Just throwing this out there.

I was searching through Harrison Ford's IMDB profile to see when what movies where made. Last Crusade was made the year I was born. Ford made $10,000 for filming A New Hope, and $25 million plus 20% of the profits for filming K-19. He is the third highest grossing actor behind Eddie Murphy and Tom Hanks. He is a professional grade carpenter and built his own home in Jackson Hole, WY. He dropped out of Ripon College. He is also an accomplished pilot. Read his bio on IMDB, and you will learn a lot of fun stuff.
One of the coolest things I learned about him is that he is going to play Col. Hyrum Graff in the March, 2013 release of Ender's Game.
I think I just peed a little I'm so excited.
For those who do not know, Ender's Game (and the subsequent Bean series) is one of my favorite literary works. It is set in the future, and children are taken to a space station to be trained as commanders of the star fleets that protect earth from the Buggers, a race of beings seemingly intent on destroying the entire human population. Written by Orson Scott Card, the book is touching, exciting, and wonderful. The characters are fragile yet powerful, alienated from the readers in the paths forced upon them, yet their personal struggles allow people to form a connection. Okay, to be honest, I feel like I am just spewing words out. IN order to fully appreciate the book, READ IT!!!
Continuing on the train of thoughts regarding books, I just purchased Game of Thrones on Amazon. I have heard decent to good things about the books, and look forward to tackling them.
Continuing on the Amazon track, I also bought a Playstation 1 memory card and Armored Core: Master of Arena. This game is incredible. For a brief look at it, click here. It is the intro sequence for the game. You go through a mission story line, am arena; fighting against pre-designed opponents to earn renown and money. You are constantly upgrading your machine to get more armor, fire power, save on ammunition costs, etc. It is just, SOOOO GOOOOOOD!!!!!
going back to movies... I like Redbox now.
I have rented Capt. America, Red Riding Hood, and Warrior this week. I thoroughly enjoyed the first and third, but Red Riding Hood tried to be too sexual and seductive, and it's freaking Amanda Seyfried, who I have never found at all attractive. The best part about the movie (SPOILER ALERT!!! BE WARNED!!! I AM REVEALING IMPORTANT INFO ABOUT THE MOVIE!!!) was that Red's dad was the werewolf, and he plays Bella's dad in Twighlight. So his daughter picks the Vamps, and he goes with the Wolves. IRONY!!!

END OF SPOILER!!!

Warrior was great. The movie was entertaining, and the fighting was so much fun to watch. Better than that, it was a good movie. Well written, and touching. I almost cried for the last half hour of the film due to a single frightening scene (not traditionally scary, but involving a topic that came to light in my family conversations this past week).
Other than that, got my tracking shoes for my mission. They are pseudo-motorcycle boots, and I love them. They will handle the Sacramento mountains with ease!! I also got my suit from Du Bois, but it definitely needs some altering. I have a 41 chest, with a size 38 shoulder width, a size 38 jacket length, and a size 40 sleeve length. Maybe if I stop doing pull ups and push ups I can fit in a standard size 38.
And on that note, I am trying to lose 12 pounds in 4 weeks... although the triple brat I ate last night and the Tombstone pizza on my plate may not be the best way to go about doing that.

Let the Games Begin!!!

