More Fun in the Hood

So, because we're still waiting for our licensing to process so we can start knocking in Suburbia, we've continued knocking the the Hood. Life out here is crazy! Today, I was in a house talking to a home owner about home security, when he informs me that three months ago a lady was shot and killed right in front of his home! And do you remember the police man that was shot earlier this month (refer to previous post)? Well, two of the three thugs were caught when that happened, and the third guy was missing for a few days until they found him in a vacant home with his girlfriend. That vacant home was just three blocks from my area. The home owner then told me of another killing that happened last year just two blocks away, which was on the corner of my area. There are a lot of people out here in Phila. who need some serious therapy and anger management.

Today was a fun day for me and my office. This morning we went and took some pretty insane pictures in front of the Rocky statue and the Museum of Art (the location of Rocky's famous scene of running up the steps with his theme song blaring in the soundtrack). Afterward, a few of us went over to Pat's, apparently a super famous place for Philly cheese steak. One of my roommates got kinda sick, thought, after eating one. I just thought it was cool that they used Cheese Wiz on the sandwich!

West Philadelphia

So I've been in Philadelphia for about a week now and I've gotta' say that I'm loving it so far! I haven't really had time yet to check out any sites, but work has been pretty interesting. Our entire first week of work has consisted solely of knocking in West Philadelphia. I don't think it was this bad in Chicago, when we knocked down town. Here the people seem more rude, and there's definitely more work cut out for the police here than in Chicago. For example, I heard today that two Sundays ago there were 13 killings in Philly. Last Saturday in a home I watched a live news report that a police officer had been shot and killed just twenty minutes prior; his funeral will actually be today (Tuesday). Also on Saturday, there was another shooting on the exact same block that one of my friends made a sale on. My friend had to go back to correct some paper work and saw the police tape blocking that portion of the street. He went inside the home of the lady he sold and the techs were still installing the system. They said they were inside the home when they heard the shots outside. Today, there were two helicopters about a mile or two from my area, looking for a missing person and the kidnapper. It's only been a week, but I still have more stories that I haven't even shared.

Other than that though, I'm enjoying Philly. Although I'm right in the middle of the hood when I knock, I haven't had any problems. I did see drug dealers hanging around on a street corner, transacting business - that was kind of funny - but people have been pretty cordial with me. I've noticed that they give me the same kind of respect I give them.


This is a pic of a street I knocked on this past Saturday, compliments of Google map. These are some of the houses I knocked on. About 99.9% of the houses look like what you see in this picture.



So there's a little bit of my experience in Philly so far. Here are a few things, though, that I would like to check out this summer:

• Pat's Restaurant. Apparently, Pat is known as the Philly Steak King. His restaurant is downtown.
• New York City / Manhattan. The train ride is only 1.5 hours from Phila.
• DC. The train ride is about 2 hours from Phila.
• Liberty Bell
• Valley Forge
• 4th of July at the Museum of Art in Phila. I hear that's the place to go.

If you know of any other places I should check out while I'm out here, please let me know.

Inevitable Change

Well, today was my last Sunday in the infamous BYU 106th ward. Ever since my first semester in college three years ago I have called this ward and AA apartments my home. I have so many memories (both good and bad, but mostly good) from living both in this complex and in the ward. People have come and gone (there's high turnover out here) and I have made many friends that have greatly influenced me in one way or another. But alas, my time here has been well spent and I feel that it's time for me to move on and to change my environments. Therefore, my last official night in AA 9 (aka "Funkytowne") will be this Thursday. Then I'm off to Idaho to visit my bro and his family, then off to Philadelphia. When I get back to the Provo scene, I'll be in a different complex and ward.

I've been thinking a lot about change lately. In most aspects, change is very good for us. For one, change helps us progress. It stirs up the ant pile, so to speak, and causes us to get out of comfort zone. We're forced to start over again and work hard at things that have become routine. Because of change, we can discover areas of ourselves that we didn't notice before, both strengths and weaknesses. Change can help us strengthen those weakness and mold those parts of our lives that need molding. Change helps us look at things in different perspectives, so our view isn't one-sided.

I remember when I was 16, someone once told me that change will help me see the potentials that I have. Since then I have noticed the truthfulness of that statement in several occasions. Perhaps that is one of the reasons why I am excited to head out to Philadelphia this summer. I'm excited to see other potentials of my life I haven't yet discovered or realized.

Seminary

I'm in a Seminary Teaching class here at BYU and part of the class involves teaching a seminary class for two weeks. I just started my teaching this past Tuesday in Spanish Fork (about 15 minutes south of Provo), and I am LOVING it!

I teach a freshman class every day. There are about 18 of them. They are pretty energetic but do a great job in the learning process. I love teaching and I love the youth, so this has been a very rewarding experience for me. It's pretty humbling at the same time, though. I've been treating this experience a lot like the mission. These kids are in the forefront of my prayers and thoughts throughout the day. It's a wonderful feeling to have this type of care and concern toward people.

