things to do

This is for Jennifer since she was asking me about my list of things to do in life. I always try and think of things that are constructive in some way or another. I try and think of things that will give me a new perspective to life or something that will put me out of my comfort zone so that I can experience something different every once in a while. And then of course there are those random things that aren't really good for anything except for saying that you actually did it.

Here are some new things that I've thought of to add to my growing list:

- Be a vegetarian for as long as possible (at least a week)
- Buy a scooter. Or rent one and go on a scooter road trip.
- Write a book
- Try to make one new friend a day for a week
- Go at least two weeks without logging on to myspace
- Write at least one poem a month
- Take more pictures -maybe enter one into a photography contest?
- Keep a regular journal
- Get a job that I love
- Wash my hands more
- Donate to the DI more
- Try more foreign foods
- Learn how to play chess
- Go on a 50+ mile long bike ride
- Read the whole bible
- Go kayaking
- Discover the secret recipe to the KFC chicken
- Discover the 23 ingredients that they use to make Dr. Pepper
- Put a video on youtube
- Go on a blind date

And here is my updated list in its entirety:

COLLECTIONS
-Collect 1,000 different business cards
-Collect 1,000 different fortunes
-Get a famous persons autograph
-Collect 100 girls phone numbers
-Save 1,000 dollars worth of change

SPORTS/GAMES
-Win tip in 21-0
-Play a PS3 game-done
-Get 100 percent completion in GTA
-Solve a rubix cube
-Win a fantasy sports league
-Pitch a perfect game (baseball video game)
-Earn 20 free games for red pin bowling
-Bowl a perfect game
-Bowl a score of 250 or more
-Bowl a score of 200 or more
-Get 3 birdies in a row in golf
-Get an eagle
-Chip in a shot from the bunker
-Chip in a shot from outside the green
-Play a round of golf without losing the ball
-Score par or under - 9 holes
-Score par or under - 18 holes
-Go golfing in 3 different states
-Get 5 hole in ones in miniature golf
-Go night golfing
-Go to a NASCAR race
-Go to a college football game-done
-Go to an NCAA tournament game
-Go to a World Series game
-Go to an NFL game
-Go to an NBA game besides the Jazz
-Attend an NFL playoff or Superbowl game
-Attend an NBA playoff or Finals game
-Go to an Olympic event
-Win a monopoly game
-Make 15 straight 3 pointers
-Make 10 straight 3 pointers with the left hand
-Make 90/100 free throws

TRAVEL
-Go to 2 different countries
-Go on an extended roadtrip
-Go river rafting
-Go scuba diving
-Visit the east coast-done
-Visit the west coast-done
-Sneak across the boarder of Mexico dressed like Mexicans
-Go on a cruise
-Visit 5 casinos in Vegas
-Visit the statue of liberty
-Follow a cop car for 5 miles
-Visit the White House
-See ten things that qualify as the worlds largest or smallest
-Go to a magic show-done
-Go to a comedy show
-Go to Times Square
-Go to an island
-Visit 10 different states
-Go to 10 different roller coaster parks
-Go on the catapult at lagoon
-Ride the Heber Creeper
-Ride an underground subway
-Go on a hot air balloon ride
-Ride jet skis
-Fly in a helicopter
-Float from Jordanell to the Provo River
-Go to 10 concerts
-Ride in a limo
-Go to Denny’s at 4 am -done-
Go to a Hard Rock Café-
Go to a Hooters-done
Go to a Monk Monastery
-Climb a mountain-done
-Watch a sunset/sunrise from a mountain top-done
-Go on an extensive bike trip
-Go on a 2 mile hike or longer
-Go to a really big zoo

