I'm a cornucopia of emotion!!!

I'm going to share a sad story first, because I hope to cheer people up as the blog goes on.
My family continued our tradition of travelling to Nashville to visit my Aunt Nancy, her fun husband Kieth, and their two adorable daughters Frances and Jacklyn. IN order to make the trip, we need someone to take care of our dogs, Quigley, a young and boisterous red heeler with more energy than a kindergarten classroom after a snack of Smarties and Bug Juice, and Jenna, a decrepit and ancient shaggy dog with more dreadlocks than a Rastafarian. Our kind neighbors are willing to take care of these two polar opposites, but Jenna is actually more trouble than Quigley. It is difficult to get her to react to you, as she can hardly see or hear. For this reason, we called a family friend who has watched her in the past, and they agreed to take her in for nearly a week. Grateful for their kindness, we tried to make Jenna rather more presentable than she was at the time. We thought that giving her a VERY thorough brushing, trim up her hair, cut out some of the dreadlocks that couldn't be brushed out, and trim up her nails. Being the old and inflexible type of dog she is, she did not take to kindly to being pampered. We were just finishing up on some brushing and trimming around one of her front paws, when she started to shake, and then she let out a strangled, mewling howl, and slid to the ground, when she began to shake more violently. I had no idea what we could even do, but my dad just held her softly and stroked her, and eventually the seizure stopped. It was so horrifying to see our family pet laying there being able to do nothing for her at that moment. Jenna is 15 years old now, and nearing her trip to the ice cream shop (her last day with us). I will miss her dearly when she goes...
In MUCH brighter news, my two little cousins are huge handfuls, but they are so adorable, and really are sweet natured. Frances is 7 and Jacklyn is 5. They are true and blue southern girls. We drove all through the night to arrive here Wednesday morning, and the rest of my family headed straight to bed. Seeing as how the girls were already climbing on me, I had very little choice but to give them horsey rides, play catch, run amuck, and otherwise be a member of great, childlike, innocent mischief. I was thinking that at least my mom would be awake within two hours, but when 10 am rolled around, she remained fast asleep. 11 came and went. Noon passed. It wasn't until two o'clock that a real break came in the form of my grandmother sitting us down for lunch. By this time, I was sweaty, my arms and legs were sore, and my joints ached. As soon as lunch was over, I tried to sneak off, but little Jacklyn was simply DYING to play pilgrims, so I dragged myself into their 18"x36" cardboard box, dubbed the Mayflower... and fell asleep. Jacklyn tried smacking me in the face asking "are you really asleep?" for a couple minutes before Nancy saw what was happening, and I was able to get a God-send of a nap; a whopping 23 minutes! The rest of the night was spent convincing them to play cards and a color by numbers variation of horses.
The next day, after my brother Brandon had arrived, the girls were back at it with us. They especially liked to play with the air mattress that I spent my nights on. Brandon and I would hold it upright and they would charge at it full speed and bounce off, or they would try climbing it like a wall. As they pulled at it more and more, it turned from a wall to a slide. Then, they pushed us underneath it and started to jump on top of it. Simply to protect our ba-.... our faces, I mean, we lifted the mattress off the ground with our backs on the ground and our hands and feet up in the air. They now had a magic carpet to ride, and boy did they ride it! They asked us to make it hop up and down, to plummet to the ground, or do the wave. Within minutes, we were bruised, sweaty and Brandon kept yelling "low efficiency" every time we had to raise the mattress in the air again. Then it gt more out of control. Eventually, while I was under the mattress by my lonesome, Frances decided to take a flying dive toward the mattress, and fell off the end, smacking into the ground. Thankfully, no one was really hurt, but we had to stop that game. Jacklyn still comes up to me every hour or two and says "can we play the mattress game again?"
I love being able to come down here. I don't like car trips and I like being able to nap whenever I want, not feeling guilty about grabbing a snack at 2 am, and whatever else besides. But even though these surface reasons would point to me having a TERRIBLE time visiting this family, I love them so much. It is always a magnificent time, and even with the bumps, bruises, sore muscles, and lack of sleep, I always look forward to my next visit. I LOVE YOU, DUCKETTS!!!
In other news, just to wrap things up, I have been sneaking through the last couple weeks of school with as much laziness as I can muster. I speed read my assignments, doing just enough to finish my homework and do a good job on tests and quizzes. I have another two papers to finish up, and two more papers. Next semester won't be nearly as kind to me. First off, I have a lab (bleah!!!). Two history classes will mean a lot of papers, and my last 300 level Econ class. But by May, I will have a degree from St. Norbet College, and that will be worth it.
Lastly, I want to point out that I am a bit of a nerd. Doctor Who is awesome. I got to watch the 50th with a wonderful family, discuss details with a great friend, and then gossip with my mom about it. I am also re-reading the Harry Potter series again (when I'm not being pummeled by these two sweet angels pulling on my hair to get me to play with them right now!), and am just now starting Prisoner of Azkaban.  I have started a new Nicholas Sparks book as well, and am still working through the Jane Austen collection, and finished a new book called the Name of the Wind. My Christmas list consists of Harry Potter, bow ties, and other assorted fantasy books.
Well, a Happy Thanksgiving to all!!! May your lives continue to be fruitful and fun and full of love!!!!

