Months Later

It's hard to believe the last time I blogged was nearly six months ago. I've been busy with personal matters since middle of May. I know that doesn't explain my last post being April 22, but we'll just have to go with it. I could tell you more about them, but they aren't very exciting. They are also not relevant to the rest of Internet.

I can, however, list some obvious changes since the last time I wrote on this site.

1. I no longer live in Provo. I've decided to move closer to work and live on my own in a studio. Not having roommates feels different, but I do enjoy solitude for the time being.
2. I retook the MCAT in September just to see if I can get a better score.
3. I've figured out possible paths to take career-wise should I pursue more education in the future.
4. I now attend a family ward. It's nice not having multiple callings. Laying low for now.
5. I won't have to work holidays this year. That's something to get used to because I've always worked holidays since 2007.

The good news is, with me becoming more settled in my current dwelling, I can finally update this blog, among my other social media, like I used to. For those of you who are aware, I do have a Twitter and Pinterest account. Whether it's weekly or biweekly, expect some new content in the near future.

I often share my opinions and thoughts on topics ranging from daily routines to more serious topics such as spirituality and politics. The keyword here being opinion. I don't expect to be right or wrong, and I don't think I've ever had people confronting me with the said opinions.

One thing I do not like about the world we live in today is the dichotomous thinking our (global) culture (or perhaps education systems) has been promoting through the media. Apparently, there are ONLY two sides to every issue and the only viable solution is to go one way or another. Just check out any comment section. These minorities seem to make the biggest noise. No my friends, that's not the real world. That only happens in a roleplay.

Hilariously, the trends in the media also helped me to understand a bit more about how the Bolsheviks managed to convince the public that their opinions represented the overall sentiments. You know, revolution by the minorities for the minorities?

Anyways, I'm hoping to write more in the future. Blogging is one of my hobbies. It'll be fun.

Music, Songs, and Dances

Yes, dances. A new trendy subject after the Conference

"And now behold, I say unto you, my brethren, if ye have experienced a change of heart, and if ye have felt to sing the song of redeeming love, I would ask, can ye feel so now?" - Alma 5:26

We all have heard that expression one time or another. The word "song", whether metaphorically or literally, has appeared many times throughout the standard works. What does that entail? Even today, I am still trying to figure out the many expressions found in the scriptures.

For those of you who attend church, LDS or not, I'm sure you all have heard poetic expressions from the scriptures being used in discussions in Sunday School. They sound wonderful and all, but has anyone actually contemplated what they mean? It is easy to say The Lord is my strength and my song (Isaiah 12:2), but is it easy to understand what parallels we are drawing when we say it?

Throughout my YSA experience, one of the major topics among the leadership has been young persons going inactive after the mission, or stop believing altogether. Lamentable! But, is there some other underlying issue that is not being addressed or assumed to have been understood before the 180-degree turn?

These are all questions I don't think I can answer. All I can say is I have been and am still digging around in order to comprehend what's already been taught through the ages. What I can do is go on and on about random musings I have had with other people.

In the recent LDS General Conference, I believe it was a talk by Wilford W. Andersen, mentioned about a tribal medicine man's exchange with a medical doctor about songs and dances. The doctor asked if the old man could teach him how to dance. The key point the medicine man conveyed was that it was difficult to dance without the music.

Suppose we put things into metaphors. The dance is the outward expression of the rhythms we were supposed to move with based on the music. The lyrics are be the messages of which the composition is carrying. The music, then, is the word, the knowledge, the truth we have obtained through scriptures or realizations. More importantly, the WHY to the said actions. Sounds confusing? You bet. Writing is not easy business for the likes of me.

In my opinion, the greatest tragedy within the LDS culture (and perhaps across all cultures) is the fact that many youths are taught to dance and memorize the lyrics without knowing the music for themselves. Is it a wonder that some strayed and no longer sing the songs of redeeming love? Is it possible that they never sang at all?

The song, in its metaphoric sense, is a package. There are those who think going through the motion alone would justify them (Romans 4). There are those who understand, but chose not to perform and believe that is sufficient (James 2). There is a reason why it is written "it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do" (2 Nephi 25:23). For the Lord declares, "my yoke is easy, and my burden is light" (Matt 11:30). It is an unfortunate human tendency to seek the lowest common denominator in an attempt to further simplify His work. What's my point? It's like understanding the theory and practice of the Gospel. We can't succeed without one or the other.

Back to the initial topic. Perhaps the biggest issue for the youth is not continuing the quest to understand the music, or knowing that it existed in the first place. Knowing facts is great, but meaningless without context. That can be said for any professional field. I do believe the same applies to spirituality. One can only dance without music for so long before it is forgotten in the distant past.

Does this answer any question? Probably not. Some things need to be experienced rather than put into words. The weakness of the written word is real.

Tommy's Burger

The west side entrance

A few years back, I've wanted to visit all the little food joint in Provo. However, I did not have the funds at the time...being a poor college student at all.

With a full-time job and an impossible-to-fix trend of spending around $100 a month eating out, I think I should put my money to better use and visit these hidden gems in Utah Valley.

This place is located at 405 W 100 N, Provo UT 84601.

My roommate, Kyle discovered this place during his delivery run. I regret not taking as many photos as I could have, I do apologize.

Tommy's seems like a typical fast food stop you'd see in inner cities. Well, it did remind us of home, only the roads are wider and buildings are shorter in Utah.

There aren't that many in-house seats due to its small size, but there is enough parking for a small company as well as outdoor picnic tables for nice weathers; shades included!

Basically, you have your standard burgers, hot dogs, etc. with a twist: the Texas Style. It is optional and I chose to try it out because it includes additional sauces. For me, nothing beats a double burger with good sauces. If you are feeling lucky, you may add some jalapenos to spice things up further.

When we visited this establishment, there was only one guy stationing the entire clockwork, but he was efficient. I was actually impressed.

I realized this is a short entry and doesn't do Tommy's justice, but I will definitely revisit this place to try out the hot dogs. So, please stay-tuned for a more comprehensive review.  If you do visit, don't forget to contribute into the tip jar!

Choices

Of course, all will be revealed at Judgment Day.

A common topic that comes up in most LDS meetings is agency and it is apparently one of the breaking points that eventually led to the rebellion of Lucifer.

Most of us have heard that Satan, who was Lucifer, offered to be the savior by forcing everyone onto the right path. However, is that an accurate statement? Is this another popular Mormon cultural myths being perpetuated for generations?