I really think teaching the youth in this generation is a very sacred calling. These kids are going through and will be going through more trying times and temptations than we did, and their children will definitely be going through must worse situations. That is why it is so vital that they become solid in the testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ at such a young age, that they set for themselves high standards and maintain them, and that they develop strong, righteous habits. It will take a very firm foundation of solid parents to be those examples and anchors those children will need upon which to build their lives. Those future parents are the youth of today. And in order for them to be able to lay that foundation for their children, they need to know how to do that through the examples of their parents, their leaders, and their teachers. So you see, it's a pretty humbling knowledge of what is hanging on your testimony, example, and influence on others.

There's my two cents on seminary and the importance of teaching. There's more on the subject of teaching - it's a very passionate subject to me - but I think I'll save that for another time, perhaps if you ask me about it. In the mean time, I just wanted to share my excitement about seminary teaching. It rocks!

Summer Plans 2008


So I have this dilemma. I'm trying to figure out what to do this summer. Right now, I'm set up to head out to Philadelphia to sell security systems; however, the more I think about it, the more I want to stay here in Provo. So I've been trying to separate what I want to do from what I need to do; that's been hard for me.

So last night before I headed off to bed (it was pretty late) I saw my Book of Mormon and realized I hadn't read my scriptures at all that day. So I picked it up to read a few verses before going to sleep. I flipped it open to a random spot and started reading in Alma 36. It was the part where Alma shared his conversion story with his son, Helaman. I had two verses marked from long ago, which caught my eye. They were verses 24 and 25. They read, "Yea, and from that time even until now, I have labored without ceasing, that I might bring souls unto repentance; that I might bring them to taste of the exceeding joy of which I did taste; that they might also be born of God, and be filled with the Holy Ghost. Yea, and now behold, O my son, the Lord doth give me exceedingly great joy in the fruit of my labors."

When I read those verses, the thought came to me to consider which summer option would offer greater opportunities to serve others and bring people closer to Christ; up to that point I had neglected to include those things in my decision-making process. I compared and contrasted the past two summers. While selling in Chicago I had some fun missionary opportunities, where I was able to share the restored gospel in a few homes. I really enjoyed and still cherish those moments. Yet, those were but a few moments over the course of the entire summer. My calling was in the music council, in which I participated Sundays only. I didn't get my home teaching assignments until mid-way through the summer. So Church service was minimal. On top of that, there really wasn't any time to serve in the community either.

Looking at the summer before, I served almost on a daily basis with my Church calling. If I stayed here, I know I would be much more involved with the community, as well as a couple of groups on campus. I have also gotten some ideas of other things I could do while here in Provo that could potentially benefit others, and I would have time to do those things.

Of course, I can't just do things for free. I still need finances to live and save up for school. I think that's where selling would have an advantage. This summer I have the potential of making $20,000+! I could technically become a manager the following summer, making $100,000+! Here, the only thing I can think of that could give me $15,000+ (if I really kick it in gear and hire people to help me out) would be mowing lawns on top of working at another job.

So, if I were able to have around $15,000 sitting in my account at the end of the summer, I would probably be quite content with my finances, to be quite honest. That being the case, staying here during the summer is actually my number one choice. I think the only things keeping me from making a decision now are three-fold: 1) loyalty to my friend from last summer, 2) if I stay in Provo, will I suck it up and mow those lawns, and 3) I haven't yet received any confirmations or assurances from Heavenly Father (that I've been looking for, anyway) of which choice I should make.

So, wish me luck!

Family: Isn't It About Time?

Today I went over to the bookstore on campus to return something. As I parked and got out of the car, I was thinking about one of my business classes and my homework in it. To be honest, I love my business classes and thinking about what I'm learning. It excites me for my major and future career, so I think about it a lot. As strange as it may sound, thinking about business strategies, how to analyze financial statements, extracting pertinent information from excel pivot tables and charts, and such are all things I love getting into and doing.

These were the kind of things I was thinking about as I got out of my car. However, as I walked toward the Wilkinson Center, where the bookstore is located, I looked in front of me and saw a dad with his son, who looked to be about a year old, on his shoulders. He was running and skipping on the sidewalk; he had another son and a daughter, each about four and six years old, follow him. They ran behind their dad to keep up with him, laughing as they went.

Instantly, my mind dropped all thoughts of my classes and I silently observed the family (the mom was behind the older kids, walking); I couldn't help but smile to myself at the sight. Another guy walked passed them and I noticed him smile to himself as well. It was good to see that.

I love college life and the BYU campus. I enjoy the friendships my roommates and I have. I love learning the things I'm learning in my classes and like the challenge of keeping my grades up. The one thing I don't like about it all, however, is that it's easy for priorities to get switched around and forget what the overall aim really is. Family is what it's all about! Spending my life with my best friend. Being a dad. Spoiling my wife. Having water-gun fights with my kids in the front yard. Family vacations. Laughing. Crying. Serving. Loving. Bringing life into the world. Showing my kids how to love their mom. Heartaches. Disappointments. Learning. My family making me proud. Happy surprises. Anniversaries. Helping my kids pick flowers for their mom. Showing my wife how much I love her. Dancing with my daughters. Playing football with my sons. Hearing my wife tell me she's proud of me. Watching my children grow and progress in the gospel and in other areas of their lives. And so many other fond future memories!

