P-Day Countdown... 1 Left!

Woohoo! Today is... whatever day it is. The 30th I think. I forgot to shave.

Anyway, things are still going great! My teacher, Wells Hyungchenim left for the holidays yesterday - he won't be back until the fifth! I'm happy for him, though, even though the rest of the kuyok won't get the chance to see him again before he leaves...

Sorry about last week's e-mail. The computer really did eat my twenty minutes worth of typing and messaging. The window just all of a sudden closed and died away. Unfortunately, it must've been bad because it didn't get resurrected into rightouesness, so I wasn't able to see it again.

But! I'll try my best to report on last week as well as this week. We taught the first last this past Saturday, and it went pretty well. We taught this little kid - he honestly wasn't very interested and I wished I could've done a little more to make it more exciting. Mostly he was just responding with "good". Which, truly made it a lot easier to deal with, but... that's about all. It gave me the drive to learn better Korean so that I know how to deal with kids and get them more involved! One of the sisters suggested making a game - but... that's hard! So we just taught normally. From that experience, however, I also discovered that I can read better than a ten year old in Korean. That was kind of exciting.

We're teaching the second lesson again this week as well. This is our final task before we get to leave and do the real thing to people with real concerns! We're focusing on resolving concerns this week - the set up is that someone's sister is in the hospital for some reason. We get to find out why, what we can do to help, and resolve their concern with the wonderful power of the Book of Mormon! When we were practicing, one of the elders in my district kept being incredibly funny and showed me a scripture that said something like God smites the wicked to bring forth the righteous. And then closed. I was laughing so hard. I could only imagine... Not like that'd ever actually happen!

So anyway - things are still going great here! We get to learn about middle form this week - that is, the more common form of speaking in Korea. They don't teach us until the last week. Why? ... I don't know. We're supposed to always talk in high form - more respectful and such - because we're missionaries. Makes sense, but it'd be nice to mix it up a little bit and hear a litle bit more what everyone else is going to talk to us in.

And yes! I finally get MY official flight plans. We had to go to the Travel Office - apparently there was some lost in transit from the mail. I don't really know what happened there, but anyway, I got them! There's a two hour lay over in San Francisco, and then we head straight to the Korean Incheon Airport (I think that's the name of the place). I'm getting very excited! We have one last P-Day left. For Thayn Chamehnim, Brassfield and Curriden Changronim this is their final day! Buhm buhm buuuhhhm. Shimpan eer! Judgement day!

The temple is still closed - but we do get to go one last time bfeore we leave. Oh! And Christmas was wonderful here. I really enjoyed the spirit and the feeling of love and charity that everyone had around here. Christmas Eve Elder Bednar came and spoke to us, and then Christmas morming Elder Holland came. That's four apostles that I've heard from since I've been here! Whaa~~! It's pretty amazing. Elder Perry, Elder Holland, Elder Bednar, and Elder Holland again! I think it's a record. I also think the MTC has been lifted off the ground just a little bit. Just a -little- bit of transcendens. ;) And also! Thank you all so much for all the packages and card and letters and other stuff that everyone out there sent me. I opened Grandma's package day of Christmas... that wasn't a good idea because when I did, I found out there was cookies inside... So, they're kind of hard but! still very good. I've been enjoying them.

I'm preparing for leaving now, too, so I've began organizing my room a little more. I've discovered that I've accumulated or brought a few things that won't work so well or that I really just don't need. So! I'll be sending a package home. Mom, I found out there's this service that delivers from the MTC for free - you just have to pick it up. It's in Provo, and they call you and let you know when you need to come. Would that be ok? Otherwise, I can just send it home. I just have some notebooks and maybe some clothes, my flip-flops... Other little stuff that I just don't want to worry about the weight over. So anyway, if you could let me know what you prefer. Otherwise, yeah I'll probably jsut use the free mail service.

Sorry I couldn't call home. I totally forgot to mention that every time I'd write. Sorry! I believe that I'll get the chance to call when I either get off the plane or board the plane. I'm not really sure when, where, or what time I'll be calling from, so... I guess around the seventh when I fly away on the bus in the sky, hopefully I'll get to call. Maybe I should clarify that I think this is just what I've heard - it hasn't been set in stone yet. It may also depend upon Cho Man Ku, the Seoul mission president. It'd only be for like 15 minutes anyway.

Oh also, this is more directed at Linda and Torie and Amanda. I got the package that was sent and really enjoyed. I'm recording on the tape and getting ready to send it back. I'll send it to Torie and Amanda first and leave it in their hands to distribute it to everyone that wants to hear it. It isn't anything terribly exciting, really, but... could be fun?

Oh! And while I'm thinking about it, Mother Jones - I still need Jessica's address in Tokyo. I have Chris', and he's been writing me as we exchange letters, but... Jessica's opsuhmnida! So, if you could send that over to me, that'd be nice. ^.^

Anyway. I write a lot. Look at all that! Wow. This is the doom area that it died last week. So, I'm going to close now. Thank you all so much for all the love and support that you've given me! It's helped me a lot! I'm glad everyone had a great Christmas. have a wonderful New Year - remember who you are and who you stand for! Heng boke hashipshio!

Sarang,
Webster Changro

The Computer Ate My Message!

I just wrote for about twenty minutes on everything that is going on, but the computer just totally crashed out on me and ate my message, so here's a quick five minutes summary because that's all the time I have left:

Things are still going great! We're having al ot of fun here and really learning a lot. We're all getting really excited for Christmas, and thanks everyone fo rthe packages! Thanks Aunt Ashley for the brownies and the other stuff, it was really good!

I hope everyone has a really great Christmas! this is a wonderful time of year to enjoy the birth of our savior and really appreciate everyone as a family. Mom, I got the packages ok. Thanks so much! I've been really enjoying everything that you've sent. It's been a lot of fun to open all of them. I've been feeling ok - my headaches haven't been bothering me all too bad. You sent me the essentials oils already M-Grain and a couple of others. I've been using them, but some days I forgot or run out of time. They've been helping a little bit. Thanks for asking!

I love you all, and I'm so thankful for all the love and support that you've been giving me here at the MTC! It's helped me out a lot, and I've really had such a wonderfully increased testimony since I"ve been here. I hope you all truly enjoy this Christmas season, and remember each other and get absolutely caught up the in the spirit of the season! Sorry for the short e-mail. Blame technology! Eeebil.

We'll be teaching the first lesson again this Saturday, and I discovered this past Saturday that my departure date is set for the seventh of January! We're all very excited, and getting really ready now with much anticipation. I'll be heading over to the land in the East in just two or so weeks!

Have a wonderful Christmas! I pray for everyone back home everyday! And everyone else, pray for the Korean people for me, and pray for North Korea that it may open up to the missionaries!

Sarang,
Webster Changro

Week... 1,000,000? It's snowing!

Yes, I have definately lost track of how long I've been in here.

Elder Rockwood says hi (he's our Zone Leader. He's sitting next to me :D).

Anyway, things are going great. We taught the second lesson last Saturday for the first time. That was kind of intimidating, and I didn't do as well as I probably should've because I kind of lost focus on the dano (vocab words) that I should've been studying. I was focusing too much on the directions that we had to give rather than on the words that I should've been saying during the lesson itself. Luckily che dongbancha did great on that and covered me on more than on time. But! We still did wonderful. We taught with the spirit, and did the best to our Korean ability.

Other than that, we're still just working hard here. Things are still going along, and we're still alive here. The spirit of Christmas is coming really great - I really love it here! I'm so excited for Christmas. I'm actually excited to spend the holidays here - I discovered that once I leave for Hangkuk, I'll be just in time to experience the Chinese New Year in Korea. How cool! I'll send pictures, and... other cool things. Maybe a traditional paper shirt? :D

We teach again this week - on Saturday. We get to teach a "recent convert with questions about Tithing". I think this'll be a great experience.

I heard some more information about Korea from my teachers, too. They were telling us about the people there and how much they love recreation and healthy stuff. "Kongkan chwego!" Health is #1! That's a motto over there. How cool is that? Apparently they love hiking, recreation, there're parks all over the country... Other really neat stuff like that. So I had a really great thought - how amazing would it be to teach someone the second lesson (that includes The Creation of the world principle, and God's plan for us) outside, after just hiking a wonderful mountain! I'm so excited. I can't wait to get out there and eat dog soup.

