Project to Understand Females

This weekend has been extremely educational! I have gained instruction that apparently I sorely needed. My Friday and Saturday date nights were spent with some of the most amazing women in my life! Consisting of, my wonderful mother, my awesome sister-in-law Kendra, my niece Summer, and my nephew Isaac and I were along for the ride.

What we did:

1. Laundry
2. Sewed clothes
3. Ironed clothes
4. Baked cookies
5. Made two delicious dinners, one night it was breakfast for dinner!
6. Watched a Hallmark movie, "Love's Unending Dream" watched the Olympics
7. Played with Isaac
8. Went to the park
9. Fed Isaac
10. Bathed Isaac
11. Put Isaac to sleep (scripture time, "Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear," prayers, and then I got to sing him to sleep!
12. Deep conversations
13. Plenty of Girl talk. I decided Men are from earth, but women really are from Venus! jk
14. Held Summer, lots and lots

I feel that I have become thoroughly domesticated! I still don't understand women, but I have gained some insight into the thoughts and emotions that go through females' minds. I realize mistakes that I have made in the past and am ready to move forward with a new approach!

Sports Tribute

In the middle of a bleak and dreary winter I lay in the warmth of my bed fast asleep, when all of a sudden my enemy and friend continuously calls out to me, " errrrrrrr, errrrrrrrrr, errrrrrrrr, errrrrrrr." As I slowly come to my senses, I look at the cause of this alarming noise with hate and excitement, realizing that it is still pitch black outside. I  know that I have to go out into the freezing cold to scrape the snow and ice off of mom's car windshield. It is 5:30 AM, half awake-half asleep I attempt to dress myself fully for my seventh grade basketball practice. DEDICATION and SACRIFICE!

It happened just before my first varsity football game as a Junior with expectations to contribute as a receiver and kick returner. I was the kamikaze on the kickoff team. I ran down the field quickly and made a strong hit on the opposing kick returner, but felt an immense pain in my left hand, as it got sandwiched between two players, impacted with great force. We did another kickoff, and once again I ran down quickly to make another tackle. While running, I could feel and hear the bones in my hand cling together, knowing that my hand was broken; but that's football, and I wanted to make a tackle! As I made contact with the ballcarrier I tried to rap him up, but felt him slip out of my grip as I had no strength in my left hand. My season was basically over, although I still practiced with a cast for the love of the game. PAIN! 

Next season, in summer training, I would join many of my senior teammates to run stairs at the grand stands, like we had done in previous years. We woke up early in the morning to run sand hills and lift weights to be in the best shape possible. Puke hill! We had an awesome team! We dominated our opponents. I was able to contribute as a receiver, defensive back, and field goal kicker. From seventh grade until this point, we went undefeated. We were expected to be the State Champions. In our semi final game we unexpectedly lost the last 30 seconds of the fourth quarter. We were all devastated. It was over! Everything we had worked for, sweated, bled, and dreamt about was over! EMOTION, TEAM, WINNING, and LOSING. 

I love making an unbelievable catch in the outfield, turning a double play, striking out a batter, stepping into the batter's box, solidly connecting with a baseball for a base hit or a home run, stealing a base, throwing out an advancing runner, playing catch. BASEBALL.

I love dribbling between my legs or around my back, completing a fast break, making a three pointer, stealing the ball from an opponent, blocking a shot, making a fancy layup, buzzer beaters, half court shots, making a great pass, pick-in-roll, playing horse, best of ten, one-on-one, speed. BASKETBALL. 

I love catching a pass, making an interception, an open field tackle, recovering a fumble, kicking field goals, returning kicks, scoring a touchdown, a pick six, one handed catches, running a post and making a diving grab, working out with the team, tip drill, crack blocks, perfect spirals, onside kicks, the smell of the grass. FOOTBALL. 

I love acing an opponent with a drive serve, pinch shots, splat shots, kill shots, intense rallies, diving gets, playing with my dad and family, cut throat, watching an opponent dive and miss because it was a great shot, set ups off the back wall, trying to catch my breath just before serving for match point, RACQUETBALL. 

I could go on, but I'll spare the readers! 

I love the joy, pride, competition, sportsmanship, exercise, discipline, hard work, satisfaction, sweat, emotion, dedication, humorous trash talk, team camaraderie, athleticism, strategy, adrenaline, heart, persistence, road trips, championships. SPORTS.      

My motto has always been to keep swinging. Whether I was in a slump or feeling badly or having trouble off the field, the only thing to do was keep swinging.
-Hank Aaron, baseball

Only a man who knows what it is like to be defeated can reach down to the bottom of his soul and come up with the extra ounce of power it takes to win when the match is even.

-Mohammad Ali, boxing

A winner is someone who recognizes his God-given talents, works his tail off to develop them into skills, and uses these skills to accomplish his goals.
-Larry Bird, basketball

I miss all the shots I don't take.

