About A Boy

Huzzah!...?

2011-09-27T14:37:00.000-05:00

Since my roommates and I have started a cooperative blog, and SINCE I am now a follower of said blog, I felt it appropriate to update here every once in a while.

AND, it is also appropriate to post here saying "hello!" in case you have stumbled here from that source or any other source really.

This blog, in general, isn't as funny as the other blog, so you may not find it interesting if that's the kind of thing you're looking for. HOWEVER, if you are here because you have become intrigued by the postings of Speasy, Spizzler, Spease-Meister or whatever other names I have, and would to travel further down the rabbit hole that is my brain, then this may or may not be the place to do that.

or a simple face-to-face conversation would accomplish that task as well. So, maybe you should be more social and just talk to my face.

~Boy

Twizzle Berries and Little Green Fairies!

2011-09-17T02:23:00.000-05:00

This one goes out to my dead homies, aka Megan.
It has been forever since I posted* and I won't lie. It makes me feel guilty.
*NOTE: See forever = 2 months

Back when I was living in Minnesota I had a funny idea for the start of September, that for a whole month/year/whatever I was going to take a picture of myself first thing in the morning and post that on here, and I would change this into a blog almost entirely focused on my bed head. For at least that period of time. Then I'd change it later when I felt inspired.
***
School is going great!
Oh wait, you didn't know I was at school now? OK, fine, I'll rewind...

First I was at home for the seven week break which was quite fantastic! I got to hang out with lots of old, good friends, see some friends but NOT hang out with them, and even go on a fantastic date or two.

Now I'm out at school! (Refer to line #8)
***
I have come to deal with the fact that when it comes to relationships I am probably the equivalent of a high school female...
I see something I like, I go for it, and I get stuck on it, no matter the outcome.

FOR INSTANCE!

I have liked quite a few girls over the last couple years, but I have really liked one most of all, and I am rather stuck on her and anyone else just kinda seems sub-par. I know it's a bad thing to do, but I do it anyway. I can't help it. Shut up.
***
I felt genuine school-related stress for the first time the other day...
After a day of classes and seeing syllabusi (plural syllabus) I thought to myself, "Self, how are you going to do this?! You need to get a job, do well in school, AND get married? What were you thinking?" And then I went to sleep and woke up feeling great.
When I sleep lately I dream of the girl previously mentioned who I am stuck on, so I am able to feel refreshed and happy whenever I wake up. Even if to nasty alarms and such...
ANYWHO...
Ya, so life is good.
The only thing I can really be unhappy about right now (that's out of my control) is my calling as FHE Dad again...I dislike this calling, and yet I am once again placed in it. Apparently there is still a lesson for me to learn. HARUMPH.

I need to go on more dates. That's something I can control and would make me happier possibly.
***
I am mucho sleepy...passing out now.

~Boy

Lost In Translation or Trans-Fats. You Decide.

2011-08-21T01:50:00.000-05:00

Throughout the day, and especially at night time, I get little jolts of inspiration. I think of things I should write about, journal about, blog about, ANYTHING about. But by the time it comes to sit down at my computer I lose all motivation to simply click the tab that says "Blogger" and actually do something about it. So instead I have thousands of ideas, memories and whatnot that are lost forever.
Today is a prime example.

HECK! I barely wanted to write a post about how I forget to write posts.
How awesome am I?

You know you like it.

~Boy

Sidetracked

2011-08-14T01:52:00.000-05:00

Oh hey there Blog.
It sure has been a while.
You look like you're doing well. Thank you.
***
While in the bathroom earlier this evening/morning I was contemplating evolution. More specifically, complicated evolution. Not monkeys into humans and that sort of whatnot, but individualized evolution. The type that we do from the very start of our life cycle until the end.
It inspired me. I was going to post about it here...

But instead I got sidetracked by trying to figure out some schooling details for the fall. In which I shot myself in the foot not once, but twice. Just minor grazings of my foot. No arteries or anything. so it will be easy enough to recover, but it certainly stinks that things can't just always work out perfectly.

So now I'm too tired to talk about evolution, and I still need to read my scriptures before sleeping.
And since I think that is more important, I will do that instead.
***
ALSO, the following is everything I know about the Sun:
-If I stay in it too long I get burned.
-If I don't stay in it enough, people call me pasty and don't like me.
That is all.

~Boy

This One's For All My Dead Homies...

2011-03-14T04:03:00.000-05:00

When I started working at American Eagle I didn't think anything of it. Up to that point in time I had held 2 jobs. McDonald's when I was 15ish, and Noodles'N'Company for the duration of the summer before my mission. I quit McD's after only a month, and I was only at Noodles for 8-9 months. I didn't quite know if all jobs were like that, but some people seemed to have been at these "job" things for quite a while! Years even. Decades if they were really dedicated/confused/stuck/etc.

It is coming closer and closer to my time to leave AE, after having worked there for 2 1/2 years, and I never EVER suspected I would get emotional about it.

Tonight was my last floorset at store 2062, and there was absolutely nothing special about it, which is ok, because floorsets are kinda crap to start with. I also found out that my head Manager, Justin, turned in his two week notice today. This is a man that has been with the company for somewhere around 10 years. I never thought I'd see the day when he was no longer there. He had always been there, and I figured he would continue to always be there. All night, while building walls I couldn't wrap my head around this idea that he would someday be gone...

THIS IS CRAZY

I have dealt with death, loss, sadness, pain, grief, depression, but never have I felt this way.

One of my other managers, Roz, quit just a matter of weeks ago. It was rather unexpected, but I hardly felt a thing. I was a little sad that her quirky personality wouldn't be around anymore, but it was nothing emotional. Just completely habitual I would say.

And now Justin is leaving and it feels like my whole world is turned upside down! What will become of the store? Who will the new Store Manager be? What will happen to the happy, laughing atmosphere that is found at only our AE? How long before Adam leaves, too? What will the other employees think? How long will they stick around?

I won't be around to find out the answer to any of these questions...and I'm glad for that. I can't imagine an AE without my favorite people around.

And the strange thing is...it seems like everyone else is leaving about this time, too!

Our store is strange because we have little turn-over. In an industry that is full of little teenagers that need a job just for nights after school for a couple years, or college kids that just need to work while home for the holidays, our store has been the exact opposite. We have had a constant, unchanging workforce for almost the entirety of the 2+ years I've been here. Now, we're all moving on...

It's like we are all getting a divorce or something!

This has all just become very real. I guess before, I knew that I would someday leave, but I never imagined what the day would be like when it actually happened. It's still quite...surreal.

But this is a retail job! What is there to be emotional about?!

Life is sure gonna be different in a month...

***

Life is amazing now.

~Boy

Dupe

2011-03-07T02:21:00.000-06:00

That's pronounced Doo-peh, not doop.
***
Today was a fantastic day to be alive and a member of the Lord's church if you live in the Midwestern area of the United States.
-Stake conference broadcast with Elder Cook, Bishop Burton, and President Eyring.
-CES Fireside with Elder Perry.
Pretty good stuff.

So, on this topic, I had a couple pretty awesome revelations today, and a couple moments of increased determination:
-satan quivers when he see's faithful Saints on their knees.
The last week I have been doing fantastic with a little one of my persistent sins. BUT, I have been doing terrible with my scripture reading and daily prayers. So last night I picked back up my New Testament scripture reading and immediately today I am ambushed by all these temptations over again. He wants so bad for us to just give up the simple, little, everyday things, because it is those things that keep us on the path of righteousness. I gave the exact same talk at least twice on my mission of the everyday battles, and how they are more important in the long run than a single, glorious day.

(These could/should probably be added to the goal list I made earlier this year)
-I will only watch three television shows from here on out, Biggest Loser, The Office, and Community. All other shows were funny, but they were ultimately an even bigger waste of time than absolutely anything else I could have been doing.
-For every hour of TV that I watch, pointless internet that I surf or video games that I play, I will spend the same amount of time during the week doing something productive...such as practicing guitar or piano, studying the scriptures or other church-related materials, or simply educational reading or music categorization.
-Daily workout is a must. No exceptions. Except the Sabbath, on which day I will abstain. Just something, ANYTHING to get active again. Winter has destroyed my physically fit drive, and that is terrible.
-Brush my teeth twice a day EVERY day, and always wash my face before bed. I have gotten really lazy with this as well when going to bed so late at night. If I can make time for other pointless activities in my life, I can certainly make time for a basic 5-minute routine of brushing and washing before bed.
***
Now I have to go to bed so I can get a jumpstart on some of these goals.
Ciao.

~Boy

NERD-DOM!

2011-02-28T01:49:00.000-06:00

I recently purchased a TV. Not just any TV. A Vizio, 22" LED 1080p TV. For just over 200 bucks! From Wal-Mart!

I don't care what you have to say about Wal-Mart, so keep it to yourself.

THEN(as if that wasn't good enough) I bought some HDMI cables. And proceeded to hook things up to said TV.

NOW I have the ability to switch channels between XBOX360 and being a second computer monitor. A beautiful, big, shiny computer monitor.

AND I added a second hard drive to my computer and a second DVDR drive...

Life is good.

***

The Gospel is amazing.

I have been thinking about it a lot lately and how truly awesome it is to know 100%, without a doubt, absolutely that the way to God that I know is the path He wants ALL of His children to travel, and how fortunate I am that I was born into it so that I didn't have to search for it or have it come to me.

Did I still have to find my own rhythm? Absolutely. BUT that is a heck of a lot easier when you have others supporting you, helping you, and being examples for you.

***

Today, in EQ we talked a little about the Law of Consecration, and how ultimately God wants us to give all(time, talents, material goods, etc.) that He has given us back, or at least be willing should the circumstance arise that He, or one of His other children, needs it.

So we talked about time, and how we can consecrate our time to the Lord. The teacher, Noah, had any of us willing to give a non-detailed breakdown of our time go up to the whiteboard and write it down.

I simply wrote:
20% Work

80% Fun

I didn't put MUCH effort or thought into my answer, but it felt to be roughly accurate...as long as I include sleeping, eating, and travel time as fun.

After we joked about it for a bit, and me actually doing some math, here's a rough outline of what I came to:

There are 168 hours in a week.

IF you get the recommended 8 hours of sleep per night, you sleep for a 1/3 of that time, or 56 hours.

So that's...

~33% of your week you spend asleep.

If you work a normal 40 hour work week, that comes to about...

~24% of your week is spent working.

If you spend roughly 14 hours a week(bare minimum 2 hours a day) of eating & hygiene...

