Kolipoki

I watched The Other Side of Heaven today.



Because I submitted my mission papers to the Church office building in Salt Lake.





I'M GOING ON A MISSION!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Now is the long wait.

That's it

I am going on a mission. Submitting my papers in 118 days!



This school year will be so long.

They're coming out

I am getting my wisdom teeth out tomorrow. I will prolly try to go to the football game after. People say I am crazy. I say I am dedicated.

I got it.

I have always wanted to not be the weirdo. I know I am not always that bad, but I almost always alienate myself from those around me unintentionally. I have always wanted to be part of the group, even for a few hours.
I think tonight was the first time I wasn't random, weird or nerdy. It was pretty great. If you don't already know me, one of the biggest features I have is also one of the things I hate most about myself: I make neurological connections quickly and vastly. Like in one second the phrase "ice cream" might cause this mental flow:

1. Ice cream to Ice cream cone
2. Ice cream cone to double ice cream cone
3. Double ice cream cone to Mr. Bean
4. Mr. Bean to Rowan Atkinson
5. Rowan Atkinson to Matt Smith
6. Matt Smith to Doctor Who
7. Doctor Who to season premiere of Doctor Who
8. Season premiere of Doctor Who to August 24
9. August 24 to school
10. School to English
11. English to To Kill a Mockingbird

Then I would say something about To Kill a Mockingbird. That is why everyone thinks I am random. I am not random, I just think quickly and highly efficiently. Tonight though, I managed to stay myself without revealing that someone saying something about frozen dairy reminded me of a 1930's southern Alabama lawyer's six-year-old daughter.
I had a really great time. I went to Taco Amigo and ran into Maren and Spencer and Alyssa and Aubrey. We ate until they kicked us out and then we dropped Aubrey and Alyssa off at home and went to Nicole's house to say hi. I was not weird.
I loved it. I didn't realize I did it until now, but I got exactly what I wanted. Even though people say "be yourself" and "normal is lame," I really enjoyed myself. I didn't ever get those awkward pauses after I tell a joke that others don't get. I wasn't completely normal; I still talked like Sean Connery for a while. I did throw in a Star Wars reference. I did get one slightly awkward pause. But I was exactly the person I want to be. It was great.

Come fly with me

It was the perfect two hours to end the perfect final summer. Next time I don't have school, I won't have to go back. I will not be a child. I will not be relaxed. Next summer summer turns into another season. It won't mean freedom. It won't represent a time where people can't oppress us. It will be the beginning of the rest of our lives. And I don't want it. I don't want this summer to end. Today was honestly the first full, real day of summer for me. Now it is over. And now I am two semesters away from never being a kid again. I don't want it. I want to be here forever.
I just realized why Wendy flew out of that window with Peter. She didn't want the magic to end. Now I wish I could fly away from adulthood forever. I could stand being a kid for the rest of eternity. I don't want to leave this sense of freedom behind. I want to be a kid and never an adult. But that won't happen, so here we go.

So I don't have homework...or school

It is peculiar not having something hanging over me. It hasn't sunk in yet. I keep feeling burdened by AP tests and having to write BS emotional papers (pardon the suggested swearing, I just really hated those papers). I will never have a certain teacher again. I won't have math homework until after my mission at the earliest. I am free. I just need to convince the part of my mind that still feels like I'm procrastinating something.
I can read for pleasure. I can write something I really like. I don't have to wake up at 7:00 every morning to go to torture. It is over for a few months. I am free. I am on my way. I am on my way back to where I want to be.
Also, I really like that chapter.