Watching this dad have fun with his kids put things back into perspective. Suddenly, my college classes didn't seem as important as I had made them out to be. Seeing this family go by caused a familiar yearning from deep within to resurface. It was a great reminder of why I'm really here, in college, and in this life. That's a stage of my life I definitely look forward to!

Die Heiligen der letzten Tage

I currently work as a research assistant for a professor where I have the opportunity to interview German Latter-day Saints who survived WWII. It's quite the fulfilling job! I'm always amazed at the courage these people had to be able to go through the circumstances they went through in Germany during the war. I listen to their stories, and at the end of the interview I always ask, "How did you maintain your testimony of the gospel during everything you went through?" Their response is almost without fail, "We had to in those times. It's what got us through." Their answer reminds me of a talk Elder Jeffrey R. Holland once said in a Mission Conference in Frankfurt, 2004. He said something to the effect that, because we are here experiencing this earthly life, we have already made the decision (in the pre-mortal realm) that we would live the commandments of our Heavenly Father; he said that there is no reason why we should be making those decisions again in this life. The German Latter-day Saints reflect this frame of mind in the way they respond to my question.

Today I met with a German who was a missionary in east Germany. Because of privacy reasons, I won't share anything she told me; however, listening to the things she went through put all of my problems in their proper perspective (which was that they are super insignificant and shouldn't really be classified as problems). I was amazed that, despite the incredible sorrow and sacrifice she faced and endured, she was not bitter about the events and losses she experienced. She impressed me greatly with how she still smiled and laughed, as though she had an assurance that most people in those similar situations didn't have.

I'm grateful there's an assurance of peace when we live our lives as best we know how; and that that assurance can grow brighter and brighter when we seek to know the Lord's will and follow it. Joseph Smith once called the Germans "an exalted people,"¹ and the Germans who came out of that war as better people prove the validity of that statement.

1. ^{"Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith: Compiled by Joseph Fielding Smith", Deseret Book Company, 1976, p 364}
   

Study Smarter, Not Harder

It's been a few weeks since I've written a post here. My last couple of posts were written on different computers, since my laptop was in the shop for about six weeks. Fortunately I got it back this past Monday, and it is a wonderful feeling. It feels as though a void inside of me has been filled ;^) !

Well, in case you're wondering what the title is all about, it is because I took my first Accounting 210 midterm this semester and got an 80 on it! The average, I've been told, is a 60-something. I'm taking the pre-reqs to get into the Accounting program at BYU - the number Two Accounting program in the Universe, as my professor says (second only to the University of Texas). Therefore, it's not an easy task to get in the program. So I was pretty happy getting a score above average - I just hope this class is curved.

I've learned that it's not necessarily important that you study hard; rather, one should study smart. I remember my second semester at college. I quite ignorantly decided to take Econ 110, Acc 200, Stats 221, German 330, and work 20 hours a week all at the same time. I had no clue what I was getting myself into, and did not realize how much my study skills/habits/whatever-you-want-to-call-it were lacking. Quickly, but too late, reality hit and I was nose deep in homework, classes, stress, all of the above. I didn't know how to study properly, manage my time effectively, or indoctrinate myself well enough the things I needed to learn in my classes. Because of it I suffered immensely. I can show you the grades to prove it.

Since then I've learned a thing or two. The biggest things I learned were that I needed to 1) manage my time better and 2) fix my study habits. That semester I "studied" hard. I remember being up late until two in the morning about two or three nights a week, getting papers and such done. It killed. Not to mention I still didn't do so hot. Now, I'm usually in bed by midnight (unless I choose to stay up doing things like putting posts on my blog), but have all or 98% of my homework for the next day done by six or seven. Plus, I'm doing much better in my classes.

So why the difference? I personally think it has to do with four specific things. Time management is definitely a factor. Concerning time management, I highly recommend two sources: "Seven Habits of Highly Effective People" by Stephen R. Covey, and "Good, Better, Best" by Elder Dallin H. Oaks. In regards to managing my time, I have been learning to both prioritize my time better and knowing when to say no. Also, it helps to know one's limits.

Learning to study better is the second factor. In the definition of "study" I include taking advantage of all the resources given for each class. For my accounting class, I'm in the TA lab about three to four times a week, spending about two to three hours there each time I go. It's great because when I don't understand a principle or part of the lesson, I ask a TA nearby and he'll explain it to me until I understand. We go over examples so I can apply it, which helps me to retain things better.

Thirdly, I believe desire plays a large role and is the underlying structure beneath the first two factors. If there's not much desire, not much is going to get done. I'm not gonna' lie, I don't have much of a desire to go to my MCOMM class (business writing). Although I like the end result of knowing how to write well, I don't care for the process that much. So that's a struggle for me. Yet, I try to keep in mind that I have to do well to make it in my major, and that helps motivate me more. Along with the desire comes self-motivation. I think what also helps me in my classes is doing extra things on my own. For example, for my accounting class, I like to look at financial statements of real companies (Microsoft is my favorite one to look at) and apply what I learn in analyzing financial statements. It's not required, but I get a real-world taste of how to use what I'm learning. I'm still trying to find ways to apply what I'm learning in my ISYS 201 class with Excel formulas.