~8% of your week is spent on eating & hygiene.

That equals a grand total of 65% leaving you a whopping 35% to do what you want with it.

Now, I didn't include it here, but I also figured in 9-10 hours of travel time every week just to get to different activities, meaning...

~6% of your week is spent traveling.

AND if you happen to be a good, spiritually-inclined, YSA Mormon with free time like myself, you spend about 7-8 hours a week doing things related to church, equaling...

~5% of your week is spent with church

That added to the previous totals equals 76% and 24% of used time/free time respectively.

Now, this may vary by person, of course, and some people have even gotten as good as doing two or three of these already listed activities at the same time. I haven't.

This is the bare minimum for me. I won't let myself be far from this schedule.

This, of course, will also change drastically once I'm in school. For instance travel time will practically disappear and school will take up another rough 32-36 hours a week or somewhere around 20%.

BUT for the time being, I still have 24% that I have all to myself. Or, roughly 40 hours a week.

Now, these are all rough estimates, don't get me wrong, but that still leaves me with a ton of time to just sit around and do whatever.

It's sobering to think about.

***

AND on that note...

I am a failure at most of my goals set earlier this year, but that doesn't mean I haven't stopped trying.

BUT life is good nonetheless.

~Boy

See Ya Later Butt Popcorn

2011-02-22T02:02:00.000-06:00

The above statement is a translation of the only sentence I know how to say in Bulgarian. Don't ask me to spell it on here. It's impossible for me.
***
Today has been good, and you know how I know that? I'm dead tired.
Days are always best if you end them ready to collapse. Or so I like to believe...
Woke up and shoveled the driveway some more. After all the snow we got it definitely needed to be shoveled a 2nd and 3rd time, and so it did.
Got ready for work.
Went to work for a couple hours.
Went to see I Am Number Four with my awesome friends.
Had Taco Mondays at Acapulco with same friends. 75 cent Tacos. How do you beat that?! And they are darn good tacos.
Spent the last couple hours playing Halo with Ivan. All-in-all, it was a successful day, no matter what anyone else may say about it.
***
One of the beautiful messages of the Gospel is that you are as strong, or know as much, or are as saved as you allow yourself to be. All the strength, glory, knowledge, spirit that God is willing to give you is entirely dependent upon yourself. If you want to overcome something, it's as easy as turning off the natural man and allowing that strength to flow through you. In application that can be really hard at times, but the principle is simple. Same with knowledge. God wants you to know His mysteries, and it is on your shoulders 100% whether or not He can reveal them to you, because He will never give you something that you're not prepared for.
It's awesome knowing the truth.

~Boy

Winnie The Pooh

2011-02-21T02:29:00.001-06:00

I think that checking Craigslist for "Missed Connections" might be my new nightly routine.
It's amazing!
Not because I'm looking for myself, but just because it's funny to see what other people put. I would have a hard time doing that and ACTUALLY thinking someone would respond. Plus, I haven't had many love-at-first-sight moments...if any.
***
Today was a good day full of goodly goodingtons.
Started off with church, which was really good. Messages of hope, faith and enduring to the end. Always good.
Priesthood was awesome. We had a lesson on work and responsibility.
I love the analogy of the storm.

You see, not every single little choice we make matters to God. It doesn't matter what shoes we wear today. It doesn't matter what we eat for breakfast.
This is like a storm.
Imagine that you are a rain cloud inside of a storm.
You are definitely part of something bigger than yourself, don't ever think otherwise.
That is besides the point.
He will move the storm system by the winds, and thus He will move you, and He may make all the conditions perfect for you to rain and bless the Earth with moisture, but He won't force you. He will put you right where you need to be, fill you with water, and wait, but never force.
And when you do choose to rain, He won't guide every raindrop. They will fall where they will fall.
He makes the conditions just right for us and what we need, not what we want, and then when we choose to rain, he will allow us to choose where the droplets fall.
Will things get done in His own due time? Absolutely. We just receive the blessings if we are the ones to accomplish His designs, not just wait for some other rain cloud to come along.

So I recognize that there are probably loopholes and oddities in my analogy, but I like it all the same. I also mixed a couple analogies together, I think but whatever.
***
After church I came home and had some lunch and took a long nap.
Only to be woken to eat dinner and shovel the driveway.

Just when we thought that all the snow in Minnesota was gone, we get one last glimpse of Snowpocalypse. It snowed over a foot in less than 10 hours. May not have been the BIGGEST/FASTEST snowfall, but it's still coming down, and isn't supposed to stop until sometime later tomorrow. So much for the Groundhog saying that Spring was coming soon. Looks to ME that we still have quite a bit of winter left.

Darn Groundhog.

That's fine by me. I would still like to get in a snowboarding trip sometime this winter.
BUT, I am so ready for some sunshine and warmer temperatures. Last week was just a teaser of what warmth feels like. I can't wait for it to return, because I want to wear my flip flops again.

~Boy

Dead Island

2011-02-17T01:44:00.002-06:00

Tonight's volleyball was pretty epic. I enjoyed it to say the least.
Now I have to go to bed so I can get up earlier than I want, so I can go to work earlier than I want, to do shipment faster than I want, so that I can end up doing something that I really want:
eating dinner with my dad.

Wish me speed!

~Boy

Falling is definite; Failing is optional

2011-02-15T03:28:00.000-06:00

Tonight I taught the lesson at FHE. It was a lesson that was relevant to me and at least one other person. I don't know what everyone else thought of it, and I'm not sure how I feel about it (besides the initial bad feeling of "ohmygoshIambadateverything...") but it was alright.
***
Apparently today was a holiday.
Known as Valentine's Day.
I don't know what I was expecting exactly. I haven't had a Valentine. Ever. I don't know why I thought this year would somehow be different.
I dressed all fancy. I was extra nice. I was funny.
Oh wait, that's just like every other day of my existence.

It sucks to hear people talking about Valentine's Day and how awesome it is when they have someone, and it's just as annoying to hear people complain about Valentine's Day and how much it sucks when they DON'T have someone. But it is darn near impossible to ignore the fact that you should be celebrating/crying alone on that day because EVERYONE ELSE IS.

So despite my best efforts to treat this just like any other day of my existence, I am left feeling sad and lonely.
***
A bunch of friends (approximately/exactly 8) and I went and saw The Eagle tonight. It was really good! I thoroughly enjoyed it, even though it didn't start 'til 10'o'clock!! Seriously. Who does that. Why not have a freaking earlier late showing. Like 9 or 8:30. Why do you have to wait 'til 10?
Either way, it was good. And tasteful. There was action, and it was good action, and there was implied violence and blood, but no blood was shown, besides an old wound, and very little violence. Oh, and no sex, either. All-in-all, a good family movie for those who are interested in Historical Fiction. Or what I believe is Historical Fiction. I honestly have no idea.

Anywho, at the start of the movie 2 friends and myself showed up late. 2 of us (males)naturally sat on the ends that were open and the third (female) sat a row up. The person (female) I was sitting next to got up and left to go sit with the person (female) who had sat up a row. Leaving me in a seat that was next to two empty seats. So, moral of the story was that I watched the movie by myself. And there happened to be some people that I knew there.
So, on Valentine's Day I end up getting the bigger shaft than the usual shaft I am used to receiving when viewing movies with groups of friends. It helped me feel good about myself, and I think I will make origami flowers, bake cookies, and find a unicorn to poop a golden rainbow for me, so that I can use the magical rainpoopbow as ink to write a book about how great life is and why I should win the Nobel Prize for happiness.
***
Shove that in your card and smoke it.

~Boy

From The Awkwardly Feminine To The Possibly Canadian

2011-02-11T02:51:00.001-06:00

The current layout of my bedroom puts my computer directly in front of the window, or at least half of it, and the crack from where the blinds don't fully cover the window is directly to the right of my monitor.

Why am I telling you this?

Because now you know why the cold airs comes in through that crack and directly onto my hand atop my mouse, making it frigidly cold ALL THE TIME.

***

Despite the fact that I sleep in until noon most days, I am slowly getting on top of my life. I'm working on finances, planning class schedules ahead, doing taxes, etc. It's fantastic! But you know when I do this stuff? 2 AM of course; When else would I do it?

***

Tonight, as I was at another amazing night of karaoke, my friend Natosha texted me asking me about girls and stuff.

First, note about girls: (or as far as my experience has brought me) if they want to know who you like, it means they like you, and want you to say them...OR, they want you to ask them in return who THEY like, and then they can tell you that they like you.

ANYWAY, I got sidetracked.

So, she texts me, and starts talking girls and asking me who I like. I respond with my "vague" yet true answer that I like a lot of people. She comments on my vagueness and proceeds to badger me for more information as to why I'm not dating anyone then.

I freeze.

I have no idea how to respond to that.

Why AREN'T I dating someone?

It really comes down to my low self-esteem, but you don't just tell people that everyday. So I start searching for other reasons as to why, or what could possibly be fueling my self-esteem issues.

I've got nothing. And so that's what I give her.

"I dunno..." She isn't happy with that, but goes to bed anyway.

So, whatever issues I have with dating any of the people that I am interested in, I had better sort out rather quick-like if I want to have any chance of getting a girl in Idaho.

***

Getting your driver's license sucks.

Note: I've already had one, just from another state.

Now, I have to get one in Minnesota because I lost my Wisconsin ID, and I have to take a test and get my driver's record and it's all just very tedious. It would be so much easier if there was an online database that the local DMV could go to and check on the status of my previous ID. Oh wait, there is one of those already?

It's called the internet?

Well, I'll be darned. Apparently the DMV has never of this magical thing. Their website hasn't been updated in YEARS (or at least looks it), all their services are either by mail or by phone, and they're just about as helpful online as they are in person.

***

There is a nasty smell in my fridge and it is tainting the water.

My yogurt tastes terrible. Never, EVER will I betray Yoplait, again. Anything else just isn't the same.

~Boy

P.S. Wimp.com is a wonderful resource for finding interesting videos about science/life/comedy/etc. It has blown my mind tonight.

H2O

2011-02-08T04:07:00.000-06:00

Not a whole lot to report today.
...
Worked. Went to FHE. Played video games.
...
Probably the most important part is when I bought some sweet argyle socks from Target for super cheap.
...
Oh, and I probably have bronchitis.