Near death and bird whispering

So after I went post happy Saturday, I went on a hike to my favorite area in the world, Indian Springs. Taft and I went up there. As we neared the spring, I noticed a rattler as big as my arm at its thickest point three feet from Taft and about a foot off the trail. Let us just say we booked it out of that area. So yeah, I came a foot away from almost certain death.
Today, I was trying to impress a girl (pretty far fetched, right?). Anyway, we started talking about the hummingbird feeder on my back porch. She was enthralled that the hummingbirds would stop flying to perch on the feeder. For some reason, this conversation reminded me of a story I was once told about my brother, Bob, and him holding a wild hummingbird. All I remember from the story is that he held his hand next to the feeder for a long time without moving and it landed on him. I hadn't much foresight as I said, "This will take a minute." I really didn't have any clue or even any hope that it would work. But sure enough, as the first hummingbird approached, it perched on my outstretched finger. I guess I am really impressive, but it really isn't a big deal. I didn't get a video and when I tried again for seven minutes while recording, I ended up with nothing. But I mean, ha. I am pretty proud of my ability to go headfirst into that. Good educated guess.
I will eventually continue writing the book that I am always thinking about on Friday. It just sucks because as the highest student in any of my teacher's English classes on the CRT (I aced it with 100%), it's hard to believe I have a C-. Actually it's not too hard when you know that my English teacher hates me. But we won't name names because I don't slander people.
School? Stupid. Next year will be better.
Also, this post has a lot of labels. It is just that everywhere.

Well that was the worst and the best

I had a bad day because of a certain teacher. I don't want to think about that. I had a great day today. Trevor and I went shopping for our priest's quorum Graduation Party and then Taft, Trevor, Maren and I ate ice cream and worked on the guys' resumes and Maren's math homework. I cannot remember a day in my life in the past two months that compared to how relaxingly summerish it was.

After Trevor and Taft left, we decided to listen to Maren's iPod. You know how sometimes you are listening to your music with your friends and a kind of obscure song comes on and you feel compelled to explain what it is so they feel more comfortable? Prolly not, but I do that. So as we listened, she worked while I wrote recipes for my Prostart class (a class in which I passed the final today!). As we listened, I very much forgot we weren't listening to music I chose. A song came on which I love a ton, but I thought my friend might find it obscure. As I got her attention so I could explain, my heart melted with happiness because the music we were listening to was music she chose. I love my friend and her wonderful and unique taste in music. She truly is awesome.

Then we went to the graduation party. It was great. I will miss Dalton and Aaron and David and Hayden and Cooper. They really are great guys and I hope the best for them. While at the party, I needed to use a toilet for needs that not even a male could solve in a bush. That is when I found out that the bathrooms were locked. Which, of course, made me need to go ten times more. I called my friend Delanie, who lived nearby, and asked if I could use her bathroom. Is it bad that it didn't even faze her with my randomness and complete strangeness? Probably. I guess by now my friends are used to me asking random things like to use their bathroom. I am a weirdy. By far my favorite character in this whole franchise. His name is Gus, after all.



Also Trevor and I answered the girl who ruined my plans Saturday for Morp (coincidentally she ruined my plans by asking him). We broke apart mini powder sugar covered doughnuts that spelled out "YEEE." I think that conveyed the message.

Suckishness

Sorry this has been the most boring blog in the freaking world lately. I have not really had the time to write that I wish I had. For example, on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday I was gone for fourteen hours. WIth the exception of 9 hours last night, I got a total of 15 hours of sleep. I have had math up the wazoo and it kind of sucks.

But I have had some good stuff in my life. I had an undying hatred for someone at the beginning of the week who I now love (not that I trust him, you can love somebody and still not trust them).  I also have been rocking it at work and tore apart more computers in two hours on Tuesday than I usually did all day when I started working there.

I also took a math test on Friday that I felt went really well. It was fun. Ha. Just kidding. Math is never fun. I made doughnuts (I don't like the other spelling, "donuts") from scratch on Monday. Devil's Food Cake and they were delicious.

I watched the edited version of IMDB's #10 highest rated film, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. I have yet to finish it, but I really like it. Great acting, great cinematography, and great directing. Jack Nicholson is a visionary with some of the scenes he made up. But don't watch it unedited. I could tell a lot of editing was done and I would not watch it if I did not have AMC's editing prowess backing me up.

I also went to Washington D.C. and Nashville, Tennessee last week for spring break. I ate so much food last Thursday and Friday, I almost exploded. Thursday night I had the bright idea to go running after eating beyond a normal person's capacity. I went into the hotel exercise room which had a whole wall with windows into the pool area, where there were a couple of teenagers.
After a quarter mile, I felt as though my everything was going to die, so I wisely stopped running as to avoid exploding ribs and smoked turkey onto the carpet. As I sat and composed my stomach, I realized that the teenagers had taken notice of me. But, the only thing they had seen was me running at a leisurely pace for a quarter mile that resting for a long time. Needless to say, I felt like a spaz. Then for a reason unknown to any scientific proofs or religious revelations or philosophical discoveries, one of the girls waved at me. I made sure she was waving at me (it had to be me because I was the only one it could've been), then awkwardly waved back. Cool story.