-Wayne Gretzky, hockey

If you'll not settle for anything less than your best, you'll be amazed at what you can accomplish in your lives.

-Vince Lombardi, football

I've failed over and over and over again in my life and that is why I succeed. - Michael Jordan

 

Seeing the End from the Beginning

When all else fails, turn to the Brethren! Unfortunately, it literally was after, "all else had failed." In the future I need to be quicker to seek out wisdom and guidance from inspired men of God who offer direction, allowing me to be comforted in words of truth.

I just realized that recently I have been "caught up" in the moment, causing me to lose perspective of the "Big Picture." Quotes from the brethren came to my mind as I thought about the consequences of my actions. It is great to have a knowledge that there are men called of God who have provided answers and insights to the issues of life. Here are some of the quotes that came to mind, that have helped me understand my situation better.

Elder Boyd K. Packer has stated, “Faith, to be faith, … must go beyond that for which there is confirming evidence … must go into the unknown … must walk to the edge of the light, and then a few steps into the darkness”

Elder Bednar expounds upon what Elder Packer mentioned. Saying that, "Assurance and hope make it possible for us to walk to the edge of the light and take a few steps into the darkness—expecting and trusting the light to move and illuminate the way. The combination of assurance and hope initiates action in the present.

Faith as the evidence of things not seen looks to the past and confirms our trust in God and our confidence in the truthfulness of things not seen. We stepped into the darkness with assurance and hope, and we received evidence and confirmation as the light in fact moved and provided the illumination we needed. The witness we obtained after the trial of our faith (see Ether 12:6) is evidence that enlarges and strengthens our assurance.

President Uchtdorf relates a story from his childhood to help illustrate this point. "When I was 11 years old, my family had to leave East Germany and begin a new life in West Germany overnight. Until my father could get back into his original profession as a government employee, my parents operated a small laundry business in our little town. I became the laundry delivery boy. To be able to do that effectively, I needed a bicycle to pull the heavy laundry cart. I had always dreamed of owning a nice, sleek, shiny, sporty red bicycle. But there had never been enough money to fulfill this dream. What I got instead was a heavy, ugly, black, sturdy workhorse of a bicycle. I delivered laundry on that bike before and after school for quite a few years. Most of the time, I was not overly excited about the bike, the cart, or my job. Sometimes the cart seemed so heavy and the work so tiring that I thought my lungs would burst, and I often had to stop to catch my breath. Nevertheless, I did my part because I knew we desperately needed the income as a family, and it was my way to contribute.

If I had only known back then what I learned many years later—if I had only been able to see the end from the beginning—I would have had a better appreciation of these experiences, and it would have made my job so much easier.

Many years later, when I was about to be drafted into the military, I decided to volunteer instead and join the Air Force to become a pilot. I loved flying and thought being a pilot would be my thing.

To be accepted for the program I had to pass a number of tests, including a strict physical exam. The doctors were slightly concerned by the results and did some additional medical tests. Then they announced, "You have scars on your lung which are an indication of a lung disease in your early teenage years, but obviously you are fine now." The doctors wondered what kind of treatment I had gone through to heal the disease. Until the day of that examination I had never known that I had any kind of lung disease. Then it became clear to me that my regular exercise in fresh air as a laundry boy had been a key factor in my healing from this illness. Without the extra effort of pedaling that heavy bicycle day in and day out, pulling the laundry cart up and down the streets of our town, I might never have become a jet fighter pilot and later a 747 airline captain.

We don't always know the details of our future. We do not know what lies ahead. We live in a time of uncertainty. We are surrounded by challenges on all sides. Occasionally discouragement may sneak into our day; frustration may invite itself into our thinking; doubt might enter about the value of our work. In these dark moments Satan whispers in our ears that we will never be able to succeed, that the price isn't worth the effort, and that our small part will never make a difference. He, the father of all lies, will try to prevent us from seeing the end from the beginning.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are taught by prophets, seers, and revelators of our day. Their prophetic view helps you to see the end from the beginning.

The temple is the binding link between generations, in this life and for eternity. The house of the Lord helps you to see the end from the beginning.

The Lord wants you, my young friends, to desire with all your heart to keep the church standards and live by the gospel truths found in the scriptures. God will bless you and open the eyes of your understanding so you can see the end from the beginning.

I promise you today that when you follow this pattern, the Lord will help you to make more out of your life than you ever can by yourself. He will help you always to see the end from the beginning!"

These quotes from Apostles of the Lord help me realize that it takes faith, patience, and righteously living the gospel in order to one day see the end from the beginning.It is not until after the trial of my faith that I can receive this witness.

It is important for me to be patient and faithful, realizing that all things are done in the wisdom of God, who knows all things. Also, that whatever happens, I gain experience, which shall be for my good.

February =

........ I don't know!

The 5000 Year Leap

I was at the library and a lady suggested that I should read The 5000 Year Leap, by Cleon Skousen. So I did! It was a great review of the principles our Founding Father's used to build this great nation. I recommend it to all people who value the freedoms that come with living in America.

