Bus rides and life's angels

So I take the bus almost every day. Maybe some of you didn't know that and when I tell some people they feel so bad for me and say if I ever need a ride to call them. Well, just so you all know, I really enjoy taking the bus. First of all it is the "green" choice as they say, and I am also saving a ton of money on gas (it was almost $5 every trip up to the U). I only use it to go to the gym because it comes right by my house and drops me off right in front of the gym (The U's fieldhouse). I think that in a city like this that we all should try and take public transportation at least in some part of our day, it would make the environment better. Oh, and I happen to love all the time I can use on the bus to read or text people. I don't have to drive at all and so it is like I don't lose time traveling either.

Well, the reason I had to explain all of this is because something marvelous happened to me on the bus today. As I was traveling to the U I was one of 3-4 people on the bus and I was quietly reading my book. Next thing I know someone from the back of the bus comes and sits in the row next to me. As I look over just to see what caught my attention out of the corner of my eye he says, "Hi, how's it going?" and he said it in that tone like he wanted to talk to me because he was selling something. I, of course, said hi and quickly turned my attention back to my book hoping that he wouldn't try to convince me to buy his knife kit or whatever it was he might have been selling. The next few moments were agonizing because I could tell he was looking over at me, and was waiting for me to look up or something so that he could talk to me, but I pretended not to notice. The bus then stopped and I heard him talking to me and I looked over as he was saying, "I just wanted to give this to you, you can take it if you want or you don't have to." He was standing there holding a card in his hand. As I looked at the card I realized it could be only one thing. With the picture of a video showing Jesus coming out of His tomb in glory I knew that he was trying to hand me a pass-along card. I smiled and just said, "Oh, I am already a member." He acknowledged what I said and ran out the door because we were at his stop.

After he left I couldn't help but just stare, not at anything particular, but just lost in thought. 'Wow,' I thought. 'He is really brave to have done that and he is doing what all of us members should be doing.' Can any of you say that you are a good member missionary? I realized that he must have talked to the other guy in the back of the bus before coming to me because I recall him talking back there before he came to sit by me. I am now calling him a little angel because he was such a great example for me. And then I realized that life is full of people like this. So many good examples that I see everyday and they are all just reminders of little things that I can improve in my own life.

Does anyone have any cool people like that in their lives? It could be anyone, for example like my friend Mike who reminds me that we should try and stay away from movies and media that are bad influences because of what they contain. Evil can be hiding anywhere. Thanks Mike! Anyone else?

Also please share any missionary moments you have because they can help and inspire all of us!

My wishes

I decided to make a list of all the things that I desire in my life right now. Some of you may feel the same desires and others won't (probably because you have already acquired what I seek). This will help everyone to get to know me just a little bit better. Also some of these things are just fantasy and may not come true but it doesn't keep me from wishing:

1. To be more outgoing
2. To be good-looking
3. An attractive girlfriend (but not just physically)
4. An iphone
5. An ipad
6. A Macbook Pro (I really do like Apple I guess)
7. My own car (Toyota 4Runners are my favorite)
8. To live on my own
9. A better paying job ( and one with a vision clinic)
10. To be more spiritually in-tune
11. A workout buddy
12. Hiking boots
13. A wet suit
14. Shelves in my bedroom
15. An "A" parking pass
16. Flat screen HDTV (BIG)
17. Unlimited purchases from itunes
18. A black labrador or a pit-bull
19. Money for my parents
20. A good singing voice (and maybe know how to play the guitar/piano well)
21. A trip to Europe
22. A trip to Disneyworld
23. A cruise (any but I really want Caribbean)
24. To be better at all sports
25. To always eat healthy (while not getting rid of sweets/desserts)


This is the top 25 that popped in my head, so they must be the ones I want more. That just makes me think that I am really worldly. Anyway, I do have more wants but I obviously don't think about them that much because I didn't add them to this list. I invite you all to post something similar so that I can learn more about you, or you could just comment on this about which ones you want too and which ones you don't care to have (feel free to give me some suggestions to as to things missing in my list). Thanks!

Reflections

The topic for this post was inspired by the extra time that I have had to reflect on things. These things have probably come from recent events occurring in my life and I want to share these things with all of you.

First, I will discuss birthdays. It is fascinating to me how the range of importance that people place on birthdays varies so much. For example, most people make a big deal about a baby's first birthday. Why is this you ask? Who knows. It is almost like everyone else is celebrating that the baby is still alive and the baby just has to go along with it. For me I don't see why people do it, the baby can't even remember this time in their life and so why make a big deal about it? Another example is the coming of age birthdays. For some countries girls come of age at 15 yrs, and others it is 16. Some people make a big deal for the 18th birthday and others it is 21. In my family we have always celebrated our birthdays. We have parties for friends and then parties for family members. But, we decided to stop the parties after the 18th birthday. Some of my friends don't do much for their own birthday and others throw big parties. I guess it all just depends on how much you appreciate yourself....ha ha.

