally come to Rexburg ...for now. Today we reached a scorching 85 degrees! (I give the Arizonans my full consent to laugh) It's so fun to watch the town transform with good weather. Students at the school will find a patch of lawn and just stretch out and soak in the sun. The parks are filled with all sorts of activity, the streets are busy with long-boarders, cyclists, and strolling couples. We really know how to take full advantage of good weather in these parts.

Now on to other things. I've thought a lot about learning lately. I think I am absolutely addicted to learning. After being in school for as long as I have, you make some observations about the process and about yourself.
I think that it's a shame that we know so much and pass on so little. All of my more aged instructors have stories to tell of when they were in high school and how much algebra they were taught. What happened to those days?
I try to imagine how life would be if I had learned, really solidified the basic operations of algebra in high school. My college experience would be enhanced exponentially. I'm now taking calculus and just barely getting comfortable with nearly all the aspects of algebra. The world has known these concepts for centuries, and yet children and adults alike float through life completely in the dark ages where math is concerned. I am seeing more and more how learning truly is power; it's a cliche expression, but the truth stands. This world is looking for good thinkers. Subjects like tough math develop thinkers; look at the people we admire for their contributions to our current advances in understanding the world -they all knew how to work with math. I have struggled with math in the past, as much of the world's students do, but that's the point: I struggled. I learned. I am empowered because those ideas are now mine. Oh that every child could learn the great ideas that open the world to amazing possibilities.

I've been taking a communications class semester called group dynamics. Let me interject and say that all of my communications classes have proven to be the most enjoyable and useful of all. If you ever get the chance to take a communications class, you'll be glad you did. I want to share some of the concepts I've taken from the class recently. In that way, I think my readers are getting some real meat along with the cotton-candy fluff of my usual posts.

For class, I attended a Forum put on my Robert Whitman. He is the Chairman of the Board of Directors and CEO of Franklin Covey. He is so much more than that, but I think you get a hint of what kind of guy he is from his job title. It was AWESOME to get insights from someone who has been so successful in his profession. I'm going to share my notes from the forum here:

Be “a game-changing person” or someone who improves whatever they’re involved in.

Choices an individual makes in order to achieve success:

1) Believe in yourself: What would you try if you knew you could not fail? A true mirror (undistorted) reflects that all are gifted (example: Paul Potts, opera singer, Britain’s Got Talent, YouTube clip). If you don’t believe in yourself, find friends that believe in you.

2) Be strong in the hard times: Do the work that your goals require of you.

3) Put God first in your life: Seek ye first the Kingdom of God.

4) Stay away from the avalanche zones: Remember Reinhold Messner (Italian mountaineer considered to be “the greatest climber in history”).

5) Bring others with you across the finish line: Remember that life is a team sport.

That's the end of the notes. I just loved what he had to say. He had awesome insights, and I felt empowered by his comments to go and make some changes to how I approach life. I hope at least someone finds this beneficial.

In my comm class, we have full access to the entire collection of Harvard's online material. Only two schools in the world have this access: BYU-Idaho, and Harvard. It's some of the best material, and I always come away from class discussions completely engaged in thought and so enriched by the discussions we have. Anyway, one of the neatest things we do with the Harvard material is a simulation of climbing Mt. Everest. We get together in small groups, open up our laptops, log in, and start the simulation of climbing day-by-day together. If you implement the skills of group dynamics we've been learning in class, you do much better succeeding in your goals and it grades your success as a group at the end. We get to do the simulation a number of times, and each time we do it, we have so many things reinforced about life and working together. There's a lot to be learned from all the accounts of groups who have attempted the Everest climb. We all have some challenging things to face in life. A successful end is much more likely when we help each other, lift each other, and work as one.

Okay, one last bit of wisdom from that class, and I'll move on.
Every week, we get to come up with our own "Sharpen the Saw" activity. This idea comes from Stephen R. Covey's book, The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People. I know, some of you are thinking, "Well excuse me for livin', but I've never read it." (Ten gold stars to whoever can guess where that quote is from, although I think Cat has a slight advantage). And then there are those of you who have read it who are thinking, "It's so good." I digress. Sharpening the saw is basically the idea that a person can work hard all day trying to cut down trees with a saw that is a little dull from constant use. If he would stop occasionally to sharpen the saw, the work he did with a sharp saw would be much more effective. A lot of people are so concerned about keeping on task that they don't want to take the time to stop and sharpen the saw.
Covey points out 4 dimensions to sharpen in life: spiritual, physical, social, and mental. We should get in the habit of taking some time each week to focus in on one of the dimensions that needs sharpening and figure out a way to sharpen it. I've had a real blast doing a weekly sharpening activity. It's been really neat to see what a difference it makes. It's a neat concept, and I think everyone should give it a try.

HEY! I just found out that I am an uncle again! My brother and his wife just had their first son! He has red hair! His aunt Julianne will be thrilled, no doubt.
I'm just as thrilled as can be to have yet another little guy enter our family. I can't wait to be able to actually see him in person. Congrats to JC and Mari!

It seems so trivial to continue on with what I was going to say, but then the blog must go on. I am way too concerned about my collection of movies. Most of you know this, but I was reminded of it today. I opened my DVD wallet to select a movie to watch as I blogged (yeah, I think Alicia and I are related ...for reals). I found an empty slot. This is not good. Since they are alphabetized, I usually know exactly which one is missing. This time, it's School of Rock. My first reaction was "No! Where is it?!?! Who has it?!?!" Then I calmed down and thought, dude. You can buy another copy for like 5 bucks if worse comes to worst. Then I had a good laugh at how silly I am about my dumb collection.

I guess that does it for now. Thanks for enduring to the end of the post, and I hope your summer days are as gorgeous and enjoyable as mine. Of course they are, you're not in school. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go check our DVD player...

PS: My next post is going to be about fitness goals and desire. Be ye warned. If that's not something you're interested in, feel free to ignore my next post.

Sink Me If I Didn't Go and Do It

2011-06-11T23:13:00.002-07:00

I'm sure you've all noticed that, judging by my lack of entries, I've either 1) dropped off the face of the planet or 2) not been keeping up.

I can't really apologize, because it wouldn't be sincere. I've meant to blog, but each time I sit down to the computer, I'm not feeling it. And if I'm not feeling it, it wouldn't be a read-worthy post anyway.

I sit here and I have a feeling a lot like the feeling of sitting on a porch looking out on a yard that has been left unkept for months: not at all pleased with what I see, but excited to jump in and transform it.

So here it is: the barrage of thoughts that you, no doubt, have wondered where they could have been all these long weeks (or is it ...months?):

First, I'm not going to talk about fitness. I feel good. The end. Now you can sit back comfortably and read the rest.

This semester, I'm assistant manager for a show called "Jazz Night". The show is going to be the night of June 25th. We'll hold auditions this coming week and get a line-up of performers. The show is going to be outside on a gorgeous lawn on campus. It's also a free show, so that makes it even easier to publicize.
I've had a lot of fun scheming up ideas for our poster, our show set-up, and etc. I'm excited to see how that pans out.

Speaking of shows, I went to a show on campus tonight that was unexpectedly PHENOMENAL! Have you heard of Nik Day? He's from Idaho Falls, goes to school at BYU-Provo, writes the best contemporary piano pieces, and sings and performs like you would not believe. Check out his stuff on YouTube and iTunes. His album will be my next purchase. He is incredible.
Opening for Nik was the comedian Stephen Jones. If you don't know him, he's also a BYU-Provo student. He was featured in the YouTube commercial parody of the Old Spice commercial called "New Spice". It's on YouTube, a must-see.
I can't say which I liked better: Nik's music or Stephen's comedy! They were both so good! Stephen had me laughing so hard that I was nearly too exhausted to laugh at the end of his act! This has been, by far the best show I've seen on campus. Collin Ray was incredible, but this show topped it.

Continuing on with the theme of entertainment, I have some most exciting news!
(NERD ALERT)
This Tuesday, YES! This Very Tuesday, a special event is coming to our dollar theater. Are you ready? LORD OF THE RINGS. YES!!! They are showing the Fellowship of the Ring this week, The Two Towers next Tuesday, and The Return of The King the week after that! These movies are meant to be viewed on the big screen! I am seriously giddy at the prospect of seeing The Fellowship on the big screen again. I'm not sure I'll go to the other two, but it really is a great chance to see them this way. We'll see.

Now what's a movie without dinner? Which brings me to my next topic, eating out. So I rarely eat out here, but when I do, I prefer these eateries: Costa Vida (yes, we have one now, with Sweet Pork Salad, Horchata, the whole bit), Great Harvest (Ooh, if you've never tried this, do yourself a favor and TRY IT! I love the turkey pesto sandwich. Mmmmm), or Mill Hollow (a local frozen yogurt / sandwich joint. No yogurt for this boy, but they make the best baked subs on their own home-baked sour-dough. It's truly scrumptious ...and sumptuous. I love how those words compliment each-other).

You all know that I'm a nerd-at-heart. I've told you this, you've surmised it, you've seen me look at rocks, it's common knowledge. Here's the thang (typo-intended because I say it like that a lot): even though I've got a nerd-core, I struggle with Physics. I struggled with Calculus, but this time around (retaking it) I've done really well and I'm actually liking it and registered for Calculus 2. But Physics, it's been the most difficult thing my brain has ever faced. But I am beginning to make progress. Conquering these concepts would really boost my confidence. If I can conquer Physics, I can face any course and succeed. I truly believe it.

Do you have an inner-nerd? Do you take secret delight in grammar or literature or some other nerdy subject? Guilty, right here. Rocks included. I've noticed that I will always jump at a chance to flaunt that inner-nerd. If anyone has a question about something I know about (and feel absolute pure passion for), I perk up, step up to the plate, and swing for the fence! I suppose it's because it's not every day that our nerdiness gets that chance to shine, to be of some use to someone. I'm sure I overdo it and annoy people with spouting knowledge, but when I'm their phone-a-friend life-line, they'll thank their lucky stars that I have that little nerd deep at my core, ready to offer my brilliance on cue.

Here's a random bit: I took my chica-friends to Taco Bell to grab dinner to go on Friday. While waiting to order, my friend picked up a packet of Verde Sauce and said "I think I am converted to this sauce." "Well," I chimed in immediately, "welcome to the church!"
What would life be without Taco Bell? I can't imagine college life without that one universal constant. Yes, it's unhealthy. But I guarantee that if it weren't there, college kids would find another way to get their cheesy grease-fix. Taco Bell does it for cheap, they do it quickly, and it tastes surprisingly amazing. Honestly, what kind of magic created a Chalupa? The soft, yet crunchy, texture of that shell... ahhh.

I'll wrap this up, but first, this: Practicality. I've noticed something.
There are some really practical people in the world. They are not normal. Practicality has its place, for certain. But since it's not a universal norm, it most often comes across as quirky.
I'll illustrate. Most boys and girls walk to class dressed in casual but tasteful combinations of wardrobe pleasantries. They carry their necessities in their backpack, and tote their book in hand, so as not to weigh-down their backpack and make it look slouchy. They saunter in, take their place amongst their peers, and breathe deeply and satisfyingly as the begin their coursework.
Then, there are others. They leave the apartment with an extra-large backpack (usually camouflage ...so as to ...blend in?) that holds ALL their books, a strapped laptop case, plain clothes selected from the cheapest clearance section available (simply there to cover nakedness), knee-high socks from a surplus store, hiking boots in case they end up in a survival situation, a quirky brimmed-hat to keep the sun out of their eyes and, if they're really serious about practicality, they've got a fanny-pack full of granola bars. Do not laugh. These are real people!
They are the people who make you think to yourself, "What's it like to be a weird person? Wait, or am I weird, and they're normal and I perceive them as weird because I'm not normal?" But then you shake it off because the status quo demonstrates that it's simply not possible.
I wonder what it's like to be so practical. I think we all need a healthy dose of practicality to help balance our chi and keep us in check, but it can be overdone.

Now I've exhausted my superfluous thought reserves and can leave you satiated with all this verbosity until we meet again. Until then, ...granola bar anyone?

The Inner Child

2011-05-22T19:16:00.005-07:00

Last night, I went to the Disney-themed show they have on campus. Students run the show, the acts are selected from student-auditions, and it's always one of the best (and certainly funnest) show on campus.

I was performing in the show with the "My A Capella" group this past Fall, and it was fun to enjoy the show from the audience this time.

I arrived at the show 10 minutes early, and as I walked in, one of the girls running the show was looking for help: the auditorium's digital projector wasn't working, so the promo-video they had planned to show was a no-go. They needed some music to fill the current void of silence. Enter my iPhone. It has Pandora, so I quickly queued up the Disney Kids station (why I didn't already have it saved in my stations, I don't know). They plugged that baby into the sound system, and I provided the intro music for the show. Okay, so really it was Pandora, but I helped.

I'm not sure what it is about Disney music that makes me feel like a kid again. Maybe it's all the memories I have attached to those songs. My awesome mother never left us wanting for Disney music. From the Sing-along videos, to the Disney favorite songbook, to the Disney favorite tapes, to the actual Disney movies themselves, our house always had some form of good ol' Disney fun well within our grasp. I cherish the memory of my Mom playing "name that tune" with songs from the Disney favorites songbook. We would bid on how many notes we could guess the title in. I equally cherish the memory of me and my sister dancing and singing along to the original Parent Trap song "Let's Get Together" complete with brooms as our pretend guitars.

Last night's show got me to remember some of those things. I was smiling and cheering through the whole show. Memories from my childhood were revitalized, along with memories from my more recent childhood. I absolutely LOVE the movie Tangled! So if you find yourself feeling old, stressed, weighed down, or just too "growed-up", remember that Disney never left. You can set the grown-up world aside for a bit and bring out your inner-child. That's okay.

Another Mix of Thought

2011-05-08T10:31:00.003-07:00

I'd truly be an ungrateful son if I didn't mention my Mom. She's awesome. If you know her, you most certainly agree with me.
Life challenges the very best of us with all it can, and I think that my Mom, through all of life's challenges, has remained standing steadfast in the path that she knows is right. She's got the noblest heart of anyone I've known, big enough to love anyone, forgive anything, and understand. She's a keeper, and I think I'll keep her.
I love her humor, I love her insight into the fun details of life. I love her way of making life pleasant for her family, even through the most unpleasant times.
Mom, I love you.

Now, here's a funny thing: I went to call home for Mother's Day. I got the following recording: "You have reached a non-working number."
This has got to be a joke, I thought. First off, anyone who knows my family know that "non-working" is a phrase as foreign as "bored". And yet, here was this recorded voice telling me that the number I've had since I was born was no longer working. I called my Mom's cell number and got the lady of the house. She confirmed that, while the family was still in working order, the phone number had, in truth, been let go. I think a more accurate term in the recording would be "dead" in place of "non-working".

So the family is officially wireless. How thoroughly modern we are.

Okay, so next, I'm beaming. I am honestly grinning as I type. Why, you ask? I'm pretty thrilled about how I feel. I don't want you to get sick of me rubbing my fitness triumph in your face through a computer screen, it's just good for me to share my success in this way to keep fueling my motivation. Since I've been in Rexburg, I've lost 12 lbs. If I keep going, I'll be a new person the next time I see most of you.

Now that I shared that, I feel comfortable sharing this next part about food.
I finally went to Great Harvest. I've heard from so many people how great this place is. Verdict: IT REALLY IS! It's my new favorite eatery in Rexburg. I get the Turkey Pesto (no cheese). It's awesome! If you haven't been to Great Harvest, and you get the chance, do it!

Sometimes I do dumb things. It's all too true. My most recent was trying frozen yogurt. I know it's gonna give me an allergic reaction, but sometimes I just try again, you know? Just in case. They were handing out tubs of frozen yogurt at a talent-board retreat dinner on Friday night. And I did partake. See? Dumb.
Even as I ate, my mouth was telling me "this burns". The rest of the night, I was itchy. All over. And I was congested all through the night and into the morning.
Will I ever try it again? Yes, definitely. Will it be soon? Absolutely not! I have to forget what it feels like before I try the same dumb thing again.
The sad part about this: I may never know what it's like to have a Pinkberry. Please tell me that someone is thinking "Wait, what's a Pinkberry?" It will make my day.

I've got a new addiction. It is Michael Buble radio on Pandora. I can stream Pandora on my phone, so I take my phone into the bathroom with me and start out my day with a shower and a song. It really is the perfect way to start a day.

This semester is very demanding in terms of efforts, but not too strenuous as far as mental challenges go. I'm really loving classes, loving being with friends, loving the way I feel, really loving life. I really miss the people and warmth of Arizona, but life here is treating me pretty darn well. Couldn't you all just come visit? We could do lunch at Great Harvest! Just a thought.

Fakers

2011-04-28T09:01:00.003-07:00

I am saddened. I keep getting spam comments on my blog posts. In fact, I get more spam than I get actual comments from readers. I have 21 official "followers" on this blog, and I only know about 8 of them. I love keeping this blog. It's the best journal I've ever had and it's fun to reflect back on. I also love sharing the details of my life with my friends and family. But at the same time, I feel used. Spammers are using my journal to try and sell their wares. What should I do? I hesitate setting my blog to private; that seems to complicate things for some of my less-than-computer-guru friends. Any suggestions?

Fit and Well

2011-04-25T22:50:00.002-07:00

I am not wriing this to brag. My aim is to motivate and inspire.

I've been consistent with my diet and fitness goals: more consistent than at any other time in my life.
Here are the initial results:

I feel incredible. I feel energetic, cognitive, balanced, happy, and ...well, well.
I have lost a considerable amount of extra flab. I look in the mirror, and I see an improved, leaner version of myself.
I began to notice that I actually have a skeletal frame where the fluff had covered it.
I'm never as hungry as I used to be, I sleep soundly and wake up consistently prior to 8am without an alarm.
My body is loving being cared for. Do you have any idea what it would be like to feel like a child again?
That's as best as I can describe what I feel. I feel alive, refreshed, and completely ecstatic at the results I'm getting.

I keep asking myself, why have I waited so long to make these changes?
The truth is, I didn't have the motivation.
Once I found it, things really took off and I find myself forming new habits of living that are amazingly rewarding and fulfilling.
I am went and tried on a shirt at the mall. It was only 8 dollars on clearance, but I was not really counting on it fitting.
Then I tried it on. And it fit me like a dream! It was a great feeling to look in the mirror and be genuinely satisfied
with what I saw.

And the neatest part is that I get to look forward to things only getting better as I maintain discipline in taking care of my body. I made it through the Easter holiday not feeling the least bit sorry that I wouldn't partake of any sweets.

In all sincerity, nothing NOTHING tastes as good as being healthy feels.
The key is motivation and willingness to adjust.
The rewards are real. I'm not going to post pictures or list how much I've lost just yet.
Let me just say, you can do it! Find the motivation, make some changes, and live!

Back to the Barren North

2011-04-17T09:41:00.003-07:00

I am officially all moved in. Rexburg is, as I had expected, windy, cloudy, and cold.
I am missing the weather and people of Arizona so much I could almost cry.

Yet, the view from this point is more promising than the gloomy scene I've painted. Weather aside, things are good. I really love my new apartment, I'm looking forward to friends getting back into town, and Spring really is on the way.

So. What's up, Rexburg, you bittersweet old town?

Savoring

2011-04-09T20:34:00.010-07:00

My days in Arizona are numbered. This makes me sad. The break I've had has really been positive and refreshing.

My friends invited me to go camping in Payson this weekend. When they said "camping" they actually meant "a weekend getaway to a resort on a golf course".

Once I saw the place, I could easily overlook their deception. I was absolutely blown away. This is easily one of the nicest homes I have ever seen.

Here's a little sample of the interior, compliments of Verizon Wireless and the new iPhone.

The living room:

The kitchen and dining room:

My personal favorite, the THEATER ROOM complete with leather recliners, tiered seating, mood lighting, a theater-style popcorn popper, projector, and surround sound.