So much Halloween!

So I really got into Halloween this year. I went to three different Res Life parties, and wore a different costume for each one. I was one of the scientists from Pacific Rim for the first party Halloween night(where we played charades, had a toilet paper costume contest, and watched Hocus Pocus), went as a Scottish soccer player Friday night (I added the kilt to my costume as the temperature dropped about halfway through Ghostbusters), and then I went to the final party Saturday night as the Warded Man, a man who fights Demons by tattooing his whole body with powerful magical symbols (and we also had pizza, a dance, charades, and ended the night watching Pitch Perfect). I spent about all that afternoon making a loin cloth drawing nearly 150 wards on my legs, chest, and left arm. A friend put about 30 on my back and right arm for me. That is the biggest time commitment I have made to a costume, by far.
Since Halloween ended I made a big change; I no longer follow my strict diet plan (meats and veggies 6 days a week, binge one day a week). I wanted to test and see if there would be a significant change in my weight and/or visible body fat by vastly increasing my carb load. So far, negligible results. Hrmmm...
I also started one of my biggest commitments so far; my sister called me up and asked me if I wanted to set up a training program for her to get ready for the Phoenix marathon March 1st. Well, I nearly leapt at the idea. I have been dying to try out the marathon program from 4 Hour Body. I am 5 days in, and it is at least challenging, and my lower back seems to be bearing the brunt of the punishment. It is almost exclusively sprint training and crossfit, and three straight days of power clean followed by a 5k, then 800 meter repeats has put a nasty cramped feeling in my back. Any suggestions friends?
I have also really taken to schnazzing myself up on Thursdays. Originally, it was associated with my fraternity, but I'm not sure we are doing it anymore, but since White Collar airs every Thursday night, I now have White Collar Thursdays, and I am loving it. I get to wear a suit every week! It's quite fun, actually, and I highly suggest it to most anyone.
And to end with a two week randomness round up, time for a variety of stories. I was rather nervous November 8th. I felt the need to dress 'snappy casual,' and I worried about it all day. I started asking Kayla about my choice of clothes all through lunch, and eventually she had me stand up and sort of model it all for her... in the middle of the cafeteria. We both had a big laugh as I gave a spin and struck a pose.
Randomness, take 2: we were discussing particularism in my upper level religions class (Particularism basically says there are multiple true faiths that lead to multiple true 'salvations'), and as we took a break, one confused girl asked the professor a question for clarification, but still didn't grasp the concept fully. The professor asked simply "Well, how do you know what justice is?" And I instantly responded with a slightly raspy voice "Batman lives by it!" The class went silent and then lightly giggled as I continued walking.
Random story 3: Marc is hilarious. As an econ professor, one would think he is dry and boring. Recognizing that, he very randomly throws out stories of his kids. The latest one, he explained to his daughter that the toy she got for Christmas said made in China because, since Santa doesn't get Christmas orders until early December, he has to outsource the labor of some items from China and the US and Europe. She then, a while later, she asked why some of those toys are still on shelves in Target (et al). He responded without missing a beat that those toys were from children who were good when they wrote their lists, turned naughty over the next few weeks, so Santa eliminated useless inventory, selling it to stores throughout the world.
Lastly, I have two major plans for next semester. Starting in January, I will either be a returning member of SNC REH as an RA, OR I will be returning to the SNC Track team. The unfortunate thing is that these two organizations are mutually exclusive. Well, here's to the future!!

I have finally started!

