It's Not A Charade, Mom

Man, today was a good(hot) day.  It was supposed to be over 100 degrees.  Thank HEAVENS that it was not.  Today my mom and I went to a Minnesota Twins game and I was afeared it was going to be over 100 like the weatherpeople predicted.
P.S. Did you know that afeared is actually a word?  Huh.  Who'd-a-thunk.
Luckily it was only around 96 instead.  Which, don't get me wrong, is still pretty darn hot.  I am not a big fan of overly hot.  I like to sweat when I am working out, and that's about it.  If I am sitting comfortably and sweating, there is a problem in my opinion.
Don't get me started on humidity.
Minnesota is the capital of humidity.  And it is very uncomfortable.

I GOT A SHIRT THERE!!
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You cannot guess how long it took me to fill up that space with asterisks. (It wasn't a matter of seconds, I promise)
***
So...this is the first election that I've actually cared about.
I try to stay pretty dang neutral on just about everything ever everywhere.
But I actually have an opinion on this one.  I won't state what it is, but you can know that I have one.
***
This is the section of the post where I let you in on a little bit of my life!
Today my family is extremely blessed.  More blessed than I deserve for sure, and my parents have all worked hard for everything they have.
I say all because in my opinion I have 3 parents.
A mom.
A dad.
A step-dad.
My mom is a doctor.  Not a doctor in that she fixes bones and performs surgeries and things like that, but that she has her doctorate.  She first graduated from college well before I was born.  She graduated with her doctorate in 2006.  That means she was getting to that point of her education for over 20 years.  She has established a business of her own and has been running it for 8 years.  She is also in the middle of writing a book on leadership.
My step-dad is a corporate lawyer.  He has worked at his job extremely hard, and he even continues to work incredibly hard.  There are many days of the year in which he is up just as late as I am, but instead of having fun, playing games, or posting on his blog, he is working.  I cannot even begin to fathom his dedication to what I for the most part don't understand and don't really care about.  It is nothing short of incredible.
My dad is a collections agent for a hospital.  This is not very luxurious sounding.  And it's definitely not luxurious.  But he has worked in the same place for over 25 years.  Not just the same place, the same job.  He has been offered numerous advancement opportunities, but he has turned them down time after time.
This may seem strange, but do you know why he did it?
Because of his family.  My parents were divorced when I was 7.  My mom left our family and my dad was left with a 7 year old, a 10 year old, and a 13 year old.  He turned down those promotions so that he could at any time be there for us.  If he accepted them, he would have made more money, true, but he would have had to give up the opportunity to be there for our sick days, our choir concerts, our sporting events, and whatever else we needed him for.
I have talked to him recently about his job, and he thinks it is the worst part of his day.  His job is just what he does to afford the things that he loves to do.
He has worked that long at a job that he doesn't even like so that he could support his family and his interests.
My dad is my ultimate example when it comes to loving your family.  I have no doubt that if I needed his left leg for any reason, he would give it to me.  Every time I come home I make sure to see him and visit him in the home I grew up in in little town Wisconsin.  I had a hard time as a teenager relating to my parents or telling them that I loved them.  I still sometimes feel silly when I tell my mom that I love her, but when I see my dad I have no problem telling him that I love him and giving him a big hug.
I was raised in a family of powdered milk, hamburger helper for almost EVERY dinner, and lots of tears.  I now live in a family that is more abundant on smiles and laughter than on ramen noodles and Kool-Aid.  Hard work pays off.
I am proud of where I come from and wouldn't change a bit of it.
I'm glad I have the family I do and the history I do.
***
I apologize for that last section.  It became quite lengthy and involved.
I would just like to close this post with a link to the best speech I have ever read regarding the topic of leadership.
Leaders to Managers: The Fatal Shift
Please read it.
Almost everything I believe about leadership can be found in this speech.
***
My mom pointed out a hair on my cheek today that points straight out.  It doesn't follow the same pattern of my facial hair, but instead juts into the atmosphere in defiance to the restraints and ideas of a conformist follicle system.