The scripture referencing the debate about agency can be found in Moses 4:1-4. As far as I understand, agency consists of the following elements:

1. Opposition (2 Nephi 2:15)
2. Personal choices (Abraham 3:25)
3. Consequences (Alma 42)

For those of you who are too lazy to look up the scriptures, here's the rundown:

Opposition in all things is necessary part of this mortality. Life is simply full of choices. Many times, we can't have them all. The Plan of Salvation, in part, is to have us make correct choices out of many possible options. Along with opposition comes with the liberty to choose. The Book of Abraham indicates that each person is required to make good choices out of his or her volition rather than divine coercion. The Book of Alma has a long sermon about justice and mercy in terms of consequences of our actions.

Let's compare this to Moses 4:1-4.

1 And I, the Lord God, spake unto Moses, saying: That Satan, whom thou hast commanded in the name of mine Only Begotten, is the same which was from the beginning, and he came before me, saying—Behold, here am I, send me, I will be thy son, and I will redeem all mankind, that one soul shall not be lost, and surely I will do it; wherefore give me thine honor.

 2 But, behold, my Beloved Son, which was my Beloved and Chosen from the beginning, said unto me—Father, thywill be done, and the glory be thine forever.

 3 Wherefore, because that Satan rebelled against me, and sought to destroy the agency of man, which I, the Lord God, had given him, and also, that I should give unto him mine own power; by the power of mine Only Begotten, I caused that he should be cast down;

 4 And he became Satan, yea, even the devil, the father of all lies, to deceive and to blind men, and to lead them captive at his will, even as many as would not hearken unto my voice.

The keyword here is redeem. The popular answer in LDS Sunday School is Satan got shut down because of his pride in the idea that he could make people do good against their will. I disagree.

The fact that Lucifer offered to redeem mankind suggests that he also believed that people would make mistakes, and therefore, become imperfect. The Apostle Matthew outlined the Lord's mission in his record, stating that He will save His people from their sins (Matthew 1:21). This is further expounded in Book of Helaman when Amulek taught the common misconception that the Savior would save people regardless of their state of being (Helaman 5:10). The real difference between Christ and Satan, in my opinion, is that Jesus will save us FROM our sins whereas Satan will attempt the impossible and save us IN our sins.

Verse 3 of Moses 4 states how Satan sought to destroy agency. If we read it in another perspective, I believe it is saying that the Devil seeks to break agency after his proposal was rejected. Agency is one of the core elements in this mortal trial. To deny anyone of it is to halt that person's progression and even freedom for eternity. By redeeming mankind in their sins, that would violate the balance between justice and mercy, or remove consequences for our actions. If what I listed above holds true, then it is the first step to take away the gift of agency.

In order to break agency, it appears that the formula is the exact opposite:

1. False sense of security (2 Nephi 28:7-9 and 1 Cor. 15:32)
2. Bondage/captivity (2 Nephi 2:27 and Galatians 5:1)
3. No more options (2 Nephi 2:29)

To summarize, it would appear that the ever-popular Sunday School answer is not entirely inaccurate, but rather, oversimplified. Satan didn't necessarily plan on forcing people to do good, but serving his own interests. My cynical synopsis is that getting the lead role in the Plan of Salvation was an attempt to become the sole sovereign of all God's children. Perhaps if Lucifer were to be successful, we would have become unprogressive for all eternity. The worst case scenario being everyone subjugated to his will due to the fact we were saved in our sins. Or perhaps the pattern I observed to break agency is simply a spiteful move to hinder as many souls as possible so they cannot return to their Heavenly Father?

Either way, I hope you all enjoyed this little tidbit of thought.

And He Did No Miracles

Modern rendition of the baptism of Jesus

It is not often I get to go to the temple. The reasons have always been a mixture of time on hand and laziness. However, I did have a chance to go to the Provo Temple two weeks ago and performed vicarious ordinances.

The journey was not without any personal enlightenment. I came across a passage in the New Testament that helped gain a better understanding about the Lord's servants and what we can do in our lives that's applicable even today.

It is said by the Apostle Luke that there's no greater prophet than John the Baptist except for the Savior (Luke 7:28). He is, after all, the man who prepared the way for Christ's ministry. John was not only a prophet, but also the cousin of Jesus. The genealogy of that family can be found in detail in Matthew.

I don't claim to be a scripture guru, so feel free to correct me if I get the context of the biblical passages wrong. I am merely sharing my experiences.

Of course, that is not the passage I read in the temple. The verse I came across was John 10:41-42. "And many resorted unto him, and said, John did no miracle: but all things that John spake of this man (referring to Christ) were true. And many believed on him there." Note the phrase "John did no miracle". That caught my eyes as soon as I opened up the Bible at a random spot.

(For those of you who don't know, I usually go for the random shot in the dark when I pick a spot to  read the scriptures in the temple.)

For many, the days of Christ-like healings and earth-shattering phenomenons have passed. The distant past is where all the well-known prophets dwelled. I know I have had my own definition of what prophets are supposed to be like, and I admit, I used to think they should be able to perform mighty miracles because of their faith.

Depending on your definition of a prophet, it may affect your expectations. Even the LDS Bible Dictionary recognizes the fact that the designation of a prophet includes a person with testimony of the Lord (Rev. 19:10). In that sense, John was probably not a seer, but he was nevertheless a preacher of righteousness.

What did John do? He taught people about the coming of the Savior. We don't have all the details of his ministry besides baptism unto repentance to his humble exit and eventual execution at the hands of the Jewish puppet government.

Bottom line is, great things can be accomplished without grandiose deeds. If we feel otherwise, we are misguided. In popular culture, this idea is reflected by Gandalf in the Hobbit movies. Little things that we do together tend to have more effect than one tremendous deed once in a blue moon. Refer back to the Nephites after Christ's visit. They lived in harmony and prosperity because everyone did the right thing.

As for the miracles, that's another story. Mark and Moroni has some interesting commentaries about the lack of miracles in our days (Mark 6 & Mormon 9).

The Scattering

Oh yeah, them late night conversations.

The past two and half years had been some of the best in my entire university experience. Much of it had to do with the great people I was able to befriend and live with during that time. Like every great party, there has to be a conclusion, and the time has come for the Pinecone group (or Smash Saints) to disband. We are all at different stages in life. Some want change. Some want more financial stability. Some are graduated, etc.

The men I've come to know and love have taught me much about myself and those around me. Not to knock on my roommates before this dashing group, but these are truly some of the best friends I've made since living on my own. I want to share some great things about each and every one of them by order of appearance in my life.

