Full Weekend

I've decided to add a little blog post that talks about some happier things; things like the weekend.
The weekend was full of fun. It started out Friday evening with a date to the Ryan Shupe and the Rubberband concert. I would recommend looking them up and checking out their music. One of my favorite songs of theirs is Dream Big. What you are looking at in this picture is good fortune. The bottom tickets are the ones that I bought. Notice the seats are in the bleachers. We were sitting all the way in the back when a lady who was working the ticket office asked us if we were satisfied with our seats with a small wink. When we replied in the negative, she gave us the tickets you see at the top. Notice they are front row tickets. We were within 20 feet of the Rubberband at all times. It was quite a trip. When it comes to movie theaters, I'm not one for the front row. Concerts, on the other hand, I don't mind in the least. Anyway, they are an extremely entertaining band to watch; with the way they jump around and play with each other. They also have a great sense of clean humor, which makes them that much better. It is well worth it to go and see them in concert. The only downside of the concert was that we were sitting next to the cameramen who were operating a camera on a big boom. Every now and then they would encroach on my space, but they weren't really any trouble.
The next day started at 6:00am with the promise of a trip to Yellowstone. That promise held true and by 7:30am I, along with 6 friends, had embarked on the 2-hour trip to the national park. I didn't take my camera because my roommate (Ronnie Cooper), who has a much better camera than I, took his and was deemed trip photographer. He's posted quite a few on Facebook, so you can see our adventures there. All in all it was a lot of fun, beautiful scenery, and good company. We even made it back in time for the girls who were with us to make it to the Relief Society Broadcast.
Sunday began for me at 7:30am due to my new calling as Ward Executive Secretary (refer to my last post). I was at church from 8:30am until about 5:45pm, at which point I headed over to a Stake Auxiliary Training Meeting that went from 6:00-7:00pm. After that I made my way to take care of some ward business at a few other apartments. I returned to my apartment at roughly 7:45 for a about 5 minutes before heading across the complex to a pizza dinner I promised to attend. That was welcomed indeed. The pizza was amazing and I hardly had to lift a finger. By the end of the day I was beat. Yes-sir, I was ready for bedtime when it finally came around.

Song of Doom

I thought the word doom would be sufficient to describe the recent goings-on. It may be a bit of an exaggeration, but whatever.
So what you are looking at right here are the signs of Rexburg being a small town with little revenue. If you have to ask, the answer is yes, they are enforcing these laws and every officer is alert for threats to the extreme danger of people walking in the street. I happen to agree with both signs to the point that people should pay attention when crossing the street anywhere. It has been my experience that any miscreants crossing a street at a non-designated "safe zone", also known as a crosswalk, tend to be more alert to what is going on around them. Of course, no matter where you go, you get the person that, for some reason, decides one day that they don't need their brain and happily leave it in bed, at school, in a jar, wherever. Interesting little factoid: all instances of people being hit by cars (the 3 this past week alone) with the possible exception of maybe one every year or so (again, maybe an exaggeration) have occurred while the pedestrian or bicyclist was in a crosswalk. Nevertheless, the rulers of our little town have decreed that the only place acceptable to cross a street, under penalty of fiscal gouging for disobeying orders, is a crosswalk.
Anyway, onto other matters. First thing's first. I have been deemed capable and therefore been made the Executive Secretary for my ward up here at BYU-Idaho. In case you're wondering what in the world an Executive Secretary is, it's similar to being a secretary for a very busy business man. I set up appointments, attend meetings and take necessary notes, and basically whatever the bishopric needs to help run the ward smoothly. Needless to say, I'm almost as busy as the Bishop himself. It's going all right so far; I'm a little shaky and still searching for my running legs. Thankfully, I will be getting two assistants to help me.
As for school, I seem to be floundering a bit in that area as well. My homework is reading, reading, reading, writing, practice, attending "fine arts" events (like art displays, concerts, plays, etc.), and reading. I'll have Student's Myopia in no time! It hasn't really helped my studies that I went with a group of my friends to Yellowstone National Park today. It was fun, Yellowstone is gorgeous, and I wouldn't trade it for sitting around and pouring over page after page of homework. Besides, that's what the car-ride was for. It also helps that I didn't have as much as I have been having.
Good news is that all the troubles I've been having get better with time and hard work. So the key is to never give up, never surrender!