It is somewhere in that image.
I doubt you can see it, though.

Sweetest of dreams, my dears.
~Boy

The Saga Continues...

It's official, folks.  Allergy season has not only waged war on my immune system, but has won, slaughtered, burned the corpses, salted the earth, and cursed the ancestors of my immune system.  It was very discouraging to be sure.  I don't even think I stood a chance.
My nose is the main battleground, and the victims flow like water...from my nose.
I have a really runny nose.  That's what I'm trying to say.
Luckily for all the world I've taken a non-drowsy medication tonight. (which happens to be not working it would seem)
OKTHISBRINGSUPAQUESTION!!!
If I have a soops runny nose(like I do), why would I take a decongestant?  Doesn't a decongestant make your nose run?  This makes no sense to me...
Enough of that talk...
***
NOW TO TALK ABOUT THE THINGS I MENTIONED LAST NIGHT:
Karaoke
I love karaoke.  Very much so.  Really I just love singing, but karaoke gives me an opportunity to sing WHILE also establishing my dominance as a man because I am better than the people around me.
Hahaha
But seriously.  I'm pretty dang amazing.
I've heard that angels STOP singing when I start so they can listen.
Just ask them.  They'll TOTALLY tell you all about it.  Angels are kind of blabber mouths like that.
Joe
I have a friend.  Let's call him 'Joe' for lack of a better name.
How much are parents obligated to put up with for their child?
That may sound terrible, but let me explain...
If you are a parent, and you have done your best to raise your child, but they start doing ridiculously dumb things and make generally bad decisions, how long do you put up with it?
Obviously if they are out living on their own and doing whatever there is a limited amount of backlash you can unleash on them.  But if they are living under your roof, using your car, spending your money, when do you cut them off/kick them out?
Maybe I believe in a tougher form of love than others do, but I could not swaddle my child while they continue to make bad choices.
Am I in the wrong here?
Mission Injuries
I thought I would list all of the injuries I got on my mission because it would be fun to re-live those moments:
3 months: First appearance of kidney stone
5 months: Eye Ulcer
6 months: Epididymal cysts
8 months: Second appearance of kidney stone
9 months: black out in the bathroom in the middle of the night.  Hit my head on the sink.  Crawl back to bed for fear of standing up.
10 months: Step on nail doing service.  Nail goes partially through foot.
11 months: Kidney stone removal surgery
20 months: Bit on shin by dog
21 months: Bit on hand by dog
Conclusion?  WHATTHECRAPHAPPENEDFORTHEFIRSTHALFOFMYMISSION?!?
Worst injury for the second half is a dog bite.
What.
The
Crap.
And in case you are suddenly thinking that my life is full of accidents and hospital visits, trust me, it is not.  I have been to the hospital a total of 3 times in my 25 years(outside of the mission)
Strep throat when I was 13ish
Brain surgery when I was 16
Bad fever when I was 23(and that was just an urgent care.  Not even a real hospital)
SO don't be afraid for me.  I am a very healthy person.
HHH
These are the 3 reasons I should be married:
I'm healthy,
I'm handy,
and I'm handsome.
I thought it was clever, ok?
Gods Orchestra
I am constantly amazed by just how intricate, delicate, and orchestrated our world is.  At how all of these things can be found in our very lives!
I dunno...maybe it's just me.
But my life just feels like one big coincidence.  Or just series of coincidences one after the other.
"But Spenser, what on earth do you mean?"
I'LLGIVEYOUANEXAMPLE
My car recently was EXTREMELY low on gas.  Some might even say it was out.
I went to the auto shop to get my car fixed(in a lot of ways(which didn't include gas)) and it just happened that my mom's car had started emitting a strange smell from her air conditioning supply.
LONGSTORYSHORTIAMGETTINGGAS
Sorry, I realized that was going to be really boring for you to read, so I edited it.
Anyway, do you understand what I mean?
Our lives are crazy complicated, and I am constantly surprised at how they all turn out.
I have more examples but they are equally boring for everyone but me I'm sure.
Cheese
My ex-bishop(he was just recently released) had me over to his house just the other day to sample some cheeses.  He is a huge connoisseur of cheeses, and I once told him that I also like cheese, so now I am his cheese-eating buddy.
I have no problem with this.
I love cheese.
I had some ridiculously good cheeses with him.  INCLUDING 10 year old Cheddar.
Good stuff.