OTHER
-Shave legs before graduation -done
-Graduate from high school -done
-Go to college
-Contact the pope, or secretary or whoever is in charge
-Conact the President, Vice President, or whoever is next in line that we can contact
-Buy something on eBay -done
-Get a bobble head doll of yourself
-Taser somebody
-Get pulled over 5 times in a row without getting a ticket
-Talk to a hippie
-Talk to a monk
-Talk to an Indian
-Talk to an amish person
-Apply for a National television reality show or game
-Own a piece of undeveloped real estate
-Write an incomprehensible sentence in a will
-Hold a funeral service for a dead something
-Write a riddle in a bottle and throw it in the ocean, then write the answer in a balloon and let it fly away
-Make a music video
-Make a video
-Take that dumb bible that every hotel room has
-Spend the night at a 5 star hotel
-Spend the night in a tree house
-Sleep in a hammock outside
-Persuade Bill Gates to give me a dollar
-Build something useful out of wood
-Reenact the Civil War in a park
-Ride the worlds fastest and tallest roller coaster
-Shoot a deer
-Shoot a bird
-Hit a bird with your car -done
-Catch a fish longer than your arm
-Catch a fish or something alive in the ocean
-Play a banjo for an amish person
-Pee on a monument
-Pee off a bridge
-Spend a day dressed up as rednecks
-Spend a day dressed up as nerds
-Touch a stranger and say tag your it no touch backs and run away-done
-Teach Darvy something smart -done
-Cook something on the grills in the park
-Eat a whole medium pizza yourself
-Throw a boomerang and scream like an Aussie
-Egg someomes something -done
-Make a birthday cake -done
-Eat at the olive garden -done
-Get a 1,000 dollar paycheck (after taxes) -done
-Get a 2,000 dollar paycheck (after taxes)
-Enter 10,000 worth of money at http://www.wheresgeorge.com/
-Receive 1,000 hits on http://www.wheresgeorge.com/
-Throw something off a roof
-Show billy our carburators -done
-Put a hot dog on Billys antenna -done
-Throw a hockey puck across the Canadian border
-Build an igloo
-Smash something cool
-Catch a fly and tear its wings off -done
-Catch a fly, then put in a jar and stick in the fridge then tie the fly to the end of a thread and hold the other end of the thread and watch it fly around
-Shoot a machine gun
-Sit at a bus stop and tell your life story like forrest gump
-Have a meaningless conversation with someone you don’t know
-Hide a walkie talkie somewhere and talk to people
-Tip over a porta potty
-Tip over a cow
-Plant a tree somewhere in a random place
-Bury a time capsule in a weird place
-Leave a bucket of chicken on Cornel Sanders grave
-Find out who owns the Hogle Zoo
-Steal a road sign
-Build a burrito or a hamburger one item at a time by going through individual drive throughs -done
-Tan something on your body
-Build something out of toothpicks
-Drop an egg off a roof without it cracking
-Visit a museum
-Gut a fish
-Catch a wild animal (or a semi-wild animal)
-Cook something on a camp fire
-Sleep in a self made shelter
-Get a sailor to swear at you
-Get a college degree
-Have a dream that involves chasing something, food, and two tragic deaths
-Put out a fire with a fire extinguisher
-Put out a fire with something other than water or a fire extinguisher
-Cook an egg on a rock outside
-Make out in a car wash
-Eat a bowl of cereal made with one piece of as many cereals as it takes to fill up the bowl
-Go sledding down the hill that’s in the middle of deer creek
-Write a song
-Convince someone your suicidal
-Have a huge food fight
-Buy a stock in the stock market
-Be in a mosh pit-Build a fire without matches
-Sing a song around a campfire
-Make a wish on a shooting star and have it come true
-Make a “boat “ and see if it floats
-Play frisbee at night
-Ride a tandem bike
-Try to break a world record
-Acquire an unusual accent for a whole day
-Be on tv or radio
-Peel a banana with your feet
-Write a well written but extremely confusing complaint letter to a company
-Burn something with a magnifying glass
-Throw a food item in a ceiling fan
-Slide down a hill or a big stairway in a laundry basket
-Stand on your neighboorhood corner and try to hitchhike home
-Go to a fancy restraunt in your pajamas
-Buy something from a yardsale
-Randomly pick out a library cookbook and cook recipe number 25
-Pick out the 7th restraunt in the yellow pages and eat the seventh course on the menu

an eternal perspective

Well I've finally made it to the temple! What a wonderful place to be at. It truly is the house of the Lord and it will fulfill every description of what the house of the Lord should be like. I feel like I've learned and been through more than my brain can handle. It was truly a unique experience and something that I would wish everyone could be a part of. When I walked out, I felt so squeeky clean and pure that -in a morbid sort of way- I might not have cared too much if I was hit by a bus or trampled to death by a llama because at that point you really feel like you could die and be saved and everything would be just fine.