Some features not featured in the photo tour:
-a hot tub on the deck
-a pool table and ping-pong table
-antique oak wood flooring upstairs salvaged from an old courthouse in Arkansas
-impact sensitive lighting: the lights come on when they sense your footsteps.
-purified water in all the faucets

I could go on, but I think that paints the picture for ya.
There was a winter storm warning in effect, and storm it did. We woke up to this:

I was almost thrilled, but I still haven't gotten to the point that I like snow again yet. I'm still in love with the desert heat and sunshine and was hoping to get my fill prior to my return to Idaho. It was really pretty, I have to admit.
I felt like we should all slip into fur coats and head down the lane to have tea with Mr. Tumnus.

So now that I've got that all blogged, let me speak of other things.

For those that actually follow my blog, I finally got around to adding pictures to my Vegas post. Scroll down and check it out if you want.

In my last post, I mentioned some of the changes I've made in order to be more healthy. Well, I've really stuck with it and this camping trip was no exception.
For Friday dinner, we headed to the store to buy our own choice of food.
While others were busy buying steaks to grill, I was buying the simple ingredients for lettuce wraps and protein shakes for breakfast.

I felt a little like a joy-kill snob-boy. Everyone else was having the deluxe steak dinner and I was sticking to my lean protein wrapped in leafy greens. Oh well. I really want to stick with what I'm doing. It's paying off.
Let me say this: I haven't lost a lot of weight, but I am changing shape and feeling good. I hate being controlled by the scale and fretting about a number. It's not a positive motivation for me. When I'm gaining muscle and losing fat, that doesn't show on the scale. The real reward for me is feeling healthy and energetic and being able to run 3 miles non-stop without feeling like I'm going to puke and/or cough up my right lung.
On a similar note, my P90X order was canceled for some reason. I'm actually glad because rather than spending the $90 plus tax and shipping, I have a friend who was good enough to duplicate her discs for me (thanks Perla). I'm really excited to be able to get going on the program on my own with access to my own DVDs.

I am really not liking the lurking feeling of anticipation of my departure. My heart has gotten firmly set on staying here. I almost want to defer a semester of school and stick around. Almost. My better judgment tells me to stay. Freudian slip! I meant go!!!

And so without further adieu, let's make these last few days in the Grand Canyon State as Grand as Can be.

Lately

2011-04-01T14:56:00.007-07:00

Lately, I haven't blogged a whole lot. You know this, but it needs to be stated to lead into my next thought. I've been having a great time staying busy with other things that I want to do. When you're given 4 months off school, you really should maximize it's usefulness and not squander it on things like blogging. There's some wisdom for you.

Lately, I've been busting my butt trying to develop good habits for staying fit. I'm happy to report that it is paying off.
I want to share my goals with you because it will help me keep motivated if I tell you.

But first, why the sudden urge to reform? That's a very good question and I'm glad you asked it. It started with looking at my Vegas pictures.

Now I don't think I look humongous, but I know I can do better. That really was my wake-up call.

I had spent the first few weeks in Queen Creek working with my brother, eating fast food 2-3 times a day and consuming more Coca Cola than I normally would in an average year (and loving every minute of it, I might add).
That, my dear children, is called "gluttony" and too much of it makes you feel like total ca-ca.

I was also inspired by the efforts of my Uncle Tom who we visited out in California. He's really good at sticking to his diet and it is paying off.

I think back to a day when I was (yet again) being screened to donate plasma. The first thing they do is check your weight.
I'd been very consistent with my exercise routine and eating pretty healthy.
I stepped on the scale and something magical happened: the computer noticed my significant weight loss.
I then had to give them a reason for the weight loss.
I was proud to say "diet & exercise". The worker beamed at me as if to say "You go, Glen Coco!"

I loved that sense of accomplishment, but I loved even more my feeling of wellness. Life is too short to go through it feeling like your body is a sack of garbage.

Lesson: no food on earth tastes as good as being healthy feels.
My friend Perla disagrees, but I stand by this saying.

Here's what I'm doing:
No soda EVER.
No fried food. I was going to say "no fast food" but I want to be realistic. Just exercise control. There are a lot of good options on today's menus (value salad?). Just make smart choices and control your portions.
Avoid the sweets like they're Satan's candy. I think portions are a biggy here too. I've been turning to frozen grapes whenever I get the craving for sweets, and I'm totally hooked.

Eat smaller meals and snack throughout the day.
One of my newfound favorites is lettuce wraps.
I use the green leafy lettuce, some chicken or turkey for lean protien, wrap it up and dip it in a side of dressing.
I add a side of celery sticks and usually finish with a handful of frozen grapes or some other fruit.
I would've never thought it, but I LOVE this meal!

So I combine those dietary goals with a fitness plan (which changes from week to week, as long as I stay active) and that's it!

I've got the P90X videos coming in the mail. I've been doing the workouts with my friend Perla and they totally ROCK!
My favorite is the Yoga. Yes, it's true. I'm really amazed at the improved definition in my muscles, hence my decision to buy the program.

So Tony Horton is my new trainer.

Not to be confused with Tony Perkis.

Or Tim Hortons, the Canadian Donut Emporium.

I'm sticking to it! I'll have to adapt my plan to my school schedule when I reach that point, but I'm feeling really confident about sticking with it since I already have an awesome head-start. Wish me luck!

On the Road

2011-03-19T09:09:00.002-07:00

I'm back from one trip, and on to the next! Let me just fill you in on the details from my trip to Vegas last weekend.

The idea formed collectively among me, Perla, & Misty. When Misty suggested a weekend trip, we knew it was meant to be. We had felt the Vegas vibe. Note: the Vegas vibe should not be ignored.

I'd been to Vegas a few times in the past. I was excited to go, especially with the peeps I was going with, but I had no idea just how much fun I was in for.

We invited our friend Kent to come. He was down! Then he got sick the day before the trip, but at the last minute, he grabbed his things and came! We're so glad he did.

So Friday we drove to Flagstaff and stayed at Misty's. She had a theme party planned. The theme: Hot. That meant hot-tubbing, hot pizza, hot tamales, the movie Hot Rod... a solid theme for a guaranteed fun night.

Saturday, we headed west, Vegas-bound.
Here are the highlights:

The Bellagio water show! I could've stayed there all night and watched it! So incredible, you've just got to see it.

The Venetian! How have I never seen the inside of this place in all the times I've been to Vegas? I am a little obsessed with the atmosphere they created in there.

The Phantom of the Opera! I am SO GLAD we [Kent] decided on this show! It was outstanding. I wish I could've taken photos of the interior of the theater. If you've seen the movie, it's a pretty equivalently spectacular theater as the one in the movie, except it's not a movie set! It's really breath-taking.

We stayed at the Hilton (thanks, Priceline ...or should I be thanking William Shatner?). They had a little dance club downstairs with no cover-charge, so we ended the night getting groovy on the dance floor.

We had some pretty awesome interaction with random strangers on this trip. And if you know the people I went with, you can understand that even if we weren't in Vegas, we'd still be having a blast! I love my friends! It was fun to renew our bond after a few years of absence.

In 2 days, I'm off again to California with some other fun people (grandma & great Ju-Ju) to California.
I've got Vegas pictures, but I can't post them to blogger from my phone, so that'll have to wait 'til I'm back in Queen Creek.

A Thing Called Purpose

2011-03-07T23:27:00.004-07:00

I am in a room full of light.
Sounds weird, I know. I'll explain.
I am at a point in life where, for a few months, I've been offered freedom like I haven't experienced in years.
The pressures and pace of school are packaged away in Rubbermaid bins. I've been free to completely shift focus onto other things.
And in the midst of the warm rays of the bright Arizona sun, I've found a renewed perspective.

I haven't drifted off into a meditation-induced Nirvana. But I've been able to gather my thoughts about some aspects of life. Ready?

First, as I contemplate the direction of my life path for the future, I keep asking myself, "to what end"? I am surrounded by numerous examples of people who have chosen as their life's purpose to perpetuate their own existence and to provide all the joys and comforts that life can possibly hold for them.

I wonder, isn't there more to this grand existence?
Then I have to stop myself and point the finger of blame inward. How much of my efforts are focused entirely on my own self-supporting endeavors?
I think it's good to learn the skills of survival and how to succeed in society. But there has to be more.
There has to be contribution. I've thought a lot about this. School has been such a justifiable time-consumer for me for the past half-decade of my life. When it ends, I will have a paper to show my academic accomplishment. And then, what? How will I contribute?
I know this can be over-analyzed to the point where it gets really depressing. I don't want to go that far. I'm just wondering. What, Steven Hansen, are you going to do with this life?

I've got ideas. I've got plans. Will they pan out? I don't know. But this I do know: people need to give, not just live.

So here's my challenge to you. How are you contributing? What are you doing (or trying to do) to reach beyond your own needs/wants and contribute? Find a way. It can be simple. It can be small. But it should be.

New subject. A small, heartfelt thank-you.
I am driving my own car again. I know I write a lot about my car, but it holds a lot of meaning for me.
I've learned so many invaluable lessons from it.
I decided to swap engines. Once I really got into "the neety greety" of the job, I kept thinking to myself, "what on earth did you do?" That was followed by the thought of Cogsworth's voice saying, "As I always say, if it's not Baroque, don't fix it!"
This task challenged me. I can handle quite a lot of frustration with cars, but this job kept me working long hours and facing some surprising challenges every day, right up until the last hour when I realized I needed yet another parts before I could drive it again.

But as I look back, it was all worth it. The car runs like new. I feel renewed satisfaction as I accelerate through an intersection and hear the tires chirp off the line. My efforts were all worth it.

Now the thanks goes to my family. Every one of them helped in little ways (and some in big ways) to help me through the challenge. I deeply appreciate the way they help in their own ways. I've often thought that with the combined skills of my immediate family we could run a small country. No joke. Anyway, thanks for your help, your care, your food, your knowledge, your sweat, your swearing, your laughs, your patience, and your love. I learned quite a bit through that challenge. Some about my car, more about my family.

Next topic: Have you dug a trench with a pick-axe lately? I highly recommend it. I dug a trench to lay sprinkler line last week and it was one of the best workouts I've had in a long time. Muscles throughout my body were feeling the burn and my forearms were on fire. Besides all those obvious benefits, it's also a time-tested sleeping aid.

That should do it for now.
Remember my challenge. Reach out. Give. It can be something as small as a listening ear or a smile. It can be a strong hand to help someone through a challenge. It can be thoughtful words of kindness not left unshared because of fear or timidity. I'm going to try too.

What a World, What a World!

2011-02-14T19:14:00.004-07:00

Blogging has not been a huge priority for me for quite a while.
Life has kept me hopping. So I need to take some time to update.

I'm warning you, this is gonna be random. You've been warned.

I once harbored hatred for all things anime. It was a genre that I couldn't connect with and an animation style that made me want to lash out irrationally at household objects. I really couldn't stomach it and so I never thought I'd be caught dead watching it (dead? watching? quite a feat in and of itself).

Then I saw Avatar: the last airbender.
I was staying in a hotel room in Denver. My friend Patrick was flipping channels and stopped on Nickelodean.
"Oh, sweet! It's Avatar! Do you watch this?"
I was shocked. Patrick didn't strike me as the anime type.
"No, it doesn't really seem like the type of show I'd get into."
"That's what I thought at first, but I think you'd be surprised with this show."

So I watched an episode with Patrick.
That did it. It was anime and I actually liked it. It was clever, funny, and very well-designed.
Now, I'm nearing the end of Season 2. I admit it, I love it. It's totally anime, and I'm loving it.
Moral to this story: Never say never. Unless you're using it to say that phrase.

Shift. New topic. The weather.
I opted out of Idaho for a more mild climate and I have fallen in love with my home state all over again.
The coldest days here have been in the 40s, and those were rare. Today was almost 80 degrees. I have to feel sorry for the poor people in Rexburg.
I'm not a snow-bird. I just have to go north for school. After that, I want to come back to Arizona and never ever leave. I know some of you are thinking "wait 'til summer hits". I know. I can't wait! Swimming, barbecues, monsoons, ahh. There's nothing not to like about this place.

Next topic: bachelor status.
I'm usually pretty good-natured about other people and their dating suggestions, but after a few years, it starts to wear on a person.
I meet a new person. They hear I'm a bachelor. Then it starts.
"I hardly know this guy, but he's single, and I can fix that!"

Please, I beg you, spare me. I know you have the most noble intention. Let me explain something to you. SO DOES EVERY OTHER PERSON & THEIR WELL-MEANING GRANDMOTHER!!! Excuse me for saying it, but DANG!!! (and I'm thinking the other word)
I used to entertain those suggestions out of courtesy. But the patience account is officially overdrawn at that bank and all I can offer is a frank, honest answer. I hate being set-up. I make my own choice. Period. I'm not desperate, I'm not reclusive. I'm a bachelor. I do hope to change that in the future. For myself, all on my own. I just had to say that.
Thank you to those of you who inherently seem to get that concept. I appreciate it more than you know.

Whew! Next topic: dogs.
I was never a dog person. I hated the dogs that chased me on my way to school in grade school. I hated the idea of dog breath, drool, shedding, and poop on the lawn.
Something changed. I met Rarri & Kaci, my brother's dogs. They're Italian Greyhounds and I love those little stinkers!
I could have a dog someday. A good dog. I could. What do you think of that?

That's all I've got for now. Until next time, ...go catch a chicken.

How I Roll

2011-01-18T19:55:00.007-07:00

Lately I've noticed something. I don't know why it didn't occur to me before. Maybe some of you have already noticed, but I always seem to drive old brown vehicles.

Let's have a look at my past wheels.
I learned to drive in this:

A 1960-something? International Scout. I was around 13, not even thinking of the legalities of it as I was needed to help with farm chores. Once you mastered driving "The Scout", you were pretty much qualified to drive anything with wheels.
I was reminiscing with my brothers last week about some of our mishaps in "The Scout". The steering linkage came loose a few times, and that meant a bee-line straight off the road into whatever stood in the way. Either that, or the front wheels would both point outward, bringing you to a sudden skid of a stop. The doors would bounce open, or swing open when you took a corner. There were times when the starter was going out so you had to either arc the power leads across it with a screwdriver to start it, or jump it by rolling it down a hill and slamming it into gear (note: the key has to be on). It is a vehicle that added a lot of flavor to my teenage years.

When I was old enough to want my own car, I went and selected an abandoned vehicle from the Hansen's Auto impound lot. There is always a reason (or two) for a vehicle being abandoned. I chose this:
(This is a photo I got from the web and edited) It's almost exactly what mine looked like. It was the best option at the time. I had to rebuild the engine in it, and I learned a lot about the fundamental workings of an automobile. I knew every last piece of that car. It was really reliable and got really good fuel mileage. When I left for my mission, I told my Dad to sell it if he could. And he did.

When I got back from my mission, I inherited a new set of wheels:
My dear friend Minnie gave me her old car. I can't say enough about the kind of friend Minnie was. But this act alone says a little about how giving she was.
The 1974 Dodge Dart has been my friend through a lot of changes in the last 6 years. It's traveled all over Arizona, up to Provo, Utah and back, up to Rexburg, Idaho and back 3 times, and never missed a beat. Last year, it passed the 100,000 mile mark and kept going strong. This month, I am swapping in a newly-rebuilt engine. The old one was still going strong, but my brother owned a newly-rebuilt Dodge Dart engine sitting in a car in his yard. (Boy, that sure sounds red-neck) He sold it to me for an amazingly good price. I expect a little better performance from a newly-rebuilt engine and it will surely save me from having to rebuild my current engine down the road. I've never been able to settle on any other name for that car. It is "The Dart". That's the only name that suits it. Every time I get in the driver's seat, I think of Minnie. That car holds a lot of special meaning. If ever anyone insults it, it's hard for me to not think less of them. One day, it will get a nice paint job and a new interior. It's sitting at Hansen's Auto shop right now, patiently enduring the engine swap. And while it sits, my Grandma was nice enough to allow my the honor of driving:
The Beast. While I work for my grandma, this is how I get around. It's a '60-something Ford. For two days, the headlights wouldn't work. Today, the blinkers stopped working, but the headlights are back. It's got a lot of personality and power. It's built like a tank and it sure can haul a lot of cargo. If anyone got in a fight with the Beast, the Beast would come out unharmed.

We all have to get around somehow. It seems that for now, I'll be rolling old-school and brown.

The Merry Day

2010-12-26T13:49:00.006-07:00

My favorite things about Christmas are memories, being with family, traditions, and the excitement of little kids.

My Dad pulled out his horse carriage and hitched up my sister's horse, Jet, to deliver goody plates and to give rides on Christmas morning. I love this tradition. It brings a real old-time feel to our holiday and I hope that it's a memory that our next little generation will cherish in their holiday memories. My parents always come through with making the day a great one.

My Mom always makes her amazing orange rolls for us. It's officially Christmas when I smell them baking.

And we still have something amazing to look forward to: my parents bought tickets for the entire lot of us to go on the "Polar Express" train ride on Tuesday in the Williams Grand Canyon Railway. The grandkids are all anticipating this event and Lacy has it in her head that Grandpa will be driving the train. After all, why not? He drives just about everything else. Why not the train? I love it. I think the engineer/conductor/whatever should let my Dad go to the front and take the reins for a bit. I'm not sure who'd be more thrilled, Lacy or Dad.

Thanks to my aunt, I got (as a Christmas present) a copy of the DVD from the Hansen Reunion this summer: a slide-show of my great-grandparents and their posterity. We put that in to play while we opened presents. What a treat that was. It made Christmas morning all the greater. Thanks Auntie Juju.

Here are the pictures of our carriage rides. Some are pretty similar to each other, but I just had to post them all. Merry Christmas!

Ringing, Singing, and Making Merry

2010-12-24T09:33:00.004-07:00

It's something I look forward to each Christmas Season: the festive sing-a-long. Can you blame me? There you will find the debut of local talent, the debut of local improvisation, the sound of bells ringing and merry singing, a visit from Suzy Snowflake, and the promise of hot chocolate to warm your heart.
Here is the Kinkade-esque cottage where we hold the merry event:

I dedicate this post to Suzy Snowflake and to the children who still beleive in her.
And now for a flashback to the sing-a-long of Christmas Past:

Home

2010-12-18T17:02:00.002-07:00

I made it! I donated plasma yesterday morning and left right afterwards to hit the road. The roads were beautifully clear and I made good time. Leaving Rexburg, the temperature was a whole 4 degrees.

I got stopped once, just past Idaho Falls. The officer told me I needed to scrape the ice off my back window. Then he realized that there was ice on the inside too. So he told me, "Try to get it to thaw so you can see out the back."

As I headed South, the temperatures got a little warmer and the ice and snow that was left on my car slowly melted away.

I have (or had, rather) an SD slot in my car stereo, meaning I can play SD cards. So I dumped all my entire collection of Christmas music on an SD card and listened to that on the way down. But at highway speeds, the cab of my car is pretty loud. So I crank the volume of the stereo to compensate. Not a good idea. I guess after about 10 hours of that, it was through. It gave a loud electronic squeal and poof. That was it. All I heard was the bass line coming from my speaker box in the trunk. I fried the audio output of the other channels. Oops. I knew too much Christmas music wasn't a good idea. Apparently, the old stereo agreed. If only I'd had some sort of warning before it was too late. I guess this Christmas I'll be saying farewell to the stereo. She has served me well. And now, she can rest.

The car performed amazingly well, once again. That's up and back to Idaho 3 times now without any trouble. She is a real trooper. She's never let me down. I bought a new engine for her and I'll be putting that in sometime in the near future, then she'll really rock and roll (look out).

I calculated the fuel mielage for the trip. 20.5 miles per gallon. Not bad for an old clunker.

For your gee whiz file: it takes 13 hours to get from Rexburg to Joseph City, and that's if you stop and have a sit-down lunch, which I highly recommend to anyone driving that far.

It feels so good to be home. I can't wait for all my siblings to get back into town. By that time, I hope to be over this blasted cold.

Arizona, I love you!

Must Write Now

2010-12-14T21:23:00.002-07:00

Let me set the scene for you: Wednesday night, uhh, scratch that. Tuesday night (finals week is really messing with my brain). I sit nestled in the little comfy nook created by the recess under my elevated bed. It's where I do my best work, and my best thinking. If I had anything equivalent to a secret lair, this would be it. The world outside is bright with the illumination of a heavy falling snow: the perfect mixture of easy wind and downy flake. I probably use Frost lines to a fault, but for those of you who get it, I hope you're smiling. There ya go.