Oh yeah. They also eat dog soup. I forgot about that part. I'll let you know how it tastes. They also eat live octopus, but we are advised against eating that, as the suction cup of the octopus can apparently stick in your throat and kill you. That's kind of a lame headline in the Korean newspaper, so... I'll stick with dog and kimchi.

Anyway, mother! Thanks so much for the Christmas present. I guessed one of them was food, so I decided to open it early (... sshhhh.... >.>). I realized that by the time it gets to be Christmas, I'll have about a week left in the MTC, so I won't have a whole lot of time to eat that much food. The rest of the Elders in my room have been getting boxes of food as well, so I'm kind of fending for myself. So, I've decided that I'm going to start on the food early! The caramel popcorn is delicious. :) The other present will wait. As well as the present from Grandma! Thanks Grandma for that, I was excited when I received it. It's driving a sister in my district crazy - she's getting really excited for Christmas.

So! I hope everything is going well there. I'm still just working hard - we got the chance to hear the BYU Men's Choir last Saturday. That was a lot of fun! I really enjoyed their songs - very spiritual and very inspirational.

We've received our new teacher - for about a week or two now actually. I can't remember if I told you guys about that, but... he's here! And he's really great. He's just barely off his mission - by about two months! So it's been really great to hear the advice and the experiences that he can give to us. He went to Seoul, just like me and my companion, so it's been even better to hear from him. Apparently he spent most to all of his mission in Seoul. But he has a really keen skill at the language, as well as a really powerful spiritual knowledge that he is more than willing to always share. He's a really wonderful Preach My Gospel missionary.

I dunno if these e-mails ever get out to Jones Chongronim and Chamenim, but if they do -- you're doing wonderful! Keep up the good work! I've really enjoyed reading how it is first-hand out in the land of the East. And Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas to everyone! Enjoy the snow, and be happy! Also, the Provo temple is closing on the 20th. Go to the temple! I'm not sure if I'll get the chance to go before I leave, so go for me! Today was my last attendance for two weeks. Go to the temple!

I'm not entirely sure who all this gets to, but I love you all! Thanks for the support and love that you've shown me - it's really helped me out here! I hope you're all doing really wonderful, and enjoy the spirit of Christmas. Get absolutely indulged in it and celebrate the birth of our Savior as best you can!

Remember that our Heavenly Father loves you all, and that our Savior is there for you, and the Holy Ghost can always be with as a constant companion and friend!

Heng boke ha ship sheyo! Be happy!

Sarang,
Webster Chongronim

He's BA-ack!

Hey all! It's Micheal. Sort of. He has actually been taken over! Oh no! Sort of.

As stated in his last blog, Mike left to serve a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. He entered the Missionary Training Center on October 22 and is going to Korea on January 7! For now I, Torie, will be updating his blog, meaning that I will copy and paste his emails to this blog so you all can read and enjoy. If anyone has anything to say to Mike and they don't want to write him themselves (come on!), they can leave a comment and I will be sure to include it in my next letter to him. Here we go!

Short and sweet.

I'm leaving tomorrow! I'm getting set apart as a missionary tonight at 6:30PM. And then off to the MTC I go!

Captain's log: October 21st... there's something... on the wing. There's some...THING... on the wing!

End log.

Elder Micheal Webster
Korea Seoul Mission
Provo MTC 2005 N 900 E
Provo, Utah 84604

Korea Seoul Mission
Gwanghwamun PO Bow 210
Jongno-gu, Seoul-si 110-602
South Korea

There're my addresses! Just in case those of you that want to write don't have it.

Best of luck to you all! Have a happy two years. Don't implode in a horrible meteor accident.

I don't want any of you getting meteor powers without me.

Signed,

Sparkling Vampire Babies.

I took this from Mandi's blargh:

It makes fun of Twilight. And that's just joyous for me.

I'm assuming that's a spoiler, too. So I guess if you don't want to find out that the main character dies a horrible, spine-shattering ending that befits an action star rather than a high school girl giving birth, don't read it.

Probably shouldn't read that, either.

Have you ever wondered how much time you waste reading all the stuff I write? I write a lot. Especially about, like, condiments and stuff. Weird huh? Have you ever wondered how many mustard seeds it takes to make a bottle of mustard?

Anyway, not a whole lot been going on. I've got just a couple of weeks left before I leave. Three weeks minus a day to be exact. Math sucks. I guess I should that my math sucks - I thought I had like forty-five or so days left, just to find out that I did my math wrong. I have twenty days left now. It's getting a bit closer and I'm getting a little more anxious when I think about it. I haven't really been thinking about it that often, but when I do I think my blood pressure goes up a little bit. :D

I've been sitting at home a lot. Over the past couple of weeks I've finished watching Lost Season 1 and 2. The final season is scheduled for 2010, just when I get back! I think that's kinda cool, because that way I can come back and get the whole series done with. I like it a lot so far, although it's getting kind of weird now. I've discovered the reason I like it so much is because of all the psychological situations that're presented. You get to find out the backgrounds to each character; how they ended up where they are and what problems got them to where they are. It's really cool. If you have the time, I'd suggest taking a look at it.

But since I've finished that, now I'm bored. D:

Did you know that imdb.com offers full-length movies and TV episodes? I thought that was awesome. I watched a few episodes of House along with Liar, Liar yesterday.

My mom is currently in Europe. She left earlier this week, she caught a midnight flight on Monday.../Tuesday? She'll be there for about another week. I'm very excited for her! She brought her little camera, so I get to see some cool pictures, too. I don't have any contact with her, though, so mostly I get to hope that everything is going ok over there.

Also, she left her SLR camera here. I need something cool to take pictures of, but I can't come up with any ideas... So if you have anything, send it my way. I'd like to play around with it.

Smallville season 8 has started up, as well. Today is the third episode of the season. It sounds promising, but I'll be gone when all the sweet-action stuff happens, so... I just get to see the teaser tags for everything that has been going on so far. I read a lot of the spoilers online so I could get the basic plot to this season. Quite promising, indeed!

Oh yeah, also, last Friday I got the opportunity to attend the temple to recieve my endowments. It was quite amazing. The temple is the weirdest and coolest thing I've ever done. It's surprising to me how many things are right in front of our faces that link directly to the sacred practices of the temple that we aren't allowed to discuss. I strongly urge everyone that is reading this (all three of you), to strive for attendance to the temple. Don't sell yourself short. You get to wear magical underwear! And if that isn't a bonus, I don't know what can get you there. +5 armour and a +3 intellect, concetration, and charisma (I bet like two of you got that reference. Good job Debbie and Mandi ;) ).

Anyway, once again not a whole lot going on. Just thought I'd let the internets peeplez know I'm still a-kickin'.

So, 'til next time. :D

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Now playing: The Academy Is... - Same Blood
via FoxyTunes

Something... HORRIBLE is in the water!

Not really.

Did I make you look?

Would you've looked if I was not typing this, and instead screamed it from your kitchen?

Would you even let me into your kitchen?

No sane man would!

But maybe you aren't a man?

Maybe you're... a MONGOOSE?!

Reader = mongoose.

Problem solved! You no longer have a leaky faucet.

Buhnaaaaaaaanuh.

Torie is moving up to her new apartment tomorrow. Amanda is already up there. Amanda has a lot of crap. I'm kind of wondering if she has been engulfed by it all yet. Maybe her only escape is her window? Maybe she made an escape hatch! Or a ladder from the ceiling (I hate you so much i before e rule) or something. Hopefully I'll get the chance to help Torie finish up her moving process, I'm really excited to get to see her more on our own terms when she moves. It'll also be nice to be in a bigger town, so we have a lot more available to us with a lot less of a drive. I missed her a lot today. It seems like the days that I don't do anything are the days I end up thinking about her and missing her ever more. It's really kind of obnoxious, in that nice pining kind of way.

What do pine needles have anything to do with affection, anyway?

I also found out last week that I'm giving my farewell talk on September the 14th. It's kind of a short notice, and a really weird time to have it, considering I'll still be here for another month. But, at the same time I think I've recognized it as exactly what I wanted. I've never given a talk in church before, I've only even been up to the bullpit (toro, toro!) once to speak into the mic, and I think that was to give a prayer. Even that was weird. So, this being so far from when I'm leaving, I don't even have to worry about it. It'll be done and so very over with by the time I've left, it'll only be a little bit on my mind. It also gives me a great time to see everybody with nice weather still around. And those that I don't see still have a month to see me before I go. Good tidings all around, I think they should have farewells like this more often.