I think that's all I've got for today.
What did I do all day yesterday, you ask?
Oh you know....BUILDING A FIRE PIT.  I'll take a picture of it later and put it on my facebook or here.  I dunno.  One or both of those.
It looks great.  That's all I can say about it.
OH and I got new shoes.  Running shoes AND comfy shoes.

That's all little ones.
I'm off to sleep(maybe).

~Boy

BEN!!!!!

Today I wrote down all the things on my phone that I wanted to post about on here, but I cannot.
Why you ask?
Because I took a Benadryl a little over an hour ago and I am going to crash very, very soon.
So I will write about them tomorrow.

BUT I'll give you a taste of something to look forward to by putting what I noted on my phone:

Karaoke
Joe
Mission Injuries
HHH
God's Orchestra
Cheese

Sweet dreams, blogosphere!

~Boy

5-Inch Coffee Table

Going to church is always a pleasure.
ALWAYS.
In actuality, I enjoy the drives to and from church almost as much as the actual church itself.  Out of context that probably sounds terrible.
You see...I really enjoy music.
REALLY enjoy music.  Especially church-y music.
I got a bunch from my mom when I nabbed some music from her computer.
It's all by Marshall McDonald.  And it's terrific.  The albums are entitled Christmas Dreams, More Holiness Give Me, and This is the Christ.  Just fantastic stuff.  I suggest it to any members of the church.  As well as anybody who enjoys some good instrumental music, I suppose.
***
I see that Battleship is coming out on DVD/BluRay this Tuesday.
That is great for someone who liked that movie a lot more than I did.
Don't get me wrong, it was better than I thought it was going to be.
But I was so stinkin' disappointed that no one said "You sunk my battleship."  Nope.  Not one.
If they would have just said that, all would have been well!  I would have liked it even more.  But alas, they didn't, and so I didn't.
I'll tell you what movie DOES look fantastic, though...Lawless.
I will see it shortly, I'm sure.
***
After that incredibly boring news...
HAVEYOUSEENSHARKWRANGLERS?!
It's fantastic.
Most things about sharks are.  Let's face it.  That's why the world celebrates Shark Week!
That being said I refer back to my previous post in which I said I am terrified of the ocean.  That is still very true.
Right now they are throwing frisbees off the main boat and driving a second, smaller, faster boat as fast as they can to catch it, much like Ultimate Frisbee except with boats and ocean.  They are doing it as celebration, not as part of the job.
It looks legit.
***
HERE IS YOUR LANGUAGE LESSON OF THE DAY
In Japanese, the closest word to English "pants" does not mean pants, it means underwear.
Pantsu = underwear
Zubon = pants
Han zubon = shorts
*The More You Know*
So...don't go to Japan expecting your friends to help you pick out some cool pantsu.
Unless you are really close with your friends, I guess.
***
Speaking of your friends who you are really close with, check out this business!!

That's us.

At the St. Cloud Quarry I have been chatting up.

In 1080p.  Thanks to my GoProHero2.

This isn't ALL the footage, but it's all that I got of my Poli friends.  The other footage is of Brian, Nate, or me.