I am going to unload, because it's high time. The thought-minions are near the point of revolt, being overloaded with trivial thoughts. I must keep them happy. They've threatened to sabotage the entire operation of my mental flow. Oh, too late. School has done that already. Minions, do your worst. I'll write it out anyhow, just because I'll sleep better if I do.

I must say, I've really been impressed with Taco Bell's efforts in the way of sauces. I thrill when I see the variety now offered in those little bins next to the napkins and sporks. I confess, I haven't actually tried them all. I like the verde sauce so much that I haven't really felt the need to venture beyond it -for now.

Tonight's snowstorm really enhances the holiday mood. I peered down the main street in Rexburg and saw it in all its Christmasy splendor: the trees laced in bright twinkling white bulbs that glisten off the facets of a thousand little ice mirrors falling in silence; it's got its charm. I am so tempted to dash down the street yelling "Merry Christmas, Bedford Falls!" But here's the thing: there is another charm at work in me. I saw a picture of an ocotillo plant in a desert scene today and the allure of that just made it all the harder to resist the urge to leave town tonight and skip out on the rest of finals. Ahh, Arizona -I pine for the sunshine in your friendly gaze.

I interrupt this program to say that my roommate's laugh from the living room is so boisterously ridiculous and obnoxious that I wonder every time whether it's sincere or forced. Put that in your gee-whiz file.

I've been so distracted this week. Really. I drove to donate plasma yesterday (that was only a day ago? It seems like at least three.) and afterward, I stopped in at the Subway just around the block from my apartment complex. I had a good restful lunch, read the local paper, did the crossword, and then got up, cleared the table, and walked home. I completely forgot that I had driven there, and I thought nothing of my car since I usually walk to and from Subway.

The following morning, I woke up early to go to the school and put the finishing touches on a project I was to present. I went to the parking lot, keys in hand, and my car ... was not there. I paused. I turned around and looked. Where was it? It took me a good three minutes to remember what had happened. I walked briskly to the Subway parking lot, hoping and praying that my car had not been towed away.

When I arrived, the manager of Subway had just arrived too. She was on the phone with the tow-truck driver. I was about to be towed. She canceled her request and hung up. She then told me "This is NOT an overnight parking lot." I explained that I realized that and how my lunch-time stop had led to my forgetting and my honest mistake. She proceeded to "wow" me with details of what the charges are for a tow and storage fees. She was thoroughly irritated. I told her I was sorry, and yet, though my experiences at their franchise have always been satisfactory, her current treatment had me re-thinking my stance. She had no sympathy for me. She is the parking lot queen. She takes pride in a good empty lot when she closes up shop. Anyone who dares defy her will be dealt the full measure of her fury. Your right hand will be severed at the wrist and and stapled to an old board above the restaurant door: "Parking violators, be ye warned". I find it so fascinating that someone could get so worked up over something that is fixed as easily as me driving away. The same lady has been known to call the tow-truck on people who stop in to use their restroom and don't buy anything. Parking is, after all, only for paying customers. I'm of the opinion that life is much to short to be so crotchety.

But what I want to point out about all this is that finals week has really got me distracted. I misplaced my car! How out of it do you have to be to misplace a few tons of steel?

My every instinct is telling me that I need to be headed South, right now. I know I need to stay and finish up my Calculus final on Thursday, but I am staring at the road, car keys in hand, (with a car this time), and glancing at the school. Then back at the road. Home never seemed so alluring. It is calling to me. This week can't pass fast enough for me. I normally like to make the most of each day and cherish it for all it's worth. But some weeks are just made to fast-forward. This one is a fast-forward week. I suppose it's worth it to stick around and see who wins the plasma center promotion drawing, just for kicks. Okay, school is important too.

Lately I've been just cruising through my free iBooks. I keep reading Sherlock Holmes stories by Arthur Conan Doyle. I love them! I wish I'd discovered them earlier on because I just love how cleverly crafted they are. If you're wanting to try a classic, give one of the "adventures" a try from The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes. Each chapter is a new case. I love it.

I'm determined to keep myself in check. I have the urge to add to my movie collection. There are so many good new flicks out! Some not-so-new, but just the same, I want them! Cloudy with a chance of meatballs, despicable me, the a-team, ...wow. Control, ol' boy, control. Control, alt, delete. Okay, maybe that's a little extreme. Control. Control.

There you have it. From the midst of the pains of final exams, I present you with a gift from the heart of my mind, or the depth of my width, or the soul of my brain. Whatever. You know what I mean.

Let-Downs, Bumps, and Rises.

2010-12-11T02:15:00.003-07:00

I want to tell you about the past two days.
Do you mind just listening? It's a lot of craziness all mixed into 48 hours.

Enough lolly-gagging. Here we go:

Yesterday, I was slated to present my final project in a class. I worked my tail off burning the midnight oil making sure I got things ready. I wasn't completely satisfied, but I was ready to present it regardless. As the presentations proceeded, we ran short on time, so I was bumped 'til Tuesday for presentation. I was glad for it because that gives me a weekend to really fine-tune things.

I had a scheduled Calculus exam that day. I asked my teacher if she would let me take it the next morning so that I could participate in the undergraduate research conference on campus. She said yes. Big burden off my back. Whew.

I ran from class to the Romney building for a seminar that turned out to be spectacularly mediocre. More of a recruiting meeting for ISU, minus the main speaker.

Then I turned my attention to the student research conference. I'd already prepared a poster and presented my findings at the Geological Society of America National conference in Denver this semester, so entering this conference was only a matter of signing up and hanging my poster.

This was a great experience. At GSA, I had to defend my statements to professionals. At our school, I had to creatively tailor my presentation to suit a non-geology crowd. I loved it. It went really well. I knew they had an awards ceremony after the conference sessions; what I didn't know is that there were cash prizes. I won 2nd place overall in my poster session for the physical sciences. (It's a major award! I won it!) That will help pay for my trip back to the sunny, beautiful desert I call home.

Yesterday, gone. Today, here it is:
-woke up
-donated plasma
-took my 3-hour calc. exam
-went to sound-checks for the Best Of show
-went to the fitness center
-performed in the show
-sulked

It was one of those full of exciting/stressful events days. I was most excited about the Best Of show. Our medley was sounding great, we were pumped up and excited and confident. Then, the sound technicians stepped in. We stepped out onto the stage, the crowd roared. We started the medley with a solo from Beauty and the Beast. Her mic was muted through the first phrase. Throughout our act, our microphones were completely sporadic. Muted, active, live, dead. And no matter how great of a job we did performing, nobody could really hear it. They got the gist of the act, but not the refined finish we'd worked so hard to achieve.

After a performance, our group is usually on a high. The high I'd been anticipating all day was replaced with a huge let-down. I was frustrated. I probably will be for a good while. But that's life. I think what bothers me the most is that our sound-tech in charge of the show was really rude and impatient with us at our sound checks, and then he didn't save the settings for our act into the show program. The poor sound tech at the board was left to handle the catastrophe. If he would've been nice, I would feel less inclined to blame. But this guy was a jerk to us and rushed us through sound checks like we were wasting his time.

Ugh, whatever. There. Now you know all about that event. I want to look back on my time with this group happily. We've had some amazingly fun times together. I've made some great friends and done great things with them. It's kind of sad to end our semester with that tone.

So after the show, I went to Taco Bell with some friends then to the cheap theaters. That is the recipe for taking one's mind off pain. Some people choose alcohol. I choose Chalupas and cinematography.

I end my day here, ready to lay down and not wake up until late Saturday morning. In the light of morning, I can view all of today's craziness in a fresh perspective. And for that, I'm happy.

When You Wish Upon a Star

2010-12-04T23:40:00.004-07:00

We each have things we want to do in life. One I've always dreamed of doing is singing in a fun A'Capella group. This semester, that opportunity came. Last night, our group My A'Capella performed in a show on campus called Magic Moments. It's a Disney-themed show that students audition for. Well, it was a lot of fun. We collectively arranged parts for a medley of Disney songs (and none of us are music majors, I note).

It was a blast. I was a little shaky in front of a huge crowd. I haven't had to do anything quite like that since Swing Choir back, well ...at the turn of the millenium.
Sounds so distant, and yet, I remember it like it was yesterday. Wow, that last line sounds a lot like Ebenezer Scrooge reflecting on the shadows of the past.

The group may have another opportunity to perform our medley. The talent board puts on a Best Of Show where all the top-voted acts from shows on campus combine to put on one heck of a show. Judging by the audience reaction, we've got a good chance of making it. I don't want to jump the gun and tell you it's for sure, but I have it from a good source that when the ballots were counted, our group had twice the votes of the second-place act.

If we do make it, I'll have my friends (who always have front-row seats) take a good quality video. With one performance under our belts, I think the on-stage jitters are pretty well worked out.

The next few weeks of school are going to be pretty hectic. But I have a great creative outlet, and that is singing. I love this group. I only wish we had more time to perform together!

So I say this: If you have a dream, if you have a talent you're dying to express, step out onto the stage. Embrace the adrenaline rush. Don't just wish upon a star. Be the star you dream of being, no matter how small it seems. Share your talents. I can't guarantee it will bring you fame, glory, or fortune. But it will help bring out the very best in you. Your life will be richer. That I can guarantee.

My Thanksgiving

2010-11-28T20:09:00.003-07:00

Thanksgiving here was great. I wasn't with my family, but it was still a memorable and fun time. Thank you, Embree family, for letting me join your family for the day. It was all snowy and cold. We had dinner out in Rigby at Bro. Embree's dad's place. It's tucked away in trees and so we literally went over the river and through the woods to get there. It was great. It felt like the holidays had really begun.
I made one of the Pepperidge Farms stuffing recipes that my mom makes. It's my favorite. It has pecans and craisins in it. It's probably the best thing on the table at Thanksgiving.

And, thanks to my Aunt Cat, I was able to bake up some buttermilk pies! Just look at that scrumptious thing.

There's no place like home for the holidays, it's true. I can't wait to get through these next few weeks and head south. To Arizona!

Easy Wind and Downy Flake

2010-11-23T00:42:00.004-07:00

I love this little house. It's hard to believe it's in town, it looks so snug and tucked away, you'd think you were out over the river and through the woods.

Yesterday, it snowed a lot. Today, it snowed even more.
I've decided that walking will be the way to get around. As confident as I am in my own winter driving skills, I have no control over the other people on the roads.

Let me tell you about my day. I went to the grocery store. The roads were slick, but I managed pretty well. I began the process of making Buttermilk pies (thanks to my aunt Cat for the recipe!). Mid-way into the mixing, I realize that I forgot to get lemon juice. I had to go back to the store. I braved the roads once more.

The pies turned out great! They could only have been better with home-made crust. I'm not even going to attempt that. I'm not that domestic.

I read a bit of Hunger Games (I'm loving it so far), did a bit of housework, and then thought I might venture out and catch a flik. So out I went. I'd seen the previews for Skyline and it looked intriguing enough. I went to watch it. I was the only person in the theater ...until the previews started. A late-comer came into the theater with a large popcorn and soda. He looked for a place to sit. He had his choice of hundreds of seats. He chose a seat one away from me. He started to chat with me. He offered me some popcorn. I politely declined. I was thinking, what in the world?

Not only am I a little taken back by the casual notions of friendship from a stranger, but anyone who knows me know that movie time is movie time. It's not chat or play or anything else time. I didn't want to seem anti-social, but who was this guy? Who knows. I'll leave it at that.

Oh, and the movie was dumb. I especially hated the ending. Totally unbelievable and stupid.

When I emerged from the theater with my "friend", I could see that a full-on blizzard was underway. This snow was the big sparkly clusters of flakes, the kind of snow that catches the glimmer of light and sparkles as you pass by. It's actually a very pretty scene, until you get on the road. I made it home safe, but I will say this: driving in the snow makes me more anxious than anything else on earth. Part of that may be that I still have lingering memories of a hellish 21-hour trip two years ago.

Now I'm in the mood for getting warm, kicking back, and maybe playing some Halo. And then maybe some more Hunger Games. And then bed. (These were pictures from last night)

2010-11-21T18:53:00.004-07:00

There's no better picture to depict the scene outside my door right now. Okay, so there aren't any horses or sleighs, but other than that, it's a perfect likeness.

We're in the middle of one of those storms that's determined to keep snowing. I keep looking out the window to see if it might have stopped, and so far, it hasn't.

So what's a guy to do? Well, he can blog about it. And then he could get bundled up and take a walk out in it, pondering the words of Frost's poetry. He could return home to thaw out to a cup of his sister's home-made cocoa mix. He could watch a festive movie as well since, although it's not quite time for it, the weather is twisting my arm.

Today, our ward was in charge of providing a sacrament meeting service for the residents of the local assisted-living home. What a neat experience. You could sense the grateful attitude of the people there. They were so glad to have a sacrament meeting and to have some folks come visit with them afterward. It felt great to visit with them. It made this cold day seem that much warmer.

I spent some of my weekend at the movies. I saw Unstoppable and, you guessed it -the new Harry Potter movie. I loved them both. I really want to see Morning Glory and Skyline. Maybe this week.

I can't believe how fast the end of the semester is coming. I've decided to get a head-start on a few things before the inevitable load drops on me like the falling snow. I'll start packing up some of the stuff I won't need in the next few weeks. I'll review my Calculus in preparation for the final exam. I'll work on some other class projects. I'll get the Dart ready for the big trip back home. I get excited and nervous all at the same time thinking of that: excited because I'll be home for Christmas, nervous because I'm witnessing again, first-hand, the Idaho weather's potential for icing things up. I suppose I can pack the car and play it safe, find a place to stay for a night or two if I have to until the roads are good. Let's just hope that I won't have to and that the roads are good enough for long enough to let me leave. I shudder at the thought of another trip like the December of 2008.
http://several-secrets-of-steven.blogspot.com/2008/12/over-river-and-through-hell.html
Are you all ready for Thanksgiving? I am. I'll be spending it with my Communication teacher's family. I'll be calling home that afternoon. I can't wait!

Lesson

2010-11-13T22:38:00.004-07:00

Thursday night, I started a batch of bread in the bread machine. My parents let me borrow their bread maker to use at school and I've loved it. One of my favorite parts is the smell of the bread when it's done baking.

Although this time, I was chatting with a friend as I measured ingredients into the pan. I am almost completely sure that I only put 1 cup of water in, when it should've been a cup and a half.

The result was a lumpy aggregate of dough baked into a crusty wad. It still smelled wonderful, so it was worth it. I had to sample the things before discarding it completely. Not bad, but there's no way to serve that sort of thing in a clean manner. I couldn't slice it to make a sandwich or anything.

But that's life. I'll make a new loaf, and this time I won't get distracted as I measure out the ingredients.

Let me tell you about my new addiction. I love iBooks. I have a huge library of classics that I carry with me everywhere I go. This means that any time I have a spare minute, I can get lost in the pages of a classic. It's so refreshing to do some good reading on a regular basis. And all my downloads so far have been free. I'm in heaven.

A New Look

2010-11-13T21:50:00.002-07:00

No, I didn't shave my head.
After all these months of having the same blog template (the one I created that allowed me to upload my own photo for a background), I've decided to upgrade. The selection of blog templates online has grown considerably since I last checked, and I'm happy to report that I've found one that I love. I hope you like it too. The background is bound to change with the seasons (I love that part. It's a great creative outlet for me) but the style will remain constant.

I guess I won't be heading to Canada for the Thanksgiving Break. The family I was going to stay with decided to leave town that week. So I'll be here in Rexburg. If you want to come visit me, that would be lovely! You know you want to.

My A'capella (the group I'm in) is going to be auditioning for the on-campus Disney-themed show called "Magic Moments". We've come up with a sweet Disney medley that's really fun. I can't wait to do it. I love being able to sing again!

That about does it for now.

A Very Scary Night

2010-11-05T12:15:00.007-07:00

I can't get enough of Halloween. I get burned out on other holidays pretty quick, but I just have so much fun with Halloween that I want it to last longer. Last year, me and my roommate Michael had what we called "Halloween: Round Two". It's a great idea. All the Halloween stuff goes on clearance and you can really make the most of the holiday.

A few of my friends got so busy that they didn't have time to carve their pumpkins. So tonight, we just might. And this makes me grin.
I'll tell the story of my Halloween this year through pictures. Ready?
We went to a Haunted Straw Maze out in a little town called Archer.

We also went to the Haunted Mill. It's my favorite Haunted attraction by far.

We also tried a new Haunted Attraction called "The Haunts of Hidden Hollow". It's out by St. Anthony and I really liked it a lot. It's all outdoors and includes a Haunted Hay ride. I'm thinking this is something we could do in Joseph City. Anything involving a tractor, I think my dad would go for it. We could combine it with a pick-your-own pumpkin patch and have a great time. Our family possesses all the necessary talents and farm equipment. I really think we should do it! People in the area would love it!

Here's my costume. I'm particularly proud of it. And HERE I give credit to my sister. Hey Eash! Remember the cloak you helped me construct? That's it. It's brilliant. Scared the SOCKS off some poor girls. Heh-heh.

And of course, we had a few Ghost Adventures of our own in a little ghost town called "Herbert".

(I added that ghostly woman in photoshop)

The Night of Fright Approaches

2010-10-29T18:15:00.003-07:00

Excitement is in the air. (Feel it Kronk,...)
Halloween falls on Sunday. So what? Let the rest of the weekend be declared a time of celebration galore!

I won't be in Rexburg for Halloween. I'm leaving tomorrow morning for the GSA (Geological Society of America) conference in Denver. I'm presenting my senior research, and that's a frightening enough event for me. Not really. I feel pretty confident in my preparation.

Can I share something with you? It's truly tragic. I got an email from our apartment manager earlier this week. I know that in the past, Rexburg Housing has been really fussy about the removal of our pumpkins from our porch prior to November 1st. In fact, if you didn't remove your pumpkin, they threatened to have a garbage removal service come by and that you would be charged $30 dollars for the removal fee. Hardly what I call a friendly request, but I wasn't too put out.
This time around, our manager informed us that we're to remove our pumpkins from our porch no later than Friday, October 29th.
WHAT?
Honestly. Really? Honestly?
I'm afraid so. This is no trick, nor is it a treat.

I admit that I do have a bias. I LOVE pumpkins! I really really do. It's almost scary how passionate I am about a dang piece of produce. But they are so big and bulky and unique and colorful and texturally diverse and seasonal! They come in the fall and they just make the season seem so much more festive. I've always felt this way, and the feeling grows stronger each passing year.

But this demand cut me deeper than my bias-level. This demand shouted "They've got no RIGHT!" This is America! It's the breeding ground of the modern-day celebration of Halloween! It's the setting for Washington Irving's classic tale of the Headless Horseman who lobs a flaming jack-o-lantern at the poor gangly Icabod!
Every American has, what do they call 'em ..."Inalienable rights". I think the right to display a jack-o-lantern on your porch in Halloween night falls in that category.
I'm all fired up. I have a notion to ditch my trip to Denver and spend the weekend dressed in my spooky costume, sitting on my porch, pumpkin in lap, protesting the whole removal scandal. What could they say?
"I'm sorry, but we have to take this."
"This is my personal property. It's my pumpkin. If you take it, I'll see you in court."
"I'm sorry sir, Rexburg Housing has a policy...."
"I too have a policy and it's called my pumpkin is my pumpkin and if you want it, you'll have to pry it from my cold lifeless fingers (which means so much more coming from someone dressed as a haunted-skeleton henchman ...cold ...lifeless)
I replied to the email and explained to my manager that, while I knew she wasn't the one who made the policy, I'd like the ones who did to know that tenants aren't pleased.
I submit that all of ya, every last ONE 'ya, has the right to keep and bear pumpkins!

A Quote I Love

2010-10-25T22:35:00.003-07:00

"Any man who has lived harmoniously and finished a life successfully with one wife has done well and is to be commended; but here we have one who goes him five times better!" Joseph W. Smith, son of Jesse N. Smith, in reference to his father

http://www.oocities.com/~wallyg/L205jesse_nathaniel_smith.htm

We had Family Home Evening at my bishop's house. He was talking about family history, and just got me thinking ...and searching.

But It's FUNNY!