Fall 2011: Bring It On

Well well well, if it isn't time for another blog post? I suppose it is. Now that just about everything is taken care of and the dust from the chaos of this first week has begun to settle, I feel that I can actually post something of note. Okay, we all know that isn't true, but that's not what you're reading this blog for.
This semester has had a different start to it than all my other semesters. The main reason is not because it started on a Monday, but because I had to add every class I'm taking except for two. On top of that, I ended up not getting one class I was going for, couldn't get my backup class, so I had to go and search around in the ether until I found one. I'm the type of guy that never drops/adds classes after the semester's begun. Once I find what classes I want/can add, I stick with those throughout the semester. I don't class-hop like James Bond hopping alligator backs; I like more stability.
So this semester will consist of the following classes: Human Anatomy and Physiology II with the accompanying lab, English 201, Exercise Physiology (imagine that, they have a class named after my major! It was meant to be), University Band, and a course called FA100 (FA= Fine Arts). And that's the way it's going to be.
The problem here is just focusing on everything that I have to do for this semester. Of course it's this way at the beginning of every semester. Once I get into the rhythm of my classes and other responsibilities, then it's easier to groove on through with class work and the like; much like a new dance. That doesn't stop me from slacking off though. That is usually one of the biggest things I have to deal with up here. This semester will probably be no different.
To be honest, this semester has more potential to be very disappointing and disheartening than the other ones. Of course, it also has lots of potential for the other side of that spectrum as well. Have you ever had the feeling that the near future had something big coming and you could only pray that it was something good? That's a feeling I have for this semester, and although I try to remain positive and hopeful for the future, it hasn't started out very promising. One can only look up, though, for in looking down is where we defeat ourselves.
I've been (somewhat) recently made aware of a band called Gotye ("Gor-ti-yeah"). It's really a one-man kind of band and he sings a song called "Learnalilgivinanlovin" (learn a little giving and loving). It starts out with the line, "If you're always trying to get to the top, you don't get to the bottom of nothin'." Those are somewhat wise words. I've found that you can still find yourself at the bottom of something, but not for very long. That will be my aim for this semester (and, if it takes, life). There's a quote that I found on the bottom of a projector hanging from a ceiling in a classroom just last night that talks about looking up instead of side-to-side. Basically, as we focus our gaze upward, our goals become "loftier" and we have incentive to strive and push ourselves to the limit to reach such goals, thus growing and making ourselves better "disciples of Diety." I wish I could remember the quote in it's exactness and who said it. Hopefully I remember in a week when I find myself in the same room.
Anyway, this semester has promise, for good or bad, just like any period of life. I aim for the stars, and here goes nothing.