There is this girl I like who I haven't seen for a majority of the past two weeks because of vacations and stuff. She is just the best. This is going to sound super cliche, but she brings the best out of me. With her beautiful expressions (seriously, I have never seen anyone else who cannot contort their face into an ugly look, but regardless of what she does, her face is always beyond perfect), she really makes me want to be as perfect as she is. I am so grateful for my friendship with her and would not trade it for anything (except maybe a flying DeLorean with a flux capacitor). Seriously though, best person award goes to her.

This has been my life for the past two weeks. I have had a great time and a horrible time. I have wanted to sing, "Hallelujah," and I've wanted to shoot a burro. But all in all, I'd say it was a worthwhile time.

P.S. Also, I started a novel that I will be sharing soon.

Samwise Gamgee

Have you ever titled something with the intentions of writing basically anything but what the title implies? I have just done so.

Today I got home from school planning on finishing my math and English assignments and then going to see a cool kid open his mission call across the street. Eureka took mind and I would achieve almost everything but that. I ate two breakfast sandwiches and watched two episodes of what is beginning to be one of my favorite shows. As I started the third episode, I promptly fell asleep. I am really good at not doing homework. It takes a lot of work for a person to get this far in their education and still maintain a serious lack of homework done.

Another thing. Tuesday my ratio of sleep to awake was 1:5. It ain't very fun. Don't try it. Take my word for it. Yesterday I was running of a total of nine hours from the last two nights combined. Seriously I must be doing something wrong.

In less than twenty-four hours my entire life will be about 9! times simpler. Maybe even 10! times. I really hate school. I don't think they really care about us. I love people though. Thanks for reading my blog. I appreciate the support and feedback I get. Maybe someday someone will give me money to do this.

Everything is okay

I sure do enjoy my life. It is one of those times when you can't think of anything bad. I've been hanging out with two of my best friends, Trevor Ward and Kassie Hamilton. I have had the best week.

Here is my next week:

• Special Needs Sacrament Meeting tomorrow at 8:45 AM.
• No school after Tuesday
• I'm going on a date with the beautiful Lauren Miner. We are doubling with Trevor and his date, Megan Francis, and we are going to see our Curley, Taft Robinson, in the play, Into the Woods.
• I have something Wednesday. I'll get back to you on it. I forgot.
• Thursday is Thanksgiving. I sure do enjoy that November gem.
• Friday I don't have to avoid Christmas music. Seriously, we can avoid listening to that stuff until after Thursday. An entire month is plenty for any genre of music.
• Saturday I don't have school.
• Sunday is Sunday.
• Then back to school (but we don't think about that).

Another thing. You know how I want to be an author? Well, I got this book that a majority of high school students would mistake for a phonebook. It is not a phonebook. It is the 2011 Writer's Market, which holds every single publisher in the United States. For an author, it's pretty dang awesome. I decided I couldn't waste a resource like that, so I decided to do something. I am in the process of writing a short story which I will submit until it is published (probably in 2058). I am really excited. I will post the story, first draft, when I finish.

Needless to say, my life is going by perfectly.

That is the stuff, as well

This weekend was youth conference. It was so awesome. I love my ward. I have felt my testimony grow this weekend. Plus I spent some time with some of my best friends. Definitely a good weekend.
Here is a great hymn. It was Joseph Smith's favorite:

A poor wayfaring Man of grief

Hath often crossed me on my way,

Who sued so humbly for relief

That I could never answer nay.

I had not pow'r to ask his name,

Whereto he went, or whence he came;

Yet there was something in his eye

That won my love; I knew not why.

Once, when my scanty meal was spread,

He entered; not a word he spake,

Just perishing for want of bread.

I game him all; he blessed it, break,

And ate, but gave me part again.