~Boy

Green and Yellow

2011-02-06T01:53:00.000-06:00

Tomorrow is the big day.
What day?
Why, the Super Bowl of course! It wouldn't matter if it wasn't Green Bay.
Listening to Green and Yellow by Lil Wayne before I go to bed for luck.
***
The last 24 hours have been full of all sorts of emotions.
(This is where you get to know me a little better if you don't know anything about me.)
Emotions are interesting topic for me. I would say I am ultimately run by emotions, but I have a hard time talking about emotions.
When dealing with others, I often level with people on the plain of logic. What is logical vs. what they feel they should do. And although I see completely what is logical for myself, it is often my heart that has the last say on the matter, rather than my brain.
With that statement in mind, that I am run by emotion...
I just had a small revelation. I was going to say that I don't understand why it is hard for me to talk about emotions, but that is just the answer as well as the question.
It doesn't make sense, and that is the point. Emotion doesn't make sense. That being said, however, does not help me at all. I just don't like talking about feelings. It makes me uncomfortable. To talk about others feelings is fine. Wonderful, in fact. I enjoy when others share what they feel with me, because that is a part of them. Sharing what you know isn't special, because anyone can know something. Sharing what you feel IS special because not everyone (and probably no one) can feel the exact way that you feel about something. And even if they can feel their own interpretation of the same feeling, it isn't the same as YOU feeling it, because it's them not you.
If I feel so good when others share a part of themselves with me, what keeps me from also sharing a part? Is it because I believe they won't treasure that like I do? Is it because then I am more open to them, and thus more vulnerable?
I think so.
Wow, I am blowing my own mind right now, even if it doesn't influence you at all.
***
So...today:
-Had people over last night who stayed until very late. (There were a plethora of emotions there. Apathy, jealousy, anxiety, pride.)
-Woke up around 2 to a phone call from work telling me that they were using my on-call due to Justin, the head manager, going home sick. (No emotional response.)
-Worked for 5 hours. (Not many emotions. Happiness. Light-hearted. Childish.)
-Went to a Chinese New Years party that I was invited to by my friend Natosha. It was alright. I got there; People went on the roof and lit sparklers; I looked out on the city and thought about Spiderman; We played signs; I left during an awkward pause in the action about an hour into the party. I was lost beforehand in downtown Minneapolis due to some misinformation. Afterwards I drove home quite sad that I didn't really meet anyone at the party, although there were many that I didn't know. I think I am better at one-on-one meetings vs. a bunch of people that know each other meeting me, the outsider. Or even a meeting of a bunch of strangers. I don't feel comfortable being the only outsider. So, I self-reflected on the way home, and felt bad, then I got home, watched some stuff on hulu and now I feel good again, ready for bed, church tomorrow, and the Super Bowl.
So, a minor roller coaster day, but C'est La Vie.
Tomorrow will be better.

~Boy

Foggin' Up The Mirrors

2011-02-05T04:40:00.002-06:00

After a long day of work for me, and other misadventures including an (failed)attempt to gain a Minnesota Driver's License, I decided I wanted to be social.
The party commenced at my house circa 10:30 and went 'til almost 4:30 in the morning.
I'd say it was a success.

Now!! Time for sleep.

~Boy

Phew

2011-02-04T01:58:00.001-06:00

So, tonight, due to the fact that it is a Thursday, I was at karaoke. It was a good night. There is much to be said about it. BUT, I shall start with the most important things first. Namely:
-I AM A ROCKSTAR!
That's really all that can be said about that.
Oh, why am I so confident in my ability to both rock and be a star you ask? Let me tell you the lineup of songs I bellowed to the heavens of rock...
--Breakfast At Tiffany's - Deep Blue Something (Something light to start; also a crowd favorite)
--Handlebars - Flobots(Had to show those dumb High Schoolers was rapping really is. Too bad they had left by this point...)
--I Believe In A Thing Called Love - The Darkness(A crowd, friend, personal favorite. It's what I'm known for)
--Clint Eastwood - Gorillaz(An old-timey funkathon for/with my friend Nick)
--Headstrong - Trapt(Get my rock to the climax; also a favorite of Courtney's)
--Uprising - Muse(Last song of the night AND a first-time for me)
Now, check out that lineup! What could be better?
Oh, much, you say? Well, what do you know...
All-in-all, I feel good about the evening. Got some good socializing. Got some good cake. Got some good hugs. Lots of G'n'G. Gots'N'Goods.
I dunno, I just made it up. Probably not my best, but it's hard to compare with that line I used earlier about "old-timey funkathon's"...
Get bent.
***
Tomorrow is a full day. I have to wake up *early and go to the Orthodontist to get the little metal bar on the back of my lower teeth fixed.(It broke while brushing my teeth last week. Yes, apparently I brush that hard that I can break plastic molding) Then it's off to Hastings to get a new Driver's License, hopefully, followed by 4-hours of American Eagle work. Thanks heavens it's shipment. I love doing shipment. I get to be physical, listen to my own music, and STILL get all the benefits of co-worker chatter without the downside of terrible boredom and music on the sales floor. Plus I do it alone, and that's kinda nice. I like people and everything, but sometimes it's nice to just do things on your own, ya know? After that it's off to Hudson to do some computer work with my brother-in-law Bryan. Which I will enjoy immensely. Seriously. I will.

*Early for me is anytime before 10-noon. I have to wake up at 8:30. Boo hoo.
***
With that all in mind, it is time for bathroom and bed. B'n'B, as I like to call it.
What? That acronym is already used? Well phooey.
How about restroom and rest, R'n'R?
That, too?
Shoot.

~Boy

P.S. Eating granola in the morning has been the GREATEST thing I have EVER done for my diet/intestinal track.

Cough Cough Wheeze Sleep? Nah...

2011-02-03T03:19:00.000-06:00

I am officially sick of being sick. What's worse is the fact that I'm not even REALLY sick anymore. I function 99% during the day (with an allowance of error of 1%) and then as soon as 2AM or so rolls around, I start coughing every 10 seconds.

-Where is this cough during the day?

-Why does it only come in the early mornings?

-Why don't you just go to bed earlier, Spenser, and sleep through the cough?

Well, my very astute reader, I am a creature of habit. I like doing things because I have always done them. Not all things mind you! I like doing things because I like doing things, but there are certain parts of my schedule that I do simply because I have always done them and am not ready to give them up.

One of those things just happens to be my sleep cycle.

Sure, I am CAPABLE of going to bed earlier and waking up earlier and being like every other boring person on the planet...but I want to stay up.

-Well what do you do all those hours that you're awake while everyone else is sleeping?

I do all the things that YOU do while YOU'RE awake. I practice guitar. I play hackey-sack. I eat.(snacks) I drink.(water) I play video games. I even use the restroom every once in a while! And most importantly, I learn! That's right. I study up on things.

-Like what?

Right now I'm reading a book that my step-aunt gave to me for Christmas, entitled 50 Great Myths Of Popular Psychology by Scott Lilienfeld. I love Psychology. I like learning about the human brain, and what exactly we think it does. I like learning about people, and why they do things. I like learning. Period.

This book talks about, you guessed it(but only because you're so smart) 50 great myths of popular psychology!! Such things as, "The average human only uses 10% of their brain" and "opposites attract," are covered in the book and are completely debunked.

You see, even in reading this book I am finding glimpses of the Gospel. Does the book ever speak of religious matters? I don't think so. My mind is just so fantastical that it puts them there! I make my own little connections, because I think it's fun.

For instance, the biggest connection that I make with every page that I read is the common theme of truth behind lies. Many(if not all) of these myths are based on facts. BASED ON but not facts themselves.(that's why they're myths) Many things that *satan tells us are half-truths. What did he say in the garden of Eden?

Genesis 3:4-5 -- "And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil."

Now, I took the liberty of underlining the lie. They WOULD in fact bring death, disease, and pain into this world by partaking of the fruit, but he did not lie about their acquisition of knowledge by partaking of the fruit. That was true.

Half-truths...They are definitely no fun.

Now, is this a HUGE half-truth in the timeline of eternity? Somewhat, and that's not really consequential to my statement right now, but it could be discussed in greater detail later. So we will move on past that. All that matters at this moment is that it fits my purposes.

*A little trick I learned from Sister Oaks(yes, the wife of Elder Dallin H. Oaks) when I heard her give a talk at the University of Utah Institute of Religion was that she never capitalizes satan. She feels like that is her own little way to jab at him for being all evil and stuff, and it makes her feel good. I thought it was funny and clever, so I have adopted this as well.

***

SO, that was one huge, fun sidetrack.

The point being, I don't like coughing when I don't feel like coughing. I don't like going to bed early. I don't like it Sam I Am, I do not like green eggs and ham. (Pineapple and ham, however, is quite delicious. Especially when put on a pizza)

And so I will probably keep staying up late, hoping that this darn cough works itself out.

***

Oh ya, did I mention I lost my wallet two days ago(now three days ago, due to the time right now)?

I don't know where it is, or where I lost it, but it is definitely gone. Somewhere.

Now I actually have to get a Minnesota Driver's License. I have lived here for 2 years and 4 months, and I have avoided it this long, and NOW I have to get one. Just a matter of weeks before I leave for Idaho. Talk about bummers.

BUT, it is official now, I am living with Brain Bourgerie and Mike Lehman next semester in Apt. #9, and it is going to be the greatest semester of my life MOST DEFINITELY.

***

Now I guess I will go to bed, if this cough will let me...

~Boy

Relapse?

2011-02-01T02:46:00.000-06:00

So, although my headache is now gone, my cough has returned with a vengeance. Fantastic.
I wonder if there would be any negative side-effects of taking a Dayquil and the Naproxen I already took...
I guess I could check the internet...
***
I really enjoy playing guitar. I almost learned another song tonight, from no experience to mastery.
I think I could be good IF I was dedicated at all. The problem is, I just get so darn distracted. So very, very easily.
That is usually why I forget to blog on here most nights.
***
My music collection is becoming more and more organized. Which is nice. I've wanted to organize all my songs and get all of the information for them and album artwork and everything probably since I got this computer, and now it is finally coming to fruition. If only I didn't get distracted so easily...
***
Tonight I ended up having to teach at FHE with basically no preparation at all. Long story short, there was a snowstorm, lots of people didn't come. I was put in charge due to leadership absence, and then the teacher didn't come either. So I pulled a lesson out of my magical hat and gave it. Not my best. Probably not my worst. Luckily I have a chance to redeem myself in a couple weeks. That should be better. Because, you know, I'll have time to prepare it and get everything all ready and will know that I'm giving the lesson more than an hour in advance. And that's always nice.