2010-10-22T16:48:00.003-07:00

I hear this a lot.
I can understand the need for a good laugh.
I dearly love to laugh.

However, laughter was never sufficient to justify other atrocities. I'll explain.
I have almost no tolerance for some TV shows. Let me list them for you.

The Family Guy
South Park

There are others, but those are the prime examples. All other elements aside for a moment, I'd like to focus on two: humor and vulgarity.
Each of these shows have elements of both, with vulgarity far outweighing the humor. The sole justification for watching these shows is always humor.

You do realize that you're getting the impact of all of the other elements of the show too, right? You know that crummy feeling you have after watching that kind of show? You know the one -the opposite of uplifted. Don't try to deny it. You may have a few laughs to relish, but is it worth it?

It's like that with most stupid-to-do things. Cigarettes have a nicotine rush. Does that make the rest of the effects good? Both science and experience say no.

I've had people try and tell me about "this funny part of an episode", and they don't understand when I stop them and politely refuse.
"But it's FUNNY!"

You'll have to come up with something better than that. I can see right past it.

Fall!!!

2010-10-13T17:04:00.003-07:00

I knew I'd be excited for it. You knew I'd be excited for it, 'cuz I told ya I would be. The flowers are wilting, their petals are fading, but I've got all the wonderful sensations of fall to compensate for the loss.

I've been itching to post these photos, and now the time has come. Or, as Albert's mother would say, "The time we knew would come at last, has come at last." Anyways...
I went back to the Pumpkin patch in Idaho Falls this year. And me in a pumpkin patch is very much like a kid in a candy store. No joke. Enjoy the photos, and Happy Fall!

Are You In?

2010-10-12T12:57:00.004-07:00

Growing up, I remember hearing people reference the scripture about being "lukewarm". It's Revelation 3:16. It says, "So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will [spew] thee out of my mouth."

At the time, my concept of lukewarm was non-existent and I remember asking my Mom about the meaning of lukewarm and actually going to the kitchen faucet where she demonstrated what temperature lukewarm was, or close enough to be within a 0.01 degree error margin, for scientific purposes.

While I don't pretend to fully understand the meaning of all scriptural verse, this one says exactly what I've been feeling lately.

I'm not peeved, I just notice things that I dislike here and there, and then you get to hear about it.

Examples: Somebody, a leader or instructor, needs a head count. "How many of you need a copy of the syllabus?"

Slowly, limp and sagging limbs extend barely to within visible sight.

Why? This happens without fail in every group I've ever been in. And these aren't old feeble geezers (no offense intended), these are young adults.

I refuse to believe that they don't have the energy required to fully extend their arm and raise it into position above their head.
If you're raising your arm half-way, are you half-way committing? Does that mean you don't really need a copy of the syllabus, but it would be convenient?
Are you afraid of calling attention to yourself? Are you timid? Are you one of those rascals that loves to make the head-count difficult?

Without fail, this reminds me of another biblical event, when Moses had to have his arms propped up to ensure the victory of the Israelites. You know the story? Do the limp-armed people need someone to "lift up the arms that hang down"?

Compare this to a group of Kindergarten children. When they raise their hand, it's up high. It's sometimes even waving enthusiastically. It's visible to everyone in the room. What changes between then and now? There are the obvious answers, but honestly, think about that.

So here is my challenge: if you raise your hand, raise it high. Go all in. Refuse to go feeble and flimsy. Let this also be applied to commitment in all other aspects of life.

One thing I can't stand is people backing out or completely neglecting their commitments. I would rather have someone say that they are not going to do something than to say they will with the intent of not following through. I think some people say they'll do something just to please somebody momentarily. This just won't do.

I try to guard my own actions and make sure that I'm never semi-committed. That's why sometimes I'll just say no. It may come across as blunt or unpleasant, but that's not intentional. I just have to be true. Know what I mean?

As Ben Bailey says, "So what do you say -are you in?"

As of Late

2010-10-08T17:11:00.003-07:00

I need to write a post. I just do.
Not that anything incredible has happened in my life, but some fun things, definitely.
And there are bits and pieces of things that I have up there in my head just itching at me, begging for me to release them on the page. So here we go:

Remember when I posted on July 5th about my Fall semester plans?
http://several-secrets-of-steven.blogspot.com/2010/07/i-think-i-may.html

Well, it was fun to review that. I am rooming with my friend Tyler. That's been fun.

I didn't switch complexes, since my contract here at Somerset had one semester to go still.

I'm not managing a talent event, since the one I wanted to manage was canceled.

I am going to audition for "Ma A'Capella" on Tuesday! Can I tell you how thrilled I am? I love singing fun stuff like this, and now's my chance.

It's funny how we can plan things out all we want, and then reality steps in and adjusts our plans for us. That's part of the thrill of life.

Now for something serendipitous. I hesitate to tell it, and I'll tell you why after I tell you. I won an iPod Touch. I won it in a drawing at the plasma center. Anyone who donated 8 times in September was entered into a drawing, and I won.
How sweet is that? Well, it's very sweet ...for me. I soon realized that only my closest friends wanted to hear the good news. Everyone else seemed irked that I was bragging to them that I had won something cool and reminding them that they never win things.

I normally don't. Nobody normally does. But I like to think that donating plasma ups my chances. This month the promotion is a 32" flat-screen TV. I'll donate 8 times. I'll be entered to win. I won't win. I just won't, you watch. But I'll be very happy for the person who does! Is that only because I know what it's like to win? I don't think so.

Switching gears. I don't know exactly what I want to be this Halloween. I hate the fact that I have to define what I am. I would like to just dress up as something scary without putting a name to it.

But I understand why we have to do that. People want to organize their perceptions into categories. If you have some label like "zombie" or "witch" or "mummy", people know what to do with it. They can go to the file directory in their brain under the "costumes" label and look it up, and find it there and they know all about that thing, and they add you to their little file and feel all happy and comfortable and then they smile about their mental organizational skills. HOWEVER, if you don't fit their perceptual schema, if they don't have a label to put to your costume, or if it's too vague or unfamiliar, like "ghoul" or "spook", they aren't comfortable because they've got some file dangling without a place to put it. They can't wrap their mind around the idea without a category and so they have a hard time perceiving what they think you are. Maybe I should just dress scary and call my costume "something scary". Surely they've got a file for that.

I have a fear that this next segment will be taken the wrong way. So, I have a request: PLEASE don't take this the wrong way. Just listen.

I am not really a phone person. I HATE trying to converse with people on the phone. I really, really, really do hate it. It's not that I hate keeping in touch, or chatting, or all the great things that can be done in a phone conversation. I love those things. I'm not some miser, some old hermit that shuns human interaction and tries to shut out the outside world. I just don't care much for that medium of communication.

Now, don't take it the wrong way. I don't want anybody to think, "Oh, I shouldn't call him because he hates that." Please, still call, and call often. I love hearing from you. But here's the thing: don't expect me to lead the conversation. If I've got things to say, I'll say them. If I don't, I won't. Don't take that to mean that I'm in a bad mood, or don't want to talk. It means that I hear your voice in a little machine and it's not really you in person and I don't carry on a conversation well with a little machine that is saying your words. Some people have a real art of phone-chat and I just don't.

I've found that I tend to be more business-like on the phone. Let's say whatever it is we need to say so that we can get this over with and get back to the real life that's in front of our eyes.

Also, I think I feel more comfortable expressing myself in person or on the page. That's probably the main reason why I don't prefer the phone. So now you know how I feel about that.

Switching gears again: Know what I did the other night? I was really feeling the fall mood, so I stayed up late reading scary stories online with a mulled-cider scented candle burning next to me on my desk. Then I watched some of the Disney version of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow on YouTube. And then I found a version of the same story made for TV in the 80s starring Jeff Goldblum as Icabod Crane. Genius casting for that role, not-so-genius on any other aspect of the production. But it was worth a look, just to see Jeff Goldblum in that role. Then I looked up the actual story of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow on the Online Literature Network (which I have an admitted-addiction to) and read until I couldn't hold my eyes open any longer.

That's all. That's all, until I think of something better to write. And I will. I promise.

It's HERE!!!

2010-10-02T19:51:00.002-07:00

The Mulled Cider candle is burning, filling the room with the scent of apple harvest.

The afternoon breeze tickles the tree branches and they drop their little pieces of gold into the street to be trodden on and swept by the rush of cars. Cars on the way to pick pumpkins, to shop for costumes, heading to a haunted house, a straw maze, or hay ride.

It's the perfect time of year for scary movies and ghost stories.

It's Fall. It's October. I'm already scheming what I'm going to create with my pumpkin this year.

A Great Quote

2010-09-21T15:11:00.002-07:00

I read this the other day and loved it.

A sculptor does not use a manicure set to reduce the rude, unshapely marble to a thing of beauty. The saw, the hammer and the chisel are cruel tools, but without them the rough stone must remain forever formless and unbeautiful.
To do His supreme work of grace within you I will take from your heart everything you love most. Everything you trust in will go from you. Piles of ashes will lie where your most precious treasures used to be.

-A.W. Tozer

I don't know who A.W. Tozer is. I think he was a pastor of a church somewhere but I really liked this quote and thought I'd share it.

Hang On!

2010-09-19T17:35:00.006-07:00

I snapped this photo on the way home from class on Friday. I had to. The sun was setting and the flowers were catching the light just perfectly and I know that it won't be long before there are no more flowers or green grass.

So I'm hanging on. Not that I oppose the change.
I had a teacher ask what my favorite season was. I had to say, "The current one". I've always gotten a thrill from enjoying the change in seasons. Right now, I'm really enjoying every good thing summer has to offer, but when fall hits, I know I'll be equally as excited.

I'm getting that fall-ish feeling. I like the crisp night air. It's not cold enough yet to make the tip of your nose uncomfortable, but just cold enough that the night breeze blowing through your window makes you pull your blankets tight around you. I love that.

It makes me think of apples and cider and the rustle of leaves flying in the wind. It reminds me that Halloween is coming with Haunted houses, pumpkins, and scary stories. So I'll keep this picture of summer's blooms close by for now. And when Fall is here, I know I'll be ready.

Ch-ch-ch-changes

2010-09-19T17:17:00.003-07:00

I got a text from my Bishop this morning. I love that he texts. 15 minutes later, I was in his office talking about a new calling. I'm the new Ward Mission Leader.

I'm not stressed by this call. I was just released as the Ward Mission Leader in my last ward, and I had a great experience with it. It's an exciting calling.

The most FAQ (frequently asked question) I get when I mention my calling is this:
"What does the ward mission leader do in Rexburg?"

We have precisely three non-LDS students among the thousands that attend our school. So in this setting, the ward mission leader's job is a little different.

My first priority is to help our future missionaries to prepare to serve missions. There are a lot of future missionaries in the wards here, so that means having an awesome mission prep class during the Sunday School block of choych (my roommate started pronouncing "church" that way, and it's kind of stuck). We also try to get the future missionaries out teaching. They prepare a lesson to teach, make an appointment with some ward members, and then go teach.

The other major part of the calling is seeking referrals. People can still give referrals of people they know even if they don't live in Rexburg. So it's my job to handle any referrals and send them to choych headquarters to be directed to their appropriate missions.

So that's that. I love being involved in the mission prep because it gets me thinking back to my mission and I get to relive some of those memories.

Now, I want to tell you about the coolest free apps I just got for my iPod touch.
The LDS scriptures. The Gospel Principles Manual. The LDS Hymns. The Primary Children's songbook. And I'm going to look for the Preach My Gospel manual app, given my new calling.

I also got a free app called Planets that shows a 3-D view of constellations and planets in the sky at your current location. It is AWESOME.

While I'm mentioning apps, I also got a movie Trivia one that keeps me entertained. I know that's not a Sunday themed app, (even the Planets app has to do with God's creations) but I could use it in an activity at FHE. So, there ya go.

This is really shaping up to be an awesome semester.

2010-09-11T23:12:00.007-07:00

I'm using my new iPod touch to compose this blog post.
I bought it used from my roommate. I've never had anything more
than an iPod Shuffle so this upgrade is nice.

I'll have to post pictures from my computer, only because I haven't loaded
any photos to my iPod yet.

Typing this on a touch-screen is a lot more tedious
than just using my computer, but the fact that I'm able to
do it this way is a novelty. I have come to the conclusion
that I have some fat thumbs.

I have something to report. It's somewhat sad. I sold both
my keyboard and my ukulele. I really just need to down-size
all my portable property. It's really a life-long cycle, getting rid of junk.
I guess that's the whole reason for yard sales.

My iPod is so much easier to transport than my musical instruments.
I think it was a good exchange.

I don't think I told you about the bear wallpaper.
Did I? I don't think so. Whether I did or not, this will
give me a chance to share the pictures.
There was this atrocious wallpaper trim on my kitchen wall when I moved in here. Thanks to the skills I learned working for my Grandma, I knew how to remove it. So I did. White bare walls look so much better than ghetto bear walls.
Behind the larger bear trim was a smaller trim. With bears. (remember how I hate bears?)

Renewal

2010-09-08T19:51:00.003-07:00

I like to start afresh. I love feeling motivated. That's how I've felt lately, and I'm so glad.

I feel the urge to do better and be better. I want to set some personal goals and stick with them throughout the semester.

I absolutely love the Fall season and I know I'll love it even more if I'm focused on self-improvement and really becoming more like the person I want to be.

I want to be more dedicated to my personal scripture study. I always feel that desire, but hardly ever make any step towards improvement. This time, I just have to. It's been eating away at me, and I have just got to do it.

I want to really be consistent with my workout schedule. I've seen and felt the benefits of doing it, and I really need that right now. I might just start doing a good walk at an insanely early hour of the morning, following the example of my lovely aunts. A college schedule will make that early morning start seem tough, but I have just got to do it.

I want to be more optimistic about dating. Lately, I've had the worst case of not caring and I'd tell anyone who asked. I still don't feel any sense of urgency about the matter -no need to rush it. But I do realize the need to care. And I have just got to do it.

So now you know what I'm focused on. Hang the good grades and other academic ventures. School is always here. I'll do my best, learn all I can, but I'm not going to let the system rule my personal life. I am in command, and I like that.

In closing, I'd like to admit something. I have a new weekly watched movie. It used to be Nacho Libre, and I still could watch that every week, but I've now turned to Sherlock Holmes. I love that movie. Well, obviously. I watch it every week.

Failure, Failure, Failure

2010-08-30T19:28:00.005-07:00

If you've seen the old movie "The Shakiest Gun in the West" starring Don Knotts, you'll understand the title of this post. If not, better get it on that Netflix cue.

I realized that I spent nearly an entire month in Arizona and had only 1 blog post to show for it. (That's what I mean by "failure".) I mean, naturally I wouldn't stop my fun vacation time to sit and write about it all ...I'm not that devoted to my blog. But now that I'm comfortably settled into the apartment that I'll be in for the next few months, I've got no excuse not to write a bit about my adventures.

My visit to Arizona was jam-packed with time spent with friends and family, interspersed with geology expeditions that have really opened my eyes further into some details of the geology of my home state.

I really cherish time with my family and friends, and this living in Idaho has made that very challenging. As I contemplate my choice of where to continue my education beyond BYU-I, I've either got to be closer to home, or own a good road bike. So maybe I'm not the Harley type, but I could see myself on the right sort of motorcycle. Especially when gas prices are what they are.

One thing I'm looking forward to is my off-track. I've never had a real off-track since I spent my last one here in Rexburg working. So I'll be coming home for the Christmas Break and I'll be staying in Arizona until school starts again in April. That seems like a much better option than braving a full Idaho winter yet again.

Highlights of my trip home:

-a day with Seth, Aunty Julie, and Grandma.

-Sunday dinner at home with the regular crowd, Jim, Ju, Mom, Dad, and Ed.

-a road-trip with Julianne. So much fun! We took her car down to Thatcher, saw my friends Stormy and Spenser, and stayed and visited with the Morrises. David took me out on a geology expedition while we were there. It's always fun to collaborate with another geologist. We then headed over to Queen Creek area and stayed with Mike and Brittany. I love them. I miss them a lot. It seemed like our time with them flew by way too fast. Oh, and Rarri and Kaci. Can't forget them.

-seeing JC and Mari and their girls.

-Mommy and me swim lessons with Lacy and Trent, and seeing my other nieces there with Mari too. I wasn't a mommy, but I was me, so I was persuaded to help.

-exploring out east of town in the Chinle Fm. with two Paleontologists from the Petrified Forest. I also spent time looking around the Park with them. So neat.

-bailing hay. There's nothing that'll get you in touch with your small-town roots faster or better than sittin' up inside the cab of the John Deere and putting in some good work hours. I listened to the country station on the radio. About an hour into the job, I tried a different station, but it just didn't feel right. You can't bale hay to just any kind of music. It was awesome to be back on the farm doing some real work (in an air-conditioned cab).

-seeing Perla, Lori, Anders & Cindy, Devin, Becky

-Lord of the Rings marathon with Jay, Linz, Zach, Tammy, and Layne.

-cliff jumping at Clear Creek

That about does it. Don't feel left out if I haven't mentioned you. You fall under the "times spent with friends and family". If I mentioned all of you, I'd be here all night. It was a good trip. I can't wait to come back!

Concerning Blogging

2010-08-27T18:04:00.002-07:00

Blogging has been very good for me. I think that there are some people who need to write. Just like other people need to go fishing. It's the activity that restores balance to their perspective, straightens the glasses on their nose through which they view life.

My blog has proven to be a source of entertainment, of help, and of good memories. I've referred back to it to obtain dates or photos or to even use bits of my entries for class projects. There are times when I just sit and read through old entries for hours. Am I that vain? I don't think that's it. I think it's healthy to review your personal history.

Lately, I've lost a little motivation. I have things to blog about, sure. But what's the point? Who am I writing to? If it's just for me, that's not quite enough. It's probably why I've never been able to do a real journal. I know I have at least a dozen regular readers, but only a few of them have an account to be able to leave comments. So for now, I guess the only thing driving me to keep on is the fact that I know it's preserving a personal history.

Here's my situation: I'm living in Rockland Apartments here in Rexburg. I'm not at all happy about it. Here's why: (Oh dang, I just noticed that I sound like I'm griping. Maybe I am, okay?)

The complex I was living in (Somerset) decided to let the school use ALL their apartment units for EFY kids. Seriously? Use student-housing? What about the GOSH DANG STUDENTS WHO LIVE THERE?!!! I had signed a 1-year contract so that I'd get the 7-week summer break rent-free. Well, when it came time, I found that the Rexburg Housing company was "not doing that promotion any more". Well, they were doing it when I signed, so I pretty much demanded that they honor it. After a few days and a couple of long phone calls to the main office, we got that worked out.

However, since Somerset was being used for EFY, all the current tenants had to relocate to some other complex for the break.

So, I had to fight to get the free contract I'd been promised, and now they're making me move to another place for seven weeks, just to move right back? I don't know if this sounds completely outrageous to anyone else, but that's how I feel. Outraged.

I've been pretty successful at just taking it in stride and going along with it, but I really want to complain about it to someone.

So after all that, I found out that Rockland wants us to do check-outs on the 3rd of September and check-ins at Somerset don't start until September 6th. So I thought I'd be looking for a place to stay and stow all my stuff for that weekend. I talked it over with my managers and they're going to let me check back into Somerset early. Even so, I've had it. I hate moving and they're making me do it twice for no good reason at all. I don't mind if the EFY kids stay there. I don't. But keep a few apartments for students to live in. Every time I deal with Rexburg Housing, I get the feeling that I'm dealing with a monopolized giant. They provide a commodity that students HAVE to use, since Rexburg is small and Student Approved housing is limited. They have no sense of care for customer satisfaction. If you've had a bad experience with them, they don't give a darn. There are hundreds of other students still in line looking for a place to stay.

I come from a place where you deal with people with a face and working ears and minds. You can talk things over with them. You can at least try and see eye to eye with them. You may not agree with them, but at least you can work things out. This is a large, impersonal company that thinks of people as lesser folk than cattle. I don't like that. After this semester, I'm going to get out of Rexburg Housing. My friend's parents own the Delta Phi apartments. I think I'll try and get a place there for next Spring Semester.

So there you have it. I think I should write a letter to the school paper. I know that my fellow students probably share my feelings.