Mine was an angel's portion then,

For while I fed with eager haste,

The crust was manna to my taste.

I spied him where a fountain burst,

Clear from the rock; his strength was gone.

The heedless water mocked his thirst;

He heard it, saw it hurrying on.

I ran and raised the suff'rer up;

Thrice from the stream he drained my cup,

Dipped and returned it running o'ver;

I drank and never thirted more.

'Twas night; the floods were out; it blew

A winter hurricane aloof.

I heard his voice abroad and flew

To bid him welcome to my roof.

I warmed and clothed cheered my guest

And laid him on my couch to rest,

Then made the earth my bed and seemed

In Eden's garden while I dreamed.

Stript, wounded, beaten nigh to death,

I found him by the highway side.

I roused his pulse, brought back his breath,

Revived his spirit, and supplied

Wine, oil, refreshment he was healed.

I had myself a wound concealed,

But from that hour forgot the smart,

And peace bound up my broken heart.

In pris'n I saw him next, condemned

To meet a traitor's doom at morn.

The tide of lying tongues I stemmed,

And honored him 'mid shame and scorn.

My friendship's utmost zeal to try,

He asked if I for him would die.

The flesh was weak; my blood ran chill,

But my free spirit cried, 'I will!'

Then in a moment to my view

The stranger started from disguise.

The tokens in his hands I knew;

The Savior stood before mine eyes.

He spake, and my poor name he named,

'Of me thou hast not been ashamed.

These deeds shall thy memorial be;

Fear not, thou didst them unto me.' 

I love the portrayal of the Savior in this piece of work. It is perfect. My favorite part is the quote at the end. Let this song inspire you today. It sure inspires me everyday.

Bucket List: Almost

I got close. Really, really close. I didn't go on a date with that girl. I still haven't. I really wish I could soon, but I don't think it is going to happen during my high school career. ******Update****** I did get a chance to go on a date with that girl. May I say that it was fanTAStic? I stayed in Utah all summer. I just never got the chance to not be here. I almost slept a whole night outside, but I went inside because my bed sucked and I had no heat. I didn't ride in Mr. Miyagi's Camaro, but I will sometime. I didn't even watch War of the Buttons with someone, let alone have people share it. I did not play baseball. That is something I want to do soon.

• Go on a date at least once every 2 weeks (on average).
• Get Hannah Schill to talk to me again.
• Go on a date with that girl.
• Sleep in past noon.
• Go to the Strawberry Days Rodeo.
• Eat Strawberries and Cream.
• Go to Scout Camp.
• Be in the Strawberry Days Parade.
• Be a Viking.
• Quit my job.
• Start working at tamsolutions.
• Read the Shadow Saga.
• Read Preach My Gospel 3 times.
• Leave Utah for a trip.
• Sleep outside on not a campout for a full night.
• See Harry Potter 7.5.
• Go to the The Decemberists concert.
• Go to the Fleet Foxes concert.
• Go to the Farmer's Market in SLC.
• Play a good game of five card stud (betting with candy, of course).
• Ride in my neighbor's Camaro.
• Make people aware of the film War of the Buttons, aka one of the best films of all time.
• Do a backflip.
• Go on the natural water slide in Alpine.
• Go scuba diving with mi madre y hermano.
• Watch all the Star Wars films.
• See X-Men: First Class.
• See Thor.
• Read To Kill a Mockingbird at least twice.
• Play baseball.

Friends

 Last night I had the chance to talk to some friends of mine who I won't get to see often. I hate goodbyes, but I love parting words. I hope to be quoted in my parting words with someone. Anyways, I talked with a good friend of mine. It was great. There are those people that you can talk to and you feel good. Content is irrelevant. You just enjoy each other's company. You don't worry about what you say, because they know you well enough to not care if you are a goofus. Here are a few of my friends that are like that:

Jessie Marquis

We had Health together, but thanks to Brock, we became friends. She is so nice and completely non-judgmental. I think that her soft-spoken nature is the best way you could be. I hate being so loud.

Keven Carlson

Keven is probably my oldest friend. We have been friends since before Kindergarten. He has great taste in music (with the except of country) and apparently we act similar. He and I are fools, so we work well together.