~Boy

Lost In The Tide

2011-01-30T03:24:00.000-06:00

Once you see the grand design behind a certain event, or a principle that you are supposed to live, it becomes all too easy to give up your own desires and follow what you SHOULD be doing, instead of what you WANT to do.
This week has sucked as far as vacation time goes. Parents are away, so naturally children should play, right? Usually, yes. This time, no. I've been sick all week. And it has sucked a ton. I've even complained a little bit about it on here, ya. BUT, today I finally saw why I needed to be sick this week.
So, my life has been what some might call pampered...
I have parents that love me.
Friends that trust me.
I like my jobs.
All is well in my life, basically.
The longest time I've spent outside of my parent's house, however, was the two years I was in the service and protection of the Lord, which you could hardly call being away from home at all!
And so I don't quite know how to take care of myself. This week has been a crash course in life. Suddenly, there was no mommy to take care of me when I get sick. There was no one to take me to the Urgent Care this afternoon. There was no one to buy me orange juice. This was all me time, and it was a good time to be had.
I think I'm a lot more prepared for heading off to college now than I was at the start of this week.
CRAP JUST GOT REAL
If only there was someone to hold your hand the entire way through your life and make sure you never get sick or bumps or bruises...life would suck. It's the ups that make the downs, and vice versa.
When out in the real world, there isn't a whole lot of time to just sit on your butt and play video games. Well, not if you ever want to move out of your parent's basement at least. You have to get out and DO THINGS.
It's been somewhat eye-opening for me.
***
Why do doctors treat symptoms and not diseases? I have no idea what is wrong with me this week. I don't know what disease I had that caused me to be sick. All I know is that I had a fever, runny nose, cough, headache, and those are now taken care of. C'est La Vie.
***
I had something else earlier today that I wanted to post about...but I forgot it.
Drat.

~Boy

BlahBlahBlah

2011-01-29T00:57:00.001-06:00

Sometimes, life is just boring.
It's unfortunate that that time just happens to fall during the days when I am sick and have absolutely nothing to do.
***
Today was nice. Woke, up. My home teachers ACTUALLY visited my home and taught me here instead of at the institute like usual.
It's always nice when others get to see how far away I really live, so that they can feel some form of sympathy.
Then I caught up on my favorite tv shows, being The Office and Community. I also am trying to like another new show called Perfect Couples. It's just not doing it for me, though. Then I took a nap.
I woke up, again, and headed to the Fun-Filled Friday activity at the Institute of Religion where we watched my copy of How To Train Your Dragon, that my home teacher Chris had borrow earlier that day for that specific purpose. It was an ok evening. The best part was all the hot chocolate I got to drink. And there was some donuts there, too. Which were nothing special. Except for that last apple fritter. I love apple fritters. Mm mm, apple fritters.*
***
I took a Nyquil about an hour and a half ago, and so I am getting quite woozy. I think it's time to read from the New Testament and go to sleep, now. Romans is so interesting!! I can see why many born-agains would get their facts terribly screwed up due to it, but I can also see how easy it would be to overcome any skepticism they might have. Oh, if I only had the knowledge and gusto that I do now, back when I was a missionary. Hindsight stinks.
*See, Inside Joke.

~Boy

P.S. I also played guitar for a bit somewhere in there. I don't quite remember when, so if you're looking for a minute-by-minute breakdown of my life, I apologize.

Except Me

2011-01-28T03:24:00.000-06:00

Boy, the times they are a-changin' indeed!
Less than 3 months ago, I knew less than 3 people who were engaged. Now, I can think of...at least 6. NONE OF WHICH ARE THE ORIGINAL 3!!
Moral of the story: Everyone is getting married.
Ivan and I have talked about this a couple times* The crazy fact that seemingly everyone we know is getting married! Or has plans to get married sometime soon. Now, of course there are a couple factors working against us. Most notably that we are at a marrying age. People in there early-to-mid twenties get married.(At least in Mormon culture) Even people OUTSIDE of our religious mindset get married sometime in their 20's, usually. And so I am left to wonder what is so very wrong with myself that I am not part of this mass that seem to all be jumping aboard the same train to Marriagetown. Some would argue that perhaps it is not something wrong with you so much as it is something wrong with the world.
I have no problem telling these people they are wrong and there is definitely something wrong with me.
OK, well, maybe not "wrong" with me, but it is definitely out of my choosing. I have a few major issues with where I can currently fall economically, educationally, socially, etc. that make me feel uncomfortable with being married at this exact point in time.
Don't get me wrong. I love the thought of marriage. I want to be married. Very. Very badly. BuuuuUUuUUuUuuuuUuuut, I just don't see myself being able or willing to go on sincere dates or hold really meaningful relationships when I am living in my parents basement, working in a sub-par retail position, with little-to-no education in my intended field. (or it's really just a downstairs, seeing as how the door to the ACTUAL basement is directly next to the entrance to my room)
But alas, soon I shall move on to Idaho, to the land where young, single LDS women flow like honey.
*See 'every day.'

Now, I know of the danger in believing that the grass is always greener on the other side. Trust me. I know too well the dangers of thinking of tomorrow being better than today. The truth is that tomorrow is just another day. Like today. And yesterday. And every day before that, or any day AFTER that. Days are days are days.
They are what we make of them.
If I wake up in the morning and believe that I'm going to have a great day, I WILL have a great day because I will be looking for the great things in it. If I wake up thinking today is going to suck, it WILL suck because I will be looking for the bad things all day long so that I can keep myself down in the rut that I chose to dig.
It's a principle called self-fulfilling prophesy. Read about it. It's true.
People for the last couple years have wondered how I can stay so positive, even during times that SHOULD be hard for the average person. I have two answers:
1.)I want to be happy, so I am happy.
2.)OBVIOUSLY the Gospel. What did you think I was going to say, adventure? Drugs? Money? Silly Goose, Trix are for kids with dulled taste buds.
THAT BEING SAID...
-I know that Idaho isn't inherently going to be better than the situation that I am in now.
-I know that the reason I'm not married is because I haven't been making myself available for marriage.
-I know that life is what I make of it.
I'm going to make it happy.

I have a couple hurdles to go through(or over, I guess would be the more correct terminology) and then I will be ready. And when that day comes. Look out world.
***
Alka Seltzer Plus Night Time tastes horrible(even if the package says Lemon, I know that it really means baby giraffe urine.) but BOY does it make you sleepy. I am going to go pass out now.

~Boy

P.S. I love hacky sack. So very, very much.
P.P.S. I have been blessed far more than I deserve.

Boyhood

2011-01-27T03:32:00.000-06:00

I've been sick for the last 3 days...It started on Sunday night, and I continued to do things for who KNOWS what reason. I went out to FHE on Monday. Went to Institute on Tuesday. Now, I've spent all day today (Wednesday) inside, doing nothing but sluffing around the house. I've decided that Wednesday is the worst day to be sick, because there is no good TV. So, even when I go to my last resort of entertainment (TV) there is no relief. I am just left to again, be bored out of my mind.
Watched a couple movies.
Played some video games.
Checked every website known to man. Twice.
Still looking for things to do.
Guess I could be productive and practice guitar or something...Nah.
Been hacking up the nastiest colored gunk I've ever seen. Not pleasant. Not one bit. By midday I feel alright, but in the morning and at night I feel like utter trash.
***
I had a dream the other day. I don't remember the context of the dream, I just remember in the end of it, I had to snap someone's neck. It was a mercy kill. An escape for a loved one who was doomed to a much worse fate.
And even though I dreamed this, I can still recall the sound, the feel, the pop in my mind as if it actually happened. It was a terrible feeling. I hope I never have to experience anything even close to it in real life.
***
In institute on Tuesday night we spoke about Section 84 in the Doctrine and Covenants. Usually we cover a couple sections a week, but this time we focused entirely on one. It's the section about the Priesthood. A really awesome section, worthy of study by any member of the Church. Directly afterwards Ivan and I drove northward to give a blessing to a newly baptized member in the ward. She is having a hard time with certain people in her life, and dealing with problems of feeling alone. I think that just our willingness to give the blessing was a comfort to her in itself. Hopefully our faithfulness, the missionaries prayers, and her determination for right will help to seal that blessing upon her for comfort and safety within the blessed arms of Christ.
It was neat to be able to learn about the priesthood, and then to go and act with that priesthood for the blessing of another child of God. The Gospel is everywhere.
We had a conversation with the missionaries on Tuesday night before Institute, when we fed them, about how you can find the Gospel in absolutely anything. And it's true! Almost anything, when placed in the hands of one who has the Spirit, can be made into a metaphor of some key principle of the Gospel.
***
I need to buy new shoes.
I got into the trend of wearing "Chucks," despite the fact that they are completely flat-footed, offer no protection from the elements in winter, and get dirty really easily. I am over this trend now, and want to go back to comfortable shoes that are nice to look at, nice to wear, and that are nice TO me.
It also helps that Ivan and I found a store at the Mall of America that sells really good hacky sacks. So we both purchased one, and I hope to get back into it strongly.
***
It is time to go to bed now. I am very tired, and as I mentioned earlier, nights aren't the best feeling times for me right now.

~Boy

Nightmare Kitchen

2011-01-23T02:39:00.000-06:00

When was the last time you hugged someone and meant it?
Perhaps you're much different than me, and hug people only because you genuinely like them, or for some other reason.
I used to be that way.
Now, due to my friend group's frequency of hugging, or prior frequency (things have slowed down a bit), when I hug someone, it's out of repetition, habit, etc. I haven't really been hugging people for the right reasons.
People used to tell me that they loved my hugs because they were genuine. Because I hugged them like they really cared. I didn't know what they were talking about at first because that's the only type of hug I gave. Now, after much desensitization I have realized what they meant.

The last two nights I've had the opportunity to spend time with my good friend, Kyle. It was great fun, and when the night was over I felt closer to him, and gave him sincere hugs as he left. It felt different than my usual hugs, and I think that he could feel that difference. It probably felt more like my hugs used to.

Signs of affection are funny.
***
You can't dig yourself out of a rut, digging only results in deeper ruts. You must climb out of a rut. Seek for higher ground.
And if need be, grab the hand of One who already stands on higher ground. Then turn around and help those who were in the rut with you out. That way you all profit together.

~Boy

The Times They Are A-Changin'

2011-01-21T04:36:00.000-06:00

So, I live a pretty care-free lifestyle. That's fair to say.
There is one thing I care a lot about, though.
Fat.
I don't like it all that much.
Not on me.
Not on others.
Just not a big fan.