First thing to be written is the latest to happen. For years I have been contemplating digitally scanning all my journal entries and keeping them stored that way as well as the physical copy I have. So this morning, a day in which I will have no class due to student advisement for course selection for next semester, I began to do just that. I scanned in nearly two years of entries, though I was hardly journaling over those two years, and I also scanned in the inserts (sometimes I write on little sheets of paper and put those in my journal) all the way up to March 4th, 2013. For me, properly using technology in and of itself is quite an accomplishment. As I was finishing up for the day, an elderly man came over and asked if I was using the scanner. Immediately feeling insecure for inconveniencing someone else, I told him I was just finishing up. He said not to worry, and we ended up chatting for about 15 minutes about how school (he is a retired Doc, and studying a Masters of Theology here at SNC) and life and the future. It was really interesting.
My second story involves my Christianity and Cultural Diversity class. We were in the process of discussing revelation, and truth. Prof. Brecht reiterated the teachings of a theologian stating that if we accept something as revelation, we must also accept it is true. She expounded saying that in order to accept a revelation, we must therefore live it. Using me as an example to illustrate observation versus experience, she said that she knew me; my name, that I am open, intelligent, friendly and a Mormon. Sitting there in my purple suspenders and bow tie and Calvin Klein shirt, I gently waved from my back corner of the class room as people turned to look at me. She then stated that, even knowing that, she really doesn't understand me at all; what are my deepest hopes, fears, and dreams? What was I like as a child? How do I get along with my girlfriend? It was this last statement, that caused me to burst out a partially stifled laugh. Prof. Brecht looked up at me and asked "Is there something inherently wrong about that question?" I responded, as thoughts of how often my mom makes fun of how remarkably single I have been for nearly three years, while crossing my legs and gently waving my hand like a Jane Austin character attempting to 'poo-poo' a subject "Yes, but don't worry about it." Less than a second later, I realized the absolute femininity of my response, at which point I turned to my fraternity brother sitting next to me and whispered, complete with unintended lisping and a higher than normal octave "Oh my gosh, I think she thinks I'm gay now!" I had a pretty dang good laugh about it for the rest of the day. It was a really fun way to start my day!
Continuing along the lines of fun Professor stories, my Econ Professor, and my adviser, was writing up on the board regarding how theory and application of international trade do not always (and actually hardly ever) reflect each other. He wrote "increasing tariffs can like start a tariff war." The entire class, as they copied the words into their notes, started to laugh. I read the sentence out loud in a complete Valley Girl voice, and Marc, a French born German immigrant, started laughing along with us. He continued the lesson, and even used an example. He turned to a starting defensive lineman for the St. Norbert football team and said "If I slap Dan in the face, what would he do" Without skipping a beat, I responded "Kill you." Dan just leaned back in his chair with a smile as the class again broke out laughing. It may have been the most fun I have had in a class.
My workouts continue to progress. Just the other day, my cousin joined us, and the workout was tough enough that a) he puked (SCORE!!!) b) he asked me the next day if he should be so sore that he can't move c) I was sore. This is new for me. I am consistently sore following these workouts, and I do not know why. Although, I did increase my three rep max on Squat from 185lbs to 275lbs over a week... probably simply because I haven't done squat since 2009. Oh well, big PR for me! Also, the sprints are kinda fun, but definitely challenging.
Oh, since it is advisement day, I think I should probably talk about class selection. Firstly, I hate the Gen Ed Program. It is sooooooo freakin' upsetting! Second, continuing with Gen Eds, I hate having to take a science lab. Most people get this done in their freshman, maybe sophomore year. I am finishing it my very last semester of college.Which brings up point C... point Three.. point Thirdly?... anyway, I have been able to efficiently plan my course studies to allow me to graduate following my standard 8 semesters of collegiate studies. These semesters included an over abundance of near useless classes, including some overdose of social science classes and three gym classes. But, baring any failures, I will have a degree in hand come the end of May. Boom sticks!!!
Now, to throw in my football section, for some bad news. The Mariners fell at home to the Untouchables on Saturday. The officiating was absolutely horrendous. The two biggest calls were for a touchdown for the Untouchables where the receiver obviously pushed off, AND only had one foot come down in bounds, but they called it a TD. Second, following an INT overturned by penalty, after using the WR screen effectively most of the game, out DB broke perfectly on the play, picked the ball off, and ran it in for a TD. As he was running down, a flag came out. They called illegal hands to the face, gave the ball back and gave them 15 yards. No one even knows who the call was against. Oh, well, on to next season.
BYU beat Boise state, too. That looked like a dang good game! And in less than two weeks, BYU at Madison. I can't wait to go to Camp Randall!!
Also, ENDER'S GAME COMES OUT THIS WEEK!!!!!! OMIGOSH OMIGOSH OMIGOSH!!!!!!
And on that overly subdued note, good day to you all.

Picture time? But my hair is a mess!

This past Monday, a member of the St. Norbert College Admissions office came charging into the cafeteria, and announced to the entire area that I was in "Everyone of you, get down to the river now. We are taking photos for school publications!" I looked at Alex deadpan and said "But my hair is a mess!" Well, he pleaded again before rushing off, and I decided to go along, so I ran some water over my mop of hair, ran my fingers through it, and headed to the river. It was fun, but also really awkward. I was walking around campus with people I hadn't met before with a man yelling "Laugh more! Have fun! Be more animated! Go back and do it again!" in a firm yet friendly tone.
In more important news, the Manitowoc County Mariners won the Central Division Title, and earned a first round bye following a 42-0 win over the DC Braves. We will take on the Untouchables out of West Bend at home (in Two Rivers) Saturday, October 26th, with the winner advancing to the League Championship game! I am so excited for this! The last game we had against the Untouchables was also the last one we lost. Since then, our offense has begun to click, our running game has really gotten going, and our defense has been dominant! Since giving up 35 points in our first 2 games, they have only allowed 44 in the last 7, and scored 8 touchdowns themselves, and the special teams has added 3 touchdowns of their own. I am really excited for this match up!
I recently started working my way through the complete works of Jane Austen. I read Pride and Prejudice at the beginning of the year, but after watching the Jane Austen Book Club (which I absolutely loved!!!!), I decided to read the rest. I am currently working my way through Persuasion, and it is wonderful. I love her characters!
I am also working out on a more regular basis thanks to the White Russian, Maksim. We work out three nights a week, and we are working on getting more guys to join us. I need to start some sprint workouts, though, because I really don't feel as fast as I used to be.
Hrmmmm, what else? Go Pack go! On Wisconsin! Go BYU!
Ta-Ta!