For the past few days, I've just been whiling away my time here, doing a whole lot of nothing much: reading the Lord of the Rings, running, napping, going to the dollar theater. If I was already moved into my other place, I'd be fine with it. Right now, I feel like I've been stuck at an airport with all my luggage and I've got a layover of about 2 weeks.

I think that does it. All my gripes are out. Now I'm off to see Step Up 3D at the dollar theater. Wish me luck!

Meet One of the Robinsons

2010-08-26T20:54:00.004-07:00

Seriously. This is the living representation of Wilbur from Meet the Robinsons.
I saw this kid and thought "My sister Julianne has got to see this!"

But I'm not usually the type to take sneaky phone pictures. And there's no way I was going to go ask him if I could take his picture. So ...with Julianne's prompting texts, I eventually got the opportunity to snap a quick inconspicuous photo.

Do that kid's hair in a faux-hawk and you've got Wilbur. I know my photo was not the greatest, but I think you can still see it. I love that he was wearing a black shirt and jeans, just like he should. And his ears poke out precisely as they should. It's uncanny.

I wasn't aware I'd captured so many other interesting things in the picture I snapped. What are those guys doing? Does that girl realize she's being photographed? Wow. I should snap random photos more often. Well, Ju -here ya go.

Against the Grain

2010-08-18T11:50:00.004-07:00

One of the things that keeps life interesting is variety. And one of the things that makes people interesting is variety in their likes and dislikes.

I don't want you to think this is another "I hate this" posts. I just want to point out some of the things that other people can't believe I don't like ...purely for interest's sake.

1) I can't stand The Office. I used to. I used to sit with my roommates and chuckle at it. I say chuckle because I never laughed. And the chuckles were sparse. I began to realize that it was a show that demanded too large a time commitment with too little a pay-off in terms of merit. I hated the mood it created in our place. While I do get a kick out of some of the characters, all in all, I can't stand that show and people can't believe it. That theme song is still pretty catchy though...

2) I don't like the Beatles. Any time I say that, I get such a reaction! You'd think I'd done something illegal, like I should be reported to the police immediately. I bow to their musical abilities, but the mood created by the majority of their stuff is just ...ugh. And those lyrics? Please shoot me ...in the ear. Actually, both ears please. I concede that there are two (and only two) Beatles songs that I like. And I really like them a lot: Blackbird and Here Comes the Sun.

Story time: Back in July, I was riding in a BYUI van with some of my fellow geology buddies. The iPod was plugged into the stereo and we were enjoying some great travel music. Then somebody got the itch for the Beatles. I had to mention that I wasn't a fan. Of course, everyone looked at me like I'd just said "I hate orphans." After two songs, I requested a change of artist. My friend Patrick asked, "So when you say you're not a fan, you're really saying you can't stand them in a nice way?" Yeah, that's it. Sorry to everyone who loves this group. I really can appreciate their music ...if you've got the right two songs.

3) Sticking with the music topic, most people also gasp when I mention I don't really like Rascal Flatts. This isn't as extreme as the Beatles. There are some Rascal Flatts songs that I really love, but not because it's performed by that group. One is Life is a Highway, a cover. It kills me that people don't realize that Rascal Flatts didn't come up with that song. I think my dislike comes from a bad first impression. When I first heard the name, I hated it. I still hate that name. You could name your band anything and you named it that?
Maybe they have a reason, but if that reason isn't apparent, or if the music isn't good enough to make you like them despite the name, what in heaven's name are you thinking? Take Jimmy Eat World. That name is really out there. But the music, especially their earliest stuff, was great. The name became endearing as a freckle on the nose of a 3-year-old girl.
Anyhow, the deal-sealer for this dislike was when I browsed the Special Features on the Emperor's New Groove DVD and watched Rascal Flatts do a music video called "Walk the Llama-Llama" complete with an instructor teaching dance moves to the song. I just can't shake the feeling that this group is all-out ridiculously stupid. If they've got a good song, I'll listen to it. But just please don't mention that name!

4) Inception. A good movie. A well-made movie. A phenomenal cast. That's it. The world is a-buzz with praise for the most mind-blowing epic of this century. Uh, really? I honestly walked out of the theater completely satisfied, with no questions. Everyone else I was with was still trying to "figure it out". That's what baffled me. It's got some complexity to it, but you watched it all play out, right? What's the question? I had (and still have) no intention to see it again, not even in the dollar theater. It was good, but my point is not that good. I guess I get annoyed when large groups of people get overly-excited over something silly.

And so there you have it. Some of my really quirky dislikes. I've been meaning to blog this out for a long time. Can you tell?

The Old Man

2010-07-30T14:01:00.006-07:00

This post won't do him justice. If you know him, you'll agree. But I've got to post it regardless.

My dad is amazing. I'm always amazed at how he handles life. He's got more responsibilities than anyone I've ever known, most of them self-chosen, and he somehow manages to stay on top of them one way or another. I think there must be magic in that hat of his...
You see that? He's got a clip-on LED light for his cowboy hat. He was using it to grill up some incredible steaks the other night, and I'll bet he uses it while irrigating too.

Know what else? He used to use a slide-rule. I knew what one was, but had never seen one. Dad saved his from back in the day. How cool is that?
I didn't always fully appreciate his choice of vehicle when I was younger, but the old Scout has become a favorite. That thing can go anywhere. The doors may fly open from time to time, and dust may come through the holes in the floorboard, but that's all part of the fun. I love that Scout and I can see why my Dad does.
I could go on all day about how awesome my Dad is, but you really have to know him to appreciate it. We've got some big boots to fill.

Home at Last

2010-07-28T21:30:00.002-07:00

It feels so refreshing to be back in Joseph City and to know that I've got a few weeks to really soak in the Arizona sunshine before starting another semester.

It's not only the sunshine and rocks I'm excited about. I'm excited about the friends and family I'm able to mingle with again.

Some plans for the break: Lord of the Rings marathon with Jay and Lindsay, road-trip to Thatcher and Queen Creek with Julianne, a visit from Perla, doing volunteer work with Bill Parker, the Paleontologist out at Petrified Forest Natl. Park. That's it so far, but that's a good start. I'm expecting to spend a lot of time out exploring the hills on my own when I'm not doing other things.

Arizona, it's good to see you again.

Back from the Mountains

2010-07-17T06:54:00.005-07:00

Yes, I'm back in civilization, though it's a very melancholy feeling.
After 6 weeks of living in the great outdoors, it really grew on me. I have an itch to just go back out and forget about all that remains to be done here in town. The mountains awoke the mountain man inside me.This was an old truck on Mr. Wagner's farm that was in my map area.
My little dome sweet dome tent
Patrick's tent, buried deep in the realm of the wood elves.
Our bathing spot!

There are too many photos to post. Those of you who have facebook can see my albums there. You can skip through the rock and mountain photos if you get bored.

Last weekend, instead of coming back to Rexburg, me and my friend Patrick stayed at camp so that the group wouldn't have to pack everything up and haul it home then back again to set up on Monday.
I opted to stay because in all the time I'd been out there camping, I hadn't had the real relax and enjoy feeling you should have when you camp. It had been nothing but work, work, work, go, go, go. So Friday night through Monday morning, I enjoyed the relaxed pace and had a chance to breathe. (Patrick even walked me through his Yoga routine on Saturday morning. Namaste. It means, "I bow to the divine within you".)
Me, Patrick, and Meesha ...down in an old copper mine.

We camped along a little stream called Birch Creek. It's out about 30 miles west of Mud Lake, Idaho (yes, there is a town called Mud Lake) in the Targhee Natl. Forest between the Lemhi Range and the Beaverhead Range.

I have way too much to try and tell it all here. Besides, half of it is just stuff my geology buddies would appreciate. Here's what I'm going to do; I'm going to list all the things I carry with me each day.

Here we go.

I have my backpack and my vest. These are what all the items are carried in. The vest is a hunter's vest and has more pockets than I care to count.

In the vest, I have:
-a small dropper bottle full of dilute hydrochloric acid.
-a hand lens
-a zip-up case that holds my field notebook, pencils, a sharpie, masking tape, a protractor, a plastic PASON card for describing sedimentary rocks, and a small geologic timescale.
-a very fancy GPS unit called a JUNO "Trimble". (I love this thing)
-Jolly Rancher candies
-a 2-way radio and spare batteries
-My field hat (which I can fold up flat)
-a stereoscope
-a pocketknife

In the backpack, I have:
-a clip-board with all my aerial photos and stuff
-4 liters of water
-2 bandannas
-my rock hammer
-a bottle of sunscreen
-a can of insect repellent
-ziploc bags
-a Brunton compass
-a pair of gloves

...and at the end of most any day, a couple of pounds of rock samples.

That's been fun.

I've hiked my legs into great shape and my feet are still reminding me that it was a no-no. But I loved field camp. It's been the best class I've taken so far.

I Think I May

2010-07-05T13:52:00.004-07:00

I'm laying plans for my Fall semester here. One thing is for certain, I'll be rooming with my roommate Tyler.

The rest is all uncertain, but here's how it's looking:

I might be moving apartment complexes. I really like Alpine Chalet. They have a pool, a recently renovated weight room, a really nice lounge, free laundry, and a really pretty courtyard in the center of the complex.

I might be managing one of the talent events on campus. It's a Stand-Up comedy show called "Sit Down for Stand-Up".

I might be joining an A Capella group called "My A Capella".

That's the update. While I'm enjoying the thrill of summer still, and the prospect of 6 weeks at home in Arizona, I'm still pretty excited at the idea of another Fall semester here. I can't believe it's almost that time of year again.

A Long-Expected Purchase

2010-07-03T22:06:00.003-07:00

Today, I did something that I've been meaning to do for about five years. I bought the Lord of the Rings trilogy on DVD. All three movies, the extended editions.

I was thinking to myself, "I've put this off for far too long."

I love those movies. They are epic. They are at the very top of my list of favorites. So why don't I own them? Two factors: availability and frugality.

I try to limit my spending. If I bought every movie I loved, I'd have no groceries and DVD covers don't taste good. It may be different if the movies were on the rack at Walmart. But they aren't. I know. I check. Nearly every week. If they were available, I may have bought them.

There was a time when they were available, some years back. But at the time, my frugality still won out. I thought to myself, I love those movies, but do I really need to fork out money for something I'll only watch occasionally?

It turns out that I get the urge to watch these more than occasionally. I find myself reviewing the stories and quotes in my mind all too often. They're the kind of movie I could cue up while I clean the kitchen or do homework. It's especially easy to think of Hobbits and elves and rangers when I'm out in the Hills hiking all day doing geology -out in the rocks, the mountains, the mines, the streams, the grassy hills, the sun, and the rain.

So now, I'll have my movies. They'll be mine. My own. My Precious!

Where I'm At

2010-06-19T11:33:00.003-07:00

I don't have a lot of time to update the blog now that I've started Field Camp.

Let me explain what that means.

Field Camp is a 7-week geology course dealing with advanced field methods. They take us out into the wild country where the rocks are. We leave from the school at 8:00am on Monday and stay out in the field until Friday. On Saturday, we do projects based on the field work we did that week. And we take a shower (Yeah!) and do our laundry.

Some people would love to do this sort of thing for school. I'm one of them. I love being out in the field.

Our first week, we were out close to Price Utah in a place called "the Book Cliffs". Last week, we went out to the Gros Ventre Range (pronounced "Grow Vaunt", French for "big stomach") in Wyoming. We measure rock units, describe them, and map them. This is all in preparation for a final 2-week project where each student will be given an area to map out in the Beaverhead Mountains. The neat thing about the project is that good detailed geologic mapping of the area has never been done before.

The final week of the course, we'll be back in Rexburg compiling things from our final mapped area. So that's it. I usually don't have any cell coverage out in the sticks, but sometimes it's good enough to send a text. So if you're trying to get ahold of me, weekends are your best bet.

Happy Camping!

Old West

2010-06-05T23:36:00.003-07:00

Jackson Hole Wyoming was a blast. I'll just let the pictures tell the story:

These Magic Moments

2010-06-05T11:52:00.005-07:00

Lately I've had the luck of getting spontaneous invitations to do fun things. Despite the fact that Rexburg seems to be overshadowed by an impenetrable layer of clouds, life has not been void of fun moments.

Sunday night, my friend Steph had a game night at her place, complete with homemade rolls and homemade strawberry jam. If that wasn't sweet enough, I had unbelievable good luck at cards that night.

For Memorial Day, we went to Walmart, bought some green and pink paint, and had a paint war out by the shooting range outside of town.

On Wednesday afternoon, my roommate sent me a text saying "Hey, do you wanna go to a concert?" I ended up going. It was a small concert in Pocatello at this little venue. There were only like 20 people in the crowd and 4 different bands performed. It was a lot of fun. The bands were "Mess of Me" (they're from Salt Lake and not that great), "Audra Mae" (she was awesome), "Yukon Blonde", and "Good Old War". They all have a modern folk music sound and it was a lot of fun. Good Old War was the main reason we went, and they were the best act, but I was pleasantly surprised with Audra Mae. (I've added some Good Old War songs to my playlist over to the left)

Today, I'm heading to Jackson Hole. I'm not quite sure what I'll be doin' there, but it's sure to be fun.

Really?

2010-05-28T10:34:00.002-07:00

Not to gross you out, but ...for my Hydrology class, we visited the water treatment plant in Idaho Falls. Yes, the place where all the sewage water goes and gets turned into treated water.

I laughed out loud to see the sign posted on the side of the "aerating" tank. Because my first thought when I saw that brown foamy churning water was "Boy am I ever thirsty?!!!"

We didn't only visit the poo plant. We went to the hydro-electric plant, to Twin Falls, Thousand Springs, and a fish hatchery. I don't know what I like more, going to interesting new places, or the van ride with all the fun geology majors. Probably the van ride. There's no better bonding than that which takes place in a van full of students with nothing but time to chat/vent/laugh about life. And rocks. Can't forget the rocks.

Today I don't have class. Since our field trip took all day yesterday, our instructor wasn't going to make us have class today. With Monday being a holiday, I get a 4 day weekend! I was seriously tempted to see how much a round-trip plane ticket to Arizona would be... sigh.

Favorite Photos

2010-05-26T13:53:00.003-07:00

I don't consider myself a great photographer; I've never had any sort of instruction or class on taking photos. But I do think I have an eye for the subtle beauties that surround us. It's part of why I study rocks.

I really love taking photos, almost more than anything. My pictures hold a lot of value to me. I've always been intrigued by photos because they capture a frame of time and can bring back memories almost as clearly as smells do.

For this post, I'm just going to shut up (after this) and post some of my very favorite photos.

The Sights and Sounds of Spring

2010-05-17T13:58:00.002-07:00

Apparently, you can get to Narnia through a portal on the BYUI campus.
Too bad everybody just walks right by without even trying.

Another shot of the ducks, this time with my real camera.

I love the warmth of the sun and the smell of the blossoming trees. It's spring! I'm so super glad!

Serendipity

2010-05-14T19:03:00.005-07:00

I didn't learn what Serendipity meant until I was a missionary.

It is simply "good luck in making unexpected and fortunate discoveries".

What a fortunate find I ...found ...on the drive home from the grocery store. Just before pulling into the parking lot at my complex, I had to slow down and let a Mama duck get across the road with her little duckling right behind.

Once in the parking lot, I jumped out to catch a picture with my phone. All the college students passing through the lot on their walk home caught site of the ducks on their way to ...wherever it is they were going.

I think it's finally Spring in Rexburg.

Wrapping Up

2010-05-11T22:14:00.005-07:00

I have that nagging feeling, like I'm walking around with one of my shoes untied. I think I'm too busy to stop for a few seconds and do something about it, but I never do until I get to where I'm going.

I have all these things I need to blog, and I just keep doing other things. Tonight I've got an hour or so, so I'm gonna tie the loose lace.

On the way home from Arizona (Yeah, I'm back-tracking that far. And doing it is making me miss Arizona. Again. Not for the last time.)

Oh, insert confession: My car's speedometer cable needs replaced. So, how do I know I'm not breaking the speed limit? I don't, and that's the beauty of it. Vroom! Vroom! No, I really will just find a car that seems like they're respectable drivers, then I stick behind them and keep speed. I was heading north of Panguitch. There are a few ways to connect to the I-15 from there. I always take the HWY-20 over. There are a lot of great volcanic features down that winding 20 mile road. However ...

This time, I was jamming out to some good music, following the car in front of me, and not really paying much attention to where I was going to turn off. Oops.

Luckily, I knew that there was another place where I could intersect another road that would take me to the I-15. I had been that way once on a very snowy ride home from a Geology trip to the Grand Canyon.

Boy am I glad I missed that turn! It really is the scenic route! Have you ever been to The Big Rock Candy Mountain? It really does exist, and it's right there in Utah. The colors are awesome. Another advantage to that route is that the connecting road is a fast highway (HWY 70) with multiple lanes, not a little winding road. It was a fast jaunt over to the I-15 going that way, and it passes by the Historic Cove Fort, which you actually get a glimpse of from the highway.

It was the most serendipitous mistake I've made in a long time. I love it when mistakes turn out to be beautiful. It doesn't happen all that often.

I was proud of my Dart making that long trek yet again. Such a good little hot rod. So there. My travelogue is complete.

Next, I've got to tell you about a show I went to on Friday. It was an Improv Comedy Night put on my "The Society". It's a group of LDS performers who travel around and do improv comedy. Not just your average performers. These are real celebrities. I'll list them and see if you know them. Ready?

Kirby Heyborne
You've seen him in several LDS themed movies. Saints and Soldiers, The RM, The Best Two Years, and my Personal Favorite, Sons of Provo ...just to name a few. He has been featured in other films, TV series, and commercials. Not only does he act, he is a musician with three successful solo albums.
Corbin Allred
Probably best well-known for his role as "Deacon" Greer in Saints and Soldiers, corbin was a champion clogger in his younger years. He starred in the ABC sitcom Teen Angel and has had prominent roles in other films such as Robin Hood Men in Tights and The Work and the Glory III.
Lincoln Hoppe
Lincoln also stars in Saints and Soldiers and has appeared on several TV series and movies such as Everwood, The Last Good War, The RM, and The Singles Ward. He's done a lot of vocal work as well, narrating audio books, video games, and commercials, and characters in animated films. He is also a professional writer for television and screen.He writes sketch comedy too with Kirby and much of their stuff can be found on YouTube, or at his website lincolnhoppe.com.
Kelly Lohman
Kelly has trained for years with various Improv comedy troupes before joining The Society. Her TV and film credits include Days of Our Lives, Gilmore Girls, Bones, and The Hillside Strangler. She also directs theatrical productions when given the opportunity.

And here is their website:
http://www.jointhesociety.com/cast.html

I felt spoiled to be at this show. I didn't realize that the cast was all professional actors. I knew Kirby, but didn't quite realize that I'd be watching three very skilled and funny performers. I payed six dollars. You can't beat entertainment like that. There are some real perks to going to school here.

They even had a Meet and Greet session with the cast afterward. I could've gone, but I was okay not wading through the scads of young ladies. What a fun show.

And that brings us to today.
Today has been a very active day. I'm usually pretty active, but not this active. I walked to class, walked downtown after that, and then walked back home. I took a power nap, did some homework, then went to do an hour of cardio workout at the gym. After the gym, I came home to watch the Celtics and Cavs game. And had another quick power nap (unplanned). After the game, I joined a group of friends and went swimming. Whoo! ...I'm not as tired as after a long day of cowboyin' or farmin', but for a college kid, I'm pert near tuckered. I love how well I sleep after a day like that.

All right. I feel like I've told you all there is to currently say. Thanks for listening.

Oh What a Beautiful ....Monday!

2010-05-04T13:04:00.002-07:00

Mondays aren't always the greatest days. But yesterday turned out to be pretty danged good.

1) I got all caught up on homework for my Hydrology class.

2) I had a good lunch and caught part of "Firewall" starring Harrison Ford on AMC.

3) I made it to my afternoon meeting with time to spare.

4) I got a great deal on my Soymilk! It was on sale for 2.89, plus I had a 75 cents off coupon. They were out of the vanilla, so it was a great excuse to go with chocolate! Mmmm.

