The Year in Summary

And Godzilla...

With the year coming to and end, I thought I should put in one more post before 2013.  I'm sure you've noticed that I didn't write a post last week.  That's because there wasn't much to write about unless you wanted to read about my video game ventures and tons of work.  Anyways, this post will sum up stuff I've realized about myself this year and the things I've thought about throughout.  Whether or not you may or may not agree, that's story for another day.

The list of random things I've learned/thought of in 2012 is as follows:

1. A man chooses.  A slave obeys.
2. Having 5 roommates will cause you to stop interacting with most of the ward in general.
3. Some places are not worth paying $300+/month for rent.
4. Men and women can't be just close friends: while not all men's first motive was "I'm gonna score this chick some day", in the words of the Batman.."You either die a hero, or you live long enough to see yourself become the villain."  Eventually, you'll fall in love with her.  Chances are, it's either a little too late or it was never meant to be in the first place and the feelings are left without reciprocation.
5. Bioshock is about the dangers of political extremism and morality based upon your choices.  Bioshock 2 is a huge custody battle under the sea...an ugly one.
6. Left 4 Dead series taught me everything about surviving the zombie apocalypse.
7. Functioning under stress is nearly nonexistent: at least for me.  I had huge shifts in my moods this semester due to all the schoolwork, work, etc., that needed to be done in relative short time.  This was enhanced by the fact that I had an average of 5 hours of sleep or less for the most part of the semester.
8. Trusting that everything is in the Lord's time.
9. Heavenly Father has plan for everyone.  First to hit various checkpoints in the journey of life doesn't equal to smooth sailing for the rest of the life.
10. Insecurities happen when we compare ourselves to others.  But in all honesty, I'm at an age range where nothing is certain and anything is possible.  The fact that things can change drastically for better or worse is enough to make people feel a notch or two shorter.
11. I enjoy conversations.  I don't know about other people, but it's nice to get to know them and share bits and pieces about me.
12. I don't fit any stereotypes, caste, groups.  Vast interests can be the blame for that.  Due to the lack of time this past semester, I appeared as a relatively boring person.  Sometimes I wonder if this trait has caused some undesirable outcomes in some other aspects of life.
13. "I found it is the small everyday deeds of ordinary folk that keep the darkness at bay. Small acts of kindness and love." - Gandolf, The Hobbit

As you can see, the spiritual aspects of this post seems to be lacking, but I think it's totally unnecessary to always include spiritual experiences in my blogs.  I guess really personal things will stay personal.

Rest and Relax

Radagast the Brown's awesome bunny sled!

First of all, I'm glad the semester is over.  This gives me time to reorganize myself and plan out my next semester.  I have no idea how my grades will turn out just yet, but I could care less about it for now.  The most important things at the moment are rest and relaxation, some things I haven't been able to do for much of the semester.

So far, I've cleaned up most of the apartment.  Dalin and I may have to do touch ups on the carpet, but that can wait and done a little at a time.  I also started organizing my mountain pile of notes...in preparation for the MCAT later this summer.

Entertainment up to this point consisted of mostly video games and watching some movies.  The best film we've seen so far is the new The Hobbit movie.  I don't care what the critics say, but it has to be one of the best films I've seen in a while.  While Dark Knight Rises, etc, were good, the LOTR prequel captured much of the book with some artistic imaginations and expansions.  I felt the whole story was being told to me.  Remember, this is going to be another trilogy, so we have much to expect from this series in the next couple of years.

As for Christmas plans, Stacey offered me to head up to Nephi to spend some time there the upcoming Sunday.  It should be very interesting.  I have not spent Christmas around loads of people, so it'll be a brand new experience.  In addition, it was nice to be remembered by Lyn when she called back and we had a nice chat together.  Somehow, I always call people at the wrong time.  Nevertheless, it was nice to hear her voice again.

As some of you may have noticed, I've decided to grow myself a French Cut this break.  I'm not sure how that'll turn out...um...I'll keep you updated.  Three weeks should yield some results before I have to shave it off when the semester starts.

I had good conversations with family over the net and phone this past week.  My uncle is doing okay and we enjoy our usual chattering over Skype.  I talked to my brother and caught up on the happenings in our lives.  Then, there was my conversation with mom.  It's great when things are going all right for everyone.

I said I was going to update this everyday, but looks like I won't be because not much is happening in my life in one day, but I will still update more frequently during this break simply because this is when I take some adventures inside and outside of the bubble.

Final Offensive

Not just any badger; an English one!

It is here!  The final stretch of the semester is upon us.  With only 4 finals left and me planning to take only one a day, I hope this semester will end well for me.

So, I discovered this week that I won't be the only person chilling around Provo in my apartment.  Dalin is apparently spending his time here this break.  Luckily, he has Kris here, so it shouldn't be a lonely one.  Nick will depart for home before Christmas.  That gives him another week after finals before he heads home.

Aside from my roommates, Stas and TK will be around and we might just spend some time at his house in Orem if the opportunity presents itself.  In addition, some of our Utahan locals like Natalie will hopefully pay a visit as well.  I think Dalin and I have dinner plans figured out.  We are going to carve our own turkeys and make our own meals.

During break, I hope to get my notes organized and come up with a plan for tackling the MCAT.  I'm also debating on deep cleaning the apartment.  As for activities, I'm still looking for some group physical activities that we could do besides video games.

Something about Christmas makes you realize how fortunate you are even if things aren't the way you wanted them.  After all, it could be worse.  Sometimes, we just gotta be grateful with what we have and work toward a better future.  It also made me realize how often I don't think about the bigger picture in life.  All I can do is try harder and hope for the best.  I simply need to trust in the Lord more.

Alas, I shall triumph and report back another week!

Last Stand

This could be bad...

So, we are at the very last month of the year.  I'm starting to lose motivation in school, work and writing on this blog.

Anyways, getting onto this week.  This week has been somewhat stressful in the fact that there was still too much homework and readings.  Honestly, when there are no work to do, there are so much readings.  I'm sick and tired of them.

Funnily enough, I still have one more tests before the end of the semester.  In addition, two more presentations as finals for my lab classes and MMBio468.

Overall, I felt decent about this week.  My life is plain once again!  No dating, no drama, just work and school.  It gets boring watching TV and playing video games, but I think that's the way to do it before the end of the semester and beyond.

Well, sorry to bore you with this insignificant post.  There are obviously more exciting stuff going on in life, but I prefer not to think about them and I don't feel very much comfortable sharing them.  With the Holidays coming up, I will be posting more often in small bits.

I can't promise you if they will be exciting, though?

Thanksgiving Week

Little things can make your day

This past week had been the much needed break for me.  This semester has been stressful, but manageable.  While I had my rest, I also worked many hours, especially Thanksgiving Day, which resulted me working for over 16 hours with double pay.  It feels good to have earned a pay period's wage in one day.

The long hours were made better because of great coworkers.  You may wonder why those people were there with me.  The truth is, most of them had family here in Utah where they could come and go.

On the flip side, there are many things that I'm grateful for.  The question now is trying to be happy.  I can be grateful for life's many conveniences today; however, I'm not so sure if we could equate gratitude for happiness.  Perhaps I'm just thinking too much or most people have the natural gift of being happy with what they show gratitude toward. As the status quo stands, happiness?  What's that?  I don't need people's garbage about how happiness is a choice.  Happiness is only a choice when there's something non-superficial and non-generically laughable that you care about and is quite pleased with it.  Whatever that is, I hope I'll find it.