Last of all - and I think this is most important - is that I try to involve the Lord. I'm not the best at it. Too often I catch myself wanting to take credit and to do things on my own. However, I do notice a significant difference. When I include the Lord in what I'm doing and try to keep Him a priority, I do significantly better in the things I do. Productivity increases! I contribute all that I've learned to Him. I honestly believe that the Lord helps me retain what I'm learning and is helping me be successful in my classes. For example, when I took my exam today, I said a prayer in my heart. I asked to remember what I learned and that the Spirit would bring things to my remembrance. There were problems on that test that stumped me; then, specific things were brought to my attention and specific formulas came into my mind that I had forgotten (but had studied thoroughly) and I was able to complete those problems (something else that is interesting to note about this principle - there were a couple of problems where I was totally lost and didn't receive any help. Consequently, those problems went over things I neglected to study thoroughly. I believe there is a direct correlation in personal preparation and how much the Lord helps us in our lives....but that's another topic in and of itself).

So there you have it - my two cents on how to study smarter. It's now about one o'clock and I have work tomorrow. Have a good night!

New Song in the Making!

Yes, it's true! I've finally written another song (the last song I wrote was finished almost a year ago). I'm pretty pleased with the lyrics, the music, and most of the melody; however, I'm still trying to fix the melody in the chorus (I have a melody, but I'm not 100% satisfied). Anyway, the lyrics are below. Let me know what you think.

Paint A Picture

Something inside of me
Tells me I want to be
There for you.
But you keep pushing me away
Far from you everyday.
What did I do?

These fragments and pieces
Of your puzzled story
Won't show me the picture
Of your memory.
This faded-out Kodak
Of your colored life
Won't show me the picture
Of your pain and strife.
So I go away.
So I fade away.

Where's the fairy-tale ending
You hoped for and dreamed of
So long ago?
Is this broken-heart mending?
Let me know.

I can hear you;
Your cries don't go unheard.
Let me wipe away those tears.
Put an end to all your fears.
Paint a picture of your own
Of a hope that you can hold
In your heart.

Don't waste your life sulking
Behind sheltered doors.
There's a beautiful world
And it all can be yours.
So forget your past problems;
Your life starts today.
There's a beautiful sunrise
And it's comin' your way.
So let's go away.
So let's fade away.

Here's the fairy-tale ending
You hoped for and dreamed of
So long ago.
Your broken heart's mending.
Did you know?

I can hear you;
Your cries don't go unheard.
Let me wipe away those tears.
Put and end to all of your fears.
Paint a picture of your own
Of a hope that you can hold
In your heart.

Tus amigos te sostienen,
Y te saludarán
De nuevo con corazones
Fervientes
Y manos amistosas.

*Note: The last verse is actually a scripture in Spanish: D&C 121:9, which reads, "Thy friends do stand by thee, and they shall hail thee again with warm hearts and friendly hands."

Soul Searching

I'm searching for something,
Though I don't know what I'm looking for.
This melancholy lingers
And these musical tides bring me to a shore
Where mellow feelings lay gently in the sun.

Deep inside grows a yearning,
A longing for a life not yet lived.
How far can dreams sail on
Before the ship and its captain drift
Into the horizon of a setting sun?

I continue searching, yearning
For the place where dreams come true.
This melancholy continues to linger
And these musical tides of the deep blue
Guide me to the safety of a crescent moon.

Things About Me

Hmm...an introspective look on my life. Well, here are some things about me, in case you didn't know.

• I love music. I did the band thing from 7th grade up through high school graduation. I played the trumpet. On top of that I play the guitar as well. Listening to music cannot be left out. It's a passion of mine. I hope to one day be a high school band director, after doing my business ventures.
• I like to observe people. Not just watching people in any kind of setting, but I love trying to figure out why people do what they do. I like to put myself in their shoes and look at the world in their eyes. I find that trying to see things the way others do, and looking at things in different perspectives, makes the world that much more interesting.
• Pet peeves: tail-gaiting; people who scrape their silverware against their teeth when they eat; meetings & talks that go over-time; a dirty kitchen; slow drivers in the left lane on the highway (and you have to pass them on the right....aargh!); being the blunt end of a joke; condescending humor.
• I recently found out that my personality is analytical/amiable. On the analytical side, I'm very task oriented and focus more on facts and details, and am more reserved with emotions. On the amiable side, I'm more people-oriented, a peacemaker, and am soft-spoken
• Typically, I open up intellectually/emotionally about the same amount someone else does (at least, according to my perception), as long as I feel trust with that person. Otherwise, "I'm a vault baby; locked down." In other words, I usually wait for someone else to open up at a deeper level before I do. If I don't, it's probably because there's no trust there from my side, for whatever reason.
• Things I like to do: biking; driving at night by myself on the highway with mellow music playing, alone with my thoughts; just about anything outdoors; daydream; study business concepts; football; reading books that teach concepts (preferred over novels/story books); looking at the stars; pondering life; teach; take pictures; being introspective; make videos; snowboarding (I've done it only once, with plans of doing it more); I normally don't admit it, but I like to dance; writing.
• Goals in life: graduate with a business degree; get an MBA (international business?); stay fit my whole life; make a cd with my own music; write a book; be financially independent at 50; be an entrepreneur; buy a house before 30; work for one of the top 3 consulting companies (Bain & Co, BCG, or McKinsey); be a high school band director; live in China and/or Germany; learn how to play the piano; have a good-sized family (I'd like to have at least 5 kids; we'll see what my wife says); be the best husband and father EVER!!!; travel after retirement; serve missions with my wife for the LDS church; improve education in America; fight evil; develop an organization that helps under-privileged workers gain higher-level skills in society, economy, and business; share the gospel my whole life.
• Quirks: I sing in the shower; according to my roommate, I smack my lips when I'm asleep; I open and close the fridge door several times before realizing food will not magically appear; I still use German words in certain situations during English conversations, the most common words being: "doch", "jawohl", "wunderbar", and "wunderschön"; I quote a lot of movies.