SO...I am quite saddened by my current state of affairs.
Now, I know what you're thinking: "Spenser, you're not fat at all? What is your deal?" or maybe, "Spenser. This is very inconsiderate. Fat people can't help it." or perhaps, "You go, girl!"
Meh.

At one point during my mission I was doing 300 sit-ups a day, and over 100 push-ups a day. What the crap happened? I wasn't even buff, then! That was to just keep off the fat from all the freakin' steak and other amazing food that people fed us(and all the junk I got in packages from my mom).

Don't get me wrong. I love food. I am not a health-nut.
I love eating candy. I love drinking soda.
I could really care less how many calories I take in in a day. I don't count. I don't really work that hard to be the shape I am.
I just want to get back to the point where I can work out like I could in California.
But you know what my problem is? Of course you do. It's the same problem as every other person in America. I get distracted. By television. By the internet. By everything that ISN'T a productive activity. By everything that keeps me in my ultra-comfortable rocking chair in front of my computer.

When I get to Idaho, I know I will be in much better shape. I will be active. I will have a gym. I will have a pool. What more could I need?
Here, I have a floor, some pull-up straps over a door, and a computer.

This is my post to dedicate myself to working out. To getting stronger. To becoming who I am supposed to be.
That's all. Blargh.

~Boy

Too Late

2011-01-18T03:24:00.000-06:00

B'uh. I have to get up at 8. Why do I do this to myself?
***
So, I've gotten into a terrible habit of, right around this time of night when I'm getting ready for bed, thinking about spiritual matters, or matters of some importance in the world and thinking to myself, "oh man! I should blog about that!! That's a really cool thought!" but instead getting distracted or discouraged and just going to bed and completely forgetting about them. Tonight is no different.

Except here I am, writing.
***
So, in little bullets, here are small bits of what I have thought about in the last little while.
-Every message I've heard in church and elsewhere recently has been about moving on. Letting go of the past and looking to the future. This only makes sense being the start of the new year, but it also has special implications for me right now at this time of my life as well. So, I guess that I'm getting the message to move on, and I shall do so.
-Is life like a chess game or like dominoes? How do you explain fate vs. predestination?
-Think about the "daily bread." The things that I need help with every day of my life. Not what I need tomorrow. Not about what I did yesterday(see bullet point #1). What I need today.

That's all.
***
Tonight's thought, that finally got the better of me and made me feel that I HAD to write it somewhere, is that 95% of life is timing. Or at least it is right now.

The Lord puts you in a certain place at a certain time so that you can perform a certain action. What happens if while in that place and time you don't perform? You have thrown off the timing.
Luckily, most of the places and times are of little significance in the grand scheme of things. Unfortunately, we CAN make ourselves more miserable by missing out on those chances. Let me give you an example:

-Girl C meets Boy B, they date, and break-up
-Boy A meets Girl A, they are acquaintances
-Boy A meets Girl B, they are friends, and travel a summer together as camp counselors
-Boy A meets Girl C, Boy A is smitten. Girl C is also, secretly, smitten. <---
-Girl A meets Boy C, Boy A is smitten. They are friends. --->
-Boy A and Girl C become good friends. <---
-Girl A develops feelings for Boy A; They are not returned.
-Girl B develops feelings for Boy A; They are not returned.
-Girls A and B lose interest in Boy A
-Girl C travels, sees Boy B, and is smitten with Boy B, again.
-Boy A and Girl C admit feelings for one another!
-Girl C begins dating Boy B.
-Boy C proposes to Girl A.
-Boy A is alone.

Do you see where the timing was? In case you didn't notice, I put arrows pointing to the important parts.
--Had Boy A and Girl C been open from the beginning, Boy B would have never entered the picture.
--Had Girls A and B developed feelings BEFORE Boy A met Girl C, Girl C would have never been part of the picture.
--Had Boy C not waited, he could have lost Girl A.

So...we are left with timing.
It's amazing to me how tightly the puzzles of our lives fit together. If we try to modify one piece, try to alter one step in the process, we can mess up our entire picture. Or we can just end up lonely for a while.
Either way, we can mess things up due to our selfishness. That's ultimately what being shy is. It's being selfish and prideful. We care more about our pride than about the timing that the Lord has worked to create.
***
Well, that's all fine and dandy, but what are you gonna do about it?
Notice the moments that you are in. Take note and take charge of your life. You've lost too many opportunities to being prideful and shy. It's time to change.

~Boy

Addictions

2011-01-06T05:19:00.000-06:00

So...here I am, at 5 A.M. on Thursday morning, and I still haven't gone to sleep. I got home from a pretty good Rock Band 3 party at Kyle's house in River Falls and decided to clean up my room because it is A MESS! Well, was a mess. Now it's cleaner. Thank heavens.
It got really messed up on Monday night when Ivan spent the night and we brought in our family room TV to my room so we could have some amazing gaming opportunities! Well, to do that, we had to shuffle some other stuff around, now leaving that stuff to go elsewhere, creating a mess.
ANYWAY, that's not the point of the story.
The point of the story is that at the same time that I started cleaning my room (and eating an orange as part of my goal to eat a fruit a day) I started watching The Biggest Loser on hulu. In case you don't know what that is, it's a TV show about big people who compete to lose the most weight.
It really makes me want to work out. Badly. I really hope I'm never obese. And luckily, hope leads to faith, faith leads to action. Yay for true principles!
***
Speaking of goals that I've already mentioned and put down in multiple places:
I lied. I didn't end up putting them down on my desktop in Excel like I said I was going to. I got distracted and end up not. But, I will do it now. I am going to take a break from this post so that I can.
***
It's done. They're written down now.
***
Holy cow this show is amazing! That will never happen to me. I don't care if the last thing I can do is starve myself, I won't ever be that big. Ever.
Think of the stretch marks. Jeepers.
***
I like thinking about my mission. Those are happy memories.
Missions are amazing because despite the fact that every day you face disappointment, heartache, and upset I can only remember happiness and blessings.
AND I HAD KIDNEY STONES!!
So many rough, bad times, but yet life was still awesome! I want to talk to my converts. They're all awesome.
***
I forget what else I wanted to say, but life is amazing. I am excited for school to start in April, and I'm really grateful for my friends and family.
Now on to those goals...

~Boy

Postacular!

2011-01-04T00:24:00.000-06:00

Today was a day! I don't know how to describe it really. I woke up at 7:30, so that was darn early, and I worked until 4:30, so that was a lot of work. During lunch I went to Wendy's with Ivan, but only took my lunch after I had finished updating one computer to Windows 7. It was awesome! I got a whole 2 done today! Well...almost 2. Like.... 1 and 3/4.
After work I went to Ivan's, and watched him play Fable 3 for a while before we left for FHE.
FHE was good, but we were scared that not many people were gonna show up. It was 7'o'clock and there were like 6 people there. By the end we had more like 20 or something. So that was neat-o!
***
Now Ivan is at my house, spending the house, and we are Skyping with our friend Mandy, who is at BYU-Idaho, and her roommate, whoever that is.
It is fun. Girls are giggly. Ivan is a ladies man. I am typing this.
***
Other than that, today wasn't really exciting or anything. Just a lot of work and play. Hopefully after we are done with Skype we can play video games!! YAY!

~Boy

New Year, New You

2011-01-03T00:19:00.000-06:00

This weekend I made a last-minute decision to travel down to Chicago with Ivan to visit Ellie, Jessie, Gloria, and Joe. Needless to say, it was a blast!!

And Ellie has the coolest family ever. Period.

***

While visiting, Ivan and I attended church with Ellie and her family and in Elder's Quorum we conversed about goals, seeing as how it IS the New Year. So, while sitting there, I decided to take a couple notes on my iPod Touch on any goals that came to my mind. Here they are:

-Physical--swim every week

*I may need to wait 'til at college for this one, or get a gym membership

-Social--Go on a date once a month

*This is much bigger for me than it may appear for the average 20-something boy. It could downright kill me.

-Spiritual--Fast, correctly, each month

-Fiscal--Save 1000$ by year's end

-Fiscal--Don't get pulled over all year

-Physical--Eat at least one fruit every day

-Spiritual/Cultural--Study a verse from the Book of Mormon every night in Japanese

-Spiritual--Attend the temple every month

-Spiritual--Get to know my Home Teaching families better/get at least 75% home taught each month

-Spiritual--Read applicable Preach My Gospel sections every two months

***

As you can see, most of the goals are spiritual, but I have a few more temporal items spattered in there. I would really like to work on these, and they say the best way to keep a goal is to write it down. So here it is. As well as in a spreadsheet on my desktop.

Wish me luck!

~Boy

Boy: Legacy

2010-12-18T02:07:00.000-06:00

Too much of a good thing is better than none.

But it still isn't as awesome as you'd thought.

Who thought that so much good, and uncertainty, could be so stressful.

~Boy

Why Do We Fall, Bruce?

2010-12-13T00:58:00.000-06:00

Watching movies about super heroes always makes me feel like such a weakling. Or 300. While Spartans aren't super heroes, they sure have the power to belittle someone.
During Institute last week we had a discussion about how we should do our homework on the Sabbath. Many in class are going to school, and so this would have an effect on them. I am not in school currently, so I can't give up homework. I decided to give up the thing that wastes most of my time, video games. Not entirely, mind you. Just on the Sabbath. I've only done it for today, and it has been a bit of a challenge, but I think I will be able to do it as long as I stick my mind to it. Could mean just a lot more time watching football on Sundays. I also practiced my guitar for a while earlier.
Oh, so the point of the quote title and first sentences? I am watching Batman Beyond and Dark Knight right now back-to-back.
***
This weekend in Minnesota we got over a foot of snow!! Talk about crazy snow. Tons of it. Somewhere between 17" to 2 feet!! There is a 6 foot pile in front of our house along the walkway. I want to swan dive into it quite desperately.
It started on Friday night/Saturday morning.
I was up in Harris with my friend/crush Megan, having a good time and chatting it up late into the night, when it started snowing. For a while I thought I could leave and make it home before it got too bad. I was wrong. Before I knew it, minutes turned to hours and it was 4AM. The snow had piled up quite high and I had a meeting to be at (either in person or via telephone) at 10AM. We decided that it would be better if I stayed. Luckily Megan has an apartment/studio/thing/area above her garage and I got to stay there until the morning.
The alarm went off to early. It was right on time, but FAR too early for my liking.
My phone was almost dead and it was time for my conference call. I threw on my coat and trudged through the already quite impressive amount of snow to my car. Of course I forgot my wall charger.
I sat in my car for the next hour and 20 minutes on this call. The heat was on, so my car got quite toasty, and slowly more covered in snow.
After that I went back inside and to make a long story not quite as long, within a couple minutes Megan returned up to the apartment and used her influence to get me to come down for breakfast/lunch. We only had a couple hours of sleep, and since I was thoroughly snowed-in at her house, we decided to take a nap later. All-in-all it was a good day, but by nightfall the snow had stopped and I wanted to be home in my own bed for the evening. It took me a little over an hour and a half to get home, when normally it would take about an hour. So, the roads weren't as bad as I had thought they would be, but they were still pretty bad. I saw a total of 6 cars/trucks/SUVs in the ditch and one semi.
It was nice to be home.
***
The Ward Christmas Party tonight was really good. Lots of friends. Lots of food. Tons of laughs. My perfect equation for a pretty darn good evening.