I've been told that I should go home for once.  The sad reality is that if I want to be able to pay for my expenses, I can't go home and miss out on the pay dished out during the holidays.  Life is rough, so I'll have to deal with it.  This is primarily the reason why I don't show any sympathy towards people who haven't gone home in the past year or so.  Wanna know the last time I spent time with family, etc., during a major holiday?  It was back in December of 2006.  The last time I was officially home was January 2010.

Luckily, my roommates returned around late Friday and Saturday.  The only other person that was with me during this time was Jonathan.  Fortunately, he had family and places to go.  So, we did wind up cleaning the apartment and marvel and its cleanness until the rest of the crew returned from their trip.  Since everyone was so busy with their families, it was obvious that I didn't make too much contact with people over the phone and whatnot.

But look at it this way.  It's only Thanksgiving.  The real kicker is when Christmas break rolls along.  What am I going to do then?  I don't know.  I'll work for 38 hours a week during the last 2 weeks of break.  It's gonna be a major bore-fest!  Such is life...what can you do?

I hope the rest of my BYU career will offer something for me to do during future holidays.  Although, I highly doubt any new development will happen in the near future.

A Week in the Life

I'm not sure what's happening here

Let's see, I'm trying my hardest to remember what happened this past week.  It feels like nothing special happened.  At least, I feel like nothing significant happened.  I did go to the Nickelcade with my roommates, though.  It was a good way to relax.

I generally don't regard sports news as something worthy of mentioning in my blog, but I suppose they are big deal to other people.  In that case, the biggest highlight in BYU Sports this week was probably the women's soccer now in the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament.  It was a historical landmark.

The basketball teams and the football team, on the other hand, didn't do so well.  In fact, they were horrible, but let's not dwell on the negative.

Academics went okay this week.  I did pretty well in my Chem223 test.  That was unexpected because it was a free response exam.

I've been writing streams of consciousness during church talks this Sunday.  I'm still deciding if I actually had insights or just plain trolling in my mind.  Either way, 3 hours of church is really long, especially when you haven't had much sleep the night before.  Fortunately, my mood has improved over the last couple of days, so the stress isn't getting to me right now.

I can't say I have much good news to share around here as most of the major information on the Internet has been somewhat depressing.  As Thanksgiving approaches, I hope there will be some heartwarming moments in your lives.  Me?  I'll be working a lot.  Gotta make a living somehow as a poor college student.

Stressful Bliss

They are so fuzzy that I'm gonna die!

Remember how I've been in a foul mood for the past week or two?  Well, there were some leverage this week even though I had 4 tests to deal with, one of which I decided to put off until tomorrow.

The cynicism, for once, was getting on my nerves. After almost having a meltdown and being able to talk to authoritative folks about the situation, it turned out what I really needed was some downtime.  Nevertheless, I appreciated the fact that there people willing to sit down and listen.

This past Wednesday, I decided to skip my morning classes to get myself ready for my Chem223 exam.  While it seemed like a bad move, I felt a lot better afterwards because I didn't have to deal with my classes and getting up way early to prepare to head out.  It's amazing how stress can wreck your life if you are not careful.

Other interesting moments in the week including a discussion with my cousin which turned into a bitter exchange of words.  I'll admit that I'm not always the most tactful person, but it's difficult to deal with a biased 19-year-old girl who thought she knew everything.  Ironically, the encounter made me appreciate my mother a lot more.  I've had unkind opinions of her, but I failed to realize that she's improved much since she came in contact with the Church, albeit she chose to leave it.  Maybe when it's all said and done, I am the most biased person around those circumstances.

On that note, I had a good conversation with my Uncle Eddy as opposed of the depressing attitude I had with him last week.  Despite of the fact that what I have in life is less than ideal, I've been failing to highlight the good things in life.

Sometimes, I need to remember my own words: I'm not the man I want to be, but I'm not the man I'm used to be.

This weekend at work was awesome!  We had Tucanos for dinner!  My coworkers and I have never ate so well.  A lot of this had to do with the joint-effort of George, Simon, and some other managers of other departments in easing the tension between the production crew and rest of the broadcasting personnel.  It's a long and complicated story, but which organization doesn't have its strife?  In other note, it was a game well-played by BYU and some humorous moments were captured on-screen.

Sunday was more like the Sabbath it should be this time since snapping out of the abyss.  There were some very good talks during sacrament meeting (I don't often compliment the speakers due to my critical nature).  At any rate, I am a lot more content than I usually am.

Next stop...get past the MMBio441 test.  A class I no longer care due to the toll other classes have got on me.  Taking that class made me realize how much I didn't like molecular biology.  Although, I'll still finish the minor just because there are other aspects of it I really enjoy.  One thing is for sure, I don't like research that much, especially knowing about other people's research.

Reevaluation

I'm defeated,...for now!

It's been another crazy week.  I can't believe I have 4 tests this week.  I'm not sure how I'm going to handle it, but it'll be done.  I have to spend more time on homework and projects.  I actually submitted my ORCA grant proposal.

Besides school-related obstacles, I had some enjoyable moments at work.  Mainly the free food and the fact that I got paid for doing live games.  Props to our women's teams because they are doing so well in their respective sports.  The football team isn't doing the greatest, but they have been playing tough opponents this season.

The Tech Retreat for work was all right.  My schedule didn't permit me to stay longer than I'd hoped.  Nevertheless, I got free food.  That's all it matters.

My girls, FHE daughters, made comments about my health habits.  I admit, my eating and sleeping patterns aren't exactly the best right now.  It's a wonder how I've managed to stay in shape and look okay.  Sometimes, I wonder I drink so much.  I gotta curb that somehow.  Other than that, I was glad Tyler and I could offer them some service earlier this week.

There was also a CES Fireside tonight.  It gave a new perspective about how to be happy in life.  I noticed a few issues in regards to the way I handle my personal life.  In short, I had a nice discussion about it and decided to do better and make some changes.

It's a short post, but my mind is boggled with assignments and tests.  Wish me luck!

Once Upon a Sunday

(So, today I think I'll write a poem.)

I thought about my life today
And I decided to take some time to pray.
Sometimes I wonder what I'm fighting for
Besides the prestige and the pay.

I needed something to look forward to;
Something that'll chase away the blue.
Maybe the stress is getting to me
Since the sleep I get is far and few.

This week, I handed in many projects.
I'm not sure what the professors expect,
But I feel their timings are just really bad.
In fact, I feel like I'm in a wreck.

I still managed to go work out.
The only way to keep my sanity no doubt.
It's hard to notice the little things
When time is something you go without.

I said goodbye to Lyn this week.
She's going on a mission so to speak.
I wonder if I'll ever see her again?
Too bad time won't let me take a sneak peek.

Sometimes, I just want a good night's sleep.
The pressure makes me wanna leap.
I don't understand how others do 17+ credits.
It really makes me wanna weep.

The Spirit tells me that the future could be sweet.
Life has yet to offer me an awesome treat,
But I would have to go on if I wish to see.
For now, I consider my prayer complete.