Dunno what THAT was about!

So just now I tried to log into my profile, and Google told me I didn't have access. Confused, I entered the web address again, and I was directed to a site titled "Mega site of bible studies & information." No freaking clue how I got directed there.
Anyway; I lied. I am so not back in my groove. I am falling asleep while reading again, which is bad, because  I have a LOT to read, so I really need my eyes open. Football practice was moved, so my Wednesday night is changed completely. My Professor for my 6-8 class just changed up the time on me, and now I can consider going to Zumba (I haven't done Zumba in FAR too long). Right now I am rather out of sorts.
Here is the good news; the sunrises have been spectacular! This morning, I woke up a minute before my alarm, slowly got out of bed, and turned my alarm off once it buzzed. Wondering what the weather was like, I took a peek out my window, and was instantly awake. The air was dark, shadowed and only slightly misty, but the sky over Old St. Joe's Church was a beautiful tapestry of light, coral pink, fading from east to west. I eagerly jumped into the hall to look out the east facing window, and there was the Fox, restful and serene in the shadow of the trees. The sky was gold and red above the foliage, and a small group of clouds broke the light into radiant beams as the sun crept up, and over the woods.
It has been like that almost every day this week; light of thick gold blanketing the fresh fallen leaves, thin mists that are imperceptible under 100 yards, but hang in a ghostly veil on the distant buildings, and such quiet. Walking through campus just before the red orb of the sun peeps over the leaves is such a calming and meditative experience. I have really loved and enjoyed the last week of mornings.
And on that note, it is time to read for one of my classes again... and hope I don't fall asleep.

The Emperor's New Groove

So I am easing back into this whole school thing, and I think I am assimilating myself quite well. And no, I do not consider myself an Emperor... I am simply a Lord.
I got a 96 on my first Econ test in 2 and a half years, and my History Professor conceded a debate to me before I even opened my mouth (but I won with my argument anyway, stating the US did not win the Cold War). I have gotten used to take home tests, something that I don't think I had ever had before. I am getting in a good amount of reading, bouncing between the Book of Mormon and The Miracle of Forgiveness (which has turned out to be an all around awesome book, and I have quoted from both in my Comparative Religions class). I have a new work out partner for at least 2 nights a week, a breakfast buddy, and am starting 6am work outs with some friends Tuesday and Thursday mornings. I am branching out socially, and meeting new people... real ones, even! I have been streaming Suits through USA Network and Sleepy Hollow from Fox. My football team is 6-2 after a 40-17 victory this weekend (the offense finally put up more than 21 points, tacking on 33 with a defensive fumble recovery for a touchdown). I am eating healthier than I was this summer (turns out that cottage cheese is a pretty good substitute for salad dressing. I eat about 15 such salads a week). I've lost 10 pounds this year. The terrible blisters in my feet are almost wholly healed. I attended church in Beloit, then Stake Conference in Green Bay (new Stake President), and then was back in Sheboygan in consecutive weeks. I have had fun conversations with friends about haircuts, babies, cars, fantasy football, real football, running, and relationships. My car battery died, and after getting a jump the car works a little better (Bam-Bam now dings at me to let me know that my door is open. Fancy that). I watched Atlantis and some of the characters reminded me of a couple friends (hope no one is offended). I was compared to Clark Kent, and then Jerry Seinfeld at a dance. I have found a new person to quote random movie lines with :) I just now found out that the school library does not have any Nicholas Sparks books in their inventory :( I met two freshman who don't watch movies or read >:( I dreamed I got locked out of my room >:() 
To make a long story short (too late), I think life is going pretty darn well as of late.

The Football Fantasy

I'm afraid I may be that guy. I am trying to view every game through the minute statistics that govern the games that millions of Americans play every week. Fantasy football has driven our culture to think it is a failure for a QB to throw for fewer than 300 yards and 3 TDs because we wont get the 30 points we're hoping for. If a running back cruises for 98 yards, we throw a fit because we need the bonus points for those next 2 yards putting them over 100. I am currently sitting in front of a computer hoping that Vernon Davis gets at least 15.93 points more than Russell Wilson (who I am also trying to trade for) while bemoaning Trent Richardson getting less than 8 points the same weekend my opponent had three pass catchers combine for a smidge over 83 points. Do I need to get angry? Do I have any control over this? Nope. Do I need to get angry that the Packers middle of the field is horrible porous? Can't do anything about it, so why get angry? Can I learn to catch a football better? YES! Can I stretch my hamstrings so they stop giving me fits, develop the quad muscles needed for quick start-stop explosive power? Indeed I can. Can I I work on developing quicker feet, leading to faster physical reaction to a hole in the defensive line? Absolutely. And yet, I continue to sit, changing tabs every minute or so hoping that by keeping myself locked into the game, I will somehow help bring my team victory. I have no impact on their lives, though. I do have a book to read, though. Five actually (I am adding Atlas Shrugged to the list because I want to read it after the conclusion of my research paper). And a couple text books and articles on the Cold War. That impacts my life. Let's give that a try. So here is the deal. I am posting this blog, then closing out of my fantasy tab, walking away from the computer, and spending the night reading.