5) I caught the SUNS/SPURS game and enjoyed a SWEET VICTORY!

6) I played LEGO Rock Band for the first time and loved it.

7) I kicked back to see what was on TV prior to heading to bed. Oklahoma was playing on Turner Classic Movies. I watched the first half hour, then convinced myself it was time for bed. That's such a fun movie. I need to watch that one through again.

Interruption

2010-05-01T11:49:00.002-07:00

I know I still need to write about my trip back up to Idaho, but I've got other thoughts that need to be freed first. If I don't do it now, I might forget. So here we go. This is an "I love" post.

I love the Phoenix Suns. It's sort of been instilled in me to cheer for them since I was a kid, but I was never much into sports as a kid. As a grown-up, I found that my grandmother (on the Hansen side) is one of the most die-hard Suns fans in the world. She's the one who really got me started watching. I started learning who the players were, learning their strengths. I came to really admire Steve Nash.

Over the last few years, I've stayed true to the team I've grown to love. I've hated to say goodbye to the players we traded: Shawn Marion. Raja Bell. But I've also been glad to watch the Suns acquire other spectacular new-comers.
It was a thrill to watch them beat the Trail Blazers Thursday night. I get to watch them move on in the playoffs. I love my Suns.

I don't often say it, but I love reading. More than almost any other activity. Sometimes I don't make time for it, but when I do, I always feel like I'm refreshed. This past semester, I tackled tons of books that I'd been wanting to read (and re-read). Here's the tally: The Hobbit. The Faith of a Scientist (Henry Eyring). The Great Gatsby. Jurassic Park. Ender's Game.

It's amazing how satisfying and refreshing reading can be. I'm always especially amazed at how reading the scriptures can just boost your optimism and change your whole attitude.

I'm really grateful I can read and that I grew up in a home where it was encouraged. Some of my most cherished memories are of my Mom taking time to read aloud to us. We read Charlotte's web. And the Friend. One night when the power went out, my Mom lit a candle, set it on a saucer, and set it on the living room floor. We sat around and listened to her read from the Friend. Then the saucer got too warm and melted a dark circle into the carpet. We cut a square of carpet out and "spliced" in another chunk. That odd square in the living room carpet always brought back fond memories.

In the future, wherever my path leads, I hope it one day includes a room full of books, lots of good old books and a comfy chair where I can spend time getting lost in the splendor of literature.

I think I'm all thunk out now.

It's Time: My Stay in Arizona

2010-04-29T17:21:00.006-07:00

I promised I'd post more about the trip home. School happens and promises get pushed back. If I had a teacher around telling me I had to publish my blog entry by Monday or I'd be docked points, it would get done. I promise.

Pre-script: This one's a long one. Take it in chunks if you have to.

Now, where were we? Arizona. Ah, yeah. Beautiful, lovely state.
This account may or may not play out chronologically. I'm just gonna spill the highlights and let you all just bask in it.

I slept in what my Mom calls "outer darkness". This may sound terribly wrong, but I'm quite comfortable in outer darkness. It's a small comfy bed, tucked out of the way, far enough away from the electronic hourly chime of the living room clock that would normally wake me up every hour throughout the night. That clock reminds me of irrigation turn -wake up! It's time to check water ---again!
I grew up in the basement, and I feel at home there.

It was easy to turn in early and wake up early since my body was used to daylight savings. So 11 pm felt like midnight, 7 am felt like 8.

Day 1, I began painting the inside of one of my Grandma's rental trailers. It always feels more like home when I've got projects to do. I really do love it. Nothing gets you reacquainted with home like getting your hands dirty. Joseph City is one of those timeless little places that you can come back to and feel like you never left and, at the same time, feeling like you never want to leave it again.

The next day, I missed out on branding calves. But I was over painting. Had I known about branding, I would've gone. But they had a good crew anyway, especially since my sister was home for the weekend and helping. Who knew a girl could be such a darn good ranch hand? Come to think of it, she's such a darn good, well ...anything that she tries.

I got to see and hold my new little niece and play with the other nieces and Trent. And Sparky. I also got to see my newest little cousin Karlee and stand in on her blessing. This was the highlight of my highlights. Not that the rest of y'all are second rate -if you know these kids, you understand perfectly. They keep me laughing/amazed/smiling. They're so dang fun. And smarter than you'd ever guess.

Fossil hunting. I'm such a nerd sometimes. The painted desert / badlands / petrified forest that surrounds my hometown is known as the Chinle Formation. It's full of older fossils (Mississippian/Pennsylvanian chert clasts included in the fluvial deposits) of shells, sponges, and crinoid stem fragments. The Triassic fossils include some beautiful petrified wood (the stuff is everywhere you look) and bone fragments (mostly the crocodile-like Phytosaur). Each time I'm home, I get all excited about exploring in the Chinle. This time, I went out fossil collecting about four times. Twice on my own, once with Jim, and once with Jim plus Julie, Justin, Derron, Cat, Nick, Annelie, and Sparky. The wind that Monday was brutal enough to close down the Interstate. But the fossil-lovers were undaunted in their quest. Nick is really developing a keen eye when it comes to fossils. His dad isn't too shabby either. We had a lot of fun, got sand blown into our eyes/ears/hair/everything.

It felt good to be back inside the cab of Justin's Jeep, safe from the wind. On the ride home, the promise of gummy bears compelled us to really step on it ...and to play the Gummy Bear song on Justin's system. I agree with Sparky: "That's a silly song".

Saturday night, I went to see the High School's production of My Fair Lady. That is such a dang-clever play, and the casting was spot-on for this play. I am slightly biased, as my cousins were in the cast. Jason was cast as 'enry 'iggins. I was ..."dashed". Jason was phenomenal. Justin and Annelie were so fun to watch too.
It was so fun to watch. Though the crowd was sparse, I couldn't help but let the boisterous laughs roll. Being at the play brought back some great memories of my high school days. Times to cherish, for sure.

I happened to catch a ride down to Mesa with my Aunt Cheryl. I got to see some friends: Spenser, Stormy, and Perla.We grabbed dinner at Red Robin off of Stapley and watched Date Night. It was fun. I stayed at Mike and Brittany's place in Queen Creek. That was fun. I love their place and it's situated on the edge of the undeveloped desert-mountain region, full of neat geology and beautiful desert life. I haven't been able to see them much since we both left Flagstaff. So staying with them was great.

Confession: I am not really a dog person. I'm just not. Over the years, I've formed the opinion that some dogs are fun to play with, but not to own. But my Brother and his wife have two dogs (Rarri and Kaci) that really won me over. They're Italian greyhounds. They're small, energetic, don't bark, and are super smart.
Rarri is a little too energetic for his own good, but he's still fun. Kaci is my favorite. She's such a good dog. She really warmed up to me, and just before I left to come back up to Idaho, she got to where she would follow me around the house, wait til I sat down, and jump up on my lap. I felt so loved.

On the ride back to Joseph City with Mike and Brittany, we decided to make a random stop at Tonto Natural Bridge. They felt like it was a shame that the Geologist had never been there. It was incredible. Such a good idea to stop.

Kimmy's reception. This really was the perfect weekend to be home. I mean, all the events seemed to line up perfectly. Family came to be there for Kimmy's reception. I got to be there for it and see everyone. Thanks again to those who contributed generously to the "Bring Him Home" fund. :) Grandma's "reception center" backyard was dressed up in lights and trinkets. It was fun to see all the adults mingle while the little ones got to run free in sunday best, (the flower-girl and ring-bearer in their very best) care-free and full of sugar from the candy carousel.

I've left out lots of little fun details, but this isn't a novel (though it's almost as long). I'll wrap it up.

I love Arizona. I love my hometown. I love it because it's the soil I was raised in. The spirit of my ancestors lingers there and lives on in the hearts of the people. It's where I'm from, it's where I want to be. It's where I belong. It's home.

The Trip Down

2010-04-20T20:00:00.003-07:00

First, thanks to those who made the trip possible for me. You know who you are. It was a great week to be home. I'll post two more posts later: one about the stay in Arizona, one about the trip back.

I left Rexburg after the check-out inspection in the afternoon. A few hours later, I was at my Dad's cousin's place in Brigham City. Stacy and Cory let me sleep at their place. They fixed french-toast for dinner, with fresh-sliced strawberries. I love breakfast for dinner. It was a perfect break to make the trip that much shorter the next day.

I had a quick breakfast, got loaded with cookies from Stacy (with another bag to deliver to Uncle Floyd), and headed out. My next stop -The Museum of Ancient Life at Thanksgiving Point. The director of the museum, Cliff Miles, took a look at the Phytosaur (ancient croc, basically) bone fragments I had collected. This was a fantastic time. For an hour and a half, we sat at a table and poured over bone fragments with the enthusiasm of kids on Christmas morning. Dead stuff is gross. Ancient fossilized dead stuff is fascinating.

After my longer-than-intended stop, I pressed on. Down to Panguitch. Through Kanab. On toward Page. Once I neared the Lake Powell area, I couldn't help but grin. I felt the excitement of being back in the beautiful state. From then on, I was home. These were the roads I'd traveled so many times before. Trips to Fredonia for sports, Lake Powell trips in the summer, any drive to Utah, all so familiar to me and the dull reddish glow of the sandstone beckoned me onward.

I took the short-cut and cut Flagstaff completely out of the trip. I went towards the Winona exit, but realized that a road connects to the Cosnino road / I-40 junction. I took it. I've never been more excited to get to the I-40. It's the road that leads home. Just a few exits down the way was my hometown and my family waiting.
I rolled into Joseph City and stopped at my sister's place. Mom and Jim were just leaving, but I got to see them first. Then came Little Lace. She was in the process of changing clothes (probably for the 10th time that day) in her room. I tapped on the window. She seemed confused. Why was her uncle from far away Idaho suddenly peering through that window? It registered quick enough, and full-blown excitement set it. "STEVE!!! Go to the Door!" She motioned toward the living room entry. I met her there opening the front door. She announced to the world, "He's HERE!!!" Did I feel special? Oh yes.

After hugs, laughs, visiting, and a few bowls of my sisters tasty chicken noodle soup, I headed for Porter Ave. I saw Grandma and Aunt Julie and got to visit with them for a bit. Grandma always has projects waiting for when I come to visit. I love it because she gets them done and I get a bit of mula to help finance the trip. Speaking of projects, her kitchen renovation was more incredible than I had imagined. Once she gets an idea, she gets things going. That's something I admire about her.

And then, it was on to home up on Baird Ave. It was so good to see all of my family again. To climb the steep stairs leading from the basement. To hear the annoying/endearing electronic chime of the clock in the family room. To feel the coolness of a beautiful Arizona night. To be home.

Give Me a Sec

2010-04-20T00:24:00.001-07:00

I'll be posting the whole run-down of my trip down to Arizona and all the adventures I had, including pictures. But for right now, you'll just have to wait. So ...just, go catch a chicken.

Another Wonderful Weekend

2010-04-05T13:43:00.008-07:00

I talked to my Mom on Easter Sunday. She bragged about the big tasty lunch they were having. While I missed out big time on her Mandarin Orange Salad, I took some consolation in some other pleasantries.

1 -that I was on a road trip seeing some really fun people
2 -that I got to be inside the conference center for the Saturday morning session
3 -that while my family ate the fatted ...pig? (they had ham), I was enjoying the delights of Panda Express
4 -that I'd be driving home to Joseph City soon enough, where I might be able to talk my Mom into making some more of that tasty salad ...although, the cottage cheese will make me itchy, still totally worth it.

I thought that was enough, but when I got back into Rexburg last night, this was what I had waiting:
Just when I was about to stop believing in the dopey rabbit, he somehow found a way (with the help of my Sister's fam) to visit my house! No wonder I didn't get a dang basket in Utah! He brought my goodies here! (complete with notes from Danny, Eash, Lacy, and the little Trent boy)

Some other highlights of the weekend:
My mission reunion! I have been to Pres. Gardner's reunion several times, this time I went to Pres. Garrett's. The chapel we met at was the most ornate and unique LDS chapel I've ever visited (inside the chapel, there are open rafters that have scriptural phrases printed on them in large letters):
It was a small gathering, but that meant that we could spend more time chatting with the people we knew. I was lucky enough to have several companions and friends among the group, including Elder Plaizier, whom I hadn't seen since the mission. Here's a picture of Pres. and Sister Garrett (with Tod Robbins's head in the foreground):
Here's the mission banner we signed when we entered the mission:

The reunion was great. I'm so glad I went, and glad that everyone else who came was there too.

I got to stay with my friend Devin and meet some of the awesome people from his mission. Not so awesome was the way this dude took our picture. I asked him to back up, but he insisted on a close-up. I could've slapped him, and I should've. We're not tryin' to sell make up, man. We're wanting to capture a good memory. Gosh! He took three shots, and this one is the least awful:
I think he was trying to be funny. He didn't succeed.

And lastly, but not least:
How do you get Mexican vanilla in Idaho? You just have to know the right Mexican. (Thanks, Steph!)
Later this week, I'll be heading down to Joseph City for about 10 days. That, in itself, should be a great adventure. Stay tuned.

On the Road. Again.

2010-04-02T09:18:00.003-07:00

Last week, I spent 3 days in Utah. Here we go again. I'm headed down for my mission reunion and to spend general conference weekend "where the action is".
It's nice to be so close to Salt Lake.
As for the picture with this post, I took it with my phone at the grocery store. Does your local grocery store sell realwhite bunnies and baby chicks? Mine does. It's funny to watch girls stop by the tank and hear all the "Awww"s. There's a sign that says "Please do not touch the bunnies or the chicks". You're asking the impossible there.

What I Love

2010-03-23T20:37:00.002-07:00

This picture was taken by a friend this Founders Day and borrowed by me. (Thanks Alona) It says it all. This is what I love about my hometown, and this picture (Dad on the Tractor, Mom as the "Historical Hayride Tour-guide) really captures it. I wish I could've been home. I would've ran the morning race, ate at the pancake breakfast, and probably helped load the hay onto that trailer. Most of all, I would've spent time with the folks that make the little desert town great.

Thoughts ...at Night

2010-03-22T01:32:00.002-07:00

It was Sunday. And I love Sunday. I got up at 7:50. I could hardly believe it. My body just woke up because it was all done sleeping. My alarm was set for 8:10, so I just lounged in bed reviewing the dreams of the previous night until the alarm sounded.

I love church at 9:00am. That means I can have a Sunday morning feel at church, have a complete Sunday afternoon, along with a nap if I feel like it, and an evening for doing whatever socializing, reading, or other-ing I feel like doing. It's the perfect schedule for the best day of the week.

I read an article in the National Geographic Adventures magazine while I was at the gym last week. The guy featured in the article has traveled the world to study the areas where people live the longest, healthiest lives. He's written a book about it, but who needs to read it when they summarized his findings in the article? Anyhow, his list is almost perfect outline of the LDS lifestyle with one anomaly: drink one glass of wine a day.

I don't recall all his tips, but they included eating habits, the type of people you surround yourself with, having a sense of purpose in life, having a belief system or religion as part of your life, and taking one day of the week to rest.

Awesome. The gospel we live makes sense in so many ways. Live it, and maybe chug a glass of grape juice now and then.

Switching gears, I'm gonna wrap this up with a quote I love. I read it again today for the first time in a long time. It's by Neal A. Maxwell. I miss his talks and his spirit. I used to thrive on devouring his latest conference talk over and over. Here's the quote.

"The submission of one’s will is really the only uniquely personal thing we have to place on God's altar. The many other things we 'give,' … are actually the things He has already given or loaned to us. However, when you and I finally submit ourselves, by letting our individual wills be swallowed up in God's will, then we are really giving something to Him! It is the only possession which is truly ours to give!"

This is one of those quotes that helps set me straight from time to time. It helps me remember that I'm a child. I'm ultimately here to do what Dad wants me to do, not always what I want to do. And wouldn't you know, Dad knows best. His way always leads to happiness.

Headin' Out

2010-03-20T18:45:00.005-07:00

When spring weather finally makes its way to Idaho, the geologists get something called "field-work fever". No, it hasn't been diagnosed, but anyone who knows a geologist can confirm my findings. It is stylized by sudden urges to be outdoors, the carrying (once again) of a rock-hammer and acid bottle everywhere (...even church?), and the desire to see afresh all the rock and dirt that have spent months hidden under a monotonous blanket of snow. When I get the fever, I'm ready to get out and look at rocks.

One of my friends on facebook invited me to a party that's coming up next weekend. In the RSVP box, I indicated that I wouldn't be attending and explained, "I won't be able to come. I'll be out picking up rocks."

It was an honest reason, and I didn't think twice about it when I wrote it. But now I look back, and that might be construed as a "heck no".

I digress. I have been granted the opportunity to go on a field trip down to western Utah (near Delta) this coming Thursday through Saturday. This is a field trip I've been on before, but with the fever in full sway, I'm jumping at the chance to get out in the hills and, well ...pick up rocks. Here's an overview of what I get to look forward to (in pictures).
This is at the museum of ancient life at Thanksgiving Point in Lehi, Utah. If you ever have a chance to go there, go. Unlike a lot of museums, this one is very interactive and hands-on, so it's fun for even the very youngest crowd. What a sea turtle, eh? It's called Archelon, it lived during the Cretaceous, and I don't know if you get a sense of how enormous it is. I could've stayed and stared for hours:
This is the U-Dig Trilobite Quarry out by Delta, Utah. Now this is my type of classroom! Blazing sun, a pile of rocks, and a rock hammer. You just take a slab of shale and split it open at the edge with your rock hammer. There are trilobites all throughout the shale, so every rock you split open is always a surprise. I'd love to take my brother Jim out here. I think he'd be in heaven, him and his fossil lovin' cousins:
Here are the trilobites I brought home from the last time I was there:Now that I've got a pretty good collection of my own, I wouldn't mind bringing some back for anyone else who'd like a trilobite of their very own. Just say the word.
This is Notch Peak. It's breathtakingly awesome:
And finally, fossil mountain at the southern end of the Confusion Mountain range. Another spot I'd like to take Jim and Nic. It's called fossil mountain because it's just bursting with all sorts of collectible fossils of all kinds. I leave Thursday, and I can hardly contain my excitement. I got the fever. I got it bad.

A Bit of Humor

2010-02-28T23:51:00.003-07:00

Sometimes I just think things that make me laugh. Today, I'm sharing some recent ones with you. If you get bored and quit reading, that's OK. Everyone else, read on. Please bear in mind that some facts have been stretched to fit. It's my artistic license, and officer, I was only doing like 80.

The picture at the first was just to peak your curiosity. Did it work?

CHANGING THE ROLL

Students have busy lives. But not too busy for some things. You wanna know one of my peeves? I get irked when someone gets a new roll of toilet paper and doesn’t put it on the dispenser. What’s the deal?
I guarantee you, there were a few moments where you just sat there staring at that empty cardboard tube.
You couldn’t change it? Really?
Maybe you just couldn’t figure it out. That springy roll holder shaft thing, yeah. It sort of boggles the mind. It’s long, then it’s short. It’s out, now it’s in. It's a mysterious object. It’s off-the-hook.
One time I found the new roll just sitting on the floor next to the toilet. This is not good. There’s a reason for the dispenser being mounted above the toilet ground-level. It’s similar to the reason for wearing a raincoat if you’re in the first six rows at Sea World.
It's also dangerous to place the roll on the back tank of the toiler. It makes me nervous for the same reason mothers don't let their toddlers get too close to the edge of a swimming pool.
You’re never too busy to change the roll out, folks. Even if you are up ‘til 3am tryin’ to figure out the little springy shaft, it will be well worth your time.

MOVIE-QUOTE BABYSITTER

I think parents should really be more picky about who they have watch their kids. What happened to all the choosy moms? Are they all out shopping for peanut butter?
A lot of parents just call up the first little young woman on the ward list.
That’s terrible logic. That’s like the same logic used in a really bad last-minute group date idea:

“Hey, man. Wanna join us for this group date?”
“Well, I sort of need a date.”
“Oh, we got one for ya.”
“Oh, ok. That works. As long as she is a single female that is going on the group date, that pretty much satisfies my criteria.”

You could end up with anyone from any stretch of the spectrum, psycho to sane, homely to handsome. I don't know about you, but I'd rather not leave my options to random chance.

