Quarter Mark

As crazy as it sounds, 1/4 of the semester is over!

They see me rollin', they hatin'

So, what exactly happened this week?  To be honest, I can't recall the exact details.

FHE didn't happen according to plans this past Monday because of weather, but we are still going to a bishopric member's house tomorrow.

I didn't do as awesome as I hoped for on my physics exam.  That's definitely a cue to put together study groups or more time on studying.

Work was boring when I didn't have to deal with live events.  BYU lost the games, but at least I got paid.

I didn't take my usual nap on Friday night since Nat, my friend Christine's husband, needed someone to play as a character in his short film for his project.  It took a grand total of 3 hours to half the footage he wanted.  It was cold that night mainly because we were outside, exposed to the elements, for an extended period of time.

My Saturday overnight shift is never productive due to the amount of time required to transfer files for checking.  At least, I did something, right?

Ward conference was somewhat of a continuation from last week's fireside.  I visited my friends, did my home teaching, and planned FHE.  I felt it was a productive Sabbath.  Although, I think I could have done a little more homework than I have ended up doing.  I only winded up reading about 30 some pages of stuff needed for tomorrow and I didn't even touch my physics lab stuff!

Come to think of it, I need to do laundry, etc.  Dang, life just got busy.

Change of Emphasis

 You know, this past week has been one of the best weeks I've had in a while.  I had the opportunity to go on a great date with one of Taylor's friends.  Her name was Arbor.  I never got her real name, but then again, maybe that is her real name.  I did not know he was such a romantic when it comes to dating, but hey, I ain't complaining about the amount of details he put into things for those he cares about.  Work has been straight forward and not much of interest needs to be mentioned there.

It's the Year of the Dragon

Tomorrow is the Chinese New Year I believe.  I haven't had a lunar calendar with me for some time, so I have no idea which day it is.

I did have the opportunity to talk to my uncle for a lengthy period on Friday night before my 2am shift.  Speaking of which, I must have done something wrong because I was stupidly tired by the time I was done with it.

I wished my sister a happy birthday!  She turned 16 this weekend.

The other highlight this weekend had to be the fireside.  I joked about how I hate them because I dislike dressing up for a moment, but overall, I like them simply because I generally pick out some insights from the speakers.

Write, write, write...

We usually pray for our personal progress and those who are close to us.  While we understand the importance of helping others, I believe we seldom pray for the opportunity to help them.  It's funny because being anxiously engaged in good causes has been mentioned in D&C and I can recall a talk by President Uchtdorf that mentioned sometimes we should get off our knees and serve.

Perhaps our priorities and emphases have been misplaced?  At any rate, I'm gonna try this experiment and see if my life becomes better and brighter.

I do silly things sometimes.  They can range from picking out a "glamor shot" for Sarah, say something ridiculous at Kelli, etc .  If that made them smile, by all means, it's a good moment.  I'm not sure how I could lift others up while passing through the tunnels of life, but I suppose trying won't hurt.  Above all, I hope I'm not annoying people by "visiting" them.

I also managed to write 3 letters to my missionary friends today.  It's been a while, but it's better late than never, right?

One more thing, I need to test a theory out...soon.

Bright Outlook

So, it came to pass that I finished another week of school.  I'm starting to fall behind in doing the "optional" homework and I'm not amused by that fact.  On the brighter side, this week has been one of the most satisfying weeks in my life in a while.

I did well on my quizzes this week and work was a breeze for the most part.  Having the right company made the difference.  I especially loved this Saturday night's shift when I had JMF, Shannon, Marcus, Heather, and Brian with me.  Of course, let's not forget Cade, but I feel like we've long been drifting apart.  It's sad but true.

Holy crap, giant parrot!

This Friday was the 13th!  I spent my time with my roommates at the temple.  I haven't been there for months!  The feeling of being at the temple helped stabilize the temperamental surges I tend to get from time to time this past semester.  Suddenly, everything just seems brighter and better.  This is true especially when I received some council from the scriptures about the events that have been unfolding around me.