Ammon Sarver: the man who started all. He was my first roommate when I first returned from my mission in 2010. He was the main driving force behind forming the group in 2012. The big brother figure in my life who has, time and again, dragged me out of my own mental maelstrom of self-doubt, loathe, and out of control wrath when under pressure. He made me realise that I'm not a bad person...just an idiot trying to figure things out.

Ammon is now married and striking out in the world with Julie. He is easily one of the best friends I've ever had.

Klint Metcalf: much like Ammon, this man has seen more sides of me than most people have in this life. My interactions with him included the man as a pre-missionary, on a mission, and post-mission. Throughout our communications, I learned that challenges can be overcome whether we notice that triumph or not. Moreover, our imperfections don't make us any less lovable.

Klint is now married as well (to Rachel). He's working on his nursing degree and hopefully advance in medicine in the future.

Our one of many frustrating Smash Bro games.

Dalin Russell: the co-driver behind the gathering of the group. He is the most laid-back person I know. True, I was constantly puzzled by many things he did, but he is a man of patience. I've never heard him say anything negative about anyone or anything. That's one of the most impressive feat I've yet to learn. I still lose it when enough buttons are pressed (which aren't that many).

Like most of my roommates, married (to Kris) and gone to the next adventure. In case no one knew, he is an engineer.

Jonathan Schuler: my "actual" half brother. A quirky and hilarious character with great intellect. Jon was a great listener. I can't remember how often I wind up having extended conversations with him about various topics until we finally hit the sack for the night. If it weren't for him, I don't think I would have come across many of the great classics in the world of arts and entertainment. Above all, nothing is impossible. Even though he's long gone, I still miss his guitar-playing and gadget building-days.

Jon is now in the Marines. He's pursuing the dream of working in aerospace related subjects he felt a physics degree at BYU couldn't provide.

Speaking of man of many talents...

John Connor: the man of many talents. A video game and anime aficionado. He may look like your stereotypical white guy who locks himself in his room and socially closed off (well, he can be like that), but he's like us, we couldn't be stuffed in one single stereotype. Aside from his obvious interests, he knows three languages as well as expertise in crafting, handiwork, and martial arts. Bet you didn't see that coming! John has always been the logical one in the group. It was not difficult to include him in a discussion or a "dilemma" you are having and he plainly talks you through what appeared to be a tricky situation. The lesson I learned from him is that I can have many talents if I choose to develop them. The real limiting factors are time and dedication.

John chose to delay graduation by one year so he could receive his masters in information systems at BYU. This guy will most definitely make more money than any of us for years to come.

Nick Ritter: was the "baby" of the group; simply because of his age. Nick has a passion for film and has chosen the path to become a director. We've watched him getting accepted into the BYU film program and even participated in a few of his productions through various contributions. Among his other notable achievements, his most brilliant decision was the Honey Badger. Now, that's a story for another time. This guy, with his many quirks, probably had the most patience out of all of us. I could scarcely believe anyone would take the crap I dish out from time to time and still manages to not hold grudges. And thus we see, we choose to take offense and we choose to love or forgive those who have done us wrong. It's a hard attribute to come by.

Nick got married to Amanda and is still finishing up his film degree. His future works can be known if you talk to him. I wouldn't be surprised if one of them involved sloths, a long-time running gag in our experience.

Tyler Potts (T.K.): the spontaneous decision-maker. Many people have asked why we call him T.K. You'll have to ask him about it, it's a fun story. As far as I could remember, T.K. came out of nowhere and he became one of us. Full of hopes and ideas, there were times we had to ground him to make sure he doesn't go way off the path of reasoning. We've witnessed good times and bad times, but he never gave up and kept on making the best of every situation. We have always had good conversations about various subjects and T.K. and I tend to speak candidly. On top of that, this man helped me through several key points in life such as getting my driver's license, etc. I learned that now is the time to explore possibilities before we are too set in our ways and brotherhood can exist between friends.

T.K. is studying neuroscience and hopes to go into the consulting side of the medical industry.

Another one of TK's stunts

Tyler Reese: my homie from back East. Tyler was one of the many "Tylers" that you could find in the IX. He found his way into the group thanks to Nick. He is a humble man. Being from the East Coast, it is easy for me to feel an affinity towards him. He is perhaps the easiest person to get along with due to his relaxed nature. He is, by no means, lazy because he works very hard to put himself through school, etc. The biggest lesson I think all of us could learn from him is that it's okay to question your faith and the methods we use to accomplish things. It is a necessary process to solidify who we are and what we do.

Tyler is deciding a path to go down in terms of his education. It's easy to have a major, but it's quite another to jump on a career.

Alex Teela: the car fanatic. This man is the living-proof of how you could change your life by the work of your two bare hands, with a little divine intervention, of course. Sure, our personalities clashed, but one would be foolish to think you'd never meet someone that fits that hat. He is also a hard worker who's got many options before him. Personally, I think he will succeed in whatever he pursues. The moral of Alex's life? The only thing that can keep you down in life is yourself. Once you have a different mindset and outlook, everything is awesome all of the sudden because the world is not out to get you (usually).

Good question, what is Alex's next step? That's for him to know and all of us to find out!

Yeah, I totally did not ask for permission with this photo.

In the end, The Smash Saints (Aug. 2012 - Dec. 2014).

Behind the Jokes

A typical ward, most likely in Utah

We all have heard of people who make jokes and engage in light-hearted talks during the sacrament and other church meetings. There's nothing inherently wrong with bringing out the smiles in otherwise stern processions. There are, however, painfully overused lines that make one wonder. Are the speakers desperately trying to entertain the audience in order to not appear straight-edged, or there's some underlying truth about how they feel about the situation?

First of all, I apologize for my lack of posting in the past month due to my busy schedule at the hospital. This topic actually came up weeks ago during Elder's Quorum from one of my roommates, Ty Reese. His point of view brought some noteworthy points, at least for me to notice. I'm sure many of you have heard things similar to the following examples during church:

"I was minding my own business when the bishop called and gave me the talk assignment...[time filling stuff that basically says how much he/she doesn't want to do this]."

"I'm here because of my wife...[fill in some ridiculous reason]."

"I didn't want to get up here, [reason x, y, and z here]."

Generally, following these statements, there are always some chuckles, etc. What is the significance of these in terms of our mindset other than my usual cynical observations about people? I don't mean to offend (actually, I don't care) the readers, but I think you may find some interesting insight to this potentially disturbing trend among our peers.