Research and Running

I have found that it is very difficult to read a book while running. I did it on my first cross country course my freshman year of high school, but I can't think of a specific time since then. For that matter, it is rather difficult to read most anything while exhausting oneself by way of a sweat pouring workout. This is not good news for the masses of former high school standout athletes who are no longer a part of well structured and organized teams. They are now in charge of their own personal scheduling, and for the large portion of this group that goes to college, school work is more pressing than getting in the 20 minutes in the gym. And, let's face it, school work isn't very high on the list either. For me, I was very slack in getting in my work outs my first two weeks being back at college. This was particularly bad news given that I had signed up for a Tough Mudder to take place at the end of the second week of classes. I am pleased to announce that it was a rousing success, as far as I am concerned, and very much so look forward to doing more in the future. However, I noticed significant degradation in a number of measurable categories of fitness. So what can be done about the lack of time most people seem to feel they have?
I for one was left to choose between reading the text books for my class discussions, compiling a research bibliography, reviewing economics journals, deciphering the theological rants of staunch Jews and Christians, and reviewing the course syllabus for a new instructor and giving my advice on the challenges and strong points of the layout of the class versus trying to find a convenient time and place to soak the floor in sweat. By doing the former, I get to spend more time on the ever distracting internet. I get to stream Gaelic Storm via youtube. I get to check my fantasy teams and update my monotonous life on facebook and blogspot. I can hop over to the little 'bistro' they have in the library and get my snack on. The options seem much more varied by going to 'study' as opposed to going to work out.
The best solution I have found is a workout based around breakfast. For me, I do not have motivation to get up until 7 am because the cafeteria doesn't open up until 715. However, when I have someone to workout with, my determination to rise early increases substantially. And then it simply depends on your desires; strength gain? 3x3-5 on the bench (or variations thereof) and the same on the deadlift. Total workout is 25 minutes. For more toning and weight loss, a 3 set circuit working predominantly with kettlebells and dumbbells. Focusing solely on cardio? Bike sprints (30secs sprint, 90 seconds relaxed pace. 8 reps), or treadmill tabata (9-11mph, 10-15 degree incline. Run 20 seconds, then hop onto the side rails for 10 seconds. 10-20 reps). Total time is usually not more than 20 minutes. Full body training for most any activity? Pick 3 heavy weight exercises, 3 body weight, and three high rep variations of workouts, and then cycle through each one 2 or 3 times with a sprint between each exercise. 20 minutes.
So, for me, this begs the question; anyone busy mornings?

Return of the Super Super Senior!

Return of the King sounds much better, but my familial claims to regency died out centuries ago, so I will settle for my actual titles, which also consist of 'weirdo' and 'Best Co-non-worker', titles that I feel are fairly accurate.
The news since my last post; I am old, back at school, loved by huskies, and forgetful and forgettable. These stories will play out in no particular order, so just try and enjoy them.
I will start with the tale of the Husky. I had a lunch appointment during my unemployed week of August 19th-August 23rd, and I decided that a walk would be a lovely thing for me. I left my house about an hour before lunch was to begin. It was a beautiful day, with the sun beating down and hardly a cloud in the sky. I am not one that is generally partial to such days, but after spending almost the entirety of summer indoors, I was welcoming of the change. I was just over a mile from home when a dog comes running down a driveway in my direction. As is my standard reaction when this occurs, I immediately dropped into a crouch, my weight balanced on the balls of my feet, hands up ready to defend myself from the immanent attack of the... oh, wait, that is my reaction when a squirrel pounces. Dog; stop moving, gentle voice, hands at my sides. So this gorgeous girl comes toward me, tongue lolling gently out, and moves right past me to the terrace where she proceeds to perform her draining duties with utmost efficiency. Deciding she was a good dog, I began to walk away, but after only a few steps I glanced back to see the dog had finished, and she seemed to think it was a good idea to cross the street... cause why not? Well, the car that was barreling down the street disagreed, but there was naught I could do as I saw this magnificent creature about to be splattered by an SUV. Luckily, the car had good brakes, and began to slow immediately, and the dog broke into a trot, and no one as amiss. I thought it lucky, and continued to walk with a new idea that maybe it wasn't such a good dog after all. So I proceed down the street, when the husky saunters back in front of me, crossing the street yet again in front of traffic. Then she does it again, and again, and again. She ended up crossing the street (for those who are counting) 5 times in less than a block. I was getting dirty looks from drivers for a dog that I was in no way connected to. Well, I decide I need to lose the dog, so I cut through a park, and the dog happily runs to the playground where chillins and parents are playing. I can't even see the dog anymore when I start to leave the park, but as I begin to cross the street, I look over, and there is the pretty little thing running full throttle towards me. She follows me for nearly a mile, so, in desperation, I call every local number I can think of asking for the digits of the Sheboygan Humane Society. I finally get a hold of them, and as this poor, confused puppy wandered down the middle of Superior Avenue, I begged the call lady to send someone to get this dog. With the help of a polite woman named Anne, who pulled over after nearly hitting the dog, the dog was eventually returned to its owner, and I was able to arrive only slightly late to my luncheon.
Moving on to point two; memory. I know that I am forgettable. I left my wallet in my parents car and didn't realize it until I made it all the way back to school and couldn't swipe in to my dorm. I almost left for Sacrament meeting without putting my pants on while on my mission. I neglected to bring my book with me on an 8 hour round trip via coach bus... and then discovered I had forgotten that I moved it to another pocket. I cannot remember ANYONE'S names. Okay, if I was dang good friends with you, I got this, but I at least remember that I should remember their names. I am now back at school (to be embellished later) and have run some people that do not remember me. On the whole, many are friendly and welcoming that I am back, but there is a particular instance where one person seemingly refuses to think back to when we used to talk. I wonder if I offended her... then again, all we had in common was an affinity for Disney movies.
So I am a twenty four year old, and my first day back at school, a junior, who is a Mentor, comes up to me in the cafeteria, asking 'So how is your first day?'... ummmmm, wasn't exactly sure how to respond, but Alex is a nice kid, so I let him down slowly. I was wondering if I would be able to pass myself off as a freshman, and even 6 years older than most of them, I guess I can!
Well, I have put off my homework far too long. Anyone want to research Spanish Imperialism for me? Anyone? No?... okay...