Watching these videos makes me realize a number of things:
a.) I am not very exciting to watch jump off a cliff.  I always flail my arms like I'm trying to fly.  I need to work on this.  Because half the fun of cliff jumping is having others be impressed by what you are doing.
b.) Polis are crazy!  Those "suicides" they were doing...CRAZY!!!
c.) I am pale.  So very, very pale.  This only bothers me when others have to look at me. I feel bad for others who are blinded by the sun reflecting off of my translucent skin.
Have you ever seen the movie POWDER?  It's kinda like that.  Except without the mystical powers.  Just the albino-ism.
:''''''''''(
But Spenser?  Why is your face so long?!
To fit all of the tears, dang it.
***

THIS is how cold it is in my basement!!!
I am not ONLY wearing my sweat pants, I am ALSO wearing my wool socks.
AND my Packers sweater.
But Spenser, I have nothing to weigh this information against!
Ok, point taken.  I normally just wear my sweat shorts, NO socks, and my Packers sweater.
Measure THAT information.

Now it is time for some good ol' fashioned guitar playin'

~Boy

Weird Feeling On My Cheek

My mind is all over tonight, so I will apologize beforehand.
That was bad.
My dad told me once upon a time that you should never begin a talk by giving the topic of your talk because if the audience/congregation can't figure out what you're talking about and you instead have to give it to them, you've failed.  I've come to believe this!  I also have come to think that you should never begin a talk by apologizing.
You should also never start a blog post by apologizing.
"BUTHEY,YOUSHOULDNEVERSTARTABLOGPOSTWITHARANTABOUTNOTAPOLOGIZINGEITHER."
ok.  sorry.
***
There was a big group of us that went up to St. Cloud yesterday.  Back to the Quarry.
AND IT WAS STILL AMAZING.
Took so many videos.
That I hope to have uploaded to the internet *soon.
*=see someday.
***
In the last couple days I have discovered, or should I say rediscovered, a bunch of things that I enjoy or dislike.
a.)Reading the scriptures.  Especially with family.
-I was over at my friend's house TWICE when his family decided to have
SORRY I JUST LEARNED SOMETHING AWESOME
Haboob is the name for a giant wall of sand in a sandstorm.  Go figure.
THAT'S ALL
scripture study time.  It was great!!  The dad had a thought that he shared, and as he was talking I had scriptures and talks flooding into my mind that I shared as well and the whole thing became a big discussion and it was great.  It reminded me how great it can be to study the scriptures with others, and how much you can learn from one another.
b.)Food experiences!
-Going to the state fair always introduces a huge new world of food.  My favorites are of course deep fried cheese curds, big fat bacon on a stick, mini donuts, and sweet martha's cookies.
(In case you have never been the the Great Minnesota Get Together, our gimmick is putting things on a stick.  You can get anything on a stick.  Including beer.)
I decided to try alligator on a stick this year.  AND IT WAS FANTASTIC!!  Absolutely fantastic.
And this got me thinking...I enjoy trying new foods.
I recall a time on my mission(this was about 5 months in) when my companion and I were invited to a nice asian families home and they offered us dried squid.  IT WAS OK!  Not fantastic by any means, but I would have no problem eating it again.
***
This has reminded me of a song/story/video...
Today, while sorting through the videos I want to upload, I was looking for an appropriate song in my iTunes to act as a soundtrack.  I found one that I really like, but doesn't fit the mood quite perfectly enough for my liking.
BUT it reminded me of the story of how I came across this song for the first time....
The song is Burn One Down by Ben Harper.
This song is QUITE obviously about drugs, but I refused to acknowledge that fact for the first *2 years I knew about the existence of this song.
*=I say 2 years, but it was more like 20 months.  This happened during my mission
I was introduced to it after a "travelling AP" spent the night in my apartment  and had brought one of his custom CDs with him.  It was filled to the brim with Jack Johnson, Ben Harper, and other non-mission appropriate music.  He happened to leave this CD in my player when he left and so I kept it.
I was young and impressionable, so I blame none of my faults on myself.
I would listen to this song and enjoyed it, but ignored the subject matter.
I'll give you a taste of just how hard I had to try and ignore it.
Let us burn one from end to end.
Pass it over to me, my friend.
Burn it long,
but burn it slow
to light me up before I go.
(Now comes the part that could actually be interpreted other ways that AREN'T related to drugs)
If you won't light my fire
don't come around
'cause I'm gonna burn one down.