~Boy

#4

2010-12-10T03:36:00.000-06:00

Boy, I am terrible at updating this regularly.
It's strange to me, and also testifies of the truthfulness of the Gospel that as soon as you try to do something good, or make a resolve to follow a certain commandment, satan* attacks you in that very way in which you will have the most trouble keeping that resolve.
For instance: I made a decision this week that I would pay more** fast offerings each month. What happens? It turns out the speeding ticket that I got about a month ago will be do in a couple days and it is worth 262$$ Now, this is a test, and one at which I am determined to succeed.
*I learned from Sister Oaks(the wife of Elder Oaks, member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles) that she likes to not capitalize satan because she feels like she is dissing him each time she does so and it helps her feel better. I like that idea.
**See any.
***
So, what's new.
Tonight at karaoke, which is part of my weekly routine, I just really wasn't feeling like being there. I didn't really feel like going there in the first place and never have I hit so many red lights on the way there. BUT, I owed Fiege money because he covered me the week before. I went, sang a song, sat and watched football, talked to Amber, wasn't really having a good time and decided to leave. I didn't say anything to anyone, I just grabbed my coat and left. About 40 minutes later I got a text from Brian asking me where I was.
Sometimes I just don't feel like doing anything. Time when I need to be low-key, potentially no-key, and have some time to myself. My mom would say that's due to my green energy, and how yellow(social) energy isn't natural, so to do it for long periods of time wears me out and I need to just revert back into that state in which I am most comfortable, which is green(unsocial). I don't think I can really disagree with her. Sometimes I do things just because others want me to do things, and when I do that, I get tired of it and would rather quit. I guess tonight was one of those nights. ALSO another guy got up and took my song. What a dunce.
***
Fable 3 came in the mail yesterday, from when I ordered it on Black Friday. It it how I spent my evening. It makes me happy.
"Video games are most exciting when life is not..."
***
I can touch my toes while standing.
Finally.
This has been a goal of mine for quite some time.
I'm glad to say I have finally accomplished something I put my mind(and body) to.

~Boy

Memory - All Alone In The Moonlight

2010-12-07T02:07:00.000-06:00

It's been on my mind lately the potential of the human.
Obviously, from a spiritual standpoint the potential is IMMENSE! Eternal and glorified, even.
But just from a physical standpoint. Purely mortal.
I was driving the other day with my friend Ivan, and my iPod was playing on shuffle and All Star by Smashmouth just happened to come. Now, I haven't heard this song in over 4 years and yet I CAN REMEMBER EVERY WORD. How did it get so ingrained in my memory?
Now think about that power. The power of recollection. Not only simply remembering things, but the ability to recall an item/idea and time, emotion, persons, memories that go along with said item/idea. That is crazy.
Now, on the flip side of this argument, I can't even remember to say my prayers every night. How is it that something so powerful as the human mind can give meaning to something so trivial as a popular song from years gone by and give absolutely no credence to an eternal principle such as prayer?!
Along those same lines I ask you to examine my legs. Right now they are crossed.
Now they are not.
My same friend Ivan has been studying a lot about etiquette and manners. It is inappropriate of a man to cross his legs. I did not know that until he told me so probably a month or two ago. But now every time I catch myself crossing my legs, whether while I am reclined back with my legs in front of me or sitting erect with my feet tucked beneath a chair I can hear Ivan saying that that action is inappropriate. Will this action to keep my legs separate ever become a habit? Will I ever reach the point of just doing instead of having to hear that warning voice? I don't know. Either way, this is also, in the grand scheme of things, rather trivial. Who really cares nowadays if I cross my legs? No one that matters.
So again, I ask, why can't we remember the most important things in life, the most basic, idealistic principles but we can remember that we learned three days ago on TV that a reindeer and a caribou are the same thing?
***
I believe we should bring back the phrase "not". It is super cool. Not.
See what I did there?
But seriously. It should make a comeback tour.

~Boy

Taco Seasoning

2010-12-03T03:47:00.000-06:00

It would seem that certain Cubs Foods employees have a personality. At 2 AM. And an AMAZING sense of humor.
I hope you're getting the sarcasm.
Since today is Thursday, that means it was karaoke night at Buffalo Wild Wings in Northtown. I had forgotten my wallets all day today, and it turned out that while I was home for a couple minutes before karaoke I ALSO forgot to grab them. I drove up to BWWs. Ate. Sang. Was merry. Went to pay, and I had no money in my wallet, because I had no wallet. Luckily my friend Fiege was willing to help me out and I promised to pay for him next week.
Unfortunately, I had also promised my mom I would pick up taco seasoning on the way home. How can I do that with no money? I can't. So I headed straight home afterwards, grabbed my wallet, headed to Cub, which is my 24-hour saving angel store. I found the taco seasoning fairly easily and proceeded to pay. That is when I met this wonderful employee with a sense of humor. No need to go into why exactly he thought he was so funny, just suffice it to say that he was/is weird.
***
Also on the way home from karaoke I felt I should take a certain way home, although I had decided yesterday evening I didn't want to take that way home anymore when coming from the northern metro. So I went that way, and I passed a car on the side of the road with it's hazards on. As I and another car got closer there appeared two people by the car, jumping up and down, trying to wave down helpful traffic passersby. My conscience got the best of me, but not until it was too late and I was a ways down the road from them. I immediately made a U-turn at the next light, drove back along the highway, took an off-ramp with another immediate U-turn, and then I was headed in the right direction to go help these stranded people. As I got closer I noticed that another car had, in the time it took me to turn around, stopped to help them and they were using this individual's cell phone for some purpose. And so I drove on and continued to home to get my money for taco seasoning.
***
Babies kinda rub off on you. At first I'm a little scared of them because they are so fragile and precious and gross. As they get a little older and I spend more time around them, however, I tend to like them a little. I make mention specifically of my nephew Caelum. He's just too darn cute.
My friend Megan said something to me that I already knew but had never had stated in this exact way so that it registered. I have always been confused/disgusted by children because of the many things they do and for the most part disliked them due to hygiene. Well, I had forgotten that children aren't just children. There is an adult inside that little body that just doesn't know how to function yet. It's not the fault of the child that it is out of place. It is just LITERALLY out of place in it's own body and is trying to get used to things. Makes me think...
***
Work has been really slow lately. REALLY slow. Terribly slow...
***
Now time for another Mormon Message and off to bed with me!

~Boy

2010-12-02T03:36:00.001-06:00

All I've got tonight is that I am REALLY, REALLY rusty at volleyball.
and it's only been two weeks.

~Boy

Lt. Colonel

2010-12-01T02:57:00.000-06:00

I probably spend too much of my life playing video games.
***
Today was a fairly average day. It started off like any other day: waking up at noon, preparing for work, reading in the Book of Mormon with breakfast, and leaving for work.
Work was normal and boring. Except for one customer who spent over 825 bucks! It's the biggest purchase I've ever seen and I'm guessing that the store has seen at least in a while. The district manager even called to congratulate me. All I did was stand there, scan in items, and tell her to have a good day! She picked out all the clothes herself, didn't need help and wasn't fussy about anything. It was my ideal customer. And then she got me praises from my peers with little to no effort on my own part. Who could ask for anything more?
After work was institute where we studied Doctrine and Covenants 59-64. We began speaking about missionary work but by the end of the lesson we had moved to the topic of forgiveness. I have always thought that I was a relatively good forgiver. I don't hold many grudges. I have an easy time laughing things off. People like me.
***
Lately I've been watching Mormon Message videos off of YouTube before going to bed as a way to invite the Spirit more readily into my life and to keep myself away from other temptations. It works fantastically! And the people's stories in the videos are just amazing!! I can't imagine going through some of the things they go through, and on top of that I can't imagine going through those experiences and then turning around and smiling. This makes me think that maybe I'm not as good at forgiving as I would think, but than again, I haven't had them, so who knows...
If I ever do have them, I hope that I CAN keep a positive attitude and remember the Savior in all my trials. He has promised us succor if we will but seek for it.
I love the Gospel. Talking about it, no matter the circumstance, has a tendency to brighten my day and to bring peace to my soul.
***
Those little asterisks mean that I have leaped onto a different train of thought.
***
So, for the title of today's post I return to the beginning comments about video games. Every night before bed I play Rock Band for a while to improve my rhythm and drumming, then I will play some Halo:Reach (which I just reached the rank of Lt. Colonel in), and end the evening with guitar practice and a Mormon Message video.
Tonight will be no different, minus the guitar practice; I have to get up early to help put Christmas bulbs on the pine trees in back.

~Boy

Everclear

2010-11-30T03:23:00.000-06:00

No. Not the alcohol. The band from the 90's. One of their songs plays on our CD at work, Santa Monica, and I love it every time I hear it, and reminds me of a simpler time when I was younger and had even less responsibility than I do now...
***
We could live beside the ocean,
Leave the fire behind,
Swim out past the breakers
And watch the world die.
***
I don't know why exactly it is, but I am constantly surprised by the Lord. You'd think that I would come to know that He can, and will, do anything to help me, but for some reason with my limited mortal understanding and faith, it always comes as some huge surprise when He backs me up on something.
Today I prayed for missionary experiences. It has been a while since I did so, and we are regularly reminded to in church. I didn't know why, but I really felt like I needed to have one and pray for it when I woke up this morning. Not even 3 hours later I was at work talking to one of my co-workers about the Gospel.
The conversation began and ended as most brief missionary experiences do, the enquirer not knowing much and learning something they didn't know before. Apparently missionaries had been in a neighborhood and knocked on one of my coworkers doors, he felt impressed to share this fact with other coworkers, and one felt the need to talk to me about it. What were they doing? Did I do that? What do I believe? Is it[Mormonism] Christian?
I explained, briefly, my beliefs, including knowledge of the Godhead as well as modern-day revelation. I had to ring up a customer and so the conversation stopped abruptly.
Or so I thought.
After I was done ringing she proceeded to ask more questions about Mormons. Was there anything else she wouldn't know about us? Did we have additional stories or scriptural tales of sorts that she wasn't familiar with? Did we even believe in the Bible? I laughed to myself and thought how perfect it was that these were the questions she was asking, but of course, that's how the Spirit does things: perfectly.
The conversation ended after a couple minutes of me explaining more about The Book of Mormon and my belief in solidified, unified, perfect doctrine. She went home after that, and I don't know if it made a difference to her day at all to know those things. It sure made a difference in mine. I'm grateful for answered prayers.