One Week= the 8th

Hello, hello! This will probably be the last blog post for the Seven-week Break; then it's right back into the weekly (hopefully) posts of the semesterly (I just made that up!) blogging. Speaking of which, the Fall Semester starts in just 11 days! Holy-mole, that's really close.
These seven weeks were going by so fast at first. I had work pretty much every day and accumulating more shifts as I went along. Then, about a week ago, the magic stopped. Honeymoon over, the shifts stopped coming in. Boo. On. That. Noise. This past week has felt like several months and this week has been just as slow. I try to fill my time, but what can I do, honestly? I don't have too many options around here. I've been working out nearly every day, reading a little from my Anatomy and Physiology book to help retain what I've learned, playing the piano and the trumpet, and playing lots of Starcraft II- my guilty pleasure. That's been my average day.
Part of my workout routine involves riding my mountain bike wherever I feel like going, which usually ends up being my neighborhood. The only in/outlets of my neighborhood are to busy streets: Highland Drive and Fort Union Boulevard, both of which I don't really dare go past or on. That, and the maze I live in gives enough diversity for a good ride, which includes a pathway down into the place that's been generally deemed The Gully. It has a real name- it's a park/nature walk that's nestled behind a well-to-do community that's only road-accessible by Highland Dr. and Creek Rd.-I just never remember it. Anyway, the biking has been really good for my cardiovascular health, left knee, vitamin D production, fashion sense, etc. I guess I've been riding it pretty hard, too, or just misused it, because now the front de-railer for changing gears is busted. It hasn't effected my riding too much, I just can't change gear tiers, so I'm stuck in the highest tier of gears (unless I do it by hand) until I take it to a bike shop to get a new de-railer. Whoop-de-doo.
Aside from enduring the mind-numbing home-body life, I've been livin' it up approximately once a week! That is to say I've gotten out of the house and visited with friends when they're available. It's good to see them all again, despite being the odd wheel anywhere we go (3rd, 5th, 7th, etc.).  Last week was an adventure that took me to Coachman's Restaurant (good food) and Keys on Main for dueling pianists. The pianists weren't really dueling that night, they would play requests from the crowd who were all slowly (some quickly) getting tanked. Yep, it was at a bar, so not the most uplifting environment I've ever been in. Overall, it was fun to see the pianists' skills and the occasional embarrassment of a bride-to-be or birthday girl (funny how it was only women being celebrating their birthdays that night) along with the drunkards enjoying the frivolities while plunging further into the proverbial grave of a massive hangover. Okay, not so much that last part, but some were funny, others just plain annoying. I would encourage you all to view Bill Cosby's bit on drinking.
Anyway, amid the hum-drum, that's the life so far. One week from today I'll be moving into my old apartment up in Rexburg with four new roommates and gearing up another semester. Hopefully my new roommates will be good. With everything that this semester's looking to be, crummy roommates are not needed. Taking a full regimen of classes, working, and trying to have a social life will definitely take its toll on me, but whatever, there's no avoiding it because that's life! I could cut out socializing, but let's face it, it's not going to happen completely.

Actively Inactive

Here's another post for everyone who's been anxiously awaiting a new post. I know it's been hard and the hope fades after a few vain checks, but your efforts are now being rewarded! Sorry to say this one's not going to be much of a reward, even by my standards.
So far for my active lifestyle, I've worked at the clinic and have come down with something. Thankfully I've only been missing out on exercise to work (aside from my body's attempt to contract pneumonia or something), which I really need. But I also need to get in shape! Time is counting down until next semester and each minute brings me closer to a new semester. With that new semester will come a second admission to the University Band, too, and I've only looked at my trumpet. Isn't it funny how we can find a million things to do when we should really be doing something else? And it's usually justifiable, too. Well enough with the excuses! They only lessen a man's character, anyway. Tonight I'll go for a jog, and that's the way it's going to be since it's too late to practice the trumpet.
This last week has been an interesting one. My family went out of town for nine days, leaving me to look after the dog and house. I'll admit it was kind of nice having the whole place to myself, but at the same time it was rather lonely and seemed like a lot of upkeep at times. Our dog, a black labrador retriever, would wake me up every single morning around 5-5:30, and if I was lucky (which only happened twice), 6:30. Even though my family's back now and he doesn't sleep in my room anymore, I still wake about about 5:30 every morning. Hopefully that goes away soon.
Anyway, this post isn't really anything special; nothing more than a pathetic stitching together of random babbling. Anyway, do with it what you will. Until next time!