I think these potential babysitters should be screened somehow. Of course, the parents probably already know the girls in their ward, but they should take it to the next level. What kind of special talents or skills do these girls have? What will they bring to our organization? I would seriously ask my kids, “What do you guys want in a babysitter?”

“Sarah, I’m sorry but you can’t be our babysitter. Our kids want somebody who can do tricks on the trampoline. We’ve seen your performance, and it’s just not what they’re looking for. We'll call you if we change our minds, thanks."

I think it would be really cool if you could find a babysitter who talked entirely in movie quotes. Can you imagine that? This person could entertain the kids for hours. They’d be the ultimate babysitter, hands-down.

One of the kids keeps fighting with his siblings, the babysitter goes MATRIX Reloaded–Agent Smith:

“Why, Timmy, why? Why? Why do you do it? Why keep fighting? Do you believe you are fighting for something for more than your survival? Can you tell me what it is? Do you even know?”
“Why, Timmy, why? Why do you persist?”
Timmy’s like, “Because I choose to.” And that would satisfy the babysitter and Timmy could go on fighting.

Ever since I had this idea for a movie-quote babysitter, I actually watch movies with this in mind. Any good lines in here I could use on some kids later? Next time you watch a movie, try it. It's great fun.

ENYA

I have a sister who’s just 4 years younger than me. She’s so cool. We have really similar taste in a lot of ways, so we always really mesh well. But there’s one thing we disagree on: ENYA. She can’t stand ENYA!

I’m not lying. I promise. I saw a few heads jerk up when I said that, like “Honor code! He just told a lie!”

She can’t stand ENYA. I was like, why?

It’s ENYA! She’s like this immortal fair good thing, probably not even human anymore. She has transcended our realm with her transcendent sounds. It’s probably where she got her name. It’s no longer her human name, it is ENYA. I imagine the waiting room outside of heaven. They aren’t playing ENYA. She’s performing there, live. It’s ENYA eternally LIVE!

I mean, you might as well not like Santa Claus. He’s nothing short of pure goodness! I mean, how can you not like ENYA???

It’s an absurd notion. The thought makes reason stare …whatever that means. It’s in one of our hymns, right? Oh My Father. Have you ever sat there in church with nothing but a hymnbook to entertain you?

The thought makes reason stare. Have you ever tried to picture that scene?
The thought… …it makes reason… …stare.

Like, what, it gives reason a blonde moment? Reason is just starin’ out into space?

I guess. I’d like the Joseph Smith Translation of that one. That thought is makin’ me stare.

Anyway, ENYA. She’s good. The first time through the Fellowship of the Rings movie, I was just loving that they had ENYA sing in some of the Elvish scenes. It was perfect. And I was happy.

But then I watched it over and over. I’ve got a nerd-addiction to it, ok? After watchin’ it a few times, I was like, Peter Jackson, what’s Liv Tyler doing playing Arwen? Are you crazy? You’ve got ENYA’s voice, it should be ENYA kissing Aragorn up there. What the Hobbit are you thinking?

So for the past few years, I’ve done this thing for my family at Christmas. I make a mix CD of Christmas music. I have this huge collection of the coolest Christmas music. So I keep collecting it, and every year, I give ‘em all a little taste of the best stuff. Well, I made all these CDs and gave them to my family members. My sister immediately opened it and put it in her player. And a few songs down the road, I realize …there’s some ENYA on this. Oops. But fortunately, she said that after listening to it a few times, it was growing on her.

Thank goodness. There is hope for my sister. By small and simple means, great music can come to pass.

Maybe she just has some negative association when it comes to ENYA. Like maybe she had a really creepy teacher in high school who looked like her or sang their lectures in Elvish.

“It’s some form of Elvish! I can’t read it. There are few who can.”

I should be the movie-quoting babysitter.

I know a few things about negative associations with music. Here’s the deal: about 70% of classic rock sounds like garbage to me.

Not my fault! I mean, there are some phenomenal classic rock artists, and I love them. But they only make up about 30% of the whole genre. This is due to a negative association.

I would go with my dad to haul garbage to the city dump, and it was a dirty, nasty place. There was garbage everywhere, it smelled like garbage, and the workers looked like they were trying to blend in with their surroundings. Their clothes were like garbage camo.

The workers had salvaged some old ghetto radio from the garbage that had a static sound coming out of one speaker. They always had it tuned to the local classic rock station.

For that reason, I can’t hear Credence Clearwater Revival without thinking of disgusting garbage.

It’s not their fault, they just sound like trash.

PLASMA

I donate plasma. I do, I’m not afraid. I was. I used to be super-afraid. You could even say I was mega-afraid. Blood, needles, …they just didn’t make me smile. I couldn’t turn my frown upside-down when I got poked.

But after a long time, I talked myself into conquering that fear. It wasn’t easy, but after a few times of donating plasma, I realized it wasn’t bad at all. It just took some getting used to. Now I get 50 extra bucks a week for sitting and watching movies. It’s kind of like babysitting, without the children.

I have a friend who gave me the perfect analogy for when you’re getting a needle in the arm. He said, “Just don’t think of it as a needle. Needles are small and painful. This thing is more like a sharpened straw. It’s just like pokin’ your Capri Sun.”

Wow. I don’t know if I can ever look at Capri Sun the same way again. I’ll be trying to console the little juice box and gently patting him to try and calm him before I jab the straw in.

(Here's where artistic license is used. A little. I don't know how my Mom feels about my plasma donating, and she was really good about the whole pre-mission medical stuff. Love you Mom!)

But I’m pretty sure my Mom is scared for me donating twice a week all the time. Most parents are. She’s really good-natured about letting me do what I choose, now that I’m a big boy.

But here’s what I don’t get: she’s worried about me donating plasma, but she had no problem with them jabbing me with all sorts of crazy needles to get ready for my mission.

Oh my gosh. It was like, ok Steve, we’re going to make sure you are vaccinated for every disease known to man, and then test your blood a few times to make sure we put enough medicine in it. So many shots! The doctor was pretty much running out of needles. He had to have a nurse go grab another case in the middle of it all.
I was not happy. I was barely hangin’ in there, looking pretty pale.

The doctor looked up at my mom, like “Do you think we should let him have a break, you could come back another day to finish up?”

“Naw… keep goin’. He’s fine.”
“But ma’am, he’s sobbing like a little girl…”

And then when they were taking blood samples, honestly, it got a little creepy. The first vial was full and the doctor leaves with it and then he comes back with another empty vial and wants to fill it. I mean, wasn’t one enough? Here he is, licking his lips and filling another! Ok, it’s not a Big Gulp, Dr. Cullen! No re-fills! I kind of need that stuff. I know you think it tastes like Cherry Coke, but c’mon.”

For those of you who endured to the end, bravo. You've been a great audience.

Survival

2010-02-17T19:03:00.003-07:00

I'm calling this post "Survival" because everything I've got in mind to write fits that label. Let's start.

I have a pair of Adidas running shoes that I've had for almost four years. They're really comfortable and still in pretty good shape. I've taken them running / hiking / walking all over the west. In the process, the breathable material that covers the toe of the shoe started to wear in some spots. Some little slits started to form.

I tried to ignore the sad truth, but when I walked in the cold Idaho outside to the gym, the holes let in every draft of cold air. And when the feet aren't warm, the whole body feels cold.

SO ...I resolved to find a way to fix the holes. I had duct tape and super glue and ideas were already brewing for patching methods. I made sure the shoes were dry, then used the duct tape to seal the holes from the inside. Next, I attempted to bind the holes shut with super glue on the outside. It was ...an adventure. As soon as I applied the super glue, it started to steam ...or smoke. And I could feel it getting super hot in my hand. I had triggered a chemical reaction that wasn't slowing down. I just blew on it super fast to cool it down, fearing that if I didn't the whole operation would spontaneously burst into flames in my hand. The blowing worked. It staved off the heat enough to allow the glue to dry and end the reaction. I proceeded to patch all the holes. I'm happy to say, it worked. I've given the shoes a few weeks of testing (walking, running, and hiking) and they've held up with no sign of weakening. I'm a survivor, and so are my shoes.

The Dart was due for an oil change. I'd already pre-bought all the needed stuff to do it from Napa (I love Napa). Then I waited. I waited for a day that would be warm enough for me to get out and do dirty car work. That day came. It was Monday. I got too busy with other things to do the oil change. So yesterday the weather was pretty favorable, and I braved it. Little granules of snow were coming down, but it wasn't too frigid, so everything was good. I used an old shower curtain to lay on (and threw it away afterward). It took about 20 minutes. Our complex won't allow us to work on our vehicles in the parking lot, so I pulled out onto the street for the procedure. I've got new spark plugs to install, but realized I'll need a socket for that job that I don't have ...yet. The Dart and I? Yeah, we're survivors.

There's another survivor I want to mention. His name is Bear Grylls. In my book, he's got to be the coolest thing to happen to modern television. OK, I'm exaggerating, but he's pretty amazing. That's why I just couldn't believe my ears at the post office last week. Some kid was talking with his friend on his cell-phone. And he was dissing on Bear. I got to eavesdrop on his reasons for this ignorant stance, as he was speaking pretty loud.

This kid was a Survivor Man fan. No offense to any of you who are too, but I just don't understand why. The ONLY ONLY sole, singular, pathetic argument for Survivor Man being better than Bear Grylls is this: "Dude, Survivor Man's legit. I mean, you know he's really surviving on his own because he doesn't have a camera crew there to help him."

OK? And .........
I'm a little biased. I've only watched one episode of Survivor Man. To be honest, I wasn't impressed by the guy's tactics, his failures, and the annoyance of him having to man the camera. In the episode I saw, he was trying to start a fire. He eventually took one of his older video cameras and busted it open to get a magnifying glass from the lens to try and start a fire with. Really? C'mon man. And once he got the magnifying glass, he realized that where he had built his fire-pit was in a shaded area, and he needed sun. SO he tried starting a fire with it in a sunny spot that he could carry back to his fire-pit ...and failed.

I'll give him some credit ---he's managed to get out of some pretty tight situations. But so have a lot of ordinary everyday people. It doesn't mean they deserve a slot in Prime-time television. He's no Bear Grylls, and he never will be.
I don't care that Bear has a camera crew with him. All his tactics are real, useful, pretty impressive, and most often successful. And the way I see it, it's more of a challenge helping your camera man and yourself through all the situations you encounter.

Given all that, the main reason I choose Bear over that other dude is the entertainment factor. There's no comparison: Bear has the vibrant personality of a natural entertainer. Survivor Man is a bore. Maybe that's why I see Bear Grylls on TV all the time and Survivor Man ...well, never. Bear is a survivor. Don't hate on the Bear. With such a manly name, how could you?

What's in a VIN?

2010-02-14T15:55:00.003-07:00

The long VIN (vehicle identification number) that's associated with your car isn't just a jumble of random letters and numbers. The numbers and letters actually mean something. It was interesting to go through the VIN for the Dart and see what it all meant.

The first letter is the car make: L = Dart

The second letter is the car series: H = Dart Custom

The next two digits are the body style: 41 = 4-door sedan

The fifth digit is the engine: C = 105 hp (1973-74) 1 bbl. slant-6

The sixth digit is the year the car was manufactured: 4 = 1974

The seventh digit is the assembly plant where the car was produced: R = Windsor, Ontario, Canada

The rest of the digits are the sequential production number, starting at 100,001.

So to determine which number my car was in the long line of production, I would subtract 100,000 from 294,150. It was the 194,150th Dart Custom produced at that plant in Ontario.

This might be a bore to most people. But it was pretty fascinating to me to know the detailed history of my old cruiser.

It's Been Fun

2010-02-13T15:44:00.003-07:00

So I'm now in the two-hundreds. This makes 201 posts. I have to say, I'm really really glad I do this. Not only do my family and friends get to keep up with all my nonsense, but I am able to keep track of all the little details of life.

I've used some of my past blog entries to reference dates, to get pictures back after my jump-drives were stolen, to get entries to use in my public speaking class (like the entries of my before/after donating plasma for the first time).

There's something so intriguing about personal history. People can look at old photos for hours or get so wrapped up in reading an ancestor's journal (or somebody's blog) that they lose track of time and end up reading through the whole thing in one sitting.

A bit of my day: Today I went and held an exam review for the class I am a Teacher's Assistant for. They're awesome students. When we were discussing what time we wanted to have the review, I thought they'd want to wait 'til later (it being Saturday morning and all). The consensus was 9:00am, with 8:00am as a close second! That's almost unheard of for college students. Maybe they just wanted to get it over with and get on with their three-day weekend.

An atrocity: I heard something appalling the other day. A young guy I know was talking about how he's learning the song Free Fallin' on the guitar. That's not the appalling part, hold on. It's coming. Someone asked him, "Oh, Tom Petty?" His response was: "No, the new version by John Mayer. It's way better than the original."
I was floored. Does the younger generation scoff so easily at an immortal classic? I've heard the John Mayer version, and it kills me to hear him murder the song. Honestly. I'd probably be OK with it if it was another song, but you can't mess with perfection. Oh what sad times are these. Anyhow, as a tribute, I've added Free Fallin' -the real one, back to my playlist. And as a non-tribute, I have refused to add the John Mayer version.
I'm sorry, but I had to take a stand. The preservation of our country's musical integrity is on the line.

A highlight: I was at the plasma center again on Thursday afternoon. Their computer thinks I've lost weight. And I have. Their electronic scale showed that I'd lost a significant amount of weight, so it registered a re-check request. My finger-pricking female friend said "I'm gonna have to have you step back on the scale."

"Why?"

"It wants me to check you again because the number I entered is a lot less than usual. Have you lost weight?"

"Yeah, I have."

And then the computer needed a reason for the weight loss ...for the record, I guess.
"So, what's the cause of the weight loss, diet and exercise?"

"Yeah." I stated, quite pleased, flattered really.
That computer had noticed. And it'll only be a matter of time before others notice. Other people. Not computers.

Compulsion

2010-02-12T01:21:00.002-07:00

I've got issues.
No, really. I can't go to the grocery store without walking by the cilantro and wanting to buy a bunch.
Every time I have to reason with myself that I don't need it for anything.
I love the stuff. I get excited over fresh produce.
Today, I gave in and went ahead and bought some cilantro ...and the rest of the ingredients needed for the Cafe Rio Tomatillo dressing.

When I grow up (which, in fact, should be happening pretty soon), I want to have fresh herbs to cook with all the time. (That's not a marijuana reference)
I think I may have to start a little window-box herb garden. It would save money ---and add some spice to my life.

So now you know.

Brag and Tell

2010-02-10T00:22:00.003-07:00

Because I don't have pictures, it's not show and tell.
OK, it's not really anything to brag about. But it's improvement.
I went to bed at 1:00am and got up at 8:15. And I plan on repeating that tonight.
I'm getting back into the swing of a better sleep schedule.
I guess I should report on the progress of my goal.
I'm talking about the "stick to a schedule" resolution from January.
I'm doing it! It's paying off too.
I just noticed that nearly the whole left column starts with "I".
I'm not vain, I promise.
I go work-out on the elliptical for an hour on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
Then on Tuesday and Thursday I go to a free class called "Abs that Rock". The name is right, though I think they should start the beginners out with a class called "Abs that Roll". It's been a real jump-start to core strengthening -something I haven't really focused on seriously before.
For the most part, I'm doing great with the work-outs. But some of the stuff our fearless leader Jake wants us to do is all but impossible for me. I'll start out, do about 3 or 4, and then fall flat on the mat. I'm trying to get my muscles to do things they've never tried before. But with each class, I get better at it.
That's about it for the "bragging".
Now, let me tell you: I've been watching Overhaulin' lately and it's starting to drive me nuts. My old car is sitting parked in the lot just begging to be Overhauled. I'm getting the itch to do any sort of repair or anything on it; the problem is that a college budget won't cut it. I guess I could buy some sheets of sandpaper and just go at it, hand-sanding each inch lovingly, spending some real get-to-know-you time with the Dart, which is something I haven't done in years.
The cold weather is a deterrent too, but still. On a sunny day, I'll get out there and wash the windows or detail clean some parts. Pathetic, I know. Mr. Chip Foose, please rescue me!
Having a car Overhauled would be a dream, for sure. The only drawback to that would be that I wasn't in there working on the project with the crew. But if it were Chip Foose, I think I'd be OK with that.
I keep checking out restoration parts sites and drooling over pictures of restored Mopar Muscle cars. One day ...one day.
I keep scheming about how I could raise money to get down to restoring the Old Lady. Maybe a blog devoted to her with her life story and a plea to donate to the cause. For those who donate, I could make a road-trip around the country to visit each significant donor to show them the final product.
I know some ladies who specialize in raising money. I might have to recruit.
Some folks may not see it, but she deserves a restoration, She's a special car.
Now you've been told.

Ideas at Night

2010-02-01T11:00:00.003-07:00

What's the opposite of writer's block?
That's what I had last night. As I was laying in bed, an idea for the start of a story was formulating in my mind. Not only that, sentences were coming together like magic -sentences that were too brilliant not to be written down.
There was only one thing to do: get up and write it all down.
So by the light of my cell-phone screen (so as not to wake my roommate), I found my notebook and a pen and headed out to the living room to jot down my ideas.
One hour and four pages later, I was able to climb back into bed content that I had secured the ideas and that they hadn't been lost to the fogginess of the sleepy mind.
I do love writing. Sometimes I forget that fact when I'm knee-deep in homework.
What was my story idea? I may share it once I've worked it over a few times and made it presentable.
That's all for now. Off to the gym!

This Week

2010-01-30T11:19:00.002-07:00

I love this school.
I've had the chance to hear from several apostles on campus and other great inspired men and women each week.
This week, we had Elder Russell M. Nelson speak to us in devotional:
http://www.byui.edu/Presentations/Transcripts/Devotionals/2010_01_26_Nelson.htm

As if that weren't awesome enough, Elder Ballard is here today to speak at a fireside at 4:00. I'm curious as to what he'll speak about. If they post the transcript of his speech (which they most likely will), I'll come back to this post and share the link.

Much Too Late

2010-01-25T00:52:00.004-07:00

(It doesn't really go with the post, but I'm sharing this random snowman picture with you anyhow. You're welcome.)
Since I don't have any early mornin' classes to get me rising early this semester, it's really easy to stay up pretty late. This past week, my average bed-time was 2:00am. Friday night, I got to watchin' that "Forensic Files" show, and couldn't stop. It was 3:40am before I went to bed.

I'll say it for you: "Good grief!" or if you prefer, "Mercy sakes!"
I've got to be better. I hate sleeping in and missing out on the morning hours. There are days when I love it, but it's not my preferred lifestyle.

Now a confession: I went with four friends to see Avatar in 3D in Idaho Falls on Saturday. We wanted the 6:40pm showing. We got to the theater at 6:40. The showing was sold out. The next showing was at 10:10pm.

I felt the disappointment of a little boy. My friends sensed it. We talked it over. The movie is 2 hours and 40 minutes long. That meant the movie wouldn't be over until about 1am. Curfew is at 12am, and the drive back to Rexburg takes 20 minutes. We wouldn't have to stretch curfew to watch the movie, we'd have to bust it with a sledge hammer. We took a vote. Two of us guiltily voted to go for it. The other three were persuaded by our willingness and jumped on board. We did it. And it was SOOOO worth it. I'm a curfew breaker. A sinner among sinners. It keeps me humble, it really does.

We bought our tickets and got our totally legit 3D glasses (which I kept).
To pass the time while we waited, we had dinner at Cafe Rio (Ohhhhhh, yeah) and then went to Barnes & Noble and browsed and browsed and browsed.(my version of the Cafe Rio Pork Salad)

I got home at 1:40am, finally went to bed at 2:45, and woke up at 8:35 to get to church by 9:00am. The funny thing is, I got to church about 3 minutes before any of my roommates.

That's it for now. What a fun weekend. If you're thinking of seeing Avatar, do. It's among the most incredible movies I've seen in my life.