We're also cancelling our Blockbuster Online in favor of Netflix. I'm really the only one that ever rents movies anyway, but it's still a nice little service to have. Netflix sounds much better anyway. I also need more movies to watch. Which means I need recommendations. Tell me!

I've also gotten a few more updates from Chris and Jessica. Still doing great. Still going crazy after being trapped in the MTC for so long, and still learning the language wonderfully. They both taught their first lesson just this past week entirely in Japanese, and both had pretty good reports. Jessica is excited to do it again after talking with one of her teachers who gave her a good pick-her-up about teaching in a foreign language. It also helped me out, her story. Basically what she said was you aren't trying to tell people things, what you're trying to do is give them the spirit so that they can understand for themselves. I think. Something to that effect. Even if that isn't it, that's still a cool idea. :D

Speaking of that, here's another thoughtful idea from your's truly:

I was looking on MySpace through some people that I used to know in high school. They weren't the best crowd by any means, they still aren't, but I could call them my friends at one point. So obviously they meant something to me. Even though I may not've been in touch with any of them for some time, probably coming up onto two years for some of them now, I still look at their profile page through my stalker-esque means - just to see what they've been up to. Or maybe even laugh at them to think back on something we may've done once.

At any rate, as I was doing not but thirty minutes ago, I started wondering through a conversation two of my old friends were having. Friend A was saying hi to Friend B, and so Friend B replied. Friend B was checking up on Friend A to see how he has been doing, and what he has been up to. Friend A has apparently broken up with a girl but gotten back together with her. Good for him. I still think they're both dumb, but yippity-yay. I'm also pretty sure it won't last long. Both Friend A and Friend B have been incredibly problematic with their emotional issues ever since I've known them, and neither have gotten better over the past few years. Neither Friend B nor Friend A are very active in the church. Now I'm not trying to say that the church is all there is in this life. Certainly not. But think about all of the immediate gratification we can get from the church! You probably haven't heard that one before, have you? We always think of immediate results and immediate pleasure as being a bad thing. Sure, it is. I agree. That's what leads man down the wrong path, is wanting something immediately. But think about all of the good that comes from the knowledge the church members have! If you do your best to strive in the Light, you'll be given the gift of the Holy Spirit, aka The Comforter. That's what I prefer to call him, because that is what He has helped me with the most.

In some of our most painful, absolutely awful moments when it feels like nothing will ever give way, just to give us a little bit of sunshine, The Comforter can be there for us. And you know, maybe we haven't even been striving to do our best. The Comforter can still be there. As I glanced over the profile page of Friend B and started looking at his other friends, I immediately began to notice the same thing... They're all practically the exact same person. I don't know why it seemed like this to me, but every one of B's friends seemed to be needing the same thing. There's just always a gaping hole in those that don't have what I've been so lucky to have had.

Now, at this point you're probably thinking "But I know a lot of really great people that aren't apart of the gospel, either!" (If you weren't, you are now, because you just read that. Sucker!)

Yeah, so do I. I'm not saying greatness can't be achieved without having the gospel. I'm just saying it's a lot bloody easier. Easier. That's about the same thing as immediate, wouldn't you say? Immediate happiness... Immediate gratification.

Maybe I'm not making any sense and I've talked myself into a circle (rhombus?) here, so please feel free to ask questions if there is any clarification needed. Or to tell me that I'm just being absolutely asinine. But I feel it's right.

Anyway, another behemoth of a post. I can't seem to write anything less than gigantic. One last blurb about music, though. I've discovered the band The Frost on my library. Very excellent, absolutely amazing. Strongly suggested. Also Anberlin is coming to concert this October with Scary Kids Scaring Kids. Hopefully I'll be attending. Yay! I'm also currently listening to Estradesphere, an all instrumental band that I disliked when I first heard them. Good now, though! I'm enjoying it, although still weird. Just can't beat a title like "The Terrible Beautypower of Meow".

Anyway, 'til next time. :D

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Now playing: Estradasphere - Smuggled Mutation
via FoxyTunes

Dum-de-dum-da dadada-dum-de-dum-de-dum-da dadadada....

My mom got a new LAN line phone. It sings, and talks to you. It just rang. I set the song to that organization of dees, a's, yous, ees, and ems that you saw earlier. Also the hyphens. It's apart of the song. Weird.

Anyway, I've been watching the Olympics often. I always seem to get stuck watching volleyball. I've discovered sand volleyball is much more exciting than the normal court kind. It's faster first of all, and they make more exciting plays more often. Plus playing in the sand is just really hard.

I've still just been watching the kids up at the Jones' house. Nothing all that exciting, although a couple of weeks ago we went power tumbling. Everyone had a lot of fun, and Cameron even stopped by. Although he didn't do anything the entire time he was there. He opted for just sitting on the sidelines. It was funny though because he got to watch everyone, so he was telling me all the observations that I missed because I was busy throwing kids into the foam pit.

Last week wasn't all that exciting. I can't really remember anything in particular that happened to report. So far this week, though, I've been swimming and to Lagoon. It was Steph's birthday on Monday, and she chose to go to Lagoon with the family. It was crowded - there were a lot of lines in most to all of the rides. I went on all of the exciting ones that I like, like Wicked. I also went on Spider for the first time. That one is awesome! I've never been before, and I don't know why we didn't go last time we went. When we first got to the park, Nathan and I broke off from Richard, Kevin, and Stephany. Our first ride was the White Rollercoaster. Nathan said he wanted to get used to it, so immediately after that I took him on Wicked. That one is still very awesome. I can't really remember the other ones we went on after that, mostly what stood out in my mind was The Bat (sucked), Rocket (hurts), Wicked (still fun), and Spider (also fun). They need to smooth out the track to The Bat or something, because every turn felt like the White Rollercoaster. I also felt like I was going to hit my feet on everything that came by.

We met up with Torie after at about 7:00, when I was already incredibly tired. I took some motion sickness pills - those seemed to help a lot. I began to wonder if it was because of the pills that I was getting so tired. I couldn't tell. I also have these weird wristbands that are supposed to help with the motion sickness. I couldn't tell if it was those that worked, or the pills. Either way, I felt better than I usually do after coming home from a theme park.

Why do they call it a theme park anyway? What's the theme to Lagoon? Rollercoasters? That's kind of lame theme, because there're a lot of other "theme" parks in the world with the same theme! Technically a normal park could be called a theme park. The theme to a normal park is recreational activity. A parking lot could also be called a theme park. The point to the theme is to park. That's about the same thing.

Uhm... Anyway.

I met up with Torie first at Rocket. I tried to make Nathan go on it, but as he got closer and noticed how incredibly high up it was, it started to make him sick. I thought it was really funny, but he ended up not going on it. He said while he was waiting for us he was holding back some stomach acid burps. So it's good he didn't end up going on it, because I'm sure we would've gone vomit chasing. After that we met up with Linda and Steph waiting in the Wicked line. I kind of wanted to stay with Linda to watch he reaction as we went on Wicked, but also liked sticking with Torie. So I decided to follow Torie and her family and go to Rattlesnake (I just wrote Rattlesnack. What kind of ride would that be? :D) Rapids. At like 8:45 PM. It was cold! But, still pretty fun. Torie's dad stayed with the littler kids, and the rest of the family went on the ride. I thought it was funny how everytime Torie's parents started to come near, she'd let go of my hand. It happened like four times. I also thought it was funny how if I'd been near Torie at all, her dad wouldn't look me in the eye to talk to me. Not like we talked much at all anyway, but the couple of times did, he still wouldn't.

Anyway, so after (I also just wrote fat. I'm not quite so sure what my fingers are doing...) Rattlesnack Rapids we did... something else. At some point we ended up going to Spider. It's a spinning... twirly, twisty... always moving and dropping very fun ride. That first hill got me both times - we went on it twice because when we got off the first time we checked the line to Wicked and found it to be closed. The first time we were facing forward as we exited the gate. The second time we weren't, and that wasn't as much fun. Chelsea said she didn't like it, but enjoyed it more the second time as she was facing forwards. I think it's just more fun in general if you get to face forwards. That was my exciting Lagoon trip, anyway. At least as much as I can remember. I'm looking forward to going to Frightmares in a couple of months.