~Boy

It's Just A Game...

2010-06-02T00:22:00.000-05:00

So, besides me beating Final Fantasy XIII (FINALLY) nothing really important or fun happened today. I ended up driving up to The Mermaid for 21+ Free Bowling, but we only played one game and our balls kept getting stuck.
I must have hurt myself while swimming or ultimate frisbeeing, because my shoulder kills today, and I can't even take a full breath.
My sunburn is healing nicely!
OH! And my sister, and her family, are moving back to Wisconsin!! Cool stuff.

~Boy

Pictureless

2010-06-01T01:00:00.002-05:00

I wish I could put a picture of hot sunburned I am right now.

Alas, I cannot. I have tried from many angles, but it just doesn't look as bad as it really is on camera. Trust me.
It's bad.

~Boy

Title: Frustration

2010-05-30T03:02:00.000-05:00

This picture is the fruits of over 2 hours of work:

For the aforementioned amount of time, I have been playing FFXIII, knowing that I was very close to the end, and could probably finish it.
Alas, I have been thwarted.
I have done everything else, EXCEPT defeat the final boss. I have been battling, dying, and retrying for over the last hour, and I have finally had to give up due to sleep, church, important life things, etc.
Today has just not been my day. Hopefully tomorrow will be great and Monday is guaranteed to be amazing.
*****
This is what I do with my days away... :\

~Boy

It's Tool Time!

2010-05-29T02:13:00.000-05:00

Tonight, we went and saw Prince of Persia, and as everyone was breaking up to go home, I told them to come back for a picture:

A couple of them saw the picture afterwards, and said that we should retake it, because it could be better. I think this picture is a pretty accurate description of my friends...
We aren't perfect.
Won't be for a LOOOOOONG time.
Friends(From left to right):
(Back Row)Duncan Schultz, Jessica Shasky, Lucas Lehman, Amber Cox, Kyle Leichtle
(Front Row)Amber Haidenthaller, Brian Bourgerie, Courtney Stepaniak, Jeremy Perdue

~Boy

2 4 1

2010-05-28T02:44:00.000-05:00

I wasn't able to make it to a computer last night, so I will post the pictures in order from two days ago and yesterday:

This is the amazing bed I get to sleep on whenever I spend the night at Brian's house. It is almost as nice as my own bed, and certainly more comfortable than the couch. Seriously, so freakin' comfortable!!

Pepsi 12 packs were on sale for 1.98$ a pack at Cub. So we got a little carried away and got 8 of 'em.
(From right to left): Mt. Dew Typhoon, Mt. Dew Distortion, Mt. Dew, Wild Cherry Pepsi, Pepsi, Pepsi Vanilla Cherry, Mug.
(Not picture): Dr. Pepper

~Boy

Sometimes 1 Just Isn't Enough

2010-05-26T02:24:00.000-05:00

I couldn't decide which one I liked more, so here:

The first photo is of my friend Brian playing pool. We decided to go to The Mermaid for free bowling(every Tuesday and Wednesday night) and while we waited for a lane to open up, we shot some pool. Brian ended up winning. This is him IN MID ACTION!!!!

The second is of my friend Jeremy. He is from California. Also a cool kid.

Long story short, I almost ended up losing my camera there.

I am very lucky.

~Boy

Start

2010-05-25T03:44:00.000-05:00

I have been meaning to start a photo blog for a while. Just somewhere I can make a photo journal of my life, I suppose.
This has become that place.

*****

As I was driving home from Brian's house tonight, I saw the moon shining off one of the inlets of the Mississippi River, and it looked really cool. Unfortunately, I was on a highway, so I couldn't really stop and take a picture. I held my phone out of my sun roof and tried to snag a picture. This didn't work well so I just decided to take a photo when I got home.

*****

This is taken from my driveway, using the Night Landscape setting.

*****

This reminds me of the lyrics from the Linkin Park song A Place For My Head where Mike raps about how the "Sun doesn't give it's light to the Moon assuming the Moon's going to owe Him one."
This is one of the struggles of my life right now, being, how much do you give of yourself without receiving the equal in return?
In my Interpersonal Communications class that I took three semesters ago, we talked about balanced relationships. About how we strive to have relationships in which there is equal give and take.
I am having a hard time finding someone(s) who is(are) willing to give as much as I am. This makes life hard.

*****

Shoot, this was supposed to just be a picture. Not a rant.

~Boy

Prince Of Persia

2010-05-20T20:31:00.001-05:00

im making this post from my phone!!! cool huh?

There's A Chance We Can Make It Now

2009-11-07T03:59:00.000-06:00

It seems the people who get the most attention for their artwork, or those who have the most liked artwork, are the ones who do not do realistic art, but in realistic situations.
Does that make sense?
FOR INSTANCE - Draw a picture of a man, talking with his brother while sitting on a porch smoking. Does it look like a couple real people sitting, talking together? Then it's no good. If you draw them like cartoon characters doing this, well heck! Then it becomes hilarious!
Take a picture of a girl. NOW, take a picture of a girl standing in her underwear while waiting for the bus.
GENIUS you say.
Psha.

I take a small amount of comfort in the fact that I don't have to be awake till noon tomorrow, and that's only to go to work at 1 for a couple hours. I like the fact that I can schedule my day BASICALLY how I see fit.
What I don't like is the fact that I rely on my parents for shelter, food, and a couple luxuries.
Is making 8 dollars an hour the greatest job in the world? Nope. Sure isn't. BUT, is it the worst? Nope.
What is the opportunity cost of working more and getting paid more? Living less, probably. If by living you mean the time spent in between sleeping and working, than definitely!

I've been thinking a lot about relationships lately, and I've wanted to post about it for a while. So long, in fact, that I can't remember exactly what it is that made me want to post about them. All I know is that human relationships are pretty amazing. The fact that we, as humans, make these..."connections" with other humans, for almost no reason in the long run. These connections come in many different shapes and sizes. Some connections are made simply because of proximity, or frequent interaction. Many of us view the connections we have to family as such. Some connections are made due to mutual interest. Some because of attraction, whether physical or otherwise doesn't matter. Just some form of attraction.
It's also surprising the speed at which some connections develop, slow or fast, and how quickly they can also disappear, and why.

All very fascinating.
What connections matter?
I dunno. You tell me!

~ I believe in a thing called love,
Just listen to the rhythm of my heart ~

~Boy

Like Chairman Of The Board

2009-10-21T00:05:00.000-05:00

So, I get really distracted sometimes and forget to write the things that I want to write.

Sorry, like right now. I'm watching Transformers 2, and it just got to the part where Sam makes out with the killer robot chick thing and she totally attacks him with her giant killer tongue. So my mind started thinking of how creepy, gross, and terrifying that would be.
Now I'm thinking about how cool it would be to be a stuntman. I think it would awesome!

Now what was I saying. Oh right! Forgetting to write things. I've had a pretty crazy week, if I remember correctly.
I don't remember exactly when the last tiem I updated was, but I think it was during the whole sickness thing.

Ya, thankfully I finally got over that. It was totally a flu of some kind, but not h1n1, so don't freak out.

You have no idea how hard it is to concentrate on writing while giant robots are killing each other just inside your peripheral vision.
Looking at that word, does this thing have spell check? I dunno. I don't think so.

Megatron has HUGE legs.

Yup, it does have spell check, because it told me that Megatron isn't a word.

I should really just write this another time. Try it sometime. Try writing something important while the world is being blown up. Thank heavens that news doesn't have to be written and posted on the spot.

Life is good right now! I am very happy.

OH! That's what I was gonna post tonight. About a time when I wasn't happy. That was earlier today. Let me tell you why:

It also told me that wasn't isn't a word. And isn't. That's a little terrifying.

So, in my public speaking class this morning there was an explosion of emotion. None of which was good.
In my class I am known as the jokester. I am the one who always has something to say. People laugh. It's fantastic, I promise.
Either way, one of the students had a breakdown and started having a heated discussion with the teacher. I will avoid the details, but needless to say, it was uncomfortable. VERY uncomfortable.

That's probably enough half-hearted rambling for today.

~I'm in Miama, Trick~

~Boy

IT'S OFFICIAL!

2009-10-12T23:35:00.000-05:00

This is where I make some huge announcement that would blow the socks of the internet! Unfortunately the only thing I have to announce is that I'M FREAKIN' SICK!!! Not just your garden variety sick, but like, I have gone through an entire box of kleenex, a quart of YO-J, over a gallon of water, and a bushel of grapes. There was other food mixed in there, don't worry.
But holy cow! I never get sick like this!!
Talk about bummers!

PLUS, I have already missed one day of work, and forced to miss at LEAST one more on Wednesday and am missing all of my classes tomorrow.
School I don't REALLY feel terrible about, but work stinks.

So, that's all!
Talk to you later.

Question of the day?
When was the last time you were sick? Are you sick now? What happened?!?!

~If you want to be happy for the rest of your life go and make a pretty woman your wife~

~Boy

Community

2009-10-09T13:56:00.000-05:00

I watched this show called "Community" from it's first airing on Hulu.
(I have to watch it there because I have class on Thursday night)
It has joined the ranks of The Office, Family Guy, and Modern Family, being the only shows that I insist on watching every week.
Now, Community is a strange show, in which I don't think the writers have entirely solidified the characters, their roles or interactions, but I think it has a lot of potential. It may not be the greatest show in the world right now, but I will continue to watch it with hopes that it will get better. I don't think I've ever felt this hopeful for a show before, usually it's just, HEY! I'M AWESOME!! WATCH ME!!! (ever increasing exclamation points included)
The Office was amazing this week.