Part of the Forward by Glenn Beck:

"There is no reason why our American way of life should be drowning in the same mistakes of those failed empires of the past, except for perhaps this one—as a culture we’ve stopped teaching and practicing the true principles of prosperity.

There are 28 great ideas that helped change our world, and the funny thing is, the American Founding Fathers hardly invented a single one of them. But they did find them, and brought them all together in a single document that has blessed this great nation and the entire world.

Promise me that you will write down the 28 ideas and teach them to your children, your neighbors, your friends—Now is the time to get out of our comfort zone.

You, me, all of us were born for this day, to stand responsible before God and future generations to keep this torch of freedom lit, and bear it away from ruin.

Remember the story of Joshua and the battle of Jericho. Remember how they marched around the city and all at once blew their horns and the walls went tumbling down? That’s us all over the place. We are the troops. The truth is our trumpet. And the walls are those same old tired ideas forced on us today—ideas that didn’t work at Jamestown, and certainly won’t work now.

The power is ours to blast our horns and shake those rotted scales off our freedoms, shake them to rubble and get our country back."

The Founder’s Basic Principles:

1. The Genius of Natural Law

2. A virtuous and Moral people

3. Virtuous and Moral Leaders

4. The Role of Religion

5. The Role of the Creator

6. All Men Are Created Equal

7. Equal Rights, Not Equal Things

8. Man’s Unalienable Rights

9. The Role of Revealed Law

10. Sovereignty of the People

11. Who Can Alter the Government?

12. Advantages of a Republic

13. Protection Against Human Frailty

14. Property Rights Essential to Liberty

15. Free-market Economics

16. The Separation of Powers

17. Checks and Balances

18. Importance of a Written Constitution

19. Limiting and Defining the Powers of Government

20. Majority Rule, Minority Rights

21. Strong Local Self-government

22. Government by Law, Not by Men

23. Importance of an Educated Electorate

24. Peace Through Strength

25. Avoid Entangling Alliances

26. Protecting the Role of the Family

27. Avoiding the Burden of Debt

28. The Founder’s Sense of Manifest Destiny

February =

....................Snowboarding!

..............and

Happiness!

Mom, Jeff, Natalie, and Grandmother came to visit because of President's Day weekend! We had a great time hanging out with Jeremy and Kendra, Bruce and Stacy, and...........with each other! (Sorry for all of the cliff hanger thoughts! They are sooo intense, huh! Yeah, I love to keep my readers in suspense because well, this is a new and improved blog, why not be kept in suspense!)............I'm retarded!

I love family, I love snowboarding, I love February!

Fulfilling Goals

Today I had a stimulating conversation with my roommate Jared. We discussed goals relating to several life pursuits such as: school, finances, working, dating, church and community service, racquetball, and personal time. Jared asked how it is possible to achieve personal goals in each one of these pursuits when time is minimal. I didn't really know how to answer his question, except for relating an experience where I was previously spread too thin, and had to minimize and prioritize my commitments to adequately have enough time to accomplish my goals. I had to eliminate and readjust goals that I had strong desires to accomplish. It was sad to sacrifice and throw away the possibility of achieving those goals. This wasn't a very great answer... unfortunately.

I learned that it is extremely difficult to be sufficiently committed to many pursuits and fulfill the necessary requirements for each endeavor. Being semi-committed to 10 activities is not as effective as a full commitment to 3 activities. It gets tricky when it is impossible to throw out endeavors, because each are necessary to accomplish. Jared and I both feel that we have figured out the essential activities to pursue, but do we have to shrink our goals to justify a limited effort dedicated to each pursuit? This is definitely not a new question. I bet I could think of 1000 quotes as an answer to my own question, but what's the point of a blog if you can't discuss a frustrating dilemma like this! :)

I must apologize because usually I am an optimistic person and try not to discuss negative things, however as of late, my blog is turning into a whine site! Is it possible for a blog to bring out the worst in people?!

I wanted to use this article as an update into my life, but I started off on a small thought that turned into a HUGE tangent... that seems to be happening a lot lately ( sorry Chelsea!) Another goal to add to the list: in life, in discussions, in papers, and especially in my blog; I will always try to not be loquacious and make sure that I work extremely hard to be terse and to the point without redundancy, making everything clear, lucid, and easy to understand! <---- Just kidding, but seriously... I need to be more concise! Haha, again, I went off on a tangent... and I'm done! At least with the tangent... now I am back to the original goal of this post!

My life:

Schooling: RT intern at the USH: Monday - Friday 8 AM - 4 PM

Working: Route Scheduler: Four days a week 4 PM - 8 PM

Racquetballing: Monday, Wednesday, and Friday 6 AM - 7:45 AM

Dating: Whenever I can get a girl to say yes!

So,I have decided that I have to make SMART goals! Brilliant new idea I just came up with! Okay, not really, the idea has been around for a long time. I think that's it. Goal Accomplished!