The next day was Linda's birthday, so for that we went swimming. I don't think she had ever been, and it was fun to have a little more company there. It's usually just me and the kids, so to see Annie and Susanne with Linda there also was pretty fun. Once Torie and Chelsea got off work they stuck around and played around with us. That was a lot of fun! I haven't been dunked since Mandi was here when we ran into Ashley at the pool. They dunk nice, though. Except for when Torie splashed me. I think a full cup of water went straight into my eyeball. I was getting pretty good at keeping my ground, too, except for when we were in the lazy river. That's when I got dunked the most. After that I went home and bummed around for a while.

But speaking of bumming around, I've discovered a gaming thing online called GameTap. I know it's not new nor very unknown, but I always thought it was just a stupid collection of lame games that were put onto a database online. Wrong! I've been playing it like a fiend. I want to sign up for Gold Membership - there are a lot of games that I really want to play and haven't had the opportunity to. I need to find a credit card, though. Or a PayPal membership. I'll give you a dollar, because that's all it costs! :D Feeeed my addiction!

School also starts today for everyone else. I think it's funny watching everyone else go back to school, but knowing that I don't have to prepare for something like that. Not this year, anway! I still get to watch the kids, but I just don't have to be up there until later in the day. Which means like, two hours. I haven't strangled any of them yet, too! Goal achieved!

I've been hearing from Chris and Jessica, too. They're still doing great and learning the language really well. Chris seems like he has been doing wonderfully at it - something I was wondering about considering how unwell he was doing at it in high school. 63 days left for me!

'til next time. :D

(I'm not listening to any music! Oh no! Still watching the Olympics. Volleyball: USA-2 Serbia-2. Tie-breaker match!)

Ooooo. Aaaahhhh.....

Check out all my new stuff! I updated the website. Pay particular attention to the link list, especially the My Pictures part. I put that up for you people!

Enjoy. :D

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Now playing: The Aquarium Rescue Unit - Swallows
via FoxyTunes

Row-ads.

An yeong ha se yo!

My internet just crashed, so I lost the paragraph that I had already typed. That's obnoxious.

Anyway, as I was saying, I have this big ol' gash up my right leg. I was messing around on Chris' bike yesterday, trying to do a bunny-hop, and got a two-fer, and smacked my shin against the pedal when I landed one hop. So the nice medal pegs slashed up my leg. It was quite unpleasant I believe. Although apparently I got some pretty good height. Torie bandaged me all up last night. It was really nice to have someone else look to my wounds, rather than just bleeding and groaning on my own as I neglect to care for my horrible disfigurement. It looks better today than it did yesterday. It's still pretty swollen, though. Hopefully I'll remember to bandage it up again today. Hopefully.

And onto the more exciting news from last night, an entire mountain near my house caught fire. It was burning for several hours, so seriously no joke about it being an entire mountain. The mountain is very ugly today as I had expected. Most of it is incredibly charred and blackened. It'll be like this well into the next season I'm sure. Apparently it was started by a downed power-line, so says the news people. Either that or it was started in Spring Lake from an exposed electrical wire in some dry grass. Or some construction workers trying to repair a power line. Or a comet. Or dinosaurs.

Rawr.

http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=3912315
There's some cool pictures on that site, with a little more information.

Everything smells like smoke now. It's really pretty gross. It's going to get hot soon, and it'll be hot in my house, but I can't open any windows or anything! Boo. Plus the valley looks really murky now.

And I can't figure out why my brother insists on not wearing shirts.

Last week I finished my immunizations for most of my stuff. I think there're a few other shots that I've gotta get done. I know of at least one more that I have to get hit with one week before I go into the MTC. Then I'll be able to go hug a panda without getting sick! Excellent! If not a panda then at least a Korean. Close enough. I'll go find a fat Korean. Short and fat. The short part comes standard. I think I'll skip out on the hairy part. That sounds awful. I'll at least get said Korean to hold a stick of bamboo, though. Chewing optional. I'm just a dumb foreigner, so I could probably get them to do what I want. I wonder how different Koreans treat foreigners compared to Japan? Apparently you're like contagious gangrene victim over there. My bishop said that Koreans just don't really know where to place you in their society, because everyone has a very strict title system to follow. Foreigners don't fall under this system.

I'm the normal one. You're the weirdos.

Just grab onto some duck tales.

I've also gone to see The Dark Knight. Three times, actually. As everyone else has said, it is an incredibly movie. Incredibly flawless, although very long. I don't really like how long it was, but I couldn't really see it being any shorter. Just like everyone else has said, it is sad that Heath Ledger has died, but this was an excellent final movie for him. It was hard to believe that that was him. The first time I watched it I got very captived by the characters, as if I was watching a documentary or something. It was amazing watching Batman and The Joker interact, how they were like two opposite sides of the same coin - which is where Two-Face played in! The one thing that they didn't do quite so well, was Harvey Dent wasn't really shown as having a split personality disorder. He just seemed really angry sometimes. Maybe I was expecting The Animated Series where Harvey would actually change voices when his other persona would come in, which is why Two-Face would always have that strange, raspy voice rather than a normal kind of voice.

Anyway, I look forward to the next movie. Hopefully it'll be done by the time I get home. That's my goal anyway. ;D

It is August 2nd today! Which means I have two months and twenty days. And then another three more months from that until I'm actually in Korea! Three or so months anyway. That gives me three months to learn an entire language to use in the real world. Oh so very exciting.

I've also recieved a letter from both Chris and Jessica, as I've been writing them on dearelder.com (something I strongly suggest everyone to use. It's a free service while your beloved missionary is still in the MTC. Remember this while I'm in there!). They both are doing really great. From the little I've heard from them, it is incredibly evident that their testimony has grown leaps and bounds already, including Chris'. Neither of them are timid about sharing how they feel any longer, and Chris has clearly discovered that his testimony is of his own, and it is currently being strengthened using iron shackles and steel braces. This is what I look forward to. I'm already quite sure I have an unshaking faith, considering what I've been through I've never been happier, so I know for a fact that there isn't a true sort of happiness outside of the gospel. Who wants to live their life unhappy? That doesn't sound like much of an existance.

Speaking of which, due to the fire I started thinking about why God would let something like that happen. Nobody was injured, and only one old, pretty much useless house was burned down, but that's still an incredible amount of property damage to several unfortunates. And I just knew there had to be some kind of reason. It occured to me that maybe He allows things like this to happen in order to test the faith of the saints. This is the time when people come together to help each other out, and when you have to know that everything is going to be ok in the long-run, no matter what happens. And think about it - the second coming is supposed to be marked by an incredible amount of destruction. When earthquakes start happening and other sorts of natural disasters, do you think it's going to be everyone's first thought to believe that Christ is coming again? Not really. It'll just be like "Holy crap holy crap holy crap theearthismoving holy crap." When people hear about the disaster, it'll be a true test to figure out who still has the faith, or which of us will cast it off in despair, cursing God's name that something like this could happen. That's when the true colours will show, and they will be cast down. Unforunate, but true.

Remember that when something happens, there's always a reason for it. Even the burning of an entire lush, green mountain. The vegitation will grow back to be even better! It takes time, but what doesn't? Why do you think patience is such an important part to life? Hope is a goal that every person must have. Without hope, faith is of little use to us. Faith is only a belief, while hope is what gives us something to believe in. Don't think of hope as a useless dream or fruitless ponderings. Hope is the stem to everything we need to believe in this life.

But maybe that's just me.

So anyway, 'til next time! :D

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Now playing: Muse - Exo-Politics
via FoxyTunes
(shuffle!)

Rutabaga.

My arm freakin' kills.

I got shot in the arm yesterday, twice in my left and once in my right. It was a really good aim to only get me in the arm. But geez, I wasn't expecting it to hurt quite so bad! I mean, I'll probably be feeling this for a few weeks at least. It's nothing like the movies.

...

"Oh hardy hardy," you're probably thinking to yourself (or glancing around to make sure no one else is there and saying it to yourself. Don't worry, we've all done it). Well, you'd be right. Except laughing like that has been proven to lower your intelligence. Seriously. Keep laughing like that around people and see if they treat you differently than normal.

I got vaccinations done. Hepititus (or something. They could've been making up words just to stick me with a needle for all I know) A and B were the killer ones I think. My left arm is really stiff. And I get to go back twice over the next two weeks to get them finished! They also gave me typhoid fever pills. I get to ingest typhoid fever tonight! That seems kind of contradictory. $45 to get sick? I could just go hug a homeless person.

Anyway, the reason behind all of this is that I finally got my mission call, if you haven't heard already! Hooray for that. It came on Thursday. I'm going to the South Korea Seoul mission, and I'm leaving for the MTC on October 22nd to learn the Korean language. It sounds very intimidating. I don't know anything about the Koreans!