I am very excited to watch The Hunger Games tomorrow. I think my mom is even getting off work in order to come to the matinee!!! When I first started preparing for a mission and I saw the advertisements for the movie, I felt slightly crestfallen. I was fairly sure that I would be gone by the time the movie hit theaters. But due to a series of hard-to-tell-if-they-were-unfortunate events, I will still be here when the theaters open.
IF you haven't read the books, I suggest them. I will also suggest (yet again) that anyone who likes satire, NEEDS to read Pratchett. He has something to offer most everyone. His main plots are usually easy to follow, though you may get hung up on the details now and again )and again, and probably again).
I also just read a book titled Unbroken. Anyone who is interested in stories of overcoming adversity must pick this book up. It follows the true story of Louis Zamperini, widely thought to be the first man who could break the four minute mile barrier, he joins the US Air Force when following Pearl Harbor, and is captured by the Japanese in the Pacific Theater. The story is heart breaking, and nearly unbelievable. I nearly cried three times in the first three chapters.
I am also reading Pride and Prejudice on Project Gutenberg, a website where you can download or read any book older than the original copyright (I believe that means any book over 100 years old). I have also read the Sherlock Holmes books on the site... twice. It is a fantastic site.
I am also interested in reading Shutter Island (recommended to me by a manager at Festival Foods) and Game of Thrones (recommended by my assistant manager). Any other recommendations?
Also, interesting tidbit, around 10% of my blog views come from outside the United States, and about 5% are from Russia. I think that is simply fantastic! I tried learning Russian once, but it was an absolute and utter failure (kind of like me trying to learn German, but without the classes and the tests. I still don't know German after 7 years of classes though). I still have copies of the Book of Mormon in German, Russian, and Spanish, in addition to my English copies.
Well, another day of reading blogs, online scriptures, and memes awaits at work! Go forth, my friends!!!

Keep Your Eyes Open. There May Be More of Them.

I watch numerous TV shows. Netflix Instant Streaming is great for me. It has Supernatural and Burn Notice, How I Met Your Mother, Psych, and Lie To Me. It does have many other shows (some that I also watch, some that I do not), but I would appreciate the additions of Chuck and Smallville to the list.
I began watching Burn Notice again, and I thought about the number of interesting things that can be garnered from popular shows. Michael Westen teaches you how to spot a tail (use a contrasting environment with those you expect to be tailing you), fight someone with minimal pain inflicted (open your fist just before striking), and how to prepare your surroundings (greasing a hand hold, or arranging mirrors to reflect light, etc.). How I Met Your Mother teaches many lessons on relationships (many of them what not to do's). White Collar is a great show for fashion advice if you don't want a lisping, bald(ing) man with a limp wrist talking. It also makes me want to take a pumice stone to my fingers to erase my finger prints. Psych mainly just teaches me the basics of how to make odd comebacks that are still somewhat witty. Lie to Me is a crash course in lie detection, of course.
In many cases, I do not find that the show is instructive enough. I believe that you should go about searching for more information. With HIMYM, I find asking my women friends how they feel about situations in the show. With LtM, I practiced the techniques a little bit, and looked into basic human reaction from the view point of psychologists and biologists. With BN, it might be watching a lot of History and Discovery Channel documentaries on Marines and SEALS. For Psych, you just need a working knowledge of 1980's pop culture.
I just know that I enjoy the shows, learn a little, laugh a lot more, and anticipate new episodes.

Resistance is Feudal!

When addressing me in public, feel free to use my first name. When addressing me in a formal setting, I would appreciate (though do not expect) to be called by my full name and title; Sir Gavin, House of Strachan, Palatine of Scotland. Now, I try not to be egotistical, but upon learning that my family is the only one in history that was both an Earldom and an Regality, I felt a touch of pride at this. I will also now shout “Clachnaben” before races, my family’s war cry.

The reason I bring this up is because I am currently back on a medieval fascination. I reviewed the Vigil of Knighthood, and I will lay it out here before you now.

Originally, a knight was a warrior who proved himself on the field of battle, and was either dubbed there and then, or very recently after. As the Church gained more political power, they re-worked knighting into a religious ceremony. The Knight prospect would cut his hair as a sign of devotion to God. Depending on whether joining a certain Order of Knighthood, or what was expected of you following being knighted would determine the severity of the haircut. It ranged from a lock of hair to tonsuring, reminiscent of monks. A prospect would then be bathed, purifying him, and be clothed in white, a symbol of that purity. Other clothing would be added, including red, symbolizing the sacrifice of blood associated with battle, and black, a symbol of death that none can escape. He would spend the night in a chapel or at an altar, immersed in prayer and meditation. During this whole time, he would be fasting, drawing him closer to the poor and needy whom he should dedicate his efforts to helping.

The following dawn, after hours spent in supplication, he would be led into a chapel where mass would be had. His sword and shield are before him, blessed by a priest. His sponsor, or mentor, is with him, and passes the armor and sword to the Lord whom the prospect will soon swear fealty, whereby said items are handed to the prospect. The spurs were then attached, and the Lord dubbed the knight by striking him with the flat of a blade, either upon shoulders, head , or even both. The man then rises as a knight.