Yes, understandably, we all know the speakers are utilizing humor to assist their points. Can it all be jokes and giggles when they tell you they didn't want to do stand up in front of the congregation? Most people have a healthy fear of public speaking. Frankly, the culture in the Church often places a stigma on individuals who turn down an assignment unless they have a "legitimate" reason. Or is that the perception of what would happen to someone who feels he/she is not adequate for the job?

Okay, that wasn't a great coherent thought because the Lord chose us before we reciprocated (John 15:16).

What about the man that says the reason he was there was because of his wife? Is that a joke or some underlying truth about it? If that's the reason, shouldn't we be worried about the brother's testimony or perhaps the motives behind the spiritual facade?

I don't know if I can justify this at all. I've heard it all too often in some family wards.

The testimony rush is generally less mind-boggling compared to some of the statements we hear elsewhere during our three-hour meeting block. Many people are generally spiritually-motivated. Sometimes people want to sell themselves (I mean, come on, I'm currently attending a YSA ward). There are times I'm not sure why the person is up there, especially when I can't understand the gist of his/her testimony thanks to the outburst of emotional sobs that chokes up any audible words coming out of the mouth.

Is that judgmental? Well, you better read Preach My Gospel because there's a great quote by Howard W. Hunter in regards to this on page 99.

Of course, as usual, I write down things I've found amusing or intriguing. A serious lesson we can learn from this is that the above-mentioned cases do happen. The relative frequency of their occurrence is beyond the scope of this blog post. One thing we do need to keep in mind, though, is that we need to make righteous judgments before labeling everyone in negative light (Matthew 7:1-3).

Fast Forward In Life

I've been overwhelmed by work and my internship the past five weeks or so and will continue to be for another five until some free time becomes available for roughly four weeks when I'm on simpler rotations.

It is amazing how life can suck you in so much to the point you have to put your hobbies on hold. Nevertheless, life is all about balancing the temporal and spiritual.

Today was the last day at my transfusions rotation at the LDS Hospital up in Salt Lake City. I enjoyed the rotation very much despite of the relatively long commute. Basically, my life consisted of wake up, commute, intern, commute home, and get ready for the next day.

Similarly, the same thing will probably happen starting next week when I carry on with clinical chemistry until mid-October. The only difference is, I'll be up extremely early (probably more tired), but hopefully be home before 4:30pm. The downside is, I'd have to be in bed by 9 or 9:30 if I don't want to exhaust myself.

Life probably wouldn't have been as challenging if I didn't have to work. Well, I do work 20 hours a week at my current job in order to pay for my expenses. After all, I don't know if I will get a full-time position here in Utah because it's contingent on a few things. In addition, I've decided to pick up shifts at the IMC for microbiology. I am simply a glutton for punishment. However, when you want to save for a rainy day quickly, you've gotta do what you gotta do.

So, what does this has to do with spirituality? Needless to say, temple attendance has been dismal. I hope to change it a bit by participating in the Ogden Temple dedication in two weeks. It's not actual attendance, but it is a much needed experience to buffer my drained spirit. Look at this post! It's not even about anything thought-provoking, but a simple log of what's been happening...

The good news is, I'm not in such a bad shape. I'm just not where I want to be ideally. There is one thing I could do amidst the chaos that is the rest of the year: the desire to have spiritual experiences while being preoccupied by tidal waves of work. It worked well for me during my last year of undergrad studies, but I've since slipped off that routine due to added responsibilities since.

I know it seems trivial, but Gandalf had said, "Saruman believes it is only great power that can hold evil in check, but that is not what I have found. I found it is the small everyday deeds of ordinary folk that keep the darkness at bay. Small acts of kindness and love."

Even Jesus taught that we have to love God and our neighbors (Mark 12:31); things which start with ourselves. He didn't command us to fight off the evil in the world and be the champion of justice everywhere, but He exhorted us to change from within.

The truth of the matter is, when everyone is taking care of their own business right, we wouldn't have as many problems as we do today in our society. It won't be perfect, but we certainly won't be as troubled as we are now.

Until I have more free time to perform more deeds, I hope thoughts will suffice this day.

Speaking Your Mind

You are bound to bump into strangers, especially when your roommate hosts a party. Everything is fine and dandy until friends of friends show up. I'm not a nice guy, so I decided to go forth with a little experiment to see how people respond to my pretense of not knowing why they showed up at the door. I will retell the tale in two short scenarios.

Scenario 1: once upon a time, my roommate John decided to host a LAN party for some of his coworkers. Naturally, no one at the Pinecone disagreed.

The event went smoothly. Due to crowding in the basement, I went upstairs in our sitting room to pass some time after some brief involvement.

Two hours later, I heard a knock at the door. I yelled come in since I am lazy. When there was no response, I opened the door and there were two guys standing there. The conversation went something like this:

Guys: "Is this 508/510 N?"
Me: "Yeah."
Guys: "Oh, we are looking for Trevor."
Me: "We don't have a Trevor living here..."
Guys: "Isn't this 508/510 N?"
Me: "Yeah? You sure you ain't looking for John Connor?"
Guys: "HAHAHA! He's fighting in the resistance."
Me: "Are you guys looking for trouble?"
Guys: "Oh no, we are just looking for Trevor."
Me: "Are you here for the LAN Halo thing? Because I don't know why the hell you are here otherwise."

They then acknowledged that they were there for John's LAN party. Now, if I were to be a courteous and nice guy, I should have simply ask them if they were calling for the LAN party. However, I am no such person when annoyed and I wanted to see the types of people that my roommate hang out with at work.

What I've learned from this scenario is that they are idiots. Do people lack the common sense to state either why they are calling a household or identify the host of the event of which they are attending? Better yet, what sort of guest invites other guests without picking them up in person or provide them with information that may be necessary in order for them to attend the event?

Hilariously, this is not the only scenario with such conversation.

Scenario 2: John hosts a Mario Kart 8 game night because he recently acquired the Wii U. I'm not a huge fan of Mario Kart, so naturally, I limited my participation. As usual, I sat in the upstairs sitting room to work on my own things.

Again, there was a knock on the door. I shouted out to the person to come in, but there was no response. The person knocked again and I decided to greet the door. I opened the door to find a person standing there, back towards me, with his headphones on his head. Obviously, he couldn't have heard me.