Speaking of missions and octupi, Chris and Jessica have departed for the MTC as of Wednesday. They're currently sitting in a classroom learning Japanese! Probably. I dunno, it's not like I bugged their clothing or anything.

... Of course not.

Also, I'm currently reading Alcatraz versus the Evil Librarians. It's funny so far, a little bit obnoxious how it's written as it's really short and small and repetative, but it's also a kid's book. I have to keep remembering that, as it kind of borders toward the Young Adult audience. Maybe that's what it is. Anyway, it's good. I'm a little less than halfway already, starting it yesternight. I also bought the second book in Terry Goodkind's series The Sword of Truth. This book is called The Stone of Tears. Or something. It's alright. Actually kind of annoying, I prefered the first one so far. I'll try and get through it though.

I've also got a whole lot more music from Chris' laptop. I went and raided it yesterday and put some more bands onto my iPod. Except Winamp isn't recognizing my iPod as a portable device. D: Oh the tragedy!

"Just one little shooting and people don't want to ever shop here again."

'til then! :D

Pohtaytoe.

My dog is howling.

I just got back from Subway and Orderville Gulch. Holy crap they were fun hikes. I definitely want to do those ones again. They were both about as equally cool, although we got to play around on Orderville a little bit more, and wasn't as rigorous of a hike.

Chris and I left on Monday night to go visit some friends in Cedar City. That was also super awesome. I met one of Chris and Jessica's friends from when they went to school, and then we went and visited Danelle. I played with her carpet, wax, and read that super awesome book of her's. Then we left to go down to Zion and had to go buy the permit for the Subway hike. Then we went on this nice little walk on a trail called The Watchman Trail. It was named after a mountain I think. We didn't go all the way up because it was getting dark, and we needed to find a place to stay.

First we went into Zion park campgrounds to try and find a camping spot. But then we found out they cost $16 each, and we are cheap. So instead I told Chris where the church was and we went around into the back and slept on the lawn behind this fence. And by slept, I actually mean we both laid there for several hours under the disguise of sleeping. First, we were being eaten alive by bugs. Then there were a lot of lights in the parking lot that kept us awake, and to top it off, it rained. Thunderstorms, about four times during the night (good call Danelle). Not so fun. We woke up at about six and messed around for an hour before we went back into the park and got the Orderville Gulch permit. I found out permits are incredibly difficult to get, actually. Some of those guys that were there had been there since about 5:30! I couldn't believe that. So after that we went to a nearby gas station and got some hot water to eat our oatmeal for breakfast. That was quite the day.

We then waited for Richard to call us so that we could go and find the Subway trailhead. Chris and I got lost of course and ended up about an hour in the opposite direction of where we needed to be. Chris got very frustrated - it didn't seem like we were having a very good time with directions and communication most of our trip. Finally we hit the trail. It was boring hiking into the canyon, but we finally got there and it was a lot of fun. It was my favorite hike I've been on so far. I know that because I was enjoying the hike as it was happening. There were a few cool repels, and these really funny Swedish group that was ahead of us. They got stuck in this one hard part, on a repel I think and started cursing (I think) in Swedish. The guy that was with them just said "Oh don't mind them. They're Swedish."

When we finished that hike I was very sore. The hike out was awful. We climbed something like 500 ft. in less than a mile. It was incredibly stranuous, although it was cool to look back at the river and think that just like ten minutes ago you used to be walking in it.

Afterwords we met up with the rest of the family that came on Orderville with us, had some more miscommunication that resulted in Linda driving about half an hour up into the canyon. Arguments and sour faces, but then everyone went to sleep alright. Nate and I slept in the bed of the truck. It was actually a really good sleep, although more padding would've been nice. I decided that whoever I end up marrying, I want to take them on a hiking trip to Subway and Orderville and sleep in the bed of the truck. It was a lot of fun.

Then the next day came and we left for Orderville. That hike was more exciting as there were more deep pools to jump into off of rocks. That was what I was looking forward to pretty much the whole time we were doing both hikes. I will go back there someday!

Then, yesterday, Chris and Jessica went to the St. George temple to recieve their endowments. It's so funny that Chris has to wear garments now. I was making fun of him for it when he got home. He said that it's all very overwhelming, they give you a lot of information that deals with a lot of symbolism. Chris was worried that they were going to have to sacrifice something, but was relieved when they didn't. And Jessica almost got brought into the bride's room because the lady thought she was married, not a missionary.

Also, my papers are submitted as of last Sunday. Along with Nate's. If my stake president is correct I should be expecting them next week, although he also said that July is the month that the general authorities take their time off so it might take longer. Either way, I'm very excited. I'll be sure and let everyone know where I end up going.

Anyway, 'til next time. :D

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Now playing: Rush - The Spirit Of Radio
via FoxyTunes

Aauuugh....

Muscles... hurt... so bad... The burning and throbbing... And the lack of feeling. You don't actually need your leg muscles, right? I didn't think so, either.

I went for a twenty-two mile bike ride yesterday. If we weren't so pressed for time I would've brought my camera and taken many much nice pictures. It was a really fun ride, although incredibly long and painful in some parts. All of it was paved, and it wound through very nice trees and followed the Provo River for a very long time. I think that's the most amount of trees I've ever seen outside of a canyon in Utah. It was very impressive. The city put a lot of work into that trail, and it's cool to see it getting used.

We started from the three mile marker and rode up to Vivian Park, which ended at 14 miles. Now, if my deductions are correct, that makes it...

14-3...
Carry the nine, divide by four, square root that answer...
Solve for x, y = 19...

Uhhh. Well I dunno, but it was a really long ride! It made me want a road bike, too. That would've made it like half the effort. When I get home off my mission... I'll have to divulge in a few pleasures. :D


It has also been raining a lot. Like, a lot. Apparently it rained really hard this morning, although I wasn't aware. I was either sleeping or still laying in bed reading. Speaking of which! The Wizard's First Rule by Terry Goodkind is an excellent book. It's very long, and I think I still have 200 pages left, but it really is excellent. It's the book I plan to finish before I leave. Unless I leave late, then I'll be onto the next book. I think he has like eight or so books out of it, which is kind of a bummer. Long series are kind of a drag, because then you know that some of the main characters aren't ever in perilous danger. They'll pull through! Because they have seven more books to be apart of.

Anyway, I'm five days away from having my papers submitted!

And I'm going on another bike ride today. I'm probably going to collapse...

'til then! :D

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Now playing: Transatlantic - Suite Charlotte Pike
via FoxyTunes

Sultry.

I've been good and done with finals for some time now. Hooray for that! It's been really great to not have anything to do. I think this has been one of the best summers yet, and it's just getting started! I've been on the hike of Coyote Gulch. That was so much fun. I wish I would've taken more pictures. The canyon was absolutely amazing - it was surprising how nice it looked. I haven't been on a decent hike for some time, so it was really nice to get back into the swing of things. I ought to throw some pictures up here, but... too lazy. Much too lazy.

I've been exercising more recently - mostly a lot of bike riding. Dave hooked me up and got my old bike fixed, so that was way awesome. I'm still getting some nice things done to it, thanks to people that don't need parts. Free stuff for a mediocre bike! I plan to get my entire bike re-constructed due to other people's newer purchases for their very nice bikes. I went on my first downhill mountain biking excursion yesterday. It was frightening. Next time I intend to bring a camera so I can record the other good people coming down, that was so much fun. I almost crashed three or so times, but never actually crashed. I scrapped my shin on my pedal, however. That hurts kind of a lot now. In the process I also racked myself on the frame of my bike. Also hurt a lot, but I worked through it and kept peddling on!

We had a large group: Dave, Chris, Norman, Seth, Taylor, Nate, and mineself. Chris was kind enough to stay back with me and make sure I didn't die - everyone else pretty much cruised ahead. They were supportive in me going, at least. They all knew it was my first time. I wish I could've gotten ahead of them sometimes to watch some of their angry skills, so that's why I intend to bring a camera. I'll have a reason to go ahead and make them wait for me! Awesome pictures and such to be viewed later, hopefully.