Next it is interesting to me how we as people are so peculiar. Do you ever wonder why for some people it is hard to express our feelings and others wear their hearts on their sleeves? Some people are afraid of their own actions and others embrace the opportunity to make a difference in their own lives. Why is this? Is it merely our upbringings? How we were taught growing up? Or is there something more? For me I really want to be able to just express how I feel about people right off the bat. But, saying it is easier than doing it. Why is it hard to tell the girl I fancy that I like her? The only plausible excuse I have is that maybe it will blow up in my face and my whole life might change. And after thinking that I realize it really isn't a good excuse at all. I have thought a lot about this and I have decided that life is too short to not take chances. I think that all of us should try harder to make a difference in our own lives and make the necessary changes that will make us all better people. Embrace change, it isn't bad and it is happening all of the time. Express your feelings to those you love and be honest. The other day I was leaving my friends house at night and I said, "k bye, love you guys," and while I walked away I heard them whispering how surprised they were that I would say that and that they didn't know how to respond. I was thinking, 'I really do love my friends, and shouldn't they know that?' and I hope that they would say it to me too. Now, as for dating, I am still not sure how to approach this. I am aware that girls might be turned away if I just walk up to them and say they are pretty and funny, that I would like to try dating them. This would be awkward for the both of us. But, I do think that gradually one can start to express their feelings in these situations when they are already dating, or at least on the date. After all that is the purpose of dating and you both should know how the other feels, even if you don't say it with words. So, I hope after reading this that we will not be afraid to say, "I love you guys" or "you are nice" or even just "I like your hair today" because I believe that it will really make a difference in every one's lives.

Finally I have been reflecting on time. It is almost limitless and yet I have so many things to do each day that I find myself saying, "I don't have time to do that," or "there is no time to this." And at the end of the day I am disappointed that I didn't have time to apply for that job, or workout, or read my scriptures, or write in my journal, etc. and I fall asleep saying that I will do it tomorrow. Now, I can bet that most everyone has felt this one at one point or another and I am here to say that we are all lazy. There are a few people in the world who know how to get things done and I admire them and strive to be like them. But most of us aren't like them. Just writing this blog has taken time and effort and  I have given the excuse many times that I didn't have the time to write again. Well I was lying. I have had plenty of time, but, the problem is that I wasted it. We are given about 16 hours in a day to get the things done that need to be done (and the other 8 hours is for sleeping). If that is true then why can we never do it? Because we don't manage our time and priorities. In other words we are spending too much time in front of the TV, or sitting around lazily that we lose that precious time that should have been used to do something so much better. That doesn't mean we have to be robots and I think that breaks and small amounts of entertainment are necessary to stay sane. But I think we can all do more with the time we have. So that means that now I am going to turn off the TV while I eat, focus in the shower to use it faster, and have a plan for the day so that I don't waste my precious time thinking of things to do. I am also going to make sure I study the scriptures, workout, and everything else I need to do in the day before I go over to a friends house and play or sit down to watch a movie. I think that I will get so much more done and anyone else can too by making similar changes. So remember, conquer your time and don't let time conquer you.

Now I ask that you please comment and submit your own thoughts on these topics.

NO SUGAR, WHATSOEVER...kind of

So some of you probably think that I am crazy and it is probably true. Somehow I have gotten into the challenge of not eating sugar for the entire month of June. I will put the blame on Mike Nielsen. It was his idea. He is doing it with me and we are going to go crazy. I only say that because I already think I am. You may ask why since today is June 1st and therefore the first day of this extravagant fast, and you are wondering if I really am that pitiful. Well even though that may be true it is because I started not eating sugar a week and half-ago. I must say that I consider myself a super-human because I somehow survived the weekend at my sugar stuffed cabin. Let me explain, we were there for three days (we = my family + my cousins family + grandma). There were 13 of us total. Well since most of those people are children they need sugar to be happy. That is why we keep an entire drawer full of candy and treats. There were fruit snacks, cookies, candy bars, and so much more that I can't even explain because I will scream. Well since it is a vacation we are sitting around playing games, watching movies and EATING. That means snacking. Well since I couldn't eat any sugar I had to see everyone eating m&ms, licorice, etc. and I was eating some crackers, peanuts and potato chips (all of which are really good, but not in comparison with something sugary). Those were the only three things there that I could snack on. All the other snack food was made with sugar. Anyway, enough of the weekend, I am doing better now and I even was able to "say no" to some ice cream today from the spaghetti factory during company lunch. That means I am still doing great.

So wish me luck on this great adventure in my life and I invite anyone and everyone to join me. It is easier with more people so I would be glad to help you along. To see the rules refer to Mike's blog. The grand ending will be on July 4th when we will be able to stuff our faces!!! But for now, good bye warm chocolate chip cookies, dutch oven peach cobler with vanilla ice cream, and even my usual granola bars I eat almost daily. I will see you in my mouth...I mean... in a month ;)