Into the 7

Well here we are, into the seven-week break.
Coming off of such highs as being the only student in my Anatomy and Physiology class to get 100/100 on the last lecture test and having decent grades for a busy semester, I plunge into the norm of being back in Salt Lake City. Thankfully I already have work here from email after email asking about shifts that I could possibly cover. Socially, I'm in comparative isolation which is not necessarily a bad thing, but one can have too much of that. I'm sure there's a at least one of you reading this that knows what I mean.
The twists and turns that one goes down in life sure make it interesting, but interesting doesn't always mean good and happy. Indeed certain revelations have been more than welcome in the past week or so, but bring with them the keen sting of opportunity not seized and aching for what seems to be the impossible at the moment. Sixteen hours is a long time span to be perpetually separated by. However, life continues in its endless march for the future and brighter horizons; the brightest yet to be happened upon. Normally we can only see what the future holds when we come to the threshold of it.
On a different note, I have been having a good break so far. Worked a little, tried twice to help with a new deck (being twice foiled by weather), tried acquiring super powers from a giant moth (the body looked to be about 3" long, without antennae) unsuccessfully, and reading up a storm with some books that I have been itching to read basically the whole semester. With that reading, I've learned something about myself. A while ago, a friend told me that when he reads for a long time, he begins to narrate in his head/think in the manner of the author's writing style. I do that too. Lately it's been Dean Koontz's style rebounding within my skull. I wonder how many people have that happen to them as well.
To close out, I've decided that these seven weeks are not going to be marked by a sedentary lifestyle. Although tempting after a busy semester, it's just no way to live. So feel free to ask me how my active lifestyle is working out! I'll be updating this blog here and there during the seven weeks, so you may ask here or in other ways that you know how to contact me.

Running With Scissors

First, let me apologize for the lack of blog this last week: Sorry about that. This will be a quick one and if you're all lucky, I'll get another one out this week.
It's that time again; the final countdown, the eleventh hour, yada yada yada. As yet another semester comes to a close, I can only do so much to keep my sanity. Mentally picturing me sitting in the big chair or a recliner at home, sipping lemonade, and chuckling to myself about the seeming weightlessness of being school-free for the next seven weeks helps. Mentally picturing me not having to retake certain classes like Chemistry 105 helps me stay focused on the tasks at hand. It's like running while holding scissors, but holding the scissors in such a way that you run less risk of stabbing yourself or someone else in the process.
I've learned something about learning that's known as "The Biology of Learning", and it's proven to be helpful for these last few weeks. It's goes a little something like this: -The size of your brain doesn't matter, but the number of synapses does. -The hippocampus moves short-term memory to long-term memory, the amygdala is in charge of emotional memory and getting the two to work together is a powerful learning tool (being challenged but successful is how memory "takes off"). -The brain is extremely good at filtering out boring or irrelevant information, so figuring out how to make things relevant to you is a good idea (preparation, repetition, and using multiple senses help). -Getting enough sleep is vital: it's the mind's consolidation time and it's also the time when neurons are built. The three most powerful of those is making learning: 1. A positive emotional experience, 2. Making it relevant to you, and 3. Repetition.
I have also found having down-time is beneficial, but only in controlled amounts. This last week has had some good times in that area. Friday night marked my first paintball experience and it was a lot of fun! I dished out some good hits and good challenges, but I also took my fair share of those, from man and insect. The only part of me really exposed were my hands, and I came away with six mosquito bites and one spider bite on my right hand with one on my right wrist, and only three mosquito bites on my left hand. We played in an area that's right on the Snake River, so the mosquitoes were out in force. Roughly 13 welts/bruises in all have been found on my body (you were out of the round when you took two hits, but three or more were usually administered before the person could declare they were out). For a few hours of paintball time, that's not too shabby for a first-timer.
Saturday marks the day that I went to Rigby Lake for the first time. I got a few hours of sun and I'm still as white as ever. What's up with that? Oh well, that was pretty much the gist of the Rigby Lake experience aside from being an unfortunate observer of the public waters scene. Yep.
In some good news, I have a few exams and such under my belt now and I'm still feeling pretty feisty for the rest of the "fight". I took my Anatomy and Physiology Comprehensive Final on Friday and got an 87%! Compared to the national average of about 73%, I feel that my score is pretty darn good. Now on to the last exam on the nervous system. Just one short paper, two quizzes, and three exams to go!