Summer vacation is OVER!

Now that I am no longer covering shifts for the sick or vacationing, and will no longer be working over time, it is time to catch up on the last 3 months.
First, it was a good summer. Not great; I didn't get out much, spent a ton of time indoors, didn't hang out with friends a lot, and missed a couple family vacations. But there were definite positives.
My brother Tom came in for a visit. It was very touching. He came out to us, which was not at all unexpected. He made it a point to be open and verbal, and we all simply loved him a little bit more for it. The rest of his visit I spent working, though, which put a damper on things.
Also, my sister's youngest, Silas, has been growing like a weed. He is a little squealer now, and creaks and croaks at the phone and his brother all the time. He is adorable.
My younger sister is getting set to go to college, and I am really glad that she is taking this step, because a year ago I was unsure if she would.
My brother Brandon in stressing his way through Med School and has been begging me to do any semblance of fantasy football with him. It is his biggest release, and he had a countdown to our draft all the way back in June. I love that dude.
For me personally, though, I am getting set to go back to school. I have gotten all signed up for classes and gotten my housing all sorted. I was hoping to be able to room with a freshman, but I guess SNC changed the policy this year that first years had to room with first years. I have a great Monday and Friday schedule with only one class and it starts at noon. I have a night class Tuesday and Thursday, meaning I really have about 8 hours of classes during the day Tuesday through Thursday. I love it!
Also, Church yesterday was incredible. The three talks given during our Sacrament meeting all dealt with questions or concern that had been going through my head. Each one was different, but the common threads were there and obvious to me. The Bishop, Bro. Slawny and Bro. Torres all said things that spoke to my heart and helped direct me. It was incredible.
Last; Irish Fest is AMAZING! Gaelic Storm rocks my socks, and also heard a new group named Goitse. There were Irish wolfhounds, terriers and spaniels, men in kilts, green everywhere (though in large part they were simply Packer jerseys), and lots and lots of beer. I think I may go next year!

Curse you Nicholas Sparks!

It took me 3 hours to clean my room, and within three days it was already a maze again. I know exactly what my problem is, too; clothes. I don’t take the time to hang up my work shirts, or fold my jeans and put them away. Instead, everything ends up draped over chair backs and from my bunk bed. When I come back with a basket of freshly laundered clothes, they end up sitting in the basket and I just dig through it to find my attire for the day. My shoes pile up because I don’t want to take the time to go into the closet to put them away, sorted nicely into running and dress shoes, strictly casual and multi purpose. Everything I wear ends up piling up, and then I don’t want to deal with it once it gets there, but I think it isn’t a problem before it piles up. In other words, and in a much shorter version, I am not overly organized.

A less stressful mess would be the papers and books that lay strewn around my room. I have old workouts, letters, brainstormed ideas for books or short stories, doodles, random notes I took about animal populations in 11^th century Scandinavia, a motley assortment of novels and series of books that I have yet to finish ranging from Jane Austin to Bernard Cornwell to Rahl Dahl, and then the ever present emails that I found to funny to get rid of. I just need to sort all this crap; the clothes and the papers. I need a system that works for me. As long as it works, I should be okay with it. It needs to be simple, straight forward, effective, and lazy. Or maybe I should just use my hangers and trash can more.