So now you have a synopsis of me. That's quite a list. There's more I wanted to share, but it's getting late as I type this....maybe some other time.

Untitled

So here's a song I wrote a while back on the piano. I just came back from a friend's playing it and was thinking about it, so I thought I'd share it. Let me know what you think the song is about. Also, any ideas for a title would be helpful as well.

Look at this heart. Say what you see.
Say how you feel. Tell it to me. Tell it to me.
Say what you see,
And take me as I am
Through the clouds and above the sun
Take me home. Take me home.

Memories flash in and out of my mind,
Of faults long lost in the passage of time.
Revitalize me with the breath of release
And take away these wounds and set me at ease.

Oh Lord please help me.
I've got to be free;
And I know it will take time
But I've gotta get home.
I gotta get home.

How long will it take for you to save me?
How long will it take for me to fly into the sky?
Come lift me up and let me see your point of view.
Come take me home with you.

White as snow. You will let me know
Crystal clear, where to go from here.
Winter's gone and spring has just begun,
Yeah, bringing light to take away the night.

Lord, I will praise thee forever.
My soul shall rejoice in thee.
My voice shall ascend forever to thee!

Just as a side-note, the last stanza comes from 2 Nephi 4:30,35.

A Roommate with Talent

I have a roommate - we'll call him Mr. T for the sake of anonymity - who has amazing artistic talents. He is well known in this apartment for certain pencil sketches that look like black and white photographs. Well, once again he has outdone himself.

(First of all, the reader must realize something about the writer's apartment: they are full of inside jokes usually made up at late hours of the night. One inside joke deals with David Bowie from this video...don't ask, it's complicated to explain)

At our Home Evening group we carved pumpkins. The idea for our apartment's pumpkin was to make a David Bowie pumpkin. However, we had nothing to use to do so, so we waited until we went home. My roommate, Mr. T, went online and found a head shot of David Bowie, edited it on photo shop so the contrast was black and white, printed it out, and used it for his pumpkin project. About 3 hours later (somewhere between 12:30 and 1 am) this beautiful creation was made:














(The lighter-colored areas of the face come from the glow of the candle inside the pumpkin)

Amazing, huh? All with one pumpkin carver! Sure, it's a pumpkin; however, I find it incredible that someone can be so precise in regards to sketching, painting, drawing, sculpting, and even carving. Anyway, because of Mr. T, we were able to enjoy a wonderful Halloween with David Bowie. (Brace yourself for the following corny line...) I pity the fool who tries to compete against my roommate in a pumpkin-carving contest.

Grace Kelly

So, I got introduced to a music artist named Mika last night at a BYU event. I really like his style of music. It's different from the main stream, and that's what I like. Anyway, I wanted to share my recent discovery with you (I heard that this song isn't the newest, but it was for me last night). I was told that Mika actually went to music school and studied to sing opera so he could sing the songs he sings now. Interesting.

Another Tally for YouTube!

This weekend I went home to Texas to see my brother and his wife, Adam and Rachelle, get sealed in the LDS temple in Dallas (for a little bit of info on the temple, click here). It was a wonderful event, by the way.

Anyway, I was there from Thursday to Sunday morning and noticed that when I'm home I seem to lose all self-discipline. Productivity is usually at an all-time low and not much is usually accomplished. I think the only time I was ever able to break that barrier was this past May. I was home for a week and actually got a lot of personal things done. However, that is the record thus far. This weekend my weakness was YouTube. I wasted practically a whole night looking at music videos made by BYU students that had been posted on YouTube. My argument was that I wanted to look at the videos to get ideas for myself, but knew that I would not want to use up any of my time while at school. So I spent my Saturday night in front of the glow of my computer screen, knowing I had two flights and a lay-over to catch up on lost sleep.

At any rate, here are a couple of pics from the wedding - maybe I should post my videos from this weekend on YouTube:

A Happy Birthday to Yours Truly

Yes, it's true. I've reached another epic moment in my life where I can say that I'm one year older and still single (yes, the writer is also aware that there seems to be recurring comments on singlehood...he will do his best to work on that).