Delanie Doyle

She'll probably thank me profusely for putting her on my blog again. Delanie cares. She doesn't do it just for me, yet it feels special. She can make me happy about myself any day.

Taft Robinson & Trevor Ward

I was going to separate these guys, but they just work so well together. We have endless amounts of stories and could laugh for days for Daddy Cakes. We watch Goofy wash an elephant and play Gauntlet Legends. When we call each other, we don't really converse; we mostly just say random sentences then meet somewhere. What better way is there?

Zack Hulsey

Zack was one of the first senior friends I made at PGHS. He is so great and he is my hero.

Brock Duclos

As an older brother, he is caring. As a friend, he is loving. As a best friend, he is more than I could ask for. He's moving and we are brothers in the spirit and in the flesh.

I like not having to be liked. It is likable.

The Price Is Right

One of my absolute favorite shows to watch when I was younger was that show. My brothers and I watched it almost every day during the summer. When I was sick and didn't go to school I would watch it. Bob Barker was one of my heroes. I can recite for you any life insurance commercial or scooter commercial. Jitterbug. Hoveround. Jitterbug. Diabetes testing supplies from American Life Insurance.
Then Bob left. I have watched it less than five times since then. I will still be on it, however. It will be awesome. Trevor and Taft and I will be driving to Cali to be on it.
Did you know you can get life insurance for less than 35 cents a day?

Off

Have you ever just felt off? There is something that seems vital to your existence that is missing and you do not know what it is? I hate that feeling. I am pretty sure that is how I feel right now. My brain knows something is wrong, I just don't know what it is.

The other day I went boating as a kind of scout activity. I went with Taft and my leader, Hillhouse, and his family. I had a load of fun, even though the entire time the water was choppy. I am pretty sure that I almost died after every bump of the tube. Taft and I would sit lay belly down on the tube and grab on to the handles like the Batpod.

Like this.

It is a great arm exercise. My grip was shot after a five minute ride. It was the best.


Tomorrow I am hosting an Avatar: The Last Airbender Marathon. It will be great. My friends (I got another one, so now I am up to three!) will be there. I am psyched. I will see my friend Marissa Smith, who I am pretty sure I haven't seen since graduation. She is awesome and one of the nicest, prettiest girls I have ever met.

I plan on having a good night of sleep. I might go hiking tomorrow?

Great Date

Have you ever been in a group of people that just fit together? You all like the same things, you all have the same morals, etc? Well, I went on a date with a group like that. It was fun. I doubled with Mr. N.C. Church and had the pleasure of taking Miss Maren Parsons.
It almost did not happen. Nate wanted to double with me on Friday night, but I had work. It was a close call. The last person I asked to cover my shift answered me at 12:30 the night before. I asked Maren the morning of and we had a date. Like I said, close call.
Nate and I had a great plan. We told the girls church clothes for our dinner date, we were going to a prestigious restaurant in downtown PG. That restaurant was Taco Amigo. Nate and I brought a bunch of fancy dinnerware, I made menus, and we even got someone to table side serve us. It took a bit of prepping, but it was definitely worth it.

Nate took the ever lovely Miss Nelson.

We talked about Psych and quoted it the whole night long.

Isn't she a beaut?

 After dinner we went to a park and played boardgames. The best part was that we all just got along so well. It was one of the best dates of my life just because it was so simple. When you have bad standards, you have second hand experiences. When you stick by your morals (and surround yourself with those who do likewise), you will have moments you cherish for the whole of your life.

It has been too long.

Here we are again, me writing, you reading. We have been here before and we will come here again. It is a great place.

I haven't the time nor the urge (when I had the time) to write, but it is my duty as an author to write. So here is how my week was:

• Work. Lots of work. I am now an employee at tamsolutions. I work with my brother, Brock, and he basically runs my life. He doesn't like it. No one really does.
• Summer Seminary. I went and I sat next to Emilee Keele and near Kirsten Marquis. Brother Ellison taught about Leviticus, the most boring book ever. He made me see it in a new light.
• I got in a punching war with Brother Hillhouse. Nothing too unique.
• Saw Thor for the first time. Very cool. Something that is not cool is spelling "cool" with a "k."
• Gave Brock $50.00 for insurance for a product I do not own. The iPhone 4 will soon be mine. I hate when people say "45$." How can you pass the first grade with such a lack of common knowledge?
• I went to my niece's birthday party.
• I went to a Decemberists concert. Not that great.
• I went to a Fleet Foxes concert. It was the best.
• I watch enough Doctor Who to span at least one year. That show is really great, you know? If you have not seen it, Netflix it up.