Gentler Breeze

More like dazed...

This past week hasn't been too bad.  I'm still busy as anything, but things seem to have slowed down a bit before more tests coming up.  In other words, I have breathing room, but not too much more relaxed.

I like my classes for the most part.  There are some minor nuisances that I will not mention here.  I may have to spend a few hours trying to figure out a thing or two this week.  I can't wait until Thanksgiving break...when I can finally rest.

Other than that, the personal relationship side of things went fairly well.  I had a surprisingly pleasant phone conversation with family.  Usually, things got so stressful to the point that communication breakdowns occur frequently.  In addition, I actually spoke to my brother.  That's a first in months.  Well, that's good enough for now.

I actually liked Ammon's lesson in elders' quorum this Sunday.  Some people might have thought he came off a bit strong, but sometimes, certain things need to be said.

This week, I have a few papers to finish writing.  Also, got a lot of things to finish in the labs.  I hope everything will be done on time.  Then...there are the presentations.

I suppose I do have a few things to look forward to this week.

Low Morale

I feel like I'm dying...

It's been another week and I feel absolutely awful.  I feel like nothing went right this week.  Looking at my calendar, I find the list of things to do bigger and bigger.  Worst of all, all this doesn't help my mood.

As morale continues to decline as the semester progresses, I'm starting to think that maybe I overexerted myself this semester.  How do other people do it anyways?  I don't understand how other people take 16+ credits and somehow manage to stay on top of things.  Maybe it's because I have 7+ credits of labs.

I feel like a failure...

I may have bore my testimony in church this week, but that doesn't seem to change my cynical view very much.  Yes, I know that God has a plan for all of us.  Yes, I know that He loves me, etc.  But, is eternal life really something I want?  These are things to think about.

I feel dead and it's probably not a good thing.  I'm just disappointed...about everything.

Words of Advice

It's that time of the year again.  At the end of the 182nd Semiannual General Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, good stories were exchanged, words of counsel were offered, and new policies were put in place for future operations.

Many of you may or may not know, but the conference can be streamed live, or on your own time, at the main LDS website.  It is also translated in many different languages.  You don't have to believe in God or sustain the speakers as inspired to listen to some words of wisdom.

Yeah, the Conference Center

There have been some interesting changes announced this conference.  The most prominent change had to be the lowering of age for young men and young women to be eligible to serve a mission.  Watch out world!  There will be more LDS missionaries knocking at your door.  On a side note, I think this will be good for many young people, especially those who still act like they are in middle school in college.

I admit, I don't quite act like my age at 23, but I certainly don't go around doing "tool-ish" things or speak childish things.  Most of all, instigating drama that affects everyone is definitely not what I intent to do.  You'd be surprised how many young people purposely do these things.  Whether it's for attention or just plain meanness is probably debate for a another day.

The MTC expansion needs to come sooner with the influx of missionaries that will come along due to the new age requirement.  In addition, in a press conference, the Church announced that missionary stay at the MTC will be cut for one-third.  I could imagine the panic of missionaries learning a difficult language that used to be a 12-week program to making it in 9.  I should apply to be a MTC teacher.  lol

You gotta love this man!

Besides my nonsensical outlook on the inevitable change and impact the new age will affect missionary work, I did pick up a few things I thought was relevant to my life.  I generally don't write down who said what during conference because I believe that if they are all speaking through the inspiration of the Holy Ghost, we all know who the true author is and I don't think anyone would want to argue with me on that one.  Anyways, here are the thoughts I gathered throughout the conference.

• Ask a missionary - well, this is probably more for those of you out there than me chilling in Mormon circle in Provo.  You'd be surprised what these young folks can pull out of their mouths at the right moment.  I've been on both the giving and receiving end of this over the years.
• Spending time with those you love - it's not about finishing something together, but the journey itself.  Why do we do things with the anticipation of things ending?  When we do that, we miss the point and forget the reasons why we chose to take the journey together.
• Larry Echo Hawk -  is an awesome name.
• Robert C. Gay - is also an awesome name.
• On the Lord's timetable - this has been spoken so many times, but it's something we all struggle with, especially when we are at the crossroads of life.  Have a goal, and live a day at a time while you inch towards that goal.
• Never forget the Atonement - The Lord went through loads of crap just so you could still change without suffering 100% of the penalties.  Make sure you know that it's never too late until you decide it or have sealed your own fate.
• Service - gotta observe and serve.  You can't really help someone when you have no idea what the person needs.
• Hispanic accent - it's always there and they always have heart-felt stories, and of sacrifices, etc.  The members they mentioned in the talks are the type of members we should be, but for whatever reason, we aren't.
• Non-canonical segway -  ever wondered what happened in between scriptural passages or what went through peoples' minds when there were dialogues and holes in the timeline?  Are we true to our faith?  Are we dedicated to our beliefs?  You gotta love the Holland narratives.
• Story time - listen closely to the life stories of Thomas S. Monson, there are lessons to be learned there. 
•  What it is to be Christian? - no, it's not a rhetorical question.  It has everything to do with choices in life.
• Any time spent in the temple is time well-spent.  Be sure to not neglect your other duties in your life.
• You can be inactive for 50 years - and still come back to the fold.  Never give up.  It's not over until it's all over.
• Seek learning by study and also by faith - do not have fear as well.
• Why do we do things for others when we are struggling? - what does it mean to be a disciple?  It's the doing and becoming.
• Testimonies alone will not be able to protect us - it is necessary for true conversion, but not the oil to our lamps.  Refer to the parable of the ten virgins.

This may seem like a crazy wall of text, but they are fairly easy to understand if you already have substantial background.  At any rate, it's been a good weekend.  I worked, went on a date, and enjoyed company of friends and roommates.  I shall write more, but this will have to do for now.

I Survived

 I think this is going to be my Halloween costume

This week has been absolutely insane!  I chose to write about it on a Friday night because there was too much happening in my life.  In addition, with General Conference being this weekend, I would like to have a more spiritual post some time around Sunday.

It's midterm season... and I haven't had the best time of my life.  MMBio441 proved to be harder than I thought.  I've been getting slightly above average on the past 2 tests.

The Chem223 didn't seen as bad, but it took a long time.  I sure hope I did well because I felt confident about the whole thing.

MMBio468, on the other hand, it seemed just as ridiculous as the Advanced MMBio one.  The worst part about a free response test is that I never know how much to write about it.

There happened to be some work drama this week as well, but it went well.  It was my fault in the first place; however, I had to justify my actions.  I'm just glad that Simon was understanding towards my situation and the fact that I wasn't the only one who tripped up in the whole situation.

A grateful moment came this week when Dr. Macedone extended the deadline for a homework I missed this week.  I missed it not because I didn't feel like doing it.  It was a combination of poor navigation, lack of sleep, and the fact that I didn't connect the dots.  Regardless, everything turned out all right in the end.

I've been getting data for my project in Dr. Berges's lab.  I think I'm gaining a better understanding in protocols used in labs.  Although I'm still not 100% sure of the why's behind every step, I'm getting there.  You gotta start somewhere, right?

Anyways, there was a lot of stress and there were moments when I thought my problems were solved, but things just keep pop up and hinder me at every point.

So, Jonathan and I have a Halloween costumes idea.  We'll keep you updated.