So tomorrow, it being 10.10.2007, is my birthday, (not officially until 8:21 pm). Apparently, my mom went through 40 hours of labor just to get me out into the world. I'm a stubborn guy, I guess (hmm, I wonder where I get that from???). Anyway, this evening a friend of mine (if you talk to her she'll deny it) sent me on a treasure hunt of sorts through campus and parts of Provo. I must admit, it was a surprise, but a surprise I thoroughly enjoyed. It started off with me driving her car up 200 E, and as I stopped at the intersection of 2nd E and 8th N, this guy jumps out in front of me causing me to almost hit him. He comes up to my side of the car and motions me to roll down the window. Mind you, I've never seen this guy before, so I thought he wanted to yell at me for almost running him over. I roll the window down and he says, "Go to the botany pond. Feed the ducks, then go to the bleachers where you'll find a message. Of course, I immediately knew what was going on, yet excited for the adventure that lay ahead. I went from message that led to another message; and with each message there were little notes from friends and family. It was a great adventure!

There is one part of the night I wish to comment on specifically. A message led us into the library on campus (it read: "Go to the 5th floor and on the NW side of the building you will find a book at an unattended table. Put it in it's proper place and you will find the next message in a neighboring book." So we go up to the 5th floor and go to the north end of the building and start walking west. As we are doing so I spy a book on a chair of an unattended desk. I think, "Easy find." I go to pick it up and lo and behold, to my surprise the book is titled "Nude Photography Notebook"! Don't believe me? I have proof (I'm shaking my finger):

My friend insisted that this wasn't the right book, so we put the book back and went further west on the floor until we found a book in pink bound that read, "No Nice Girl Swears". Here's another pic for your gazing pleasure:



We read a few portions of it. It was...interesting.

At any rate, we put the book in its proper place, then found the next message that led me to another place. However, the note attached was my roommate's, which earned its right to be blogged on this site. Here is how it went, word for word:

"I am glad that Michael sallied forth from the womb because he is a great proficient with the ladies. It could be said that his finding pool is well stocked and has been left in pieces for far too long. He is a frequent guest on the popular radio program such as Dating 911, as well as Marriage before Maternity. I personally believe Michael is an angel of music sent to us from an otherwise terrestrial locale, the Texas, which got a lone star rating in the Three Degrees of Glory Geological Survey. His work has been featured on the Billboard charts in Orem for the past four days consecutively, unfortunately causing gridlock. Richard Dutcher, director of Gods Army 2: States of Disgrace was seen filming the chaos for a piece in his new film titled Brother Brigham's Blunder: Perpendicular Paralysis. Michael's breakout hit single "I'm Trying to Feel the Spirit, Here" was only surpassed in number of downloads on DITunes by his juicy rendition of Sloppy Joe, which has become an inspiration to lunch professionals in two and a half US territories. This song is reportedly said to have been the catalyst for the creation of five thousand new jobs in Puerto Rican meat packing plants. Additionally, Michael is a grandiose bastion of hope to the obese community at large. His hugely successful protein diet APECS (All Puerto-rican Environmentally-friendly Cow Steak) has transformed hordes of the metabolically disabled into skinny winners. When asked about his diet's wide acclaim and his clients' ballooning success rates, Michael commented, "No Big deal, none of them are Big deals now. APECS is a lifestyle, not...a deli meat." In her recent stint with NBC's Cooking in the Big House, convicted felon Martha Stewart suggested adding a bun and some cheese to APECS in order to broaden one's options. Michael countered by saying of the cheese and bun, "Most people's 'options' are already too broad! That's the problem, you selfish girl! Are the vein of Philly to be thus polluted?!" Martha then promptly sold her 300,000 shares of APECS stock to Richard Dutcher, whose film was a runaway success in the south. Dutcher's success has been lauded by such notable politicians as Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, and Sen. Hillary Clinton who each agreed that the film was "the most thought provoking they'd seen since Liar Liar." Sen. Clinton was also accompanied to the screening by her husband, former President Bill, who, in attempt to comment on the film, was hushed by the Senator from New York, who said, "That's alright, that's alright! You are far from where you started." He was later seen muttering to the popcorn vendor about "the one that got away." Don't fret. I'm sure the odds are very low that that one fell into Michael's finding pool..."

-Ty

Though I wasn't too fond about his Texas comment, I laughed pretty hard when I read it. Sure, pretty much everything in it were inside jokes (that's how this apartment operates...purely inside jokes), but I'm sure it made you smile.

So there you have it! My pre-birthday celebration. Plus, my friend got me the book "The Scarlet Pimpernel", a favorite movie of mine that came from the novel! Odds fish!

Dating 101: Lesson 2

So I overheard part of a conversation between a guy and a girl as I walked through campus today. Unfortunately, I didn’t get the whole context of it, however the girl talking said, “I’m not going to date until the Spirit pushes me to do so.” Mind you, I have no evidence of whether she was talking about herself or about someone else; whether she meant guys in general or a specific one; or even if it was a hypothetical statement – as already mentioned, the context is unknown. However, whatever the case may be, the case in point is a meaning I wish to extract from it: don’t date anyone until prompted by the Spirit. The point I want to make is that having this frame of mind is far-fetched, immature, and potentially dangerous on a gospel level.

Okay, so this lesson on dating has much involvement with the gospel. So consider this your Sunday School Dating class for the week.