You see, it's a song about if you have a problem with something, you don't have to be involved with it.  I won't hate on you for your imperfections, you don't hate on me for mine.
This message appealed to me, of course, being a high school social outcast.
It's very mellow, so I justified listening to it somehow.
Luckily(probably) the CD was taken back by the AP just a matter of months later right before he went home.
I purchased it once I got home, however, because it brought back good memories.  That is when I realized what it was about, and quickly laughed at myself.
Either way, good song.  Still like it.
Wasn't right for the video, though.
***
I had something else I was going to write, but I can't think of what it was for the life of me.
(Probably because I can barely remember my own birthday right now I'm so scatter-brained)
...and distracted.

So I'm just going to go ahead and take the beard picture and end this nonsense.

(This is roughly what I would look like if I fell asleep right now)
*The More You Know*

~Boy




P.S. I DO remember one thing I was going to post about!
Not everyone may enjoy reading my blog, or agree with it's subject matter, because it's basically just about my life and my experiences and sometimes that may not be fun for others to read.  But I do it because some days I love to go back and read my other blogs that I had in high school and just laugh at the things I wrote.  Most of the memories I can remember, but there are some things I wrote that I have no recollection of whatsoever!  And it's things like that that keep me writing on here.  Because 5, 10, 20 years down the road I want to come back, look at this and think "Boy.  I sure was a goofy sausage."
That's all.
Bed time now.

Gator Boots

Man, some nights you just cannot win.

~Boy

Make You Understand What Makes Me

Ok, I found a shorter one...this should be better:

9 lasts.
1. last cigarette: Never had one.
2. last beverage: Bottled Water
3. last kiss: About 5 months ago
4. last movie seen: Bourne Ultimatum
5. last phone call: Brad
6. last cd played: Haha, who plays CDs anymore?
8. last time you cried: I do not remember
9. last girlfriend/boyfriend: ElJay, over a year ago.

8 have you evers.

1. have you ever dated one of your best friends: Someone who WAS a best friend and then we dated?  No.  Dated someone and they BECAME my best friend?  Yes.
2. have you ever been on a date: Yes
3. have you ever slept with somebody and regretted it: Actually slept?  No.  I never regret sleep.
4. have you ever fallen in love: I stepped in it, and I may have tripped, but I don't know if it was an all-out FALL.
5. have you ever lost someone you loved: Of course
6. have you ever been depressed: You KNOW it
7. have you ever been drunk and threw up: I have never been drunk, period.
8. have you ever snuck out of your house: I'm pretty sure I've snuck out of every house I've ever lived in.

Places You've been. (states, other countries, etc)
Arizona, California, Florida, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Utah, Wisconsin, Wyoming.(Yes, that is alphabetic order)
And Canada and Japan

6 things you've done today.
1. Built a fire pit
2. Took two showers
3. Played Volleyball
4. Ate dinner at the Global Market Place
5. Went to the bathroom at LEAST once
6. Ate two Snack Packs for late night dessert

5 favorite things in no order.
1. Working Out
2. Sleep
3. Filming With My GoPro
4. Ice Cream
5. Time Spent In Close Proximity To Desirable Females

4 people you can tell [almost] anything to.
1. Brenton
2. Eric
3. Brian
4. Kyle

3 wishes.
1. I could fly(duh!)
2. I was married
3. World peace(or something just to make the hippies happy)

2 things you want to do before you die.
1. Get married
2. Cut out my bad habits
-Those are actually two answers that I wrote when I was 19.  I think I'll keep them, because they unfortunately still apply.  Apparently I haven't done a great job at either of them...