Next stop, more sleep!

No Rest

Aww!  Look at how its ears flop!!

It certainly has been a busy week.  There were so many things to be finished on time and I have not finished most of them yet.

I have 2 more tests this week before General Conference this upcoming Saturday.  To be frank, I am stressed.  I have to take a test tomorrow and Tuesday.  But, what am I doing?  That's right, I'm updating my blog because it is apparently a priority in life.

I actually had 8 hours of sleep in one night this week.  I felt super awesome!  However, I found myself to be absolutely insane in classes... probably not a good thing.

The one thing that struck me in Sunday School today was the notion that we were probably friends with many of the one-third that fell away back in the preexistence.  It makes sense and that's something that I found profound.  It would only make sense to use someone who knows you to tempt you throughout life.  Although the actual mechanism is not understood, it's just an interesting speculation.

I'm also happy to report that I did make a decision in a matter I've been contemplating for a while.  I have no regrets.  I think I've set myself up for another adventure in the near future.

On the side note, I got a new laptop this week!  For $350, it was the best deal I've ever got on electronic goods.  It is an Asus brand.  I think I'll use this for the next 2-3 years before it's time to buy a new one.

There's so much to do and so little time...

Still, won't you dance with me across the ocean floor?  ;)

Everything In Between

This is what happens when your life ain't straight

Instead of being up longer and finishing up my homework, I thought it would be a great idea to spend some time updating my blog.  This week has been absolutely hectic.  I'm surprised that I haven't lost my sanity yet.

Anyways, I found out that I didn't do as awesome as I thought I did on my MMBio441 test.  No matter, I just have to study harder and do better next time.  Funnily enough, there's another test starting this coming Friday.

Had the first FHE of the semester.  We played ultimate frisbee against another group.  I hope the groups enjoyed the activity.  Well, we shall see as the semester progresses.

In my mental world, there has been some interesting developments.  I'm still unsure of a few things, but I'm sure I'll figure them out in the next couple of weeks.

Saw the Brigham City Temple Dedication at the Marriott Center today!  It's the very first temple dedication I've seen in my life.  I certainly felt a surge of Spirit as the people sang.  There was also an interview with the bishop.  That was just one of those typical "get to know you" thing.

Well, I'll let y'all know more as things unfold.  :)

For Better or Worse?

I don't know what to say about this...

I can either focus on the bad things this week or the good things that happened this week.  Either way, people are not going to be satisfied with the way I deal with things.  Instead, I'll talk about both, starting with the ugly.

1. Jammed my toes between the floor and the front door.
2. Washer didn't drain the water, wind up spending more money than I should have, then cost me sleep because I didn't get to sleep until 3:45am.
3. Did absolutely horrendous on my MMBio442 quiz, a class that only allows you to miss 20 points before you lose an A-.
4. Almost missed my 8am Chem223 lab on Thursday because I somehow managed to sleep through my alarm.
5. Ammon made a disturbing discovery which I will not elaborate here.
6. MMBio468 professor thought it would be a great idea to bump the due date of a Monday assignment to Fri, on Thursday evening.
7. BYU vs Utah game.  Seriously, I spent 10 hours that day prepping for this broadcast only to have myself disappointed by sub-par athleticism on our side.

On the happier note, there were also a lot of good that came out of this week as well.  Here are the heart-warming and funnies.

1. Met my FHE group.  I have a great group.  Now, being a single dad to 10 girls is quite a different story, but they call me "Poptart" (a variation of Papa Art).
2. Went to Seven-Eleven with Jonathan and had a kid asking us for weed at the wrong part of Provo.
3. The Gangnam Style plague that has gotten my professors all intrigued by the video.
4. A great Women's Soccer game against Cal Poly.
5. Random party thrown with the resources available in our apartment on Friday.  We charged them food.
6. Elder Oaks spoke at regional conference!
7. A little party hosted by Lyn in honor of her obsession with the Jonas Brothers.  Free cupcakes were handed out.

Overall, I thought my week was rather uneventful, but the crap was counteracted, for the most part, by some of the fun moments and wonderful people in my life.  They may or may not realize it, but they are awesome!  I don't quite show my appreciation for them as much as I should, but I just want y'all to know that I do.

This week can only get better.  Just saying.  ;)

A Point in Perspective

Different sizes

It was an interesting lesson taught by the bishop today in elder's quorum.  It was essentially a "chastity talk", but more focused on what guys should be looking for instead of what the world tells them.

Bishop Colemere compared different aspect in a dating relationship to different buckets that needed to be filled.  Too often, people focus on physical attraction to the point that they neglect other important factors such as finances, spirituality, emotions, etc.

Of course, nobody is denying that physical attraction has its own weight when it comes to dating.  The take home message is that it's an important factor, but not the sole deciding factor.

It made me think.  I can't help but noticing that many of the "aspects" the bishop pointed out seem to only come into play when we are making friends.  I mean, how often do people actually look at their crush's work, spirituality, social, finances, family, etc?  I'm not trying to make a shallow judgment, but those things are important if a long-term relationship is to work out.

With that said, I'm not saying that you should start asking your friends out.  I'm just saying that perhaps you should look back and see it through heaven's eyes.  Some of the qualities your friends have may be what you are looking for in a significant other.

The Secular Life

To sum up my week a little bit, it was stressful.  I am still trying to figure out the best way to use my time to get all the things I need accomplished.  It's only been 2 weeks and I'm starting to feel the pressure already.

Life isn't all that bad.  I still managed to have some fun and work out when the time allows.  Nothing beats going between the gym and research lab or just take a break and talk to people before I go insane!

With that said, the first party held by IX was successful, according to my roommates.  I didn't participate in the party for the first couple of hours because I was lucky enough to go on a group date with some friends.  The best part about going on a date with one of your best friends is that the stress level is minimal to nonexistent.  It's also great to discover something about the person you didn't know before.  Let's face it, I don't think I can handle an awkward first date after a week full of stress.

Homework...ugh

All right, as promised, I was supposed to give you my brief synopsis on all my classes.  My head hurts thinking about some of them, but they've proven to be manageable for the most part... for now.

Senior year in college isn't exactly all fun and games.  At least, not this semester anyways.  Well, here it goes.

MMBio441: Advanced Molecular Biology - The good news is, it is a continuation of MMBio240.  The not-so-good news is that there are more details and mechanisms taught in this class.  The infamous Steve Johnson teaches this class.  As you can see, this professor will be someone I'll see many times a week.  Overall, it doesn't seem to be too difficult...yet.

MMBio442: Advanced Molecular Biology Lab - Ah... Dr. Johnson, we've met again.  The funny thing about lab classes in the MMBio Dept is that most of the stuff they teach you in the lab have already been learned in research labs, if you are actually part of any lab here in the building.  There's a group pair project due at the end of the semester, but the actual curriculum is finished weeks before that, so time management is purely personal here.

MMBio468: Genomics - This is a tough class to be in and to be the instructor for it.  I'm sure Dr. Udall is a good person, but I don't think he knows how to teach...to some extent.  The first part of the class has been about sequencing technology.  With little to no bioengineering background, I find this class somewhat difficult, especially when we do homework on things first before we come to class with questions.  The problems is, since we knew nothing, it's hard to know where to start asking.  Luckily, it's getting better, but it's still gonna be a time consuming class.  For 3 credits, I don't know why it's such a hassle.