I am also doing a very dangerous thing for a 23 year old single male; I am reading Nicholas Sparks. Now before you point and laugh too hard, know that I am already dying of embarrassment as it is a little bit. But what makes it bad (instead of simply red face flushing humility) is that the characters seem to be so perfect for each other… and then I want that… and it just isn’t realistic! For a guy to expect a woman who is strong, yet caring and vulnerable, or a woman to hope beyond hope to find that sensitive yet manly individual is most likely setting them up for disappointment. I know it does happen, but most of the time it doesn’t. Now, since I is a Sparks novel someone is obviously going to die, and I haven’t gotten to that part quite yet, but I am sure I will bawl my eyes out when it does happen, and that I am not looking forward to. And regarding expectations, it not only sets unreasonably high requirements that I may hold for my future partner, but dang do I feel bad about myself. So far in this book, the guy has a perfectly trained dog (I can hardly get mine to sit), he walked across the country (I have only ever gone about 25 miles in one day), he served in the Marine Corps (pretty dang manly, if I do say so myself), fixed the brakes on a car (I know how to fill up the gas tank), plays EVERY FRIGGIN INSTRUMENT OUT THERE (can’t even read bloody music), and is caring, sweet, attentive, sensitive, loving, passionate, knowledgeable, and all around friggin awesome. It’s like being constantly up against Mr. Darcy, but without the character flaws or pride, or prejudice (haha, see what I did there?) that causes him to be a grumpy cat in the sight of others. I think I would rather be standing next to Homecoming and Prom King, the captain of the soccer team (we didn’t have a successful football team, so I left them out of this), and those two foreign exchange students that everyone thinks are, like, oh so dreamy. At least they are all fallible people and not these perfectly emotionally stable creatures that have bodies described as ‘a waist of nothing but muscle and skin,’ too… balls. And look at that, my self-esteem just called. It’s at the airport and wants to know if I want a post card from Sicily.

On a bright note, I was able to get a couple days of sun, mostly due to football practice, and my skin is maintaining that slightly reddish brown tint that I like so much. I keep thinking I am ahead of schedule with getting a good base for summer, but then two things come to mind. First, I work indoors all the time, and will only rarely get out, so having a tan is nowhere near important for me, in all reality. Second, it is June this weekend. I am not ahead of schedule, but it has been rainy and dreary so much I continue to think it is only April. Well, so much for ending on a good note.

Ender Excitement

The biggest portion of my life right now is class selection. That is right. I am going through the near arduous task of picking what subjects to suffer through after not being a student for more than two years. I have also added a Major to my course load, but really it is simply upping my History minor to a major.  If everything goes as planned, I will be able to finish up everything in a normal two semesters.

Now come the questions though; I need to know which natural science course to take (yeah, I still haven’t taken my GS4) as well as an Upper level Biennium 1. None of the upper religion classes seem exceptionally appealing to me, and only a few are even moderately appealing. Can people just start throwing me some suggestions on which courses are easy, profs to avoid, simple labs, inexpensive text books, etc. I don’t want to head back to school with an overly strict ‘be exactly obedient you simple students’ teacher. I know it is college, but I can still go through it relaxed and a bit laid back. It got me this far.

Some other news includes the graduation of my cousin Andrew. He finished up his senior year at Notre Dame academy in GB and looks forward to spending some time in Sheboygan this summer. I will be excited to have him around. I have some fun workouts that I want him to be a part of. We will be testing him out this next weekend when he joins our Saturday morning group. Last week for the Satruday workout, as I mentioned in my fitness blog, Mark and I started the workout alone, so we figured we would throw ourselves into the 300 workout. Mark made it to the end of the ab routine, took a minute break, then heaved up whatever he had put down so far that morning behind the barn. By the time he tossed, my legs were already shaking fairly uncontrollably. Most everything was tough to do, but I found that a static hold of the weight was particularly troublesome; it is something I never train at, so I am going to tray and lock out my arms for a couple team exercises this weekend, and see how tough and challenging that is. Also, the plain old deadlift. I have not done a great deal of dead lift recently for a few reasons, but between the floor wipers and deadlift, my back and abs, my whole friggin core, is still rather sore. But I completed the workout in 18:29 on my first try.

I am also reading Ender’s Game again. I found someone who would read it this summer, and I am hoping they like it so that they will go see the movie with me come November, but I decided I wanted to read it before I lend my book out, so I am trying to sneak reading time in wherever I can, and I’m doing a pretty good job of it, as long as I stay awake. I love this book so much.

this is last weeks. this weeks is coming soon!