1 thing you regret.
1. Sin

Best
1. Friend: Ivan
2. Vacation: That's a tough one!  I haven't taken a really good one in a while.

Worst
1. Time of day: Morning
2. Memory: Getting a catheter after my brain surgery

Last
1. Person you saw: Eric/Brenton/Ali(Three way tie)
2. Person you hugged: Brenton
3. Instant message: Kelsey Wells
4. Text: Brenton

First
1. Best Friend: Rusty
2. Beach: Gross beach in Wisconsin
3. Obsession: Video Games

Today
1. What are you doing now: Updating my blog while on the toilet(TMI, I know)
2. Wearing: Cut-off sweat shorts and my signature Packers sweater
4. What did you eat for lunch: Corn bread muffins, strawberry banana yogurt and orange juice
5. Better than yesterday?: Yes'm

Tomorrow
1. Wake up: Whenever I feel like it
2. Got any plans?: Go to the State Fair if it's not raining too hard
3. Dislikes about tomorrow: Not going to the gym...

Favorite
1. Number: 33
3. Color: White
4. Season: Autumn
***
There you go!

I am undeniably more tired from the time I started filling that out.
Did that sentence even make sense?

I am going to veg out for a while before going to bed.

~Boy

Change Of Scenery

So...back in the day(which was QUITE a while ago) when I had a different blog and updated it basically everyday, I used to do those things where you answer a bunch of questions ALL THE TIME.
Today, being the special day that it is, I figured I would do one of them that I already have done in the past, leaving my answers from the past apparent and answering with my current answers.  This way you not only get to know me, you also get to know me from 6 years ago.
So...here it is!
...
Ok, I lied.  I started one, but it was taking FOREVER and there was a lot of really embarrassing/awkward stuff that I would rather just not talk about in public anymore.  Let's just say I've learned.
So instead I will reward you with a couple of interesting(useless) facts about me that you may not know!!!

1.) I really want to be a dad.  Almost as bad as I want to be a husband.
-I don't really have a lot of experience around young kids, mainly because my brother and sister keep their kids to themselves for the most part, but that doesn't mean that I don't think my nephew is adorable!
2.) I really enjoy girls who can play stringed instruments!  More than just about any other trait.
-Piano is technically a stringed instrument, so yes, it counts.
3.) I have been out of the country twice.
-Once to Canada, once to Japan.
3a.) I have taken 7 1/2 years of Japanese.
-No, I don't really speak it fluently.  I have forgotten a lot of it.
4.) I really enjoy manual labor.
-Working with my hands makes me feel like I've actually accomplished something.  Digging with a shovel is especially satisfying.
5.) I beat Super Mario Bros. 3 playing with my feet when I was younger than 6.
-Too bad we didn't have YouTube back then.  That crap would have gone viral!
6.) I prefer sleeping on my stomach.
-Which is often uncomfortable with a pillow, so I usually just use my arms, and my pillows spend time off to the sides of the bed being unused.
7.) The ocean terrifies me.
-It's so freakin' deep, dark, and scary!  Not to mention it is just full-to-overflowing with beasties that want to make me a snack.  Mostly octopi.  #TOOMANYARMS
8.) More people have seen me as a fully-grown, naked person as a missionary than as a non-missionary.  This one is a little PG-13.  I apologize.
-I went to the hospital a number of times during my mission, and was naked.
9.) I have a long and complicated relationship with caffeine.
-ok, not very long or complicated.  I gave it up for almost 2 years DESPITE my intense love for it during my growing years.
10.) I have had a #SusanGlenn for as long as I can remember.
-Watch the Axe commercial and find out what I'm talking about.
11.) I am a sucker for infomercials.
-I always watch them and think "Oh man!  That [probably terrible product I don't need] looks so cool!"  It's a good thing I don't have a ton of money to throw at things I don't need.
12.) I have never broken a bone.
-Knock on wood for that one!
13.) I still enjoy a good game of truth or dare.
-ALWAYS choose dare.  Truth is for pansies.
14.) I am much more afraid of the dark in enclosed spaces than I am in the open.
-Give me a dark, empty field and I am fine.  Put me in a dark, closed room and I will whimper like a sad puppy
15.) I can fit my whole fist in my mouth.
-This is an utterly worthless skill.