And then, this ensued:

Me: "Can I help you?"
Guy: "Yeah. This 508/510?"
Me: "That's right."
Guy: "I'm looking for Aisha."
Me: "Who's Aisha?"
Guy: "You know, my girlfriend Aisha."
Me: "What the hell is wrong with you kid? Who the **** is Aisha? Are you sure you are not here for the Mario Kart thing?"

The guy froze for a moment and asked if they were downstairs. I told him to go down through the kitchen. I almosted wanted to punch his sorry face. I retold the tales to John and he just shook his head. I acknowledged my rudeness, but at the same time, pointed out the ridiculous nature of his friends' friends. He agreed with me and plans on giving clearer instructions to his guests in the future.

We are not fond of idiots, especially not the kind that assume everyone knows what they are thinking or doing. People can't read minds. Do yourself a favor and learn how to communicate. I don't miss those people and I hope I'll never see them again. In fact, they are 100% more attractive when I don't see them.

What's the moral of this story? Speaking your mind can save time and frustration. I can even go on to say it could potentially save lives. Don't withhold information when it's needed.

What Do YOU Really Care?

Perhaps you should search your feelings more.

Is it always one way or the other? Is there not a compromise? Is it necessary to sugar coat things to make us seem "less" atrocious? Or, perhaps hiding our true motives behind some altruistic ideals? I don't care about your movement or goals. I want to know what you are really after.

I don't care what your views are on certain topics. I do care when people try, with excruciating effort, to paint a perfect black and white picture in every social, economical, etc. issue. Let's face it, there's a very limited number of items that falls directly under right or wrong. For the most part, nearly every issue we encounter grinds down to a matter of different shades of gray.

What else is new? There will always be justifications based on hyperbolized hypothesis of potential outcomes. Better yet, tossing buzz words that 95% (I'm gonna call this my confidence interval) of the audience have no idea what they actually mean.

Whether you sympathize with Jamie Oliver, Suzy Orman, Dr. Oz, etc. or some larger entity like a church, homosexuals, etc, does not concern me. What I'm curious about is the underlying ulterior motive each and every person/entity has beneath the mask of good intentions.

In layman's terms, "HELL with your altruistic tendencies! I want to know what you are really after when you actually accomplish your goals."

Perhaps it is the American culture, as reflected by our government, that has bred the hypocrisy most of the world always talk about when they think about the USA.

• Why call it the War on Terror when the government is trying to tame the demon it created to spite the USSR?
• Why calling it defending liberty when it's all about maintaining US supremacy (which I have no problem of)?
• Why call out other countries about environmental/social issues when we have similar problems and/or our allies are worse offenders of these so-called violations?

These are just some examples of what I call "shades of gray". Yeah, they have a point, but how does one not see the blatant half truths and double standards approach to the issues?

What bothers me often is the polarized attitude of "opposing" sides. It's always one way or another and never what's proper for a functional society. Let me enlighten you on a simple fact: only the Gospel is perfect. No changes needed there. As for the temporal world we live in, due to the long-entrenched worldliness, the reasonable solution to every issue is not a matter of choice a) or b), but something along the lines of the square root of a^2*b^2/X.

Take people's complaints about government vs. businesses or perhaps employers vs. employees, for example. Only idiots will say things like governments should stay out of business or governments should have tighter grip on the system. Little did people realize that without regulation, you'll be straight back to the 1900s when working conditions are absolute hellholes. Regulations are the reason why you don't die from simple procedures at the hospital. The problem for today is whether or not we are pushing in too far in one direction that we need to revert back to a restore point on the sliding scale when things were working properly.

That's for general issues. For more technical and scientific rundowns, they become more complicated. You see, some people will believe anything that starts with ammonia or mercury has to be automatically dangerous. Well, thanks to your unwillingness to do some research, this is why US has to import its scientists and engineers.

But what do I care? I TRY not to! I realized a long time ago that if I keep reading the ridiculous responses posted on the Internet, especially when they are not even funny, I will only become angry. Here's another fact: the people that post absolute garbage also happen to be in the minority compared to the billion user base of the Internet. It's always been a societal trend that a few cries the loudest and turn a personal grudge into an armageddon involving everyone.

What are people after by pushing their agenda? Is it fame? Is it fortune? Is it just a desire to watch the world burn? Who knows? You may think I'm pessimistic and only see people as glass half-full, but that's not how I roll. I question the very existence of the glass and the claim that it even contains anything. Like I said before, there are those who propose change to benefit mankind, those for revenge/gains, and those who bandwagon.

Remember, there's one type of person we all know Jesus despised in the New Testament: hypocrites. Don't be one of them.

What do I really care? I care about gaining wisdom through truths and knowledge, the power to utterly crush hostile opponents that hinder my goals, and the courage to stay true to myself without ever becoming a hypocrite. Sounds like the Triforce, doesn't it?

Summer Lineup

We finally got rid of all the junk!

Ever wondered what goes on in the ugliest house on the street? Neither have I. I'm going to tell you a little bit about our mad house for my own amusement. Because...Pinecone!

There are two reasons why I'm writing about my roommates:

1. It's long overdue. I generally blog about it whenever we have a occupant change.
2. I'm sick of writing about my thoughts on controversial issues we see on social media each day.

In short, I am tired of the extremist views shared on the comment sections. Then again, the loudest voices tend to be in the minority; at least, I hope it is so. Otherwise, we have a grim future dominated by people who not only know nothing about resolving a issue, but creating more conflict while playing the "force fix/update" button on society.

Without further delay, I shall bring on the house lineup. As usual, I'll order the tenants here by age.

Circa February 2014

It is unfortunate that I'm oldest in this house. Luckily, age is just a number. I recently finished up all my coursework at BYU, put myself in self-imposed unemployment to prepare for the MCAT, and will now start an internship at the Intermountain Medical Center up in Murray in July. More surprises coming in the next year or two!

My near future goals are obtaining more "power", work for a year to save money, and eventually more schooling.

I don't even know... when did this happen?

Between John and Tyler, they are the next in line. 

John is currently employed by the Church as a paid intern. He is putting all information systems knowledge to good use. He is also one of the last original six including me.

Good games, good times, and good workouts are all but part of John's busy life.

Tyler is new to our house, but he is no stranger to us! This man has been an integral part of our madness since the days of IX at Miller.

A diamond in the rough when it comes to future careers. He's got many options, and now we will see which path he will take. By the way, this man is from Jersey and I'm always partial to East Coasters.

Nick & Amanda

Our resident filmmaker is taking the next big step in the course of life. Nick and Amanda are scheduled to be married in late July.