Chem223: Quantitative and Qualitative Analysis - This is a precision and accuracy class.  4 credit class with about 6 hours of lab a week.  This class feels like Gen Chem all over again, except this time, we can't afford to have errors.  I actually have to learn Excel functions for this class.  Besides the time this course gobbles up, it hasn't been too difficult... yet.

Phsc106: Intro to Applied Physics - Alas, I've met with Physics again.  Annoying little work here and there, but definitely doable.  I think Dr. Rees has given us more than enough opportunities to get an A-/B+ in this class, so I'm not too worried about it.

Phsc108: Intro to Applied Physics Lab - I hate physics labs because they contribute almost nothing to my learning.  They are time-consuming and pointless.  The only plus side is that it's probably an easy A/A-

MMBio494R: Mentored Research - That's right, I'm still with Dr. Berges and finally started on my project.  The current roadblock is trying to write an ORCA Grant proposal due in early November.

Life is busy, but good.  I still manage to have fun.  This is probably going to be the only semester where I'll have a lot of credits.  Wow...wall of text.  I promise that it won't happen again!

IX

It's Labor Day!  You know what that means?  A special post for the occasion!  In case you haven't noticed, I like to find reasons to update my blog during the semester despite of the busy schedule.  I figured I should at least introduce my roommates because they are awesome people!  I will give a brief synopsis of all my classes this weekend.

Ammon

The oldest and the "mother" figure of the group.  Ammon and I first met right after our missions.  He is the oldest in the house, and undoubtedly, the most talented chef/artist in our group.  He has almost full autocracy in the kitchen!

Ammon served in the India New Delhi mission and is from Liberty, Missouri.

He is currently studying Information Systems and works as a web guy for Mechanical Engineering in the Clyde Building and TA for Computer and Humanities.

He owns a classy Lincoln, you can't miss it!

Me

I'm the 2nd oldest in the house and fit into the role of the "angry uncle".  You all know me!

I'm pretty sure I'm the only Asian guy in the ward.  I'm from Philadelphia and served in England.

Still pre-med, studying Medical Lab Science and works at BYU Broadcasting as a student supervisor at the NOC.

Dalin

Dalin is from the same city as Ammon.  In fact, they knew each other beforehand.  Really chill guy and owner of many classic systems and games.

He served in Los Angeles (not sure which mission)

Dalin is studying Civil Engineering and works for Building Security here at BYU.

Jonathan

Jonathan is from Minnesota.  He is a handy guy and a runner.  In addition, probably the 2nd biggest gamer in the club.  Fun fact: he is the most knowledgeable person when it comes to electronics here.

He served in Boise, Idaho.

Jon is currently studying Physics and works as a tutor at the Physics Tutorial Lab.

John

John is the most intense gamer in the house.  He plays everything and rages from now and then.  He also knows martial arts and proud owner of a handy truck.  He is from Washington State.

He served in Cambodia!

John is studying Microbiology and works for OIT at BYU.

Nick

Nick is the youngest and arguably the better looking guy out of the 6 of us.  He's actually a shy guy, so be nice to him!  He's also from Liberty, Missouri and knew Ammon and Dalin beforehand.

He served in Pocatello, Idaho.

Nick is currently studying Business and Film and works as a web guy for the Math Department.

Well, that's a brief overview of my roommates.  Hope to see you guys every 1st and 3rd Friday!

The First Week

Lots of classes!

Well, with the start of the fall semester, I won't be spending a lot of time writing in my blog.

I'll give you all a brief synopsis of my classes later because I haven't gotten into the groove of things just yet.

I can tell you right now that my classes are challenging not because they are extremely difficult, but because they take up a lot of my time.  I have 3 lab classes and research lab, which means about 20 hours of my time during the week.

I also received a new calling in my new ward as a FHE group leader... again.  It's not a bad thing.  I just wanted to do something else.  I guess I can treat it as a second shot at it.

There are some interesting people in the ward and I hope I have enough time to know them all.  At the same time, my busy schedule will prevent me from devoting too much time into socializing.  At any rate, I'll balance it out somehow.

You'd think senior year in university would be easier, but that's totally not true.  If anyone tells you otherwise, they probably have an easy major or just wasting time in college.

There's so much more I can write about for this week; however, that would take too long to write, so I'll have to bid you all adieu.

Dawn of IX

It's somewhat similar to that

Originally, I only hoped to spend 3-4 days dealing with setting up the apartment with my roommates, but complications resulted in the process being much longer than expected.  The bright side of all that was the fact that our apartment is now very neat.  We just need to do some touch up on the kitchen somewhat this week.

Going through the inventory list, I think the complaints I have about the new place are: one fridge for 6 men, trash fills up too quickly, and the toilets look like they can't flush very well.

If you haven't been to #9 yet, you should make your way there just to see how awesome it is!  We have definitely pimped up our crib.  There are still some things we can upgrade over time, but these things will do for now.

Most of us had a disappointing moment when the manager told us that we could no longer take Miller Apartment's desks down to the storage.  This meant that we could not do the bunk bed set up.  It's kinda disappointing, but we will get over it.  After rearranging a few things, I think there's enough room for 2 guys per bedroom.

Church took place at the Maeser Building.  I admit, it was interesting to have sacrament meeting in the auditorium.  The balcony set up and great acoustics made the experience a fresh and different.  This stake is doing some experimental dealings with callings.  Basically, most callings are cycled each semester, except some of the more intensive ones such as clerical and stake-called positions.

Is this guy worth it?

So, Big Jim sent me a picture of the Costco bear.  I wonder if it's worth it.  If I keep buying giant stuffed animals, we'll run out of room before we know it!

With that, came the birth of Club IX.  Ammon had an idea about how we could run social events in the ward.  If it works, we will have a very enjoyable semester/year because of all the connections we could make through this endeavor.  At the same time, there are still many kinks to be worked out before we go ahead with the operation.  Essentially, expect business cards.

Alas, I'm on my last shift for the Summer Term.  Tomorrow will be a new day!  With classes starting, I am nervous and excited at the same time.  There is one issue, though.  I have no idea how to fit everything in my life in at the moment.  I'm sure I'll be able to balance it out.  We shall see.

There's also someone of interest that I'm going to find out more about.  After all, I have to know everything and everyone, right?  ;)

I Have Returned!

Pain in the neck...

Hi world!  I have returned after being absent for quite a number of days.  Due to the stress of moving out and planning out the logistics, I didn't consecrate a time that allowed me to update my blog.  I hope you guys didn't miss me too much.

To the fans that always read my blog daily during summer and weekly during the semesters, you have my apology.

Good news!  I finally started my research project.  I'm gonna be doing some prototype anti-HIV drug testing.  I hope I can write up a grant proposal before October and enjoy this little detour I've set up for my academic career.

Moving was made possible thanks to one of my best female friends of all time, the one and only Lyn Steel!  She offered to transport items to my new apartment and helped me move many of my belongings.  She may look girly, but she is one strong woman.  I wouldn't mess with her if I were you.  That was Friday.  Overall, we had a good, but tiring day.

With myself 95% moved in, you would think everything should be smooth sailing from this point on.  NOPE!