I was quite nervous beforehand because I really didn't know what to expect like I do with a Sacrament meeting or a General Conference etc...But once you get inside the building it is so calm and peaceful that it is hard to be worried about anything really.

Most everything in the temple is symbolic of something and everything is there for a reason and a purpose and I feel as if it may take me a whole lifetime to figure out everything. But one thing that really got me was how the temple puts into focus the eternal perspective of everything. You know, life isn't just another bad day or another deadline or another homework assignment or another shift at work. There is so much more to life than just what is happening now at this moment. Life is eternal and life is one eternal round that never ceases to exist. Humans will never cease to exist and there are so many mini-miracles packed into every second of life that it just seems impossible for any mortal human mind to even comprehend what is going on. But it is so comforting to know that there is a plan through all this chaos of life, and its comforting to know that there are things I can do on this Earth that can really matter to not only me but so many other people.

Well I could go on forever and ever but I've tried to keep my blogs short and sweet. Plus I'm REALLY tired at this point.

What a wonderful day.
THE END

yay

the people i know

So I've always wanted to actually write a full book from start to end but I can never stay motivated enough to actually do that. I'm great at starting a story and introducing all the elements but I can never really get through the middle and the plot...its kindof depressing. One thing I love to do is make up characters. I like the idea of defining a person and making a person unique and come alive...even though they are just something that lives in my imagination.

Here are some descriptions of some of the people I know. See if you can guess which one is you. Too bad there are only about 2 of you that read this! Oh well..

-She has always seemed a little introverted. Careful to never reach out too far or overstep her bounds. Everything she does is so calm and serene, but you know somewhere inside her there is something big growing just waiting to break free. There is a beauty inside of her that few others still have. She has a tendency to reserver herself and her trust for those that have clearly proved themselves worthy of it.

-She always has big things on her mind, and you know she will end up accomplishing whatever she truly wants. Her beauty is raw, plain and undeniable. She has a love for many things and her passion can be felt with her every movement. She attacks everything she sets her mind upon and usually won't give up until the job is done.

-She is frail and tender. She has a storied past and if you give her half a chance she'll let you know all about it. She is sensitive yet strong. She keeps a happy face in spite of all thats happened to her. She's been through more than most should ever have to and for that she is an inspiration.

-He was a funny kid and a stereotypical preppie boy. Many people have misjudged him, including me in the beginning. One day I found out what he was truly like and liked him I did. He was always trying to fit in, but maybe he never really found his niche. He always seemed to be fighting a uphill battle and many people gave up on him long before I did. He spent most of his time trying to find favor in the sight of others when he really should have been trying to find favor with himself. One day it all caught up to him and now he doesn't know what he is anymore, what he is doing or where he is going. It makes me sad.

-He used to be a lot smaller than me, but not anymore. Its hard to figure out how we got to know each other. We used to play little league football together. We have become the best of friends and we share so many things in common. I can relate to his weird sense of humor and we both are very competitive. He has always had great potential as long as he doesn't get himself sidetracked with unnecessary things. One day he will break out and become larger than life.

-I used to hate him. I thought he was arrogant and too good for me. I guess I had prejudged him before I got to know him. Now he is my mentor and someone I can look up to.

-It's been a while since I've seen him. He was my first best friend I ever had until I had to move away. Our neighborhood was our stomping grounds. We were always on the move doing something. Too many good memories to ever forget. Sometimes I drive by his house just because. One time I saw him outside, but was too shy to stop. I'll probably regret that forever.

Well there are a lot more but I'm out of time for now...if I save it as a draft I know I'll never get back to it.