My wrist did eventually heal as the week progressed.  I must say, I also had an opportunity that was almost never in my considerations when I deal with people.  At any rate, I shall find out tomorrow what I feel about the decision that I made earlier this week.

Sunday was great!  I managed to get most of my home teaching done and met the people in my new FHE group.  Even though I may not be at FHE 100% of the time tomorrow, I'm sure people will be glad we even had an activity going.  I visited people as usual and glad they were all doing great.

Nic invited me over for dinner with his family tonight.  Boy, I have not been at a family setting for ages.  It was a nice change of scenery and different feel altogether.

Tess's roommates held a birthday party for her tonight.  I thought it was very awesome of them to do it for their roommates.  Life is so much more awesome when you are surrounded by great people.  Now, the only thing left for me to do is start training for a marathon.  I think I can do it.  I wonder if it's too late to sign up for it.  Anyways, I would love to be able to run 26 miles nonstop at my own pace.

Other than that...MORE HOMEWORK tomorrow before I can go out for dinner at night!

Off to a Bad Start

Sometimes, life tosses some interesting curve balls at you and you are not sure whether you should laugh it off or be angry.  Or in my case, utterly confused.  I suppose it's a measure to make me more appreciative of the things around me in life.

Ever had one of these guys hit your head...?

First week of school: tolerable.  I am actually excited for my classes.  I am taking all major classes this semester.  They seem challenging, but I'm sure everything will turn out okay.  I actually have more time to do homework and study this time.

On a work-related note, I have some rather unpleasant shifts this Winter.  Luckily, the 2-6am shift was actually not as bad as I thought.  Apparently, it's harder for me to handle a 12-6am or start at 4am.  The luckiest part is that I work with coworkers I like during the rough Saturday, so I don't think I will rage as much as I first believed.

I also started volunteering at a Chinese-immersion program at Wasatch Elementary School.  I was surprised by how much Chinese the first graders know.  In fact, they were better than some returned missionaries I've met.

Sunday had a rough start.  I'm not sure what happened, but the area surrounding my right pisiform hurt a lot when I woke up.  I searched around for some sports medicine I might have in my suitcase (no luck :( ) and the iron on my top shelf fell off and hit my head.  That was not fun.

I managed to take some painkillers from my stash and also from Ariel.  They didn't make the pain disappear, but sure made it somewhat tolerable.

As usual, I visited the folks around the ward and then proceeded to watch a CES Fireside with my friends plus a movie afterward with my roommates.

I had to decline some of the activities along the way...or at least delay them because my wrist hurts.  In fact, my wrist hurts right now trying to type each letter of the plot.

I got my ecclesiastical endorsement done today.  The new online system is quite convenient, but also very anti-climatic.  Well, they can't be all gems.

Anyhow, I'm still grateful for the wonderful people I'm surrounded by and the care they've shown toward me.

Dawn of the Year: Reflections

It's here!

It's been a couple of days since I've written anything here.  I have been busy with work and some errands.  Let's face it, it was New Year's, you honestly could not expect me to be around.  To sum up the past few days quickly, I had the opportunity to hang out and do things with Ammon on New Year's Eve.

I taught Sunday School this Sunday and I felt I did a decent job.  It was a miracle in itself when the hour block was filled with meaningful discussions.

Looking back at 2011, I learned a lot from my experiences.  I hope I am much wiser than I was a year ago and will not repeat the same mistakes again.  I realized I was emotionally-driven.  It was one of the key factors to my rash decisions earlier this year.  On the positive side, I did get a better feel for what I what to become in life.

My goal for this year is to progress further in my schooling and become a more likable person who makes good use of his time for himself and others.

There are new people moving into the ward, that should be a great opportunity to make new friends and perhaps new adventures.  I am really excited about my classes for Winter Semester, but I won't have a day to sleep in at all...  Well, we'll see how it all plays out.

Also, I get to go home in May!  I haven't been there for a couple of years (again) now.