First off, if you don’t date anyone, you will never know what you really want in a spouse, therefore, who you want your spouse to be. In conversations I’ve had as well as personal experience, I’ve noticed that before we step foot in the real world of wooing we have certain Expectations of the opposite gender we want met, which Expectations often demand near perfection. Hence, the girl gets shut down because “There’s someone better out there,” and the guy gets burned because he’s not going to be a doctor or a businessman. I presume there comes afterward (sooner or later, depending on the level of naivety one may have) a state of realization where a person finally figures out that who they marry will not be perfect. Then Mercy comes into the list of Expectations, giving potential significant others a chance they didn’t have when Justice completely dominated. And I’m sure life gets peachy after that.

But I’m derailing the conversation. If you don’t date anyone you will never know who you will want to have as a spouse. And if you decide to only date someone the Spirit prompts you to date, you might be waiting a long time (unless He finally does so out of sheer pity for you, which might be more condescending than we really want). Someone with that frame of mind is immature because it is not congruent with principles of the gospel. “For behold, it is not meet that I should command in all things; for he that is compelled in all things, the same is a slothful and not a wise servant; wherefore he receiveth no reward. Verily I say, men should be anxiously engaged in a good cause, and do many things of their own free will, and bring to pass much righteousness; for the power is in them, wherein they are agents unto themselves. And inasmuch as men do good they shall in nowise lose their reward.” (D&C 58:26-28) “Behold, you have not understood; you have supposed that I would give it unto you, when you took no thought save it was to ask me. But, behold, I say unto you, that you must study it out in your mind; then you must ask me if it be right, and if it is right I will cause that your bosom shall burn within you; therefore, you shall feel that it is right.” The following is an excerpt from the talk “Revelation” by Dallin H. Oaks at Brigham Young University on 29 September 1981: “I once heard a young woman in testimony meeting praise the spirituality of her husband, indicating that he submitted every question to the Lord. She told how he accompanied her shopping and would not even choose between different brands of canned vegetables without making his selection a matter of prayer. That strikes me as improper. I believe the Lord expects us to use the intelligence and experience he has given us to make these kinds of choices.” I can give numerous other examples, but I think you get the drift of what I’m trying to get at.

The purpose of this life is not to constantly be told what to do and when. If that happened, we’d all be spoiled brats whining and moaning (and “weeping, and wailing, and gnashing of teeth”) until we were pointed in the right direction. We’d be those people who are thirty and still living at home. We wouldn’t grow up. There would be no point to this life, for how could we progress save we were given to “act for [ourselves].” (2 Nephi 2:16) The Lord expects us to gain knowledge and wisdom and learn how to use it properly. As Joseph Smith so candidly put it, “You have got to learn how to be Gods yourselves, and to be kings and priests to God.” (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p 346, 1976 Deseret Book Company)

So after all of my ramblings and standing on my soap-box, the lesson to be learned is this: don’t sit around and wait for the Spirit to tell you to do something (in this case, don’t sit around and wait for Love to come knocking on your door). Do all things in your power and when direction is needed, direction will be given.

Nice Guys Finish Last

Back in the early days of high school, I loved watching "The Mask", starring Jim Carrey. In it, he mentions a book or newspaper article (I can't remember which now, and frankly, it's not relevant anyway) he wrote entitled "Nice Guys Finish Last". How true that title rings in my ears and in my life!

Let me tell you a simple story: There once was a man who had a piece of coal. One day a good friend of his came by to visit. He told the man how he was in search of a precious diamond of great worth. The man told his friend, "I have here a piece of coal I have been holding for a while now. It has the capacity of becoming a diamond. I know not the means of turning it into a diamond. However, you are my friend. Therefore, I will give you this piece of coal." At first, the friend objected; yet, the man insisted. So the friend took the coal, thanked him and went on his way.

After many days the friend came back and showed the man the diamond. The man was happy for his friend, yet deep down inside he regreted the chance of having something of great worth, which could have been his.

Eine Erinnerung an Deutschland

I've always loved the fall. The cool, heavy, damp air. The barren trees. The bland colors. The reds, oranges, and yellows of leaves on the streets and lawns, as they silently fall from branches above. The pumpkins on porches. The autumn breeze that twirls in gusts. The clothing and jackets. The gray, low-lying clouds. I love everything about fall! Now, ever since I've been back from Germany, fall seems to have much more meaning to me, at least here in Provo, Utah. The weather and feelings of fall remind me of fall in Germany.

I don't know what it is about Germany, but when I lived there, I always felt claustrophobic. It always seemed like the sky was falling on you and everything was trying to squeeze in on you. Coming from Texas, I'm used to the openness of everything. The sky seems far up there. The land is flat and broad. Houses and buildings are spread out. Everything is open. In Germany, it's the exact opposite. And I feel that way in the fall.