Pretty accurate

Four of the people that were supposed to move out are stuck in my new place because they are still held up by the guys who haven't moved out of their new apartments.

Imagine that?  We have 8-10 people in a 6-person apartment with all their belongings.  It's crowded.  It's stressful.  It's downright infuriating!  I don't care how cool the people downstairs are, I'm pretty sure they are inconsiderate, to put it in a nice way.

Other than that, I am ready for the semester.  Fall may be crazy, but I can do it!  I've also taken the liberty to start looking at my Winter schedule since they are available now.  Lots of errands to do, so little time...

Winding Down

After a good night's rest, I was surprised to find that I was still very tired.  I'm not sure what happened and it has been bothering me all day.

I feel like I didn't do anything today, but listening to music and talking to some people.  Even that was limited.  I went to work since 3pm, maybe that's why I'm having a headache right now.

Overall, not much happened today.  However, I'm looking forward to the new-hires this fall and moving out next week.  I'm due for a fresh start.

The Aftermath

With the conclusion of the Summer Term 2012, so does most of the drama that goes around during the academic year.

I went into the O-chem final with a Vuvuzela and I did not regret my decision to play at the beginning of the test.

The rest of my day involved talking to Katie and working on my assignments in the labs.  Then, I went to Wendy's with Jim to celebrate the end of our misery!  Later, I hung out with Lyn and Ash in the library.  We got some Facebook business and other miscellaneous stuff done.  Brinton joined us half-way and it was an enjoyable time.

I think I passed out in apt 22 for about half an hour and the girls made dinner, for which, I am eternally grateful.  Since I was feeling tired, I didn't go with the group to see a movie.  I simply went around the complex and sat in front of my computer.

Last Minute

This is it!  In a few hours, I would have taken the Chem352 comprehensive final and I'll be done with all the organic chemistry lectures I'll ever need in my life!

Today, I went to the weight room and had some great work out.  Later, I was able to go see an ice hockey game with my friends.  While our team lost, I acquired some silly noise makers that I will keep for some time.

If you look on Facebook, we all had our faces painted for the event.

Since I didn't eat much all day, I decided to eat at DQ tonight.

I can't write down more details because I have to be up at 5:30... see ya!

As the Term Ends

The Summer Term will be over for me on Wednesday morning when I finish my Chem352 final.  This means that I can finally sleep to my heart's content.  In addition, I get to have somewhat of a break before school come knocking at the door again.

Unfortunately, I'll have to move again.  Needless to say, I also have to work during this time to reap the last 2 checks of the summer.

I got to talk to people, as usual.

Lyn, Ashtyn, and I watched The Hunger Games at the Cinemark today.  That's another movie off the summer bucket list!

I was tired for most part of the day, so I took a nap and went to work later.  Production crew was being nice to us again by offering us pizza.  Oh, the food only gets better as we move into the Fall when sports events dominate our productions!

Brainwave Overload

People can probably do that to me right now...

I had very little sleep today due to an interesting situation that arose 3am this morning.  It kept me up to the point that I was very much unamused for the rest of the day.

I had to let my frustrations out, so I conversed with my friends scattered throughout Provo.  I spent time talking to some of my favorite people like Kelli, Ammon, and Lyn.

I went to work and not much happened.  I mean, it was Sunday.

I came home and found myself a little less social than normal.  It was probably the fatigue that was getting to me.  After dinner, it was game night at apartment 22.  We played Tickets to Ride in a 5-player game that included Cam, Sarah, me, Lyn, and Ashtyn.  I think Ashtyn won at the end.

Tomorrow will be a busy day, but I get to see a movie with my friends and then head to work!

Near End

In a tough spot?

I had a lot of sleep today!  It's been a while since I had a decent amount of sleep without having to worry about what needs to be done over the weekend.  Sure, I need to study for my organic chemistry final, but that will be carried out in a matter of time.

I didn't get up until 12:30pm and I spent most of my day in my apartment.  There was an occasional favor from Ben and some visiting, but nothing more.

The funny thing was, I didn't even play any video games as I thought I was going to do.

Work was all right.  The same summer shift that I've had for some time.  The conversation topic worth mentioning was the home-cooked meal discussion between me and Jenalyn.  Yeah, I think I would like a home-cooked meal one of these days since I haven't been home for years.

Can you believe it?  I haven't been home for over 2 years!  I probably won't be home this Holidays season either.  It will not happen until next spring.  Until then, it's business as usual.

High

Once again, I pulled another 4 hours of sleep today.  I almost didn't want to go to class today, but I'm glad I did.  At least, I got some important hand outs which will help me in the long run.

I took the o-chem test today... I didn't feel good about it.  Neither did my friends.  That's a bad sign.  I would like to walk out of that class with at least a B+.  I hope that's not too far out of reach.

So, I had an interesting exchange with the MMBio secretary.

Cam and I went shopping today for some groceries.  I need to buy less junk food and concentrate on spending less money.

I spent a few hours helping some friends in the ward painting the bishop's office at the Riviera.  All I can say to that is I'm high as *insert whatever metaphor you can think of here*.

Anyways, I'm glad I can sleep again!

The Daily Things

Today seemed like a normal day.  Everything went according to normalcy.  Went on campus, stopped by a few places, and continued to work on things that needed to be done.

Jim and I went to Wendy's and had lunch there.  They changed their dollar menu!  By a lot!!  I almost couldn't recognize it when I first got there.

After the meal, I spent some time visiting apt 8.

There were some other stuff that happened today, but I think they were too trivial to bring up, so I'll call it a night.

Poker Face

You know, like that Internet meme?  That's how I feel about today.

I'll admit...chem class was fun today because of all the little random things that happened.

Other than that, I went to lab, finished my work, and spent the rest of the day cramming for a test.

I don't know what I feel.  I just feel melancholy.

Revamp!

I didn't feel like going to recitation today because I feel like it's not helping me.  I learn more from doing the problems in the textbooks than spending time there.

I woke up this morning and did some homework before I headed into the weight room.  I met a mission buddy there.  We didn't know each other really well since we served on the opposite sides of the mission and then I left.  Fabiano, that's his name, and I became acquainted and we discovered that we had many similarities, etc.  He is getting married in August, though.  Hopefully, I'll still have a work out buddy.  He does the same exact routines as I do!  That was cool.

I did some errands and freshened up before I met up with Kelsie for the first time today!  We had a great time together with our friends Henry and Victoria.  That was the highlight of my day.

Went out for a drink with the Meng Sisters.  I have to hang out with fellow Pennsylvanians before they go back to the dismal state of the heathens.

I also started a mini-project on my blog.  You may have noticed the different tags I've put on each entry.  It's for fun.  I got nothing to hide.  It's actually quite fun to see how I've progressed over time and recall some of the memories I had throughout my experience here at the Riviera.

As for tagging of names, I will only tag people to remind me who I was referring to, so don't feel to agitated if I didn't tag you more than once.

Meanwhile, back to homework.

River of Time

It's Monday again!  You know what that means.  ;)  NOTHING!!  It's just another day hated by the masses.  Personally, I don't have a grudge against it since I'm a college student and my Mondays vary from time to time.

