Why I love going home

-Diversity.
-Over-grown beauty.
-Hip-hop and R&B on the radio.
-“God bless you.”
-Dancing in public.
-People picking me up.
-Friendly strangers striking up a conversation.
-Humidity.
-Simplicity – folks don’t try to complicate life.
-Open space.
-Farmers chatting on the side of the road.
-Real football.
-Festivals.
-The horizon.
-Thunder storms.
-Southern hospitality.
-The music scene isn’t a year and a half behind.
-Minimal traffic.
-No grid system – everyone just knows where things are.
-The obvious – my family and friends and pets and familiar stomping-ground.

There’s something to be said for going home and having nice chats with those individuals who had the greatest impact on my upbringing. I know I say this often, but my parents are smart. I have no idea how I’m supposed to be responsible for preparing children to face the world someday. How on earth did my parents give me the kind of knowledge, discernment, awareness, and desire to make good choices that allow me to survive this crazy life? How am I supposed to guide and foster healthy growth so my future children can be good citizens, have common sense, want to do what’s right, make something of their lives without too much trauma in the process, have a good perspective and decision-making skills, and everything else? I see so so so so many people that just don’t GET it, how am I supposed to help my not-yet-existent children avoid that? I know I am extremely far from perfect, but I feel like my parents did a great job of instilling good values, giving me a spine, teaching me how to take care of myself and be responsible, making sure I know how to THINK, and so many other things that are so difficult to teach...

I know, these imaginary children will be their own people with agency and brains and desires and personalities and all of that… there’s the whole nature and nurture theories and the fate of another is never entirely up to me…

But still. Parenting is intense.

Thanks, mom and dad, for not letting me turn out as a screw-up.

Loosen up baby

Today, My Beloved Roommate and I leave on a road trip... for OK and TX.

That's normal, we're cool, guys.

My spiel of the day - be a duck. Let life slide off your feathers. Don't let little/big problems break your stride. Bad things happen, perhaps often, but what counts is how we handle those tough times.

Keep smiling, and know that you're strong enough to handle whatever is thrown your way, there's a lot to be said for endurance.



More evidence that I'm a nerd.

Jaded

First, an update. Survived finals, survived moving, survived training and re-certification for lifeguarding at Seven Peaks, loved the visit from my mom, loved Wicked, loved learning that I can survive hard times, loved rediscovering my independence, loved getting my life back on the right track.

Overall, a good month, I’d say.

I’ve never been the kind to lose focus. I’ve always been very into self-discipline, goal setting and achieving, doing what’s right, and trying to improve myself and those around me. I think maybe I got complacent. Excelling and being a good person became almost second nature, I forgot how to try, how to put forth effort. I guess I subconsciously figured I was set, that nothing could break my stride.

Of course, that’s when temptation and struggles and life get in the way.

This life is a never-ending challenge (that can result in never-ending happiness, if we rise to said challenge) and we can never let our guard down. There is no save-point or get-out-of-trials-free card, there is only progression or regression.

Although going through times like this obviously has negative side-effects, I think it’s alerted me to how aware I truly need to be. I can make difficult choices and I can come out of tribulation on top, but I need to remember that it requires constant effort and deviation from the path of least resistance.


one day, I'll get over posting lame pictures that make me laugh. today is not that day.

Keep on keepin' on

That pretty much sums it up.

Finals week = lame and stressful. But we can and must endure this, and in the end... it's the end.

So chin up, study hard, drink lots of Diet Dr. Pepper, say your prayers, and we'll survive this next week. Good luck to us all!



sometimes, I make posts just for the pictures

Be All You Can Be

Today, the sixteenth of April in the year of 2009, it snowed. A lot. And I realized that Utah is not making any progress. Rather than moving on from winter and into spring and the summer my heart has been yearning for, this state in which I reside is choosing to remain in a condition of frigid blizzard lame-ness.

Maybe Utah is reflecting my life.

Let’s see. Over the last two semesters, what have I accomplished?.... hmm. Well, I completed 2 semesters of school. Several of those classes I am going to re-take, because my grades were only mediocre. What else? I’ve been in and out of a few relationships, nothing new. I changed my major. I work a lot. Other than that? My spiritual life, my physical health, my social life, my relationship with my family, my general life direction… No marked progress. And I know I’m the one holding the rope that leads me down the path of my own demise.

I am the definition of stupid. One who repeats the same actions and expects different results.

Progress doesn’t just happen. It requires action, and positive action at that. Not only must you desire a change, but your actions must reflect that desire. You have to MAKE change happen. Or else a year goes by, and the steps you’ve taken down the path of progress are comparable to that of the black widow that my friend TJ pulled all the legs off of when we were little.

I don’t want to be an icky spider. So maybe I’ll find the motivation to make some progress with my life.


I like this picture because I'm a nerd.

Your love makes you jealous? I don't think so..

“Jealousy is a disease, love is a healthy condition. The immature mind often mistakes one for the other, or assumes that the greater the love, the greater the jealousy -- in fact, they're almost incompatible; one emotion hardly leaves room for the other. Both at once can produce unbearable turmoil...”
-Robert Heinlein


I couldn't agree more. 'Nuff said.

Fast Sunday

Today I had the opportunity to go to a Deaf slash Spanish ward. And since it’s the first Sunday of the month, that means Fast and Testimony meeting. Amazing. Not that I always completely understood what was going on (my Spanish is very limited. And my ASL is far from perfect). But talk about moving.

First off, what a great way to reaffirm that the Gospel is universal, true, and beautiful. No matter the language barriers, the Spirit was felt by everyone. Even when you can’t understand what someone is saying (or signing), you can recognize the conviction in their face. You can see the passion burning in their eyes.

What an amazing cause this is, this Gospel that unites people of all races, languages, and cultures into one group of believers… believers that are motivated to live better lives and to share this happiness with each other.