So that was my week. People wonder why I am so busy. Just kidding, no one really cares. They have their own lives to run.

It is summer

If you look to the left of this wonderful text you will see the books I'm reading. I have too much time on my hands. I put in my two weeks notice yesterday. Sooooo happy. Goodbye Macey's, hello tamsolutions.

Grovecreek 7th Ward Priests Quorum 2011: Brotherhood

Here are some people you should know:

Corry Cloward. I learned that for 11 of the past 12 years, he has been a young men's advisor. He it a native to Provo and a die-hard BYU fan. He has the ultimate dream job: he designs water parks. You are totally jealous. For his job, he has to travel for weeks at a time. He has been to China, Japan, and basically everywhere. I asked him this past week, while at Scout Camp, were his favorite place to go is. He told me something that I hope will apply to my future. He said that when he gets onto a plane, the place he wants to be headed is always home. Good answer. 

Cloward is a great guy who truly cares about his family and the young men in his tutelage. I appreciate the love he shows me and the example he is. He is a man.

Brother Hillhouse, Hillhouse, Heffe, Jeff, Jeffwey. You name it, he is already named it. He is a master repeller, but kind of a wimp when it comes to spiders. He is a great guy who bruises like an overripe peach. He is a great leader.

Jake Erling. He is a good kid. He can be a little too serious at times, but he is smart enough to not look like an idiot while doing so. He has gained my love and respect as we've become brothers in our quorum and he is a great man.

He is the one facing us. I am looking at a wall.

Lambo. He is such a nice guy.I found out, through experience, that if he is mad at you, you are probably doing something that would kill someone, or worse get you expelled. He is so Christlike.

My former teachers quorum advisor, former home-teaching companion, and current bishop, Nathan Anderson. He taught me how to keep on pressing on. He made me hike 50 miles in the rain. He made me home-teach a woman who hates me. He taught me how to love my neighbor.

Top row: Taft Robinson, Aaron McArthur, Christopher Clegg, Idiotface McGee, Dalton Archibald, David Byrd, Corry Cloward. Bottom row: Seth Crandall, Paul "Lambo" Lambert, Henson Walker, Nathan Anderson, Jeff Hillhouse. Not pictured: Jacob Erling, Trevor Ward, Cooper Caldwell, JC Hinojos, and Hayden Sanderson.

I was kind of leading up to this. After the BEST week of my life, I realized how much I love these guys. It is so much fun being with them and being able to forget the troubles of life and quote asdf. We, as Cloward puts it, are a brotherhood who are stronger than anyone that came before us (that he advised, anyway). I cannot think of a single man in this quorum who I do not love liken to myself. They are the best.

Here are my favorite pictures that I have seen:

Hillhouse and I on our way up to the Calf's Creek Waterfall.

My awesome frisbee catch out of the water.

Swimming at the falls.

Our sweaty backs after the hike up.

Flexing our muscles. I am flexing my fat.

We went repelling in the slot canyons the next day.

A hole you had to go through on the way down called The Rabbit Hole. It is so small, we had to take off our backpacks to get through it.

We stuck our heads into holes. No big deal.

The first repel of the day. So fun.

There were thousands of spiders in groups like this after one repel. It was so gross.

Here's one compared to my foot. 

Aaron had a lizard, so he put it on his face.

We had a 5 lbs. bag of gummy worms that melted. So we hit each other with it.

This is just after eating steak. Very good stuff. Taft and I also saw George Lucas at the City Mart that day.

Here is a giant sand hill we went to after white water rafting. It was way fun.

Taft jumping off a rock on the hill. This angle looks like he is about to die.

There is no charge for awesomeness... or attractiveness. 

Sitting in a window arch.

We saw the Delicate Arch.

And Landscape Arch.

I will post more pictures. Someday.