An excellent process, if I do say so myself. I would like to say, however, that I have been knighted. That is right. After performing feats of strength and endurance, I (by providing the sword) was knighted by a Queen. I think that is deserving of a ‘boom.’ Following that, I attended St. Norbert College, and am now a Green Knight as well (slightly less of a boom as there are 2200 on campus, and probably fifteen to twenty thousand overall). I am also a member of the Black Knights, a much more selective group populated by runners who have less than pristine records with sports at SNC.

In other words, I am fascinated with Knighthood, Chivalry, Medieval Orders, and the connection between the social aspects of knighthood (religious fealty and devotion, artistic displays of music, art and poetry, gentle nature towards women and the poor, rules regarding public confrontations and politics) as well as the violent, physical side that knights are most well known for (battle, jousting, dueling, etc.). It is just such a blend that I aspire to. I wish to be a well rounded individual, trained in the arts, able to accomplish physical feats, and sociable and likeable.

To my misfortune, I am rather lacking in artistic displays, too shy to be sociable, and lacking in a multiplicity of physical traits that allow me to fall short of my physical goals. In the end, I guess I am just hoping to be as good as I can be, and be able to look back on my life with pride (not the evil type, but the happy type).

Does this make me the ugly boy at the prom?

Happy Pi day, everyone. In addition, Happy 133rd B-day, dear old (decomposed type old) Albert Einstein.


I feel like someone has postponed Christmas (or any other highly anticipated celebration... I got it! Let me cross this out and start over)

I feel like someone has postponed New Years. There I was, Welsch's Sparkling Grape juice at the ready. I had already bought a funny movie to watch with my friends, and loaded up on pizzas, chips, candy, and noise makers. I was sooooo freakin' Scout (prepared? yeah, I agree. Really loose, bad pun). And then, on the way over to my destination, a police officer pulls me over, comes up to my window, asks for license and registration, and then says, drawling, "Yup, I got a message here says that you can't be out reveling in this here celebration of ours" (snorts, and hacks an oyster at a passing bunny) "I got it on authority that you can't celebrate till the fifth of January." He smiles, a greasy plug of chew slightly exposed in his lower lip. "You get on home now, got me?"
Such let down. How deflating would that be? To be told you cannot celebrate your favorite non-denominational holiday? Or your birthday?... Actually, my grandma's funeral was on my birthday. Needless to say, THAT one was delayed!!!
I have been on edge for months, waiting and expecting. And where am I? Still at home.
I guess this is what I need; to learn patience and accept that I cannot control everything, shouldn't try to, and to work on those things I have power to influence.
Well, "AAAAAlll I gotta do is prayin', and fastin', and pon'drin', and readin'. Just do it, and after I do, I will be caaaaaalled."

Spring: Re-Birth

I have a slight sun burn, judging by the itchy skin and the constant sweating sensation. I also tweaked my knee a lil bit doing some practice parkour today. However, these are very minor inconveniences. I am reveling in this beautiful weather. I am excited for the coming coming months. I am tempted to run myself weary in an effort to see the entirety of my home town in blossom.
There is far to much to do outside, so this is a short post. Enjoy this wondrous world.