It'd appear that we are marrying off all the Missouri boys! When you see Nick, be sure to pass on your congratulations! That is...if you can find him.

He's as fresh as they come!

Normally, we have a tight grip on who gets to join us, but this one slipped through the cracks thanks to all the unexpected changes coming from Jonathan and Klint.

In case you missed them, Jonathan is in the Marines and Klint is scheduled to be married in October this year. In addition, T.K. will rejoin us when Nick moves out.

Jared is a good man. Fresh off of his mission in Russia; still got the recent RM aura all over him.

Jared is from Arizona, studying computer science at BYU. His hobbies include eating healthy and working out. He's a bit shy, but more than willing to make friends. Sadly, he is only with us until the end of the summer. Get to know him while you can!

Seems awfully relaxed for someone that works 50+ hours a week

Last of all, we have Alex: the TRUE car guy.

Life can be difficult for a car guy, especially when we are all mostly amateurs compared to his vast knowledge and interest about cars.

Alex is currently working full time (and then some) and plans to study mechanical engineering at BYU.

Much like John, good games and good times are also part of his busy life. Not to mention, he's got a summer project car that he is working on while time passes. If you have an insatiable interest in cars, he's the man to tickle your fancies!

That will be all for now! Be sure to look for another post in the fall!

Victims, Victims, Everywhere

Pretty sure that's K.O. right there.

Time couldn't have been worse, especially during the hots of the #YesAllWomen trend on the Internet thanks to Elliot Rodger and his warped sense of reality. Alas, I'm not here to discuss specifically about either events, but to relate to you my personal stories of how the problems of our society (or world to be precise) wind up affecting normal relationships and place unnecessary hostilities between innocent parties. *DISCLAIMER: I do not know everything that happened to the individuals that will be mentioned here in this post, but it's safe to say they don't know everything that happened to me either. **WARNING: post is obviously overgeneralized.

It has been a few years since the events occurred, so I feel comfortable discussing them. I returned to BYU the summer of 2010 after my mission. I decided to dwell in Wyview as I had during freshman year. I was glad to get back into the swing of things. Of course, that included socializing, social media, etc. One day, my roommate thought it would be funny to update my Facebook status to something along the lines of "I have the biggest crush on the girl across the street". Normally, I find it funny. The funniness only lasted before my neighbor informed me that one of the girls actually thought it was referring to her and started saying things such as "I hope it's not me" and some other possibly not-so-kind things I won't write here. I didn't do anything about it because I figured no harm done.

Truth be told, I didn't know her very well. I vaguely recall doing a slow dance with her at one of the BYU dances and she happened to be in my ward that summer. Just a silly misunderstanding. That is, until someone overestimated her own worth and pretended that she was being eyed on by someone she barely knows; instead of the other way around. What did I do? Nothing. Simply never talk to her, even today.

April of 2011 was another time when I felt I was unjustly judged because of the imagination (or lack of logic) of some women's heads. Those who knew me were aware of my busy schedule. I hop between work and school with plenty of pit stops in the HBLL (the main library at BYU). At the time, I recently got out of a relationship and was more than happy to talk to anyone I recognize in order to not think about her (on a side note, we did make up eventually, so that's good :) ).

There was one woman, who I home taught freshman year, that I started to bump into frequently and became acquainted with her younger sister. The problem started when I received a Facebook message, around finals week, from her younger sister stating that the older sister is creeped out because they believe I'm stalking her and made it clear that she's interested in another man. She "politely" asked me to stop seeing her sister.

What is wrong with this picture?

1. I was a regular at the HBLL. The fact that I didn't bump into them until April suggests they are bandwagon library goers who only utilize the facility during major examinations such as finals.
2. I was also recently out of a relationship and was in no mood to start again.
3. The fact that they don't see me after that message is because the semester was over NOT because they were right about being stalked, etc. My spring/summer schedules are vastly different from normal semesters. I left town with Ammon on a road trip afterwards.

There are more examples of these scenarios even after 2011. What's my point? Yes, women have anxieties when it comes to abuses and violences because they experience them more often than men. To the point where fear can become unrighteous judgment to those around them, stunting them not only spiritually, socially, but emotionally. What can we do to change that besides teaching people correct principles and hope they govern themselves? NOTHING. The fact everyone has choices in how to proceed in dealing with others makes it difficult to overhaul anything,.

Dangers are out there. This is why the Savior counseled us to be as wise as serpents but harmless as doves (Matthew 10:16). 

Random 30-second Google searches:
[A quick search shows about 20% of women (about 31 million if using 314 million as US population and simply use 50% as cutoff) have experienced rape, and their various forms, in the USA. It will also indicate about 4.5% (about 7 million) of men committed rapes in the USA, which is roughly the same number for men who were raped by women. Then, there's the uncommon men raping men at about 1.5% (about 4 million). When I mesh all these numbers together, I get a ratio of 3:1 when it comes to women to men raped in our country. Truth is, the actual numbers are probably higher. The good news is the majority of the crimes are committed by a minority of people. The bad news is, it is still too high.]

I don't enjoy being labeled or assumed to be someone with ill-intentions. Perhaps this isn't just a #YesAllWomen problem, but everyone's issue. I think one of the reasons why most women have higher anxiety, besides actual violence, is because of upbringing. The media reports these atrocities. Parents warn their daughters about the potential dangers. A girl has had that in the back of her mind since the day she became a teenager. As for a boy, that isn't the case. Has any guy received the same lecture about avoid being raped, etc. from their parents or heard many stories in the media about the said scenarios on men? Probably not. It isn't as common as the usual female victimized by a male, but yet, still in the millions.

With such disturbing trends, is it a wonder that we can't have normal interactions with each other? Like racism, I personally believe we would make more progress if we take an united approach versus a segregated one. If US politics hasn't taught us anything, I hope everyone realizes that when issues become "us vs. them" situations, they go nowhere.

There are those who seek progress to improve lives. There are those who seek progress to exact revenge (or push away responsibilities). Then, there are those who seek progress to bandwagon without ever actually knowing anything. Choose your side.

Your Nonexistent Self Identity

Are members of the opposite sex fawning over you like hot cake? Many may wish this is the story their love life. However, what is the more important beyond the attention-grabbing facade? For young adults (in my opinion), it is not only a time for romance and careers, but also a sojourn to chisel out the self image of who they are deep inside. WARNING: Broad generalizations ahead. Read at your own discomfort. :v

Welcome to Provo! The best, and perhaps the worst, place on Earth depending on what you are looking for in this town. Yes, I'm talking about dating. While many of us are not as fortunate (or maybe we really are) as some of the young'uns who go on merrily with their married ways before they are no longer teenagers, it is worth noting that "later" bloomers (such as myself) have been blessed with extra time to further develop our individuality.