It's interesting how certain situations will give you those nostalgic feelings that bring back memories. For example, whenever I listen to Green Day's Nimrod CD, I think of my junior year in high school, in the basement of our house, working out on the bench; because everytime I worked out I listened to Green Day's CD, since it was about 45 minutes. During the summer, when days would turn especially hot and humid, I think of my summer a year ago, when I was outside, selling pest control; because it was always hot and humid. Those are just a couple of examples. The same holds true with the feelings of autumn. They conjure up a nostalgia that transports me back in Germany. On top of that, I'm taking a business German class this semester, where we are constantly speaking in the German tongue. Have you ever been somewhere or had an experience in the past that seemed "once in a life-time" and you loved it so much, that you wish you could relive it? That's how I've felt since I came back from Germany; however, with fall being here AND taking this German class, those feelings are stronger than ever. Memories flash in the front of mind of walking down the Fußgängerzone, passing small shops and clothing stores, crossing cobble-stone streets. I think of the Weihnachtsmarkt in Mannheim, drinking Kinderpunch. I picture myself in the Bahnhof, eating a Nutella-banana crepe, as I wait for the train to Kaiserslautern or Heidelberg. I miss the Döner Kebab! I often imagine being in an ICE again, traveling from Duisburg to Frankfurt. Frankfurt! I loved the crazies out in the Marktplatz at Hauptwache und Konstablerwache. I miss the clothing and the pointy "elf" shoes the German city women would wear in the winter time. I remember the people I met, served, befriended, and came to love. I miss the culture, the food, the houses. I miss how it all felt medieval and modern at the same time. I miss the way people would look at me funny on the street, when I would ask them how they were doing. I miss their brutal honesty. Overall, I miss the experience of Germany.

It's like a dream that became real, but then you wake up and find yourself back home. You try to go back to sleep and have that same dream again, starting where you left off, hoping that those feelings and that the reality of it will come back. But it doesn't. These images inside my head seem to be the imaginations of a distant fantasy world. Then, one plane flight obscures the intense feelings of how tangible that experience was and turns it all into surreal thoughts and mental pictures, transparent and off-focus. You get off the plane back home and it's like leaving the magical world of Narnia and finding yourself back in the wardrobe of an old man's house.

And so each falling leaf in autumn represents a memory of the Vaterland. Each passing gust of wind is an emotion that swells inside my soul - a yearning to go back and relive a dream of once was. And in each sigh and thought is the ever-growing determination to fulfill that dream to return to a people and culture I grew to love - a place, in which I lost my heart. Einigkeit und Recht und Freiheit für das deutsche Vaterland!

Fundamental Economics & Dating 101

Are you familiar with the phrase "opportunity cost"? It's one of those economic terms. According to one definition, it is "the value of the next best alternative that must be given up when a choice is made." For example, the opportunity cost of writing this entry is the sleep I could be getting right now (which I'm sure I'll regret in the morning when I wake up for classes).

Tonight, the thought occurred to me that dating is full of opportunity costs. It's been said that guys have a problem when dating; that it's often hard for us to get in a steady relationship with someone because we wonder if there's someone out there who might be a better match for us. While that may be true in certain instances (by the way, I think it holds true for many girls as well), I personally think it's mostly a devil's tool to keep us from making those progressive steps toward an eternal destination. But that's beside the point I'm attempting to make. The point I'm trying to make is, that as we make those desicions of who we want to date, we are making opportunity costs. In the competitive game we call "dating" many of us have our eyes on usually more than one person. We keep our lines out in the water, waiting for a snag. When we finally get one, and if it's the fish we desire, we reel in and put away the fishing poles. However, many times we analyze and wonder to ourselves, "Hmm, but I wonder if a better fish might come to one of the other poles." But how long until that fish finally breaks loose from the hook and leaves us still with nothing?

It's interesting how decisions affect outcomes of events and even relationships with other people. The decisions you make in one instant presents opportunity costs as well. For example, if you buy a meal at a fast food, you give up that much that could have gone toward a date or some other social event. Consequently, every decision you make brings a sacrifice and a loss of something, somehow. Dating holds to the same principle. I don't think there is one specific person out there you are supposed to marry. That is fate, or destiny, and that takes away our agency. The only fate or destiny I believe in is the kind that we create for ourselves through our choices.

Choices do create consequences and so it is with dating. As mentioned previously, there is not one specific person out there. There are many, I feel. This is where opportunity cost also comes in. With any of those "potential spouses" comes a kaleidoscope of experiences. If you were to marry one person, you would have different experiences than if you were to marry someone else. Not that a specific set of experiences would be better than another. It would be because the circumstances are different. You are still set out toward your eternal destination (hopefully for us all, that is to be with our Heavenly Father, since we should have righteous goals in sight). And so, when we choose to be with someone, the opportunity cost(s) is the choice of being with someone else that could have also been a great match. That choice, in turn, affects the outcome of our relationships with the other "potentials" around us, as well as the experiences we will have with them.

No pressure, right? I love economics and enjoy studying and analyzing relationships people have with others. I enjoy taking those kind of things and seeing how gospel principles intertwine in our everyday events and lives. Opportunity cost really is a gospel principle when you think about it. Choices and consequences are other gospel principles as well. But it's getting late and way past my bedtime, so those discussions will hold for another day. If this entry makes absolutely no sense, then you can count them for nothing but the ramblings of a sleep-deprived college student who is trying to make sense of the senseless world around him.

And thus I close this mini-dissertation: if there are those, whose life I've made a bit more troubling and stressful with "making the right decision", I offer these gentle words of comfort: you only have to be at the right place at the right time, making the right decisions. There. Now doesn't that put a load off?!