New Leaf

I have realized that by not attending school, I feel that I am getting progressively dumber. Now, I'm not saying that I pay attention in class and therefore learn from it, but by attending classes, I have oodles of time to daydream, extrapolate, brainstorm, and (to be completely honest) dream. But simply by being in an environment where learning and mental growth are paramount, I find myself spending my time searching out new knowledge.
By working 40 hours a week at Associated Bank on a teller line in a Festival Foods, I find my thoughts most often stray to what the good sales are that week. Due to this, I decided last week to spend an hour or two during my work day, when there were no customers to work with, to go to Wikipedia (I work with what I know), and read the featured article of the day, and journal about it. I have learned things I would never have sought out. For instance, the first female Governor of Kentucky was one of the fore runners for running mate of the 1984 Democratic nominee for President, Walter Mondale, and was a future cabinet member of Clinton's until her husband was caught in a fraud scheme. Her name is Martha Layne Collins (Hall). A reward of 10,000 British pounds was offered in 1906 for the first aeroplane flight from London to Manchester, completed in under 24 hours and with 2 or fewer stops. It was accomplished in April, 1910. The reward was ten times that offered by the newspaper for the first aeroplane flight across the English Channel and the money was won by a Frenchman. The first football team the Green Bay Packers ever lost to was the Beloit Fairies. March 9th was the Last Sermon of the Prophet Muhammad (632) as well as the first of the Emergency Bank Acts put into effect by FDR (1933). Ghana became the first sub-Saharan country to gain independence from Britain in 1857.  the first dental school opened in Baltimore in 1840. The new Year used to begin on March 25th in England, and was celebrated on the first beginning in 1752. The execution of King Charles I technically took place in both 1648 (as the new year had not at that time begun) and 1649 (as latter records were altered because it was the new year according to the new calender.
There is so much to learn about our world, and it has been a fun little ride journaling random facts (according to Wikipedia). What is the most outrageous thing you have learned?

I swear I'm a fan, not a stalker.

I have only attended one game at St. Norbert’s Schneider Stadium. It was Saturday, September 10^th, 2011. I had biked up to school to surprise my friends with my presence. It totally worked. I was somewhat excited to be at this game seeing as it was against Beloit College. I was born in Beloit, grew up across Church Street (700 block) from the campus; a campus where my dad had taught and my mom had graduated from, a school my oldest brother decided to attend and eventually graduated from. I reveled in their successes, even when it came against my own school. On this particular hot, sunny day, I walked into the stadium in a Nike Prefontaine track singlet sporting black knickers held up with purple suspenders. I sat down and prepared to watch what I figured would be an entertaining game. Though the Green Knights blew out the Buccaneers to the tune of 30-14 (30-0 during the 4^th Quarter), and the team finished with minus-19 yards rushing, and the quarterback got sacked 7 times and intercepted, I was dazzled by the incredible display of athleticism from a consistently double covered wide receiver. He reeled in 10 catches of 26 total completions for 180 of the teams 290 yards, as well as both team TDs. He was big, fast, and sure handed. On a team that had a QB tandem that completed less than 53% of their passes this season for 15 TDs and 15 INTs, and 2380 yards, this receiver caught 75 balls for 12 touchdowns and 1250 yards. His name is Derek Carrier.

I didn’t think much about his future, but I do remember his performance against our team. He was the only passing threat. The next closest guy had 26 receptions for 276 yards and no touchdowns. I thought every now and then of how well he performed in DIII ball, and thought it a shame that this 6’5’’ 240lbs guy was probably done.

Earlier today, I was reading on NFL.com and found an article about the Wisconsin Badgers Pro Day. The last name on the list was a guy named Derek Carrier who ran a 4.5 40, a 38’’ vert, a 122’’ broad jump, 4.09 20 yard shuttle, and a 6.7 3 cone drill and put up 15 reps of 225 on the bench press. To put that in perspective, of all the wide receivers to attend the NFL combine, Carrier would have ranked 4^th in the shuttle, 6^th in the 3-cone, and in the top 10 in broad jump, vertical, and 15^th in the 40 yard dash. That is impressive, considering the average size for an NFL  wide receiver is 6’1’’ and 205 lbs (compliments of Sports Science), and the average 40 yard dash for a receiver coming out of college is 4.53. I would say that we have a guy with talent and a lot of potential and room for growth coming out of a school known better for girls not wearing bras than anything athletic related (aside from having a men’s swim team that included a pair of bouncy, flabby brothers that was rather record setting in their day. They are the most unathletic looking pure athletes ever). Coaches kept him moving sending him out wide both right and left, as well as moving him into the slot to confuse the defense and create mismatches, so he has experience in every position. 

In addition, a former class mate describes him as  "smart, funny, modest." He's also pulling in a 3.8 in Health and Society at competitive and challenging institution of learning.

Now I’m not saying he’s going to get drafted in the 2^nd round, but come round 5 or 6, if he’s around, as a Packers Stock holder, I’m calling for his name.