A friend of mine started her "men fast" a few weeks back. Now what is it? Simply put, she is abstaining from dating for an extended period of time until she feels ready (or some heaven-sent angel sweeps her off her feet) to enter the game again. Reason being: she's been on dates weekly since fall of 2013. She hasn't had the time to enjoy herself and the things she love (that include things to be discovered) due to all the suitors competing for her attention. I understand some people would kill for that universal adoration, but read on.

This segways into an intriguing question. How firm do young LDS adults stand upon the testimonies coming from the bottom of their hearts versus sticking around thanks to the spiritual herd immunity provided by those around them?

Let's make a hypothetical situation. Suppose a young woman gets married at 18 and have kids asap. Her and her husband raise them to adulthood. She starts to feel her value as a person has dissipated because she considered being a mother the only worthwhile endeavor in her life. Sounds like someone you know? Perhaps your own mother?

For those of you who feel this post is unjustified, please realize I did write a post about motherhood and the sanctity thereof a while back. Plus, read the disclaimer again.

A healthy person continues to be an influence in her children's lives and see this "uplifted" burden of sacrifice as another opportunity to fine-tune her personal life/spiritual growth. Unfortunately, some eventually develop deep depression and feel worthless. I could argue that one of the reasons could be the lack of personal finesse in the younger years thanks to hasty commitment. Think of it this way, a college senior without a post-graduation plan (not even a rough draft) at the day of commencement.

Let me put it this way, what are you after we take away your friends, your family, etc.? They may have great influence on you, but they are not you. Family is important to God's plan, but doesn't amount much when you do not have personal growth. It is with several years of experience, starting with my mission, that I started to have a grasp to who I am and what my eternal personality is like. There's nothing wrong with leaning on others. There is something wrong with being perpetually dependent and not progressing.

I must admit, I'm not the best of writers. Therefore, the concept may not come across clear as it should be. I think I'm beginning to feel what Moroni was talking about when he mentions the weakness of his writing. To start, I think it'd be best if we all revisit the misadventures of Job in the Old Testament.

Until next time, this is just another expression of Art.

[Insert Incredulous Sales Pitch Here]

Tick Tock!

Hold on to your butts! There has been a change in the creative department. I'm trying out a new approach to my blogging style (or the lack thereof) and bring to you the new edition of the former Ectomenti. Not only will I dive deeper about the changes, but will also briefly reintroduce myself in THE FUTURE, and revisit some of the recurring questions surrounding my nonexistent mystique as well.

It's time for CHANGE! Especially, when I've essentially finished with schooling for the time being. However, that does not excuse me from being ever involved in the world of academia. Creative writing has always been a thing for me since end of middle school (8th grade to be precise). Unfortunately, the stress and demands of life continually bombarded me with responsibilities, which inhibited my desires to write regularly.

For those of you who have read my humble blog from the beginning, it started out as an online journal. It went from daily records to weekly updates. The trend then shifted to more topic-based musings in response to current events and/or thoughts that preoccupied my mind. The trouble was, the format was inconsistent and stale.

From now on, the first paragraph will summarize the plot of the post and will be bolded. Readers should be able to read through it within a minute. This will relieve you the pain of reading through paragraphs of fluff before understanding what I'm getting at. You may, then, decide whether or not it's worth your time to continue perusing through the rest of my post.

You may be too young if you don't recognize them.

I've changed the name of the blog to 30 Seconds to Art. For those of you who know me, you see what I did there? Part of the inspirations is because of the band pictured to the right. If you don't know them, it's a great time to get acquainted with some of the bands of the late 90s and early 2000s.

Sounds relatively simple, yes? Another goal of mine is to write moderate-sized, detailed, but concise posts. I hope I can improve my writing skills and rekindle some of hobbies that academia robbed from me. In addition, I want to be become creative enough to come up with attention-catching titles and taglines for entries in the future.

All that change while keeping my current disposition? We shall see. Until next time, adieu!

End of a Chapter

There were probably more family members than students

Well, as hard as it is for me to believe, I am basically finished with university. Technically, I don't graduate until December after my internship, but I was allowed to participate in commencement and convocation this year in April.

I didn't take any graduation selfies because I am usually not a selfie person. I've taken some photos here and there and hopefully, they'll make it to whatever social media outlet I choose later this year. My family did not attend this event because, well, it's simply inconvenient. I think I might have been upset if bachelor's degree were my formal education endgoal. However, this isn't the case as I have plans for further schooling.

What's next? The first priority is to take a break. And by take a break I mean I've taken a break and ready to start again. The focus now is to cram for the MCAT set for June 14th. Seems quick no? I'm sure the training I've had as a MLS student at BYU has given me enough study prowess to jam an obscene amount of information in a short time; courtesy of multiple weekly tests.

I also plan on taking a trip out of the country after the exam for two weeks. It may be the last time I'll visit extended family for a while. Then, I start my internship up in Murray in July, after the holiday. After that, who knows? Depending on where I receive a full-time position, I may consider either staying in Provo or moving up to Salt Lake City. The idea of moving out of state is not impossible as well. In short, I don't have a clear picture of where I stand, but I will figure out something.

The nice part is, I will have more time to update this blog this spring. Can't say the same once summer hits, though. I do believe I have some good topics to write about in the near future.

Cheers!

When Life Gives You Lemons...

Master, the tempest is raging!

When life starts to mount pressure on you, one thing is certain: stress. I don't do well under stress even though I have ways to reduce and control the symptoms. The fact BYU does not have spring break contributes to the overload. I personally believe that nothing I learn in my major is conceptually difficult, but the sheer volume of information becomes daunting when I'm already feeling tired. Fatigue eventually leads to annoyance, and annoyance generally manifests as a perpetual anger that seems to radiate from my being.

Because of that, I focus less on the other aspects of life. I feel some angst when I attempt to clear the everlasting pile of dishes, or the tub of rubbish I should have sent out last night. Granted, it would be unfair to claim my housemates do absolutely nothing.