I went to class, did some work in the labs, and I went home and did o-chem homework.  During that time, Logan and I went out with Jim to celebrate his birthday.  There was one minor nuisance that prevented us from going to Wendy's...EFY kids!  They flooded the town!  They were everywhere and hijacking all the fast food places!!

We ended up going to the Malt Shoppe.  We were surprised that it was busy, too!  Well, we had a good time chatting as we waited for our food.  I did something embarrassing at the end when I chucked their tray into the trash bin.  Kinda awkward, but funny nonetheless.

The rest of my day was spent at work.  I had the opportunity to chat with many people.  Thus, my boredom was quenched.

Tomorrow will be awesome!  :)

PS - this is the 200th posts on my blog!  Hooray!!

Let Us Reason

Yes!  Let's reason together because I'm friendly.  :)

It has been a great weekend primarily because I had 8 hours of sleep both nights.

Church was good.  We had an engaging Sunday School lesson and great lessons taught by the bishopric.

Some of the main points I gathered from the lessons are that we need to remember how great men like Saul, David, and Soloman fell.  People can be so blessed and yet make horrible choices that cost their exaltation.

The other point I was gonna make was how the gospel appeared to bind men down in the eyes of Korihor.  It's true that some things are hard to hear at Church, but why focus on the things that make you uncomfortable?  Remember the things that didn't make you feel like that and think like this: I'm already good at this, now I can be better at this.

Don't treat everything like an offense coming at you.

The rest of the day was good.  I spent most of it in front of the computer screen.  It's all good.  I had nice conversations with people, and in particular, Kelsie.  It's always nice to get to know someone better.

That's my mantra right now.  Get to know as many people as I can for the fun of it.

Never Started

Look at all that SQUEE!!!

I felt like my day never started.  I came back at 6am in the morning and went straight to bed.  I didn't bother get up until past 2pm.

It took me a while before I entered the shower because my roommates and I were having conversations.

I decided to chill for the day and not do much since the fatigue was still plaguing me.  I sat around and listened to music while people texted me.

I feel a bit giddy today.  I will tell you later.  ;)

Work was good and I'm just ready for the term to be over so I can get on with life.

Wish me luck!

Awesome Friday

Today has been a great day!  Okay, so I didn't get lots of sleep, but class was good.  There wasn't any lab work for me, and I came home and had a nap.

I spent hours texting Kelsie while doing my o-chem homework.  That definitely kept the boredom at bay on both ends.  In between, I went to Wendy's with Ben and we spent a couple of hours workingon o-chem.  Unfortunately, we didn't go very far.  I still have 3 chapters of problems to do.

The night kept getting better as I went to the theater to watch Dark Knight Rises with my friends.  Overall, it was a great movie.  I thought it was well-done.  It was a bit dark, but I'm okay with that.  I won't spoil it for you here, so please go watch it!

I'm tired.  But, I must keep going...

Burning Soul

For the first time in chemistry recitation, I had no idea what was going on.  I guess there's a first for everything.

Paulo and I had a little miscommunication as he passaged my stock of cells without letting me know.  I thought my stuff were gone!  I was planning on passaging them today and give him a part of the stock.  Oh well, it was amusing while the confusion lasted.

Went to the weight room.  I'm starting to increase the weights I use to get a better work out.

I felt tired, so I took a nap today.

I made plans for this coming Tuesday night, I hope it all works out!  :)

Lyn and I took the challenge to run in the middle of the heat today.  Let's just say that wasn't the smartest idea.  We stopped after about 1.5 miles.  The heat and dried up air tract were killing us.

Work...was work!

Tomorrow!  More studying!!

Revived

Four hours sleep doesn't sound like the best thing that could rejuvenate you, and it doesn't.  I somehow survived the first 6 hours of the day with it anyways.

I actually done some stem cell extractions today.  Since Dr. Berges has been going in and out of the town in the past few weeks, I haven't done much in the labs for some time.  It was good to actually do something for once.

During the break period, I had the opportunity to get to know a few folks in the iGEM team.  Like I always say, it never hurts to know too many people.

The rest of the night consisted of Institute and my terrible attempt to do homework and ended up not doing as much as I wanted.  There was a game night at Ben's in case you all didn't hear.  No matter, have a great night guys!

Pioneer's Day

I don't think I did anything special to celebrate this peculiar holiday.  While I recognize the importance of early pioneer stories, etc., it hasn't grown into me enough for some profound impact yet.

I went to work this morning, with a minor setback because I set my alarm to 5:30am instead of 4:30 when my shift started at 6am.  Luckily, not much was going one, so I dodged the bullet on that one.

I did some laundry and worked out in the afternoon and was determined to not do any homework tonight.  I succeeded...probably will regret it very soon.

The rest of my evening was spent talking to people around the ward.  All I can say is that people are interesting.  The good, the bad, and the ugly were all there.  Am I the judge?  No.  Does it amuse me that people who apparently have something against each other pretend they like each other and hang out together?  Totally.

The above mentioned situation is why I'm glad I'm a guy.  We actually duke it out or talk about it like bros instead of pretense in front of our fellow beings.  I'll probably receive some flak for this, but hey, who actually read this stuff anyways?  LOL

Anyhow, I'm kinda giddy tonight because of a few cool things that had happened.

Monday? Nah...

It sure didn't feel like a Monday today, especially when you have people like Audrey walking into class smiling and happy.  I guess a super great weekend can do that to ya.

I saw the average for the last chemistry test.  It looks like people did worse overall, but the performance of the top 20% remain unchanged.  I hope I didn't do that bad.  I knew that I had the "I swear I've never seen this in my life" moment when I took the test, but I hope I did well.

Went grocery shopping with Jim today and discovered a shortcut, but I'm not sure if I wanna keep using it just because of the smell.

Chilling around a bit and winded up at work.  I work again in the mornings, so I probably will head out now.

Early

Friends come in all shapes and sizes!

I know it's an early blog post, but I am still recuperating from yesterday's 30+ hour-extravaganza.  The only thing I am proud of is that I managed to stay awake in church for the most part.

I was glad that Bishop Lewis relieved me of my duties when I had to work.  He is a great guy!  Everything got done right and I'm just glad for a supporting bishopric.

Got most of my home teaching done for the month, minus the 2 persons that moved out.  I guess I can't really count them now since there's no way to reach them in-person.  There's always Facebook, though.

An interesting situation led to Lizzie paining my right ring finger tonight at ward prayer.  I think I'd rather have a sassy gay friend than being one.  Which ever one comes first I guess.

I wondered if I made a mistake tonight with my response?  That's all right, I think all is well.  I'll do it differently the next time opportunity arises.  Next time, there will be no escape.  ;)

Hull Critical

So tired that I'm tripping!

Goodness...I worked from 2-9am this morning and had to chat with my uncle with a few family business.  In the end, I think I was awake for 30+ hours and only winded up with 2.5 hours of sleep.

The good news, though, was the we passed out cleaning checks.  In fact, our apartment was the first one to pass on our checker's list.

Cam made some great banana bread today and I appreciated his efforts!

The rest of my night was spent working and dealing with various on-air issues with my coworkers.  I am totally going straight to bed after this...

No Rest for the Weary

You know, not having enough sleep last night was a bad idea.  I had about 4 hours of sleep and I was dying in class.  It occurred to me that most people didn't show up to class this morning.  The cause?  Probably the premier of the new Dark Knight movie.