I guess I'm a biggot...

Let me start here. I am (hopefully) back to blogging. I have taken quite a long break, and missed the last two months fully. Since then I have seen my weight go from 183 lbs, to 192 lbs on Saturday, and down to 179 this morning. I have seen my nephew almost walking, and held him to calm him from a troubled sleep. I have improved my relationship with my little sister so that we have an agreement when it comes to my video games (you can play them when I am not home) as well as the clothes hanging in my closet (you take them and I break your nose J ). I went from not running to running to not running to biking. I have yo-yo’d on my diet, made plans to go to Seattle to visit my brother, had a panic attack when I thought my dog was having a heart attack, and finally seen Quigley (my other, younger, much less liked dog) not do anything when our lilac in our back yard almost fell on him during this past week’s snow storms. I started writing another book and then also gave up (I think it’s a good idea, but I need to do a lot more research). I have performed with my church choir poorly, but practiced well. I had a great game of football the day after Christmas. I finally got all my medical paperwork, handed it in, and interviewed with my Bishop and Stake President. I am currently awaiting my mission call to come in that wonderful white envelope.

Now, to the matter at hand.

Today, I had to take an online diversity awareness seminar for my job. I was asked 20 questions regarding my opinions and conduct regarding diversity, and asked to place my feelings regarding the questions on a scale of 1 to 5. At the end of the survey, I was given a score. Hrmm, a score of my opinions. They told me that I had a score equivalent to a failing grade in most every class I have ever taken. This was rather upsetting to me.

Now, I hate taking these bloody, freaking, annoying, basically waste of time online classes anyway, but this one severely irked me because I was told that I do not do enough to understand people. Now, please correct me if I am wrong, but I do not slight, ignore, and or disrespect people without waiting for them to do the same to me. Notice I did not say “never.” I know that I do assume preconceived notions about some people, but I also do not base my initial interaction with them on these thoughts (feel free to use the word prejudices’ as well, because they are). I give people an opportunity to show me who they are, and I am very good at keeping an open mind.

I will admit to one instance that comes to mind when I did do wrong. There was a loud, seemingly arrogant and egotistical douche bottle in the weight room in the fall of my freshman year at college. He had a goofy looking face, funny hair, but almost strutted through the room as if he owned it (granted, he was in good shape, and looked the part of a wide receiver), yelled around at everyone there, and could be heard from every corner of the athletic building. The second time I was in the weight room at the same time as him, I decided I really didn’t like this guy.

Winter break came around, and then indoor track season started. I reported back to school early to begin practice, and three days in, who shows up but the awkward looking, big headed, loud mouth. I was very upset. By the end of the week, I thought he was okay. By the end of the next week, I liked the guy. By the end of indoor season, I thought he was a great guy, thought rather loud and boisterous to the point of seeming arrogant. His name was Jordan Gobart.

I was not proud of the label I placed on him. What I am proud of is the way I handled myself when getting to know him. As soon as I noticed there was more to this person than the brash and volume and bowl cut, I dropped my assumptions and allowed him to show me who he was. This, I believe, is a strength. I have a willingness to be proven wrong.

Now, back to my rant. Though I am a shy and at times secluded person, once I start to get to know someone, I am very willing to continue to get to know people. I don’t care what you look like. If you are interesting to me, I will listen to you, and maybe even talk to you (I am not a great conversationalist. I am very willing to hang on to the fringes of a group as a conversation unfolds and say basically nothing). I have shown a propensity to look past peoples faults and shortcomings, and still like them (I do have a particular person in mind, in addition to myself, when I think of that. He IS arrogant, he IS loud, and he IS a bit of a cocky individual, but I was still friends with him, regardless of those things. HE was also a ginger).

I think, in the end, what I am trying to say is STOP TELLING ME THAT I AM NOT DIVERSE OR SENSITIVE TO DIVERSITY!!! No, I cannot understand everyone’s struggles, whatever they may be due to or stem from. What I do already is be sensitive to the fact that no one is me, and no one can fully understand me on this earth, and therefore, I cannot fully understand anyone else. That is where understanding another person begins; by knowing that you cannot, in your whole mortal life, ever fully understand them.