It is really hard to think of interesting things to say about yourself.  I prefer hearing others' interesting things.
***
It is SERIOUSLY bed time.  I am super tired.

Normally we have a big jug of water to drink from.  Unfortunately tonight that is not the case and I am instead drinking from plastic bottles like a grown baby.
Such is my fate.

~Boy

Your Only Fear Is Possibility

DELICIOUS!!!
Instead of ice cream this evening, I have been filled with the urge to eat fruit!
And so I shall...
Sweet, succulent raspberries, grapes, and bananas.  Doesn't get much better than this.

Let me tell you about the amazing day I had, and how I love being awesome.

It all started when I woke up...

Today is Monday.  And that means making salsa with mi madre.  We are making (and of course canning/jarring(which difference is never made)) so much because I want to bring some out to school with me BECAUSE IT'S DELICIOUS.
So I was supposed to wake up around 10 to help chop and prepare veggies to be made into salsa.  I first role over this morning around 10:30 and immediately check my space phone in hopes of something exciting happening.  Luckily, I'm pretty sure that something did.  At least a text or something.
ANYWAY...a couple seconds later my mother knocked on the door ever so lightly in hopes of waking me up.  I was already awake so this was of course futile!!  BUAHAHAHA.
ANYWAY...she asks me if I am willing to go to Best Buy with her to pick up a new computer.  I, being the lover of technology that I am, say yes.
So I quickly got dressed, brushed my teeth, and flossed (because that's the responsible thing to do), and off we went!  Long, boring story somewhat shorter, we got the computer and then began making salsa.
The salsa was a success.

Then I ran off to join Brenton at the gym.
This was also a success.
You see.  The thing about the gym on Monday is that I always feel like there is no way I could go harder than I did the week before.  But then I do.
I may have almost killed myself.  But it was fantastic.

Then we ate stuff.
This was a success.

THENWEPLAYEDVOLLEYBALL
THISWASASUCCESS
I don't mean to toot my own horn or anything, but I have gotten much better at volleyball.  And so has Brenton.  And Eric.  Together with Brock and Al, we basically dominate everything ever.
Ever.

Then showers and gathering of fruit commenced.
***
Let me change gears for a little bit here...
I am so grateful for the Gospel.  You have no idea.
I need forgiveness a lot.  And I receive it more than I deserve, methinks.
But I am not angry about this.
***
Now, I am about to turn over a new leaf and begin doing something productive at night.
Tonight it is practicing guitar.
I have a number of requests for guitar playing from friends lately, and so I feel the need to be better.  I do not like being mediocre when people ask me to do things.

***
Behold.  Beard.
I don't think you can really tell a difference anymore.
Glad this whole beard blog thing, though, has given me a reason to update everyday. It's nice.
I really should have been doing it long ago.
Now for guitar.

~Boy

P.S.  I forgot to mention something that I have noticed that scares me a little bit.
I regularly check the statistics on my blog, including where the traffic comes from.
A lot of the traffic comes from one of my friend's blog(which is flattering).  Apparently people who like her want to know what her friends post about...or something.
However...the MOST traffic comes from an...adult site, shall we say?
Kinda gross.  I do not understand it.
That is all.

P.P.S.  Oh, and apparently these people are from Russia.
Again, I do not understand.