And about that me being lazy thing... I'm so sore. D:

Chris is also back home from Cedar. It's really great to have him home again. It's so much fun to have him and Dave together now. It makes things a lot easier for us to hang out, and a lot of fun in general. Unfortunately, Tiffany left Chris, so Chris hasn't been in the best of spirits... And I've been doing my best for him. I'm not quite so sure how to help out like I should, but... I know he'll get through. If I think about Chris, I get sad. When I think about Tiffany, I just get angry. It's some sort of awful double-bladed sword. A fiery, hope-you-step-in-gum kind of sword.

But on the plus side, at the end of next month we'll be going to the Zion Subway! I'm so incredibly excited for that hike. That's the one that I thought the miserable Narrows was going to be. This one ought to be absolutely stunning. I'm excited.

Chris is also expecting his mission call by the end of this week. Also very exhilarating! I can't believe how close it's getting to be sometimes. I'll be getting my haircut soon... For those of you reading this from afar, I'll be sure to get pictures up somewhere for yoos to view. Speaking of the end of this week, my graphic novels will be here by then, too! I bought two Batman graphic novels, one about The Joker (my new favorite supervillain ever), and the other is a cool looking one with a story coming straight from Arkhum Asylum. I've been watching Batman: The Animated Series lately, hence the reason I've been so obsessed with Batman. I think he really has become my new favorite superhero. Even though technically isn't the "super" part of superhero, he's still a hero and a man devoted to his cause! Watching some of those episodes from the animated series, I don't think I could have the devotion that he does - dead parents or no.

Interesting line from this song: "You gotta kick at the darkness 'til it bleeds sunlight."

Anyway. I also went to the Provo temple today. It had been a while since I've gone, so it was really nice. Kind of early to wake up, though. Chris and Torie went, Chris putting the thing together. It makes me glad to see that, even though Chris is having problems, he decides to go to the temple in the morning. That means he really does have an unshakable sort of faith - that no matter what happens his mission and his religion will be put first. It gives me a lot of hope and trust in the kind of friends I've stuck with.

I have a dermatologist appointment tomorrow. He's going to look at my cancer is see if my arm needs to be removed. I think I need my left arm, so I'll be very sad if it does need to be... Maybe he'll just get a spoon or something and scoop it out? A spork would work better, it has the pointy things (what're they called? Prongs!) at the end. It would be a digging/scooping motion that a normal spoon just can't handle. Is that why sporks were invented? For dermatologists? Hmm... Questions for the ages.....

I'm also going to Nickelcade. So there.

'til the next time you want your brain to turn to mush! :D

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Now playing: Barenaked Ladies - Pinch Me
via FoxyTunes

(when was the last time you listened to these guys?)

Who's hip anyway?

What's a place like you doing in a girl like this?

It's finals week. That's stupid. I have three two papers to hand in and two tests. I'll be finishing my English paper today I think. It'll be good to get that out of the way. My Biology test is tomorrow, and I plan on handing in my two other papers tomorrow, too. On Wednesday I get to take my Music and Fitness for Life final. I'm pretty sure I'm ready for my Fitness for Life final, but my music final is going to be a pain. We have to take another listening comprehension portion. That is, we have to listen to certain songs from some different composers and name the composer, song name, time period, and genre. It sucks. The last time I only got like a 28/50. So... here are to hopes of studying and good fortune all around! I hope everyone else's school closures are going alright.

A couple of days ago Tiffany brought over the Love-Sac. Now I have one for my very own self! It's a lot bigger than I remembered it being in her apartment, so it takes up like half of my room. It's totally worth it, though. I love that thing. No one else in my family has seen it yet, though. I'm wondering what their reaction will be. Torie didn't remember it being so large, either. She thought it was funny when she saw it in my room.

Speaking of a couple of days ago, though, I went down to the Fillmore hot springs with Richard, Tony, and Emily. That was fun - it was cool to hang out with those guys again. We met Danelle and some other people I didn't know down there. I remained mostly aloof, but the hot spring was really nice. I want to go down there again but don't want to make the 1 1/2 hour drive. That was awful... Emily wouldn't stop talking, for the entire hour and a half! D: Some of it was pretty funny, though. On the ride back I fell asleep. I also discovered that I kicked this very jagged rock with my foot and it gave me a painful cut on the top of my left foot. It hurt! It's fun to look at now, though. It's just deep enough to feel but not deep enough to go fishing in.

I also just finished The Guarding today. It's kind of sad, but really good. I liked the ending. I'd recommend it.

I'm still playing FFX. That game is too bloody long. I'm taking a break from it, but hopefully I'll still get to finishing it. I'm also wrapping up (I think) my ShadowRun campaign. I'm very excited to play. Eric, Justin, Doug and I played Star Wars last night. We killed a Rancor! I got bit twice and that really hurt, but lived through it. I really like that game, it's a lot of fun.

Onto more nerdy thing, I've also started watching more animes. I've started Ah! My Goddess and Black Cat. I'm not far on either of them, but I really like Black Cat so far. It seems a bit cliche, but I have a feeling that'll change later on in the series. I also plan to watch Rurouni Kenshin, too.

And with that! I get back to my English paper. Wish me luck!

'til next time. :D

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Now playing: Cowboy Bebop - Clutch
via FoxyTunes

Burlap.

A lot has happened just over this week or whenever I last updated. I had a fun birthday party up at the Jones' place of residence, with quite a few people that showed up. We mostly just listened to music and messed around all night - it really was a lot of fun. I think it was just the kind of thing I was looking for. Jeff angered me because we had a wrestling match and he started putting me in holds that were actually cutting off my wind pipe, but... at least that ended. It was pretty ok after that, I was glad to have the decrease of everyone when people started filtering out and it quieted down. Still, I look forward to the next time something big like that can happen.

The same night Chris and I hid easter eggs all around the house. We intended to make some of them impossible to find, because mom was telling us how she was still finding some of them from last year. We wanted the same thing to happen. Unfortunately most of our efforts were thwarted as the greatest ones that we hid were all discovered! Except for some of the more obvious ones, like the one in the teddy bear's shirt downstairs and the one underneath the Love-Sac. I think there was one left in the hallway light, too...

Things have gone back to normal for the most part, too. Chris and Jekka left for SUU on Monday, which sucked. I missed being able to do stuff and have somewhere to go everyday of the week. That was very nice. But I think there's only like... two weeks? Something like that. They'll be back up for another weekend, and then only a couple more weeks after that and school will be dismissed. I'm looking forward to that; I'm ready for school to be done. I think it's a consensus.

Unfortunately, on a less-happy note, my uncle's failing health finally let loose on him, and he passed away last week. The funeral was today. It was incredibly long, but wonderful at the same time. Everyone had only the best to say about my uncle Darryl, even some people that didn't even know him. A friend of my mom's that came by the funeral listened to the talks and commented that, listening to everyone, it made her want to know Darryl.

The viewing was last night, family thing. Eric came with me, as a kind of volunteer. It was kind of nice to have him there, being with my family for so long can be overwhelming some times. He and I walked up to the open-casket and he explained a little bit to me about the temple garb that Darryl was dressed in. After a pause, I started to reflect on the lesson we had in Institute just last Wednesday. I don't think it was some sort of coincidence that we'd have a lesson on death and the after-life only three days before a funeral. As I was looking into the casket, at Darryl's mortal remains, I told Eric how weird it is, or it would be, for people to not have anything to believe in. To have death be death, the end the end, and nothing to look forward to or strive for. How incredibly... well, mysterious, even. Just to die? A funeral without beliefs would be the most horrible thing to go to. Today we had a celebration of Darryl's life - our memories, his accomplishments, and how he touched so many lives. What would it be otherwise? It's difficult to celebrate death; you only have a memory to look forward to if there's nothing for you to believe in.

Although it wasn't the best situation, the funeral this weekend reaffirmed the reason why I'm going on a mission. I can't believe people are able to go through their life without having something as great and powerful - and comforting - as the gospel. Even though I know Darryl is gone, I've already learned that he's with us now, waiting and watching for a chance to maybe help when someone needs it, waiting for the rest of his family to come to him.

"Maybe the spirit is too strong, or the flesh is too weak."

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Now playing: Symphony X - Rediscovery, Part 2: The New Mythology
via FoxyTunes

It's March!

Crummy Smarch weather...

My birthday is in ten days! Hoorah!