This is probably the last time I will spend an entire session talking about only TV shows, because I'm already bored by it.

Hopefully I will be going to see Boogie Wonderland tonight in Fridley with a couple good friends! Wish me luck!

~Won't you take me to
FUNKY TOWN~

~Boy

All The World Is Waiting For The Sun

2009-10-09T01:09:00.000-05:00

I promise not to mention fecal matter this time around, k?

So, I should really do something about this whole inferiority complex thing. It's SERIOUSLY dragging me down, and I don't want to be dragged down.

Today was a pretty interesting day:
-Started off with taking a test in my Public Speaking class, for which I did not study, and knew very little concerning the subject matter. LUCKILY, I am a genius, and probably passed with flying colors.
-Went to work and had a WONDERFUL time in the stock room doing what I do best. That's right, punching boxes.
-Went to school, again, and listened through Marketing. Part of the way through I realized I had too many sodas today, however, because my Wild Cherry Pepsi was not tasting so great anymore.
-Turns out, by random survey, that I am one of two people in the class who has a blog! WHO KNEW! This turned out to be very strange because soon after people were asking me what my blog was about, or what I talked about, and what issues I confronted. I just shrugged and said, "my life?" I didn't know that people blogged for a reason! I just thought it was one of those things you do when you have nothing else to do, or when you want to say something, but have nowhere to really say it. I didn't know I was supposed to be debating political scandals or anything...
Which leads me to love my blog even more. While some people may decide to take stances on important issues, and share their beliefs through a blog, I am glad to just share my strange life with you.

If you have a blog, what do you blog about?
If you don't, but want one, what would you write about?
If you don't, and DON'T want one, bugger off.

~I would swallow my doubt
turn it inside out~

~Boy

Don't Worry, Be Happy!

2009-10-08T00:36:00.002-05:00

I'm going to let you in a big secret. We're going to take a trip down into the inner sanctum of my soul for this one.
Are you ready?
I'm ready.
Here goes...
I always seem to poo at the most awkward times.
Like if someone has left their keys in my house, and they're pounding in the window to get back in.
Like at the end of a date.
Like at the beginning of a date.
Like in the middle of a date.
Like right as the girls show up.
Like two minutes after I went to the bathroom at work.
It's a burden I tell you! And these are not just happy little bathroom trips, no. These are fantastic battles of good vs. evil. Sauren vs. Gandolf 1-on-1 action in my toilet bowl. I won't say which one I am, but I am certainly no evil dark lord of all that is evil and dark.

Phew, it feels good to get that off my chest. Now we can move on to better things!

So, I watched the Dragonball Evolution movie this evening at a friend's house, and I must say: IT WAS AWESOME! Although my friends told me not to waste my time on it, and that it was really lame, and no one should see it, I persevered.(Is that spelled right?)
Sure, it didn't follow the story line.
I'll grant you that it was lacking a LOT of main characters.
It also had nothing in common with the TV show besides the fact that it was about balls...involving dragons, a thing named Goku, another thing named Balma, and a couple more named ChiChi, Yamcha, and Master Roshi. Oh ya, and Piccolo. What's up with that guy?
DESPITE all of these glaring, terrible things about the movie, I loved it purely. Much like how Jonathon loved David. Sure, he might have walked on rooftops after midnight. He allegedly slept with strange women, and then conspired to have their husbands murdered, but does that change what Jonathon thinks of him? No.
This describes my love for this movie. It was great in it's own way.

In other news, I had amazing pizza for lunch!

Trying to get home tonight, I got lost in downtown St. Paul for a while, and ended up crossing the Highway 52 bridge MORE than once.

Now, I need to work out quick, and get to bed, so I can wake up ready for my Public Speech Exam that I haven't studied for!

~I can't take this; born to break this;
she's going away, she's going away,
what's wrong with my life today?~

~Boy

P.S. TOTALLY have a new celebrity crush in Emmy Rossum. Way better looking than a cartoon Bulma. AND she played Christine in the new Phantom of the Opera. Killer voice in semi-victorian garb shooting laser guns?! Sign me up!! Twice.

Rain, Rain...MAKE ME SOME HOT CHOCOLATE!

2009-10-06T13:19:00.000-05:00

Sitting in the lounge/coffee area on east campus of Century college, watching the rain fall outside and listening to instrumental music (right now it's "Dearly Beloved" from the Kingdom Hearts soundtrack) is terribly relaxing. I have finished all the homework-esque things I need to do for today, completely ignoring my Marketing homework, with a knowledge that I can do it tomorrow.
Walking to my first class this morning in the rain made me feel very jealous of people who had nothing to do today. If I had nothing to do, walking in the rain would be a joy, but since I had somewhere to be, and things to do, walking in the rain was more of a nuisance. Strange how, just because of circumstances, a simple thing can mean drastically different things. Like laughter at a graduation party and laughter at a funeral.

I wish I had a hot cocoa to drink right now. Like the one I purchased earlier. Simply delicious. I don't know the girls name who works every Tuesday morning at the Caribou on West Campus, but she makes a darn good hot chocolate. I should know. I get one every week.

I have a meeting for my second service learning opportunity in an hour, and I would be pretty nervous, if it wasn't for the serenity of the rain outside the window.

Have you ever played the game "life story?" Where you and someone else sit in a public place and analyze all the people around you, making up ficticious life stories for them, leading them to be exactly where they are now. It's fun with two people. It's slightly creepy when you are the only one doing it. You should try it sometime! Coffee shops, malls, and restaurants are especially good places to try this out.

Being a person with a rather complicated, and full, social calendar, it is awesome to just sit for a bit and watch the world around me, wondeirng where everyone else is running to.

Oh philosophy, why do you have to be so pointless?

~I'm the opposite of moderate, immaculately polished with the spirit of a hustler and the swagger of a college kid.~

~Boy

One Line Lullaby

2009-10-06T00:35:00.000-05:00

So, I am kind of obsessed with finding cool titles for songs that maybe someday I will be talented enough to write. Therefore, any really cool sentence, I try to remember for years in the future. Thought you should know.

WHAT IS NEW!!!!!?
Well, let's address the elephant in the room. Of COURSE I am a little saddened by the Packer-Vikings game. I love the Packers. Always have. Always will. But are you serious, guys?! How 'bout an offensive line! Granter, Jared Allen is a behemoth of a Paul Bunyun of a man, but can't we keep him off of Rodgers for like, 2 seconds? And while we're talking about keeping people off of other people, how 'bout we grow up our defensive line a little bit so they can TOUCH THE OTHER QUATERBACK IN 7.54 SECONDS! That was just embarrassing. It was a piss poor game for the Pack, that's for certain.

ALSO, did you know that it was National Flash Your Buddy Day? I didn't!! That is, until a certain co-worker of mine informed me with a picture and message sent to him by his friend, informing him! Who knew we HAD such national holidays!!?

My neck hurts.

I have to be up in just over 7 hours, and what I am doing? Posting on this silly blog. Where have my priorities gone!! Certainly up from where they used to be, when at this time I would either be playing WoW or hanging out with women! Two polar opposite activities, neither of which I am terribly proud of.

ANOTHER fun thing I learned today is that I have lost over 10 lbs since being home from my mission!! Granted, I've been home for almost a year, but seriously! I am so proud/happy with myself. You should be, too!

I start my SECOND Service Learning project tomorrow afternoon at a nearby high school tutoring after school. Do I know anything about tutoring? Nope. Do I know anything about high school? Probably not anymore. What? You may say to yourself, "But Boy, haven't you only been graduated from High School for a couple years?" The answer is yes! But I bet it has changed a ton, what with these hip-hop videos and emo bands running rampant! Darn hooligans! Before you know it, I'll have to chase the kids off my lawn with a shovel, telling them to pull up their pants and explaining that when I was their age we respected our elders!!

I'm pretty sure I had more to say, but I can't remember what it was. Chances are, it was not terribly important...

~I need this old train to break down~

~Boy

On The Flip Side

2009-09-30T00:16:00.000-05:00

So here's where it all begins AGAIN!
I think I've started and restarted this blog for the third time, and I am about done with making posts, getting angry, and deleting them. So, hopefully this is the last time I will have to start my blogging life anew!

Hi! I am A Boy.

For some reason, when working out at night, I get the strangest desires to blog. I work out at night because it keeps me distracted, in a good way! Does anyone else feel that way?
One of my friends laughed at my once for working out at night. She thought it was weird to get sweaty and gross before bed.
It was something that my mission president suggested when I was having some troubles sleeping. That, and journaling.
HAZZA! I think I found the link between my working out and my desire to blog at night! My subconscious is used to that routine!

Where was I going with all of this?...I dunno.

Today in my education class we watched a video called Stand and Deliver. I know I've seen it before, but couldn't tell you where or when. Either way, it reignited the flame I once had for teaching! My Education class has kind of beat that desire out of me, but this restarted it all over again! My desire to make a difference!
That's one of the things I loved about being a missionary. Teaching. Making a change in someone's life. Seeing the twinkle in their eye when it all finally comes together.
I know it sounds cheesy, but I think that would be great to have the opportunity to see that more often. Unfortunately, I am not terribly eloquent, AND I don't get the opportunity to teach that often/ever.

I am so grateful for my friends. They're the best!

I think I've been going around this whole dating thing TOTALLY wrong. Time to switch things up? I think so!

I hope to make this of more knowledge to the public, post more, and be more positive.

One thing I generally like to do with past blogs that I've had, which if anyone is ever terribly curious about, I suppose I can link to, but I will warn you, that was a previous lifestyle, and I have moved on. Don't judge me.
Where was I? OH YA!
One thing I enjoy doing is quoting a song, book, poem, etc. that relates to how I feel that day, or at the moment that I make that post.

One last thing before I continue working out, finding guitar tabs for old nintendo music, and learning Jason Mraz songs, I will make a mission statement for my little blog here. All good things have a mission statement.

While I may not be very opinionated, or outspoken; While I may not be very wise, or scientific; and while I may not be very social, or outgoing, I am me. As I heard in FHE this week, "God loves everything about you." He loves my weaknesses and He loves my strengths. I don't want to get all preachy, so I'll stop that there for now, but this blog is about me, and about my everyday adventures. I hope that any who find this blog enjoy reading about my experiences, as well as I will appreciate any comments others may have. And hopefully, we can all learn something!

Nothing's going to stop me but divine intervention, I reckon its again my turn to win some or learn some

~Boy