Goodbye for now

quotes

This is the beginning of a new day. God has given me this day to use as I will. I can waste it--or use it for good, but what I do today is important, because I am exchanging a day of my life for it. When tomorrow comes, this day will be gone forever, leaving in its place something that I have traded for it. I want it to be gain, and not loss; good, and not evil; success, and not failure, in order that I shall not regret the price that I have paid for it.
-Dr. Hartsell Wilson

There is nothing worth more than this day
-Goethe

It is never too late to be what you might have been.
-George Eliot

I am only one, but still I am one; I cannot do everything, but I can do something; and because I cannot do everything, I will not refuse to do something that I can do.
-Edward Everett Hale


Across the plains of time bleach the bones of countless thousands, who, while upon the threshold of victory, sat down to rest. And resting, they died.
-Paul H. Dunn


Many people have the right aim in life-but they just never pull the trigger.
-Anonymous


There are three kinds of people in this world; there are those who watch things happen and those who make things happen. And then there are the people who wonder what happened!
-Anonymous


Said one bucket to the other: 'Whenever I get filled up, I get emptied out real soon." Said the other bucket: 'Whenever I get emptied out, I am ready to be filled again."
-Anonymous


I do the very best I know how; the very best I can; and I mean to keep doing so until the end. If the end brings me out all right, what is said against me won't amount to anything.
-Abraham Lincoln


You have powers you never dreamed of. You can do things you never thought you could do. There are no limitations in what you can do except the limitations as to what you cannot do. Don't think you cannot. Think you can.
-Darwin P. Kingsley

Strangers are just friends you haven't met yet
-Will Rogers

If my life had been made up of eight hour days, I do not believe I would have accomplished a great deal.
-Thomas Edison

It is not the critic who counts; not the one who points out how the strong man stumbled or how the doer of great deeds might have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by sweat and dust and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs and comes up short again and again; who knows the great enthusiams, the great devotions, and spends himself in a a worthy cause; who if he winds knows the triumph of great achievement; and who, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat.
-Theodore Roosevelt

Quitters never win. Winners never quit.
-Virigia Hutchinson

The harder the conflict the more glorious the triumph. What we obtain too cheaply we esteem too lightly.
-Thomas Paine

thinking and dreaming

I am a big dreamer in life. I'm not just talking about dreaming at night, I'm talking about daydreaming. I guess you could sortof call it a type of pastime for me. I'm a hopeless dreamer, kindof like how some people can be described as hopeless romantics. There is something so magical about daydreaming. Dreams can escape the laws of reality and transcend the bonds of time. I find that when I daydream I feel liberated and alive. I can take myself to a new place, a new time, a new life. I dream about the future, I dream about the past, I dream about the present. I have many many dreams and ideals and perfect situations that I can imagine up in my mind. I can start out with one concept or idea and make it branch off into a thousand different scenarios. I am one of those people that can sit there and think for hours and hours and I can literally amuse and entertain myself with my own thoughts for who knows how long. You know those questions about "if you were stuck on an island what would you do?" Well most likely I would just end up just sitting there thinking and daydreaming to entertaining myself.

Jennifer has talked a bit about trying to dream lucidly, or basically recognizing the fact that your in a state of dreaming and then trying to directly control the dream itself without ever leaving your state of dreaming. I guess my daydreaming is quite similar to this concept in a way.

Besides dreaming, I think about things a great deal. That doesn't necessarily mean that I find the answers to the things I am thinking about, but I love to think all the same. I generally tend to delve into big ideas and concepts. I enjoy taking a huge idea or concept that I haven't really figured out yet and wrapping my mind around it and wrestling with it and completely reducing it and digging around it until I can shrink it into those one or two basic fundamental elements and principles that prove or disprove the whole theory. It is a bit like a mental excercise to me. The more I excercise my mindpower with reason and with logic conclusions the easier it becomes to think about life itself. Right?

Im not sure what the whole point of this blog was really. I guess I just wanted to talk deeply for a minute. The governing laws and mysteries of life really fascinate me and I wish I had more people to talk to about them. But most people think I'm crazy and laugh that I would think about half the stuff that I do. I guess thats why I'm here writing it in my blog.

The end.

The Footprints of God

This has been hanging on my Grandma's wall in a frame my whole life. I just barely read it today!

In the deepest sleep one night I dreamed
That on the beach I walked.
God was by my side each step
And quietly we talked.
Then on the sky my life was flashed;
The visions all serene.
Two sets of footprints in the sand
Were there in ever scene.
But then I noticed in some scenes
Of suffering,pain,and strife.
Just a single set of footprints
At the worst times of my life.
'God, you said you'd stay by me
In good times and in bad....
Why then did you leave me
Each time my life was sad?"
"My precious child," God answered,
"When your life had pain, I knew;
The single set of footprints
Were the times I carried you."