So I'm already on Spring Break, which can get quite boring at times. But... at least I have a Spring Break. Take that BYU! *laughs at BYU's lack of holidays*

The opera is at the end of this week, on Friday. I'm going to see Cinderella put on by the Utah Opera something or other... I dunno. I just have to do it for my music class, so I decided to drag everyone else along with me. It'll be an experience, at least. That's about all that I have to look forward to about it, I think... At least I can say I've been to one! The girls wanted to get all dressed up for it, so I have to wear a suit. Which... is kind of dumb. It's going to get very uncomfortable sitting there for two or so hours jammed with a bunch of other people, wearing a suit. It's a felony yelling "FIRE!" in a crowded area, isn't it? I'd be on the upper balconies, so I'd be ok. Maybe I should bring a rappelling rope and try and descend from the balcony! And then, I could bring along my katana. Chris and I were talking about this. Wearing a suit with a katana, I'd be unstoppable. Like in an anime.

At any rate, I've started to play The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker. It's an incredible game so far, although Chris has told me it's going to start to suck right around where I am now. It gets kind of tedious and frustrating pretty soon. That part I'm not looking forward to very much, but I think it's my favorite one so far.

Also, I finished Avatar Book 2. I'm eagerly awaiting Book 3 from Jekka. She better hurry up here from Cedar! I guess it'll be nice to see her, too. Or something.

Super Smash Bros. Brawl came out sometime last week or something! That's super awesome. I'm going up to the Jones' and tearing it up if they have it. If they don't I intend to rent it. Not like the first Super Smash was intense enough at times, now you get to use your appendages to control your characters! I think something is going to get broken.

On a less exciting note, though, my uncle is in the hopsickle due to heart issues. He's had heart troubles for a while apparently; he had a defibrillator (that word is weird) put into his chest a while ago. He went into the emergency room to get something else checked out, and they discovered that his heart was only working at 10%. He's up at the U Medical Center now, in SICU. He's doing better, but he has a feeding tube and an oxygen tube inserted into his mouth, so he doesn't look all that great. Plus, he's in a hospital. I think that takes away how well you look. He's awaiting a heart transplant right now, which is why he's up there (other than the much needed care). He received an anointed blessing before he was transfered up there, and then a blessing for comfort while he was in the Provo hospital. According to what my uncle's friend was saying during the anointed blessing, he'll get through this. He still his other things to accomplish. I'm confident in that. It's tough, but I think he's tougher.

But at any rate. Saint Patty's Day is coming up next week. Not that exciting, but uh... Happy Get-In-A-Fight-With-An-Irishman Day.

'til next time. :D

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Now playing: The Mighty Mighty Bosstones - Desensitized
via FoxyTunes

Masainko, ha!

Well. Hello, there. It's a uh... fancy meetin' you here. So do you, like, come here often...?

If you've never heard of Nightwish go out and buy their album Dark Passion Play. Or I just might have to disown you. Also, go out and get Ayreon's 01011001. Also amazing. Nightwish has some of the greatest lyrics I've read for some time, and the instruments just grow on you more and more.

I also finished Zelda: Twilight Princess. It was a good game, with a pretty good ending. I think I played it too much, though, I should've paced myself a little more with it. The ending boss was a little bit too easy I think (once I figured out what to do...). You also have to fight this giant spider during one of the temples. That was freaking nasty. There was this one part, where the camera swiveled around so I got a good look at it. All... hairy, and... bug-eyed. That gave me the heebee-jeebies. It also died the way spiders do, which is also nasty. It curled up all sick like, and then exploded. But on the plus side, apparently spider hearts are also compatible with Link.

And more on the side of finishing things, I finished Avatar: The Last Airbender Book 1. I started Saturday and finished Sunday. Yep, I'm pretty much pathetic. It was a really good beginning, I'm way excited to finish it off. I wonder when the newest season will start up again? I'm also caught in the decision of which element is the coolest to manipulate... Earth sucks, and so does water. So either fire or air. I also wonder when Aang is going to be a master of all four, so that he can use all four styles in one battle. That's what I'm waiting on - how super cool would that be?!

I talked to my bishop last Sunday, too. He said he'd have my papers for me probably this weekend, at which point I can get them all filled out! I'm setting my availability for the end of May. Super special awesomeness! It's very exciting. Although he informed me that I won't be leaving North America as I had hoped because I didn't take seminary in high school. Although he still said that there is a chance that I could go Japanese speaking, up into Canada-Land or to some areas in the states. Even that would be amazing. I'm not too worried about where I go anymore, though. I'm very confident that I will love it no matter what.

In other news, I also finished The Bourne Identity by Robert Ludlum. It's nothing like the movie, and still really good. Although since it's a series, the first book doesn't actually end, which bothers me. Maybe I'll pick up the rest of the series some day, but at this point I'm pretty content with just that one. It's worth a read. I've now started Ghost Rider by Neil Peart. He's the drummer and lyricist to the band Rush. This particular book is about how he dealt with the loss of his daughter and wife within a ten-month period. And by doing that, he took a road trip. So far, I really like it. I'm only about three or so chapters in, though.

And I think that's about all... I've got to start on homework at some point today... I've been slacking off on that pretty well. I think it's what I'm best at. :D

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Now playing: Nightwish - Bye Bye Beautiful
via FoxyTunes

The return!

*trumpet flourish*
-decrescendo-
*kazoo flourish!*

Soomme daay.....

So we got back last night from Zion National Park/Cedar City. We left Friday kind of late, and ended up staying the night in Cedar. That was actually a lot of fun, I think I like Chris' roommates. Although I can understand why it's a pain to live with them. At about 1AM one of his roommates lit incense so that they could make a smoke ring device. It worked well and looked super awesome, but the incense stunk really bad. So the next time I try that, I'll have awesome smelling smoke.

The next day we departed for Zion. Once we got there, there was a little confusion as to what we in the van were supposed to do. So, we wander around the visitor's center for a little bit until we received further instructions according to the battle plan. After getting all settled in, we went on a hike! The first one. We went to Emerald Pools, which was snowed over. That was kind of exciting, I slid on my butt on most of the treacherous parts. Mostly everyone else slipped and butt-planted it. I couldn't laugh out loud too hard, because if it wasn't for my butt sliding I would've done the same thing. Once that one was done, we headed back to the campsite and chillaxed for the rest of the night. I think that was the night we cranked up the volume to Systematic Chaos, but some lady got mad and told us to turn it down... That was stoopid. I have an overly exciting video of Chris rocking out to that.

The next couple of days were full of hikes and adventure. I went real bouldering for the first time. It was difficult, and I'm sore, but it was really great and a lot of fun. I'm going to try it more and more when I get the chance. I'll probably break my head, but I've always liked the saying that if you have no brains, then there's no pain. Maybe I could engineer some kind of way to temporarily put my brain in a jar? Who needs it, anyway. Superfluous organ if you ask me! *throb throb*

Everyone got sick on the trip, and that was a big bummer. Although I did get decreed the bodyguard of the apparent Master, and I shall become a G.I. Joe. Now I have a legitimate reason to shout "GO JOE!".

Chris gave me two new CDs, as well. I now have the new Ayreon and Diablo Swing Orchestra. I don't think Jekka got the chance to rip them, though... But... uh... survival of the fittest? I'm also going to be giving this super amazing Avatar a try. I got the first season. It seems interesting... If everyone else can talk about it so much...

On our last day, just before leaving, we hung around Cedar for a little while and played around at Discovery Park. That was fun, too. We climbed all over the park in a very bouldering-style... climbing thing. I had Ashley shadowing me most of the time, and that was pretty interesting. It's fun having a younger sister now that can be capable of abstract thought. I was also promised delicious baked-goods when I'm on my mission from her. I'll remember, and she better hold up her side of the bargain!

Anyway, pretty soon after that we took off and headed for home. Once I got home I took a well-needed shower and realized that that "tan" was, in fact, just dirt. I also stole the GameCube from the kids, so now I have Zelda: Twilight Princess to play and keep me occupied. Although too much so, as I didn't do anything pertaining to homework today like I should have. It was also really nice to see Torie again - we got the chance to be together for a few hours as she finished work. It's strange missing her and leaving, because when I come back it's like I never left at all.

So, as it is, back to the grind. School tomorrow and other fun stuff like that... Whoo-hoo! I think I'm ready for another break...


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Now playing: Ayreon - Age Of Shadows
via FoxyTunes

Thoughts on things.

Whoo buddy. It seems like nothing has been going on, but to review it and think about it, everything has been happening.

Last Thursday was my one year anniversary. My Torie is the greatest blessing I've ever had in my life. She has shown me that love can be had without any doubts or fears. I love her very much. For our anniversary date, we went ice skating, and then out to eat.