Speaking of which, the shooting at Colorado, was a horrible feat.  I have no idea why someone would do that, but it was really sad.  Sometimes, I think we will bring the end of the world upon us instead of some mystical forces coming down to change everything.

Anyways, besides a meeting I had in the afternoon, I spent part of my evening cleaning.  I went to Kennedy's dance performance tonight, but the tickets sold out.  That was too bad...

Instead, I chilled with Ammon and grabbed giant Slurpees and played games for the night.

Now, I have to work at 2am...until 9am...so, I think I'll be an angry person for the rest of the night.  But don't get me wrong, I wanted to help, it's just that any overnight can do that to ya.

Passing Time

Today went by relatively fast.  I woke up to do some last-minute cramming.  Then, I went for a run.  After that run, I went into the labs to check on a few things.  Jason was there, not sure why.  Probably just taking a test from Dr. Berges or something.  Updated Anne on the stuff happening in my life and went take the test.

I'm starting to get annoyed by o-chem now, but I'm not done with them just yet.

Work was typical.  It's summer...nothing ever happens at work.

I should do something fun this weekend.

Stream of Consciousness

Had 4 hours of sleep.  Went to class and then to the labs.  Nothing happened in the labs because Dr. Berges was still out of town.  Went out and chilled on campus for a bit.

Came home.  Found out my RedKonnect account was working again.  Loads of chemistry homework and studying.  Chatting with friends on FB, Twitter, etc.

Went to Institute for the first time in weeks.  Had some drinks and headed over to Provo Canyon with Joe and Sam.  Walked around the park.  Switched cars, and left with Jim.  Bonfire with smores!  Met lots of new people!

Went to Seven Eleven next to the library.  Bought Dr. Pepper/Coke Slurpee and won a 1/4 lb. hotdog.  Had text conversations and talked with friends.

It's been a great day!  Now, worrying about o-chem test tomorrow...

Twist of Fate Revisited

Today had been an interesting day.  I went to class actually knowing what was going on in recitation session.  There was nothing to do in the labs besides checking on the cells.  For some strange reason, they are growing slowly.  I wonder if it's the medium.

I spent most of my day doing o-chem homework.  Then, the unthinkable happened.  A discovery that shook the foundation of my sanity.  Needless to say, I had a good time with it and figured out a bigger piece of the puzzle.  (If you could hear me laugh right now, it's the crazy evil guy laugh...almost.)

Went to DQ for a midnight snack and here I am, relating the tale of today to you on the Internet.

People, world, take care!  I was a happy man today.

Bittersweet

The bad news arrived today.  Brian passed away after a complication.  Sometimes, we wonder why and what was to be learned from the incident.  I was reminded of fragility of life.  I  know there are people who are annoyed with people in general, but it is the fact that life can change on you instantaneously caused me to place people first.

I truly believe that the only things I'll have when I have moved on are the knowledge I possess and the people I've met.

With that said, I hope this "ending" is another beginning to changed lives for all those affected by the passing of Brian.

In other aspects of life, I think I did some productive things today.  There are still good happening in my life and the lives of others.

This morning left me with a smile on my face even though I was tired.  Got a haircut and chilled out with Jim and Logan.  Tucker delivered the bad news and the deep train of thoughts came around.

Be safe, folks.

Over The Fantasy

I swear that I ain't tripping.

If I could describe my weekend to you, I would.  The sad part is, I'm not sure what exactly happened besides the usual stuff.

You know, like working and church...plus homework because I have a test coming up next week.

There's one thing I'm sure of, though.  Is that I'm in a relatively good mood.  Everything just seems so peachy and wonderful.

Even the silly stuff and trails seemed hilarious.  Anyways, I think I should stop writing before something strange happens.

Remember, don't do anything I would do.

Missing My Headache

Ever wonder why penguins aren't all white?

Goodness gracious my head hurt for the most part of the day.  This was probably mainly due to the fact that I didn't get to sleep until past 4:30am.

Basically, I didn't get anything productive done today.  The weather was crummy, too!

Overall, it's been a very slow day and not much happened at home or at work.

So, here's a picture of an albino penguin for you to enjoy.

Take care world!  I need more sleep...

Poetry Revisted

My day has been the same old same old, so I decided to present you with my version of a translation of a poem.  Enjoy.

	Daylight breaking into vast land. Tells us the journey's start is at hand. Heading towards the future, And running into the wind As I breathe in the breeze. A dream engraved within our eyes; Presents a way to freedom for us. Fly to the Neverland, We are waken up by the Immeasurable courage of our hearts. Once the flower lived in our hearts, It is alluring also far apart. Carefree and serene landscape Along the banks of world's shape Is bound to be reborn once again. Infinity never ceases to prolong its spread. Filling our hearts with its token of love. Fly to the Neverland, While holding onto you, To whom my hands were given in faith. A dream engraved within our eyes; Presents a way to freedom for us. Fly to the Neverland We are waken up by the Immeasurable courage of our hearts.

It's Just That Simple

Let's see... a relatively straightforward day.  Went to class and then went running.  I did about 3 miles today, which is a relatively small increase from my usual 2.5.  Well, you gotta start somewhere in life.  Can't know everything from the beginning, then there's no point in coming around here.

It was a sweaty experience, but I think I'm getting better at it.

Had a quick meeting at work in the afternoon.  By quick, I meant it only lasted an hour.  Doesn't matter, still got paid.

I had the opportunity to finish a cup of ice cream with a knife today.  That's right, with a KNIFE!  Real man eats ice cream with a knife.  It totally irked me because there were no more spoons in the break room.

To-do this weekend: study!

7/11!

I didn't do as well as I wanted on my o-chem test, but that's okay.  I'll just have to try harder for the next one that's happening next week.  I might end up taking it on Thursday again.

To make myself feel a bit better, I went down and grabbed a free Slurpee from 7/11.  It only happens once a year, so I thought I might as well take advantage of it.  Food does make me happier for the most part, even if they are kinda junky.

The rest of the day was spent working on homework and then Shana hosted a zumba lesson in the evening.  I was surprised that I could stand it.  Looks like all the endurance training from my normal weekly workouts have paid off!  I still plan on running around 3 miles tomorrow, even if it rains.

Game night with Ben, Joe, and Sam was great!  I haven't been around there for almost 3 weeks due to work-related things I had.

And thus, we chug along in the merry waters of life.

Strange Happenings

The whole day had been slightly confusing.  It was probably the heat.  Amidst the confusion, I did get my work out done at the Smith Field House.

My email was being funky at the time, so I had to go into the labs to talk to Dr. Berges about what's coming up for the rest of the month.  I'm glad I did, actually.  I got a detailed explanation on a few upcoming operations.

Keith's friends did something really funny today.  You should ask him more about it.  Basically, his friends didn't realize they never properly introduced themselves to me before they started coming in and doing stuff.  It got a bit awkward, but it was all fine.

Cam and I went grocery shopping.  That was when I learned the bad news.  A friend in the ward, Brian Kelley, got into a motorcycle accident today.  From the information released, he is currently not doing too well.  Please keep him in your prayers.

I'm gonna turn in now because of early morning class.  Take care, world.