6-String Me Along

Today was an all-out amazing day.
LETMETELLYOUABOUTIT!
OHWAITYESTERDAYWASAMAZING,TOO!
So, yesterday some friends and I decided to go to the St. Cloud Quarry Park and Nature Preserve because we had heard about it from some of our other friends at our weekly volleyball night on Wednesday.
They said it was a quarry that you cliff jump in.
NATURALLY I was assuming this was going to be some dirt hole filled with water.
I. Was. Wrong.
This was the Garden of Eden.  It was beautiful and green.  It was hidden away from sight.  It was filled with young, attractive people having fun.  The water was even warm!  Despite the fact that it was only in the 70s yesterday.
My image of heaven on earth.  I shall proceed to post a picture and some videos:

ok, not the best picture.  But the videos are better!  Promise.

It was beautiful.  This is not a good pass.  OR a good video.  But you get to see a panorama of the quarry.

The lower cliff was cool because people could actually just run and jump over you! This was Eric doing just that.

You can see just how green and beautiful it was, as well as how clear the water is!

It was seriously amazing!  Just a 120 ft. deep hole in the ground that happened to be filled with water.  And happened to be seriously fun!  And happened to be an hour from where we live.

***

So that's what happened yesterday...then last night I spent the evening at Eric's house.

As is our tradition at Eric's, we fell asleep watching Netflix.  It just happened to be Scrub's last night(but that's irrelevant).

I fell asleep shortly after midnight and then woke up a number of hours later.  I had my hood(I fell asleep in a hoodie) over my head and I could see light peeking through.  I was very concerned so I pushed back the hood and saw that it was still pitch black outside.

I immediately became confused and started looking around the room to find the source of this distraction from my slumber.

Lo and behold it was the TV.  It was only 4AM, and the screen was ultra bright.  Bright enough to break through my hoodie AND my eyelids.

I turned off the TV and fell back asleep.

The rest of the day was pretty normal.

Woke up in time to get ready and go to church.  Snapped a quick photo of my beard's progress and headed off to church in my black suit.

Church was great!  Meetings were awesome.  Friends were awesome.  Travel was awesome.

I had one of my old friends who had left this ward and moved to southern Illinois tell me that I am charming, dashing, witty, and handsome.  Basically making my day.

THEN I had another friend run her hands through my beard and play with it, telling me she loves beards.  DOUBLE made my day.

I say travel was awesome because I made it home hitting NO red lights and having moderate to light traffic.  It was perfect.  All to be accompanied by 72 degrees and white, puffy clouds flying slowly overheard.

***

The afternoon was finished with a nap, a delicious dinner with the family, and playing a fun game with my mom before she went to bed.  I think it's called Dicecapades.  REALLY fun.  It would be fun to have out at school to play with friends.

Now I am enjoying an evening in sweat pants because it is a bit chilly in the basement.

Doesn't get much better than today.

Hope your Sabbath was equally amazing.

~Boy

Priest

Brother Sam believed that light could hold the darkness at bay.

But darkness is defined by light.  Darkness cannot exist without light.

It is by definition the absence of light.

So light must be found out there.  Somewhere.

THIS is the reason I love entertainment.

***

I don't have much time, because I am in the middle of a marathon. (nearing the end technically) but I thought I would quick update you on my life.

It's pretty awesome!  Tomorrow we are going cliff jumping in a state park into a pool of water that is 120 ft. deep.  I looked it up online and it looks amazing.  It is going to be a good day.

-Swimming/jumping

-Dinner with friends

-Clubbing

Now...I use that term in a very loose sense.  We will be in a club, and we will be dancing, and it will be fun!  But we will not be doing the normal club things, like inappropriate dancing, drinking, or drugs.

NOW! back to the marathon.

~Boy

P.S. I hope that you have had a terrific couple days and that the weekend brings you much joy.

P.P.S. I trimmed up my neck beard so I don't look like such a homeless wreck.

Now I look like I'm a homeless wreck who occasionally has a razor and SOMEWHAT cares what he looks like.

That's all, folks!