What I'm Reading

2010-01-22T11:10:00.003-07:00

I'm reading four books right now. It's refreshing to have some time to read.
My sister Julianne gave me "Faith of a Scientist" for Christmas and I'm really loving it. Not only does it give some detail of Henry Eyring's life (the father of Henry B. Eyring and world renowned Chemist) but it shares his own insights about science and religion. It's so good.
The Book of Mormon makes life so much better. Sometimes I forget that principal. You could do like Alma said and "try the experiment". He was talking about faith, but it works for this principal too. If you're not so great at reading your scriptures, or if you only read a little or half-heartedly (like me most of the time), try devoting a certain amount of time each day to studying it. Start with fifteen minutes, or if you're already doing that, increase it by ten minutes or so. See what difference it makes in how you feel. I've noticed that difference throughout my life. It's nothing short of miraculous, and that just strengthens my faith in the fact that the book is the word of God.
The Hobbit is an old favorite. I've read it four times, this is the fifth. Such a good story that is much less complex than the Lord of the Rings. I love the feel of the story as Tolkien told it. It makes me want to go on an adventure with swords and ponies. OK, not really, but it does make me feel like hiking a mountain.
And yes, I'm reading Twilight. Curiosity got the best of me. So far, it's been pretty entertaining, but it is definitely a girl's book. One whole chapter was super sappy love stuff, and I had a hard time getting through that without rolling my eyes or laughing to myself.
Now you've got a little taste of what I do. Pretty danged exciting, huh?
Now -go. Go away! Read some books!

Catch a Flik?

2010-01-21T17:44:00.003-07:00

Ever since starting my blog, I didn't want it to turn into one of those pathetic movie review blogs. I wanted it to reflect my life.
But since movies are a part of my life, I'm going to share a glimpse of the more recent movies that I found to be especially good.

Number THREE (it's a count-down):
Number TWO:
And Number ONE:
I haven't seen Avatar in 3D yet, but this weekend, I'm going. Thanks to Julianne for recommending Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs.

How Strange

2010-01-20T11:07:00.002-07:00

A few nights ago, I had a really funky dream. I promised my sister I would blog about it. So here we go:

For those of you who are from the Joseph City area, this will make sense. Everyone else, just pretend it does.

I was living in Joseph City ...or maybe I was just there to observe all this for the duration of the dream. Anyway, Mr. G's pizza decided to attempt (yet again) to open a second store; this time, the second store was located just north of my parents' house out in the desert. The store was larger and featured a small stage where any local talent could perform. The manager of the second store was Mr. G's brother ---not one of his real-life brothers, a new made-up one in my dream. He had long frizzy hair and always wore a cowboy hat. The high-school crowd in Joseph City all seemed pretty enthralled by the new manager and new store.

So the new store was doing well and seemed pretty busy. It was open during the later hours and on the days the other store wasn't. After a few months, the manager hired some pilots to provide air access to the place -shipping in all sorts of famous people to try out the amazing pizza and subs, and to fly in other performers from around the country to add to the venue. This store was not to be your ordinary small-town pizza dive -it was going to be big.

Then something changed. The manager cut back the hours on the store. It was always closed after 7:00pm. The pilots kept flying people in, but they weren't eating at the pizza place. I decided to see if I could get an insider's look at the whole operation, so I applied for a job. Having worked for Mr. G's back in the day, they were quick to hire me and put me to work in the kitchen. It wasn't long before I learned what really went on after 7:00. The pizza place closed shop, but the doors opened to the underground (underground both literally and in the figurative sense) fight arena. Yes, a huge basement had been built that housed a fight ring and there was always some sort of ultimate fighting type of competition going on. Along with the fights, there were always big rock bands who provided music for the events.

This explained the need to close the pizza store early. One thing I couldn't figure out though is how they managed to keep it all a secret in a small town. It made sense in the dream though...

Another strange event: last night I went to the 9:45 showing of 2012 at the dollar theater. I didn't know that it was such a long movie, and didn't realize it while watching because it was so gripping. Anyway, right in the culmination of the suspense, around midnight, the screen went black and the lights in the theater came up and the pre-movie ads and music started playing. You should've heard the crowd! People were shouting, "What?!!! You've got to be kidding me!"
They all thought it was because of the school-imposed curfew that the movie was being cut short. A girl in front of me yelled "This is why I hate Rexburg! I want my two dollars back!" A guy near the back shouted "I don't have curfew! I'm married!"

After about 3 minutes, I got up and was heading out of the theater. Out in the lobby, I heard from the staff that it was just some problem with the equipment, and wasn't intentional. So I went back in and the movie had started again.
So there you have it -all the best of my interesting evening.

My Weekend Away

2010-01-19T11:03:00.005-07:00

I've come to find that I really enjoy being a transient. OK, not really a transient, but there is something thrilling about heading off into a new place with only a duffle bag and a back-pack.
This weekend I found a ride down to Salt Lake City on the ride board here at school. From there I caught a bus down to Provo where I got to see my good friend Devin for the first time in almost 3 years. I stayed at Devin's Friday and Saturday night and went to church with him. It was good to catch up with him after all that time. Friday night, we met up with a group of old friends from EAC. That was fun.
Saturday, I headed to temple square and met my parents, my brother Jim, and my Uncle Marlin and his family. While my parents and uncle went through a temple session, me and my aunt Jennifer took the kids and Jim on a tour of all the interesting places around temple square.
One of the coolest things to see on temple square is the view from the 10th floor of the Joseph Smith Memorial building. You take the elevator up, and they have viewing areas on each end of the building. The best view is from the side that faces the Salt Lake temple where you get a great view of the whole temple, the tabernacle, and the conference center.
While we were up there, we decided to let the kids see the view from the other side's viewing area, not quite as nice of a view, but still fun to take a look. Now I'm glad we did. In the reception hall next to that viewing area, I saw my mission companion Aaron Medaris with his new bride! It just happened to be the place where they were holding their wedding banquet prior to their reception! I was in street clothes, but I had to go congratulate them. He was so surprised and glad to see me. That's what I call serendipity ---or a tender mercy. Either way, it was cool.
I went to Devin's ward on Sunday. His bishop is Bishop Pugh, Robert Pugh's brother. The church really makes it a small world. After church, Devin headed to Park City to finish out the weekend snowboarding. I headed over to see my friend/mission companion Tod Robbins and his wife Pamela. It was so good to see them and spend some time visiting. They are fun.
All in all, the trip couldn't have been more full of great times. I got back into Rexburg last night at 7:30, and it's back to life as usual.

Just an Update

2010-01-14T11:48:00.003-07:00

Sometimes I don't have anything really great in mind when I go to write a new post. So I end up just not posting, and that's really not fair to my readers now is it?
I have to remind myself that although you all love and care about me, you're not here in Rexburg to see all of the comings and goings and running arounds that I'm involved in.

Since coming back, I've been pretty focused on doing all the things I normally couldn't do because of the demands of homework deadlines and exams. These "things" include:

1. Going to the gym. A lot.
Over the Christmas Break, I was looking at some of our family pictures of Christmas when I was in High School.
My Senior year, I played football ...sort of. It was the only year I had played, so I didn't really grasp the technique of it all until near the end of the season, but who really cares about that? I had a lot of fun doing it, being a part of a team, and really slimming down quite a bit.
Back to the family pictures. One of the pictures from that year (Christmas of 1999) showed me with my siblings opening our presents. My brother Mike and I looked almost exactly alike in the picture! And he was as thin as (I'm going to create my own simile here) Ivin Lee! Three months of 5-days-a-week hard-core cardio work-out (AKA football practice) was really all it took. By the end of Football season, I weighed 183 lbs. Right now, I'm currently at 209 lbs. I've stayed at around 212 pretty steadily for the past year or so.
I guess that's not a bad weight for someone of my build, but I have a few little friends that I'd like to stop seeing: my love handles, my extra ab cushion ...
So I don't really have a weight goal. I have a goal to be consistent with my exercise routine and to eat healthier.
So far, I'm doing good. One of the toughest thing about it is that most social stuff involves food that I've sworn off -soda, sweets, fried food. One of my friends wanted to go out to Craigo's pizza buffet last night. I just had to say, "I can't". Going to a buffet would just kill the good thing I've got going, as much as I love the food there, and the good laughs we always have there. It's worth it though.
(Eyes on the prize, Steve. Eyes on the prize)

2. Reading. Wow. That first item got so lengthy, I almost forgot I was making a list. Yes, I've had time to read now and I love it: scriptures, books I love, new books, the news ...I usually never get to do much reading besides what I have to read for classes. Oh, how I've missed reading.

3. Music. I'm talking about sitting down at the piano and just playing for fun or strumming some things out on my Uke.

That's about it. I've come to realize that if I really wanted to, I could make time for all these things during the busy school semester. I just have to want it bad enough. So I hope to develop a routine so that when I start school again, I can stick with it.

Now, I'll tell you about my work. I work up to 20 hrs. per week for the Geology Dept.
I'm a Teacher's Assistant for two classes, Geochemistry and Science Foundations. I also take on any extra projects the department needs me to do. I also donate plasma twice a week, and that extra cash is really nice to have.

So now that you're all "in the know", I feel better. Stay sweet and I hope to have more exciting posts in the near future.

I'm catching a ride to Salt Lake City this weekend where I'll get to be with my family and some friends. That should be epic.

A Major Award

2010-01-11T17:38:00.002-07:00

"I won, I won, I WON!!!"

I never really get my hopes up when I enter a drawing.
But I always enter if I'm eligible. (And I'm so eligible)
At the plasma center, they do promotions to encourage people to donate twice a week (as if the extra money wasn't enough). On your second donation, they let you put your name in for a drawing. This time, they were giving away 3 gift cards to BIG 5 Sporting Goods. I secretly wanted to win since it's one of my favorite stores (geology majors just drool over field gear).
The amount is for $20.10 ----you know, since it's now 2010?
I just had to share my big win with you. If you feel so inclined, print out a picture of my major award and post it right in your front room window.

A New Day, A New Post, A New Blog

2010-01-05T22:57:00.002-07:00

New beginnings are so refreshing. There are a lot of "news" in my life: new apartment, new roommates, new outlook on life, new goals, and even a new pair of channel-lock pliers (I've needed a pair for quite a while).

While adjustments are bound to come with change, it always turns out making life fresher than it was. I'm glad to be in Rexburg without the pressures that come with classes and homework. I catch myself grinning as I walk around, noticing with more attention the natural beauties around.

As for the new apartment, I'm not going to post my address on a public blog, so if ya need it -you know, like to send me boxes of sugar-free jello mix, just ask. And ye might receive.

New roommates: Preston -I've known him since summer of last year, he's one of the easiest guys to get along with and a great roommate advocate and problem solver. He never hesitates to tackle tough situations head-on in order to get to the heart of the problem so we can move past it. Some people don't like that. I really appreciate it.
Then there are 3 I don't know quite yet: Justin -from BC Canada (WHOO! CANADIAN! SWEET!) He's an RM. Tyler -from Layton, Utah. He's out with the ladies more than he's home. Yes, he's a Freshman. Then there's another Freshman, Zach -not seeming too talkative yet, but we'll see. He's from Murray, Utah.

Not that it means a whole lot to y'all who I'm rooming with, but I thought I'd plant some info. in your subconscious in case I mention them in future posts.

Oh, and I figured it was time to pack away the Christmas music on my blog (you're welcome) and to make a few other changes: the music won't start automatically, and yes that's a different background picture that I hope makes it easier to read the text on the page.

Goals: I'm scheduling my days. I've got an Excel spreadsheet all laid out, and all I have to do is fill in the blanks, then follow it. That's my goal. Of course, I'll be filling it with the things that need to be there, and aren't always -things like: scripture study (ouch), working out (I've done pretty good with that one, but being consistent would help a lot), and creative time (which I'll use for reading, writing, or practicing piano). I know that if I tell this to y'all, it will help motivate me with the follow-through. Make sense?

Being in Joseph City was so good for me. I mean, I got sick twice, and there were days that I never even left the house, but I needed that. I needed my Mom's smile and her fun personality. I needed to hear Dad's boots tromping in through the door. I needed to hear a few loud "Mercy sakes!" and "HANSENS!" when Dad picks up the phone. I needed to see my new little niece Kylie and my newest friends/fans 'Rarri and Casey (Chicken?). I needed to see the bright stars that shine through the night darkness of a small town. I needed the fresh dry Arizona air. I needed to laugh with siblings, friends, and family, and to watch a few good High School basketball games (GO WILDCATS!!! ICE). I needed Lacy to talk to me and amaze me with her wit, and I needed Trenton to amaze me with his voracious tenacity and even more voracious hunger. See, that's all the stuff I have missed out on for quite a while here at school. I agree with my friend Christie who let me ride with her home and back: "Why can't Idaho be closer?"

I never quite feel homesick, but I'll be goll-derned if I don't feel ten times better after spending just a few days back in Arizona.
It's so worth the drive.

Welcome, Christmas!

2009-12-25T22:55:00.005-07:00

It's not Who-ville, it's an even sweeter alternative.
On Christmas Eve, some of my day was spent shooting the breeze with my brothers at Hansen's Auto, Shooting things with my brothers new rifle, and playing with my nephew and nieces. It's great to be home for the holiday break, to be home for Christmas.
Before Christmas is over entirely, I wanted to do a post that captures this Christmas -in words and pictures.
We had a lot of family here this year, horse rides, ham, orange rolls, fajitas, and more festive moments than you could shake a peppermint stick at.
Let it be said that we made more than "rather merry". We made very merry all day long. This year, the gift that stands out above the rest is the gift of being surrounded by home and family -these are memories to cherish.

It's That Time of Year Again

2009-12-22T00:31:00.003-07:00

"It is good to be children sometimes, and never better than at Christmas, when its Mighty Founder was a child himself."
From Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol

Tonight was a night of family, of gathering around the ol' piano in the parlor, and "making rather merry" (as Bob Cratchit put it).

I only wish Suzy Snowflake could've made an appearance. Maybe next year...

Our sing-a-longs debut the talents of any who choose to share. This time around, Alicia and I did some fun impromptu duets on the piano, and had a great time at it. It brought back the laughter we once shared before I was a stressed college boy and before she was a busy Mom.

Christmas, I've come to find, is more about love than anything else -and Joseph City is overflowing with it. It's great to be home.

I've Gotta Tell Ya...

2009-12-15T20:06:00.002-07:00

Ok, so I promised that I would offer you all a story for each day of December. I always think it best not to promise something you can't perform, but darn it if I didn't try. Did I even make it through 12 days? I don't think I did. Whatever. I'm sure whatever let-down you feel can be filled by the Christmas Spirit of the season. If not, go stuff yourself on fruitcake.
Yeah, I'm done with the stories. I think it was good while it lasted, and now I have other things to focus on: final exams, moving to a new apartment, grading work for the classes I'm a Teacher's Assistant for, ...going out to the cheap theater. See. I told you I was busy.
I have a rather different story to tell today:
I wanted some Subway. It's finals week and Subway sometimes just makes the world seem ...fresh? Anyhow, I usually never vary from my usual order: footlong spicy Italian on white -no cheese, not toasted. All veggies (yes, even the banana peppers and jalapenos) except onions and olives, with whatever sauce I'm in the mood for.
Today my order was no different. My sandwich sure was though ---now I never use my blog to gripe. No one likes a frowny face. I'm sharing this because I found humor in it, and thought it should be shared.
The girl who started my sub was great -nice even slice on the bread, perfectly-placed meat, ...then there was the other kid in charge of the veggies and sauce. He was pretty slow going, his attention drifted to the other two (gorgeous female) sandwich artists as he worked. Rather than placing the vegetables evenly, he sort of just plopped a handful on. He sprinkled a tiny bit of lettuce on (I hate a flat sandwich) so I asked him for a little more. A little more is what I got! Ha ha. He grabbed a pinched of lettuce and threw it onto the end of my sub. Whoa, turbo. Easy now.
I have come to the conclusion that Subway, in the screening of their applicants, asks them to define the word "extra". If they don't know it, they're hired. I want to take them to Payless. That place knows what's up. The Buy One Get One deal -now that is extra. Maybe I should ask for BOGO on the lettuce next time. Yes, exactly twice what you just put on there for no extra cost, please.
I had to just chuckle as he moved on, half of his attention on his work, and the other half divided evenly between two pretty faces. The tomatoes he didn't use got thrown into the lettuce bin --oops! And I could tell by the looks of the veggie bins this had been going on for a while.
So in the end, the only evenly-distributed parts of my sandwich were the meat, bread, ...and sauce. One bite was bell-peppery, one was super spicy. The next bite full of pickles, and the next a stack of spinach leaves. Quite the specialty.
And to think you can experience it all for just 5 bucks. Now that is a Christmas gift to my mouth.

A Christmas Memory

2009-12-11T18:05:00.003-07:00

I'm telling this from what I remember from when it happened, a Christmas nearly two decades ago. I was around 8 years old. At that age, it's next to impossible to get to sleep on Christmas Eve -the excitement and anticipation is unlike any I've ever experienced.
J.C., Mike, and I would plan out our entire Christmas Eve routine. We made sure to be extra active during the day to try and get good and tired so that when it came time to try and sleep ...well, it was wishful thinking.
We would go to bed that night, turn out the lights, and be real quiet. After about an hour or so of whispering about our schemes and presents, we'd sneak out of bed to a fort we'd built -usually in the closet. There we'd have a stash of Christmas goodies and card games. We'd also have a radio that we'd turn on really quiet and listen to Christmas music. That would help pass the time until ...well, until we initiated our secret operation. Mom, you're reading this, and I'm not sure how much of this we've told you. Feel free to laugh!
We even had an abbreviated code for what actions were to be executed at what time:

P.Q.G.- play quiet games
L.A.G.- look at gifts
etc...

But this Christmas wasn't that planned. It turned out as more of a "we were too young to know any better".
Here's what I remember:
Me and Mike went upstairs at some insanely early hour to see if Santa had come, (no doubt, our parents had just gotten to sleep). To our delight, he had been there! He came and he'd left a great assortment of exciting things! Well, since Santa had been there, and since we were awake, it was Christmas! What do you do on Christmas, but open presents?!!! We played with our gifts from Santa and opened all the gifts under the tree that were to the "family". One of those gifts happened to be "The Land Before Time". Yeah, the first one, and the only good one, on VHS ...and we just HAD to watch it. One of Mike's presents from Santa was a big inflatable stegosaurus. It was big enough for us both to lay under its belly, side by side, and so we did. We cued up the movie and were having quite a merry time of it. I think we may have fallen asleep.
When Mom and Dad came out to discover what had happened, they didn't seem too pleased and that was so confusing to me at that age. Weren't they happy too? Santa had come! We were having so much fun! It was Christmas! They explained that even though it's Christmas, we need to wait for everyone to be awake before we start the festivities of the day. After that, we always had a specific time (or "Pacific") when we were allowed to come wake everyone up and start Christmas.
It didn't stop us from our schemes of at least seeing our gifts -that actually helped curb off some of the excitement in order to get some sleep.
That was a fun memory though - me and Mike, laying under the belly of a big stegosaurus, watching Little-Foot and his friends on their way to the Great Valley.

A Christmas Wish

2009-12-10T14:45:00.004-07:00

May the warmth of the season protect you from the cold ...and from bullies.

Here's a trailer for a documentary made by some crazy fans of the movie:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F7QuBK1s8kM&feature=player_embedded#

Oops!

2009-12-10T10:17:00.003-07:00

I got so caught up in getting caught up with homework that I forgot to post a story yesterday! I'll tell you what - let me make it up to you by posting a personal story, not just one I found online.

It was December of 2003. I was a missionary in Calgary, Alberta Canada. Though it's always a bit of a bummer not being "Home for the Holidays", Christmas time as a missionary were some of my most memorable and special ones.

One clear night in mid-December, we had our Christmas zone conference. Our zones went to the mission home. We had our usual reporting and training business, then while dinner was being prepared, our APs took us out Christmas caroling to houses in the neighborhood. While people are usually unreceptive to 2 Mormon missionaries on their doorstep, they couldn't very well say no to a whole throng of us, singing in the spirit of the season, and giving them a candy cane, with a small decorated card to explain the meaning of the symbol of the candy cane. I will cherish in my memory the snow-covered ground, the starry sky above, and the sweet spirit of warmth I felt as we went singing house to house in the bitter cold of a Canadian winter.