One thing I haven't been paying as much attention is spirituality. The weekly wall of tasks has transformed me into a churchgoer versus a sojourner of discipleship. I have zero desire to dig deeper into the scriptures. Zero desire to spend more time than necessary with people in the ward. That includes activities. I always jokingly exclaim that I hate people, but can't be bothered is probably a more accurate depiction of my current situation.

When the tempest was raging, the Apostles reached out to Jesus for help (Matt. 8:24; Luke 8:24; Mark 4:38). The Lord, who spent most of His time ministering to the people, was sleeping. I imagine He could have been tired, like any of us after a long day. (Although, He was probably fearless too!) Without any hesitation, He calmed the winds and put the disciples at ease. Even in a scenario where it was inconvenient, it didn't stop the Savior from performing His duties and demonstrate His compassion for common men.

What is the lesson here? Just do it? Not exactly. I do believe I'm supposed to maintain a standard when situation doesn't allow me to improve where I already stand. Or, maybe even try a little harder than I am at the moment. There are some time consuming tasks I could do without, but I am simply too selfish to give up right now.

We shall see how things evolve. I, for one, am glad the semester will conclude in less than four weeks.

As I Go Nearer to the Edge...

Class of 2014!

...OF GRADUATION SUCKAS!!!! No, seriously, I'm basically finished with university this April. I do have an internship from July to December before I can actually receive my diploma, but all the coursework will be completed by the end of this semester. I will be walking in the commencement next month!

It's quite an accomplishment, for me, at least. I made a lot of adjustments and learned important life lessons here at BYU. My parents definitely helped me out a ton financially, but I wasn't living off the bank of mom & dad. Of my entire BYU career, I've enrolled in classes in almost every Spring and Summer Terms, except in 2013, while working around 20 hours a week during the semesters. Last summer was definitely a magical time when all my roommates and I did whatever we wanted and all we had to worry about was working 40 hours a week to save money.

I know I haven't written much recently due to the excess amount of coursework. In addition, I was sick for a little over a week, which put me in a vulnerable position. Rest assured, I have returned with more updates!

Throughout my college days, I've changed much as a person and many of my interests changed as a result. Even my outlook on life changed because of the surprises life threw at me. Many sources claim that college is when you truly discover yourself. Well, I'm not here to disprove or agree entirely to that claim, but I can list a few things I came to notice over the years.

1. I'm more or less a cynic versus pessimist; although, I do have pessimistic tendencies. To be fair, I've been more optimistic than the '07 or '10 version.
2. I have been very fortunate with roommates. I never had any weird guys that creeped me out or tried to intimidate me in any way. (Then again, maybe it's because I have a temper myself.) In fact, I've learned much from the men I've became closed associated with over the years.
3. At the end of the day, the type of woman I like turns out to be someone I can have nice conversations with over the table. However, willing to participate in contact sports is an extreme plus.
4. There was once when I was passionate about someone and it ended badly. It brought out a whole new side of me.
5. I like the idea of being a bad ass grandpa one day; hence, I work out!
6. Not getting an A in class when some people manage to do so = I am not working hard enough or working smart enough.
7. I am really not that social. Perhaps it's an age thing? I find myself comfortable with a close circle of friends or colleagues and rarely stepping out of those bounds despite the fact that my Facebook will tell you otherwise.
8. I must be resilient because many people keep telling me how my schedule is definition of insanity. Well, great! I do have some ambition for the next decade.
9. I'm retro-gamer for the most part. Sure, I do look into new games, but nothing takes away from the classics I enjoy.

There are several things I wish I could have done before graduation, but I'll just have to pick them up later.

1. Study abroad: I don't think I'll ever be able to this again unless some strange opportunity comes along in future schooling.
2. Marriage: that's what BYU is about, right? Well, that's too bad. I'll have to look elsewhere.
3. Learn a new language: it's nice to be bilingual and have a good foundation of Spanish. I do wish I was assigned to a mission where I had to pick up a new language.
4. Joined more clubs: if I had more free time and didn't have to work as much, I would have loved the idea.
5. Intramural sports: see above.

I do have a few adventures lined up right after this semester. I'll have to let y'all in on it later!

The Month of February

Les Très Riches Heures du duc de Berry février

February has always been an interesting month for me. Not only is it the shortest month of the year, it is also when I'm relatively inactive in the realm of blogging. I've wondered if it's because I'm lacking things to write about or life is simply busy during this time.

Surprisingly, this February hasn't been as cold and frosty as last year. February is an important hallmark in my life. It is my birthday month as well as the month I chose to be baptized. That was back in 2007. Through life's ups and downs, I've learned many things in my journey. Of course, my life is only starting.

Additional information: this month is my birthday!

There are so many unknowns in my immediate future. I am both excited and somewhat daunted. At the same time, I'm not really bothered by the challenges ahead. I'm not sure if that's a sign of quiet confidence or naive outlook to the turbulence ahead.

Well, I'm half way through my final semester here at BYU. With a two-month break coming up before my internship, I have much soul-searching and self improvements to do before life hits me with a hammer. After that, we shall see. Maybe quarter-life crisis will hit me. Who knows?

The Wheels of Time

Turn and turn...

Today, we said farewell to Jonathan as he embarks on his adventures in basic training for the US Marines.

To some of you, this may come as a surprise, but it didn't come as an easy decision for him. It does explain, however, some of the behaviors witnessed for some periods of time recently.

Regardless, I'm happy for him. Jonathan would have graduated this April with a BS in physics, but this shift to the military will allow him to finally do something he's always wanted: aerospace engineering.

This got me thinking about the past year and half. Many things have happened to me; starting with moving in with the guys back in September 2012. Not to discredit my experiences with my former roommates, the move with the guys was a hallmark in my university career. For once, I was insanely content with life (despite of my occasional temper tantrums from lack of sleep).

This was especially true for this spring and summer when none of us had classes and we just did all sorts of stuff with the time we had on our hands outside of work. I am glad we all did that because that kind of opportunity will likely not happen again.

Since then, Dalin and Ammon have gotten married. TK left in search of himself. And now, Jonathan has departed to chase his dreams. I'm still with the guys! Klint and Alex are definitely nothing to scoff at, especially they are part of a circle of friends we all know. John and I had a conversation tonight. We, along with Nick, are the only three left from the original six at IX. Here at our house, we will always choose who replace a leaving member.

Funnily enough, I think I may be the last one out from the original group. It's just a hunch, but more than likely. Unless something keeps me from leaving Provo (or the general Utah Valley area), I am determine to venture out by the middle of 2016 latest.

That's enough of me moping around. I hope y'all had a great weekend!