Ice skating was bloody difficult, although I got the hang of it, and didn't even fall once! I stumbled a whole lot, and kept saying I was going to, but didn't! It was amazing. I enjoyed it quite a bit, and want to go again. Although... not when there are so many people there. That turns into a pain. What if, like... I fall, or someone else falls, and someone else trips over the fallen one, and cuts them with the ice skate?! That could turn horrible. I also didn't get the opportunity to donkey-kick anyone while ice skating. I don't think I could've kept my balance while doing that. It could've been awesome, though.

We then went to Osaka in Provo. As you might guess, it's a Pakastani restaurant. Hahah, not really. It's a Japanese place on Main. Or Center. I dunno. Anyway, we ate there and had some delicious food for very reasonable prices. We both tried broiled eel. It didn't taste bad at all - it was just really fishy. I'm going to get octopus or squid next time. I've heard it's good, but haven't gotten the chance to try it yet... Torie also agreed to give it a try, so even if it is horrible I won't be suffering alone. After dinner we hung out for a couple more hours, and then I took her home.

Also, my mother bought Rock Band for the PS2. Yep, my mom bought it, all with her money. So now we have Rock Band, and I'm almost done getting all the songs for it. It's super exciting, I love that game. It still gives me terrible tunnel vision if I play too many songs, though. I can play for longer than Guitar Hero. Plus, it's just plain better.

In other game news, Super Smash Brawl has been delayed until March, but it has been released in Japan, so the full list of characters has been released. I'm super excited for it! I'm going to have to commandeer a Wii for a while and have a Super Smash party. You're coming, right? But before that I'll have a Rock Band party. Since I own it! You're also coming to that. This one isn't even a question.

Later this month I'll be going down to Cedar and Zion with the Jones family. I think I'm going, I haven't fully decided yet. Although usually when this happens I just end up going anyway. It sounds like a lot of fun, at least.

So... not much else. School stuff, nothing too fun going on there. Stupid Biology teacher. Faked a hugging-tree experience in Sociology. Uhhm... I still have to go to an opera for my music class, although that doesn't happen until March. I'm kind of excited for that one. I had to take an hour to eat fast food for my Fitness class. That took for-freaking-ever. It was kind of interesting to do, though. We got a whole pizza between three of us so we all had four slices with some cinnamon bread. It was super good, but... the entire hour was kind of boring. We just sat there. And I didn't pace myself very well so I ended up eating two pieces of pizza and bread within the last ten or fifteen minutes. I think that's the end of my crazy assignments this semester.

Hum-dinger. That is all! Now sit back, relax, and just ignore the screams coming from the other room...

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Now playing: The Fray - Look After You
via FoxyTunes

In loving memory of President Gordon B. Hinckley.

President Hinckley died yesterday night at 7PM at his apartment in Salt Lake City. He will be missed on this earth, though I believe everyone should agree that it's the best thing for him.

The full story, and a little bit about his life.

When I first heard this I didn't quite believe it. It was sent through a text to people around me while I was at a fireside. I wanted to confirm it for myself, although as everyone around me began getting relatively the same text and began talking about it, I became a little more convinced. Once I got home from the fireside, I logged onto the computer and found the above website. Convinced then, I wasn't all that sad about his departure.

He was a great man. The only prophet my life has yet known. His words of wisdom and general vigor towards service that he delivered all across the world is something anyone with or without faith can admire. He was one of the greatest, most humble, and a wonderful child of God.

I wasn't all that sad over his departure from the earth because I knew where he was going. He's headed straight for the arms of God, Jesus, the prophets that came before him, his family, and his wife.

Who could be sad for him and his family that he left behind knowing that?

I never met him in this life, although I look forward to when I get the chance to. I only saw him once in real life, in fact. It'll be a pleasure to have the meeting on the other side of the veil.

May everyone remember this man as a great and powerful man, for all of the wonderful things he did for this earth and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. President Hinckley will be missed, although tears shed will be comforted.

Updates!

Uhm... Hi

Well hello there.

Hi.

Hey.

Hello.

Hi.

Hello.

Hello.

Hello.

Hello.

Hello?

Hi.

So how's everyone bean doing? Pretty alright on this side. School stuff, and other such... Not too much to report. I just got back from South Carolina yesterday. I'm not really sure what time schedule I'm on, but school is tomorrow... But anyway, that's not the exciting part. While in South Carolina we visited my grandpa and went to a car show. I got some pictures of some the sexy beasts that were there. And they are as follow:
















I actually don't remember what kind of car this is. Oh! This is the new Corvette. It kind of has a retro style to it, I thought.
















The new Camaro. I don't think I have to say anything.















A Jeep Hurricane... uh... thing. I'm not really sure what to think. It looks freaking beastly. I overheard a couple of guys there talking - they said it has two Hemi engines. I would love to see this thing in action.















A Lotus. Another one of those "I don't think I have to say anything" vehicles.















A new Subaru. I love these cars. They created like a... rally sedan. It's kind of weird, but I like it.


So yeah, that was some of the excitement I experienced. I've also discovered that Southern accents are horrendous, and a lazy southern speaker almost gave me an aneurysm. My sister and niece are home now, and that's super fun! The baby like me now. I like kids. Sometimes. When I can hand them over.
Mariah Jane. Daaaawwwh. She was eating a cupcake. My favoritest little girl I've ever met.

Anyway, I think that's about it. Not terribly exciting, but hey! My plan to take over the neighborhood (screw you i before e rule) hasn't commenced yet. I'll be sure to let you know when it does.

'til then!

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Now playing: Goo Goo Dolls - Let Love In

via FoxyTunes
(kinda girly, huh?)

New year, New Years!

A happy new year to everyone! I hope it was greatly fantasticle. I'd like to hear a story about someone ending up the hospital in a humorous manor. I think that would be outstanding. Not hurt, of course... Just something worth it.

Anyway, the final moments I spent at 2007 were partying up at the Jones' residence. It was a lot of fun, a lot of people showed up! I wasn't expecting that many. Everyone showed up on time, too, so we all got to hang out for hours and hours! We started off with playing the board game Imagineiff. Which is... kind of fun. It's more about conformity and knowing what other people will put rather than actually knowing the person I think. Which didn't make it as fun... But, there were a few really good moments. Did you know that if I were to be a famous Olympic site, I'd be Berlin? Which is dumb, 'cause I don't want to be a Commi. So anyway, after that, we all hung out and talked for a little while. David, Nate and myself were being mauled by small children while everyone else was talking, I guess is what I should say. That part wasn't so fun. I kind of wanted to start throwing kids, but then I realized I might break something. So instead I just hit their head on the ceiling. After I safely fended them off and took a break, we turned on Edward Scissorhands. I hadn't ever actually seen it, but now I know why everyone loves it so. It is quite a wonderful movie. I was very impressed at the versatile acting style that Johnny Depp can fit in to. I also liked it when he was trying to dress himself, and he tried to snap the suspenders but just cut them instead. Also, the Whoville hairstyle that some of the women of the community had.

Anyway, after that we had about fifteen minutes until the nuclear bomb went off. I mean... the... ball? I dunno, whatever. They should start threatening people/cities/countries with explosives, and if they don't cheer loud enough the microphone attached to the detonator will go off. That'll teach you party-poopers (heheh, I said poop). We all clinked glasses to Martinelli's, and took our swigs for the new year as it quickly approached us. After that, we simply went on with conversing with those that remained. People promptly started leaving when the final countdown hit. But, that's ok. A lot of the people that I wanted to remain around stuck around for a little while longer. After everything settled, and we viewed the destruction that we had caused, it was time for Torie to depart. I took her home, and we talked in her driveway for about forty-five minutes. It was about that time that her mom got really mad and had her come inside. I went back down to the Jones', watched ten or so minutes of Ever After, and then fell asleep on a recliner. Woke up at 3:30 or so, and stumbled into bed as the oh-so-amazing, never-ceasing-to-help-mother helped clean off the bed that I was sleeping in. And by help I actually mean... did it all. I woke up the next day with a Martinelli's hangover (sleep deprivation, maybe? .... Nah) and played video games most of the day. After that, it's all old news... Actually I went rock climbing. Which, if you haven't gone and you can afford a little adventure, I highly recommend.

And that was that. My sister, niece, and brother-in-law are currently home now, so I'll be spending time with them. I hope you all had an amazing time for your New Year's whatever, and welcome to 2008!

Where the freak is my flying car?