What do you do when a Special Agent calls you? When he wants to set up a meeting? When he wants to go through a background check? Well, I got three Calls from a Special Agent this week asking me if I would be willing to meet him and go through a background check. Ummmmm, excuse me? I have thoughts fleeting through my mind that I am Keanu Reeves from Matrix, or James McAvoy in Wanted. I’m not even a pencil pusher in my office. I stand at my teller window and smile at everyone that walks past, cordially handling people’s transactions as they walk up or call in. A well trained monkey might very well be able to do my job. But a well trained monkey doesn’t get a call from Special Agents. What if I am being recruited to S.H.I.E.L.D.? Do I have super powers?!?! Oh, my gosh, I’M CHRIS EVANS!!! (looks down at slightly sagging belly and catch a glimpse of slender arms and frizzy, flyaway hair in the mirror) Nope, not Chris Evans. Green Lantern, maybe? No aliens means that is a no go. Maybe I got bit by a Spider! (reassess stomach) I’m no Peter Parker. I guess I’m just some guy Special Agent (name goes here) feels needs to be interviewed. Instead, I am simply a wannabe.

And since I am such a wannabe, I will have the world know; I wannabe a SPARTAN!!! So I freakin’ love history as it pertains to the human confrontation that shaped the world we live in. I appreciate stories of political intrigue, and really enjoy the economic concepts that drove so many of the changes, how religion impacted the immigration of masses influencing boundaries, changing world powers. But the lives of the warriors really has a draw for me. How did Viking berserkers live day-to-day, and train for the pressures of battle? What was the upbringing of Mongolian horseman under Ghengis Khan? Were Spartans of Immortals or Samurai simply cold and calculating men so ingrained in the duties and responsibilities of their calling that there was room for naught else? I am currently reading Gates of Fire, a novel about the Battle of Thermopylae, and I am loving it. It is the story of a single boy, a Greek whose home was destroyed by a false ally. As he departs his razed city, a man, delirious with fear and maddened by grief, screams out to  him that the city would have been saved by but a score of Spartan, by a single Spartan. After living as a cityless free born for two years, ravaging the farms he could, at one point being caught and nailed by his hands to a board, he eventually travels to Sparta, believing that in them he will gain the courage, bravery, and training he needs to avenge the loss of his family when he was 10. I am coming near the climax of the story, and it is engaging and informative. It is like The Saxons Tales was for Norse warriors, or Birth of an Empire was for Mongols. Or Ender’s Ga- oh wait, sorry, that one is futuristic fiction. Sorry. But I am currently on my Spartan draw, and I, at this time, want to be the elite warrior of the Greek city states of old.

I would also like to talk about SNC graduation. It was held this past Sunday (Mother’s Day), and I was able to make it up for a few parties, and I got to see some people I hadn’t seen since I left, and some I hadn’t seen since my freshman year (Kaleigh!). I got to hug my school mom, visit with my Zumba instructor, hang out with my old staff, re-visit with my old forensics competition, watch Harry Potter with future graduate mates, and spend some quality time with my family line. I definitely did not get to see everyone, but there is next year for that. I will be back, my friends, on the beautiful campus beside the (probably toxic and mutated) Fox River.

For Mother’s Day, my mommy got up too early for me to make her breakfast, so I simply poured her a bowl of cereal, and, in quoting a Gaelic Storm song, asked if she could get a spaceship in her cereal bowl. I laughed at her telling her I could not do that for her, but when she turned her back I grabbed the nearest bottle of carbonated flavored water and began to cut out fins and wings from a cereal box (I don’t think I have ever typed cereal this many times in my life!), and taped them all together and made a fun little spaceship for my mum. She loved it. The only problem was that the cap was the nose, so it would only be able to go backwards. Oh well! It is still sitting in the fridge, cardboard and all. Well, at Festival today, a man was checking out and dropped a bottle of Fanta. It landed on its tip. It exploded and shot across the floor, straight into our teller counter. Bloody orange spaceships…

Inspire me, my friends!!!

For the same reason that my workout blog was postponed, my regular blog was put on pause. I have not found that I have been very productive or proactive in any way. I have attempted to be rather lackadaisical. I started watched The Sarah Connor Chronicles on Amazon Instant Video. I have been going to bed rather early (previous to 10 3 or 4 times in the last 2 weeks). I am even lacking the drive to get up and eat some days because I have convinced myself that the couch is simply too comfy.

I believe this might have stemmed from finishing season 6 of Doctor Who. As with most any series that I obtain an appreciation for, I find myself wanting. When My mom and I finished Chuck, we simply looked at each other and physically connected “let’s just start over and pretend we never finished.” After I finished reading Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows, I looked at all the books I had arrayed on my shelves, and gave in to my refusal to admit the end. I re read the whole series. I am constantly watching movies again, re-reading books, going back through my favorite TV series, because I miss the stories, the excitement, the characters, their struggles. I want to be Neal Caffrey, or Charles Bartowski, sit through a Charms class with Professor Flitwick, or patrol Ahnk-Morpork with Carrot Ironfundersson, or, or, or, or.

I guess what this means is that I find my life too boring. FAAAAAARRRR too boring. So I ask the people who read this to give me ideas or inspiration for their favorite activity or best lifestyle choice, or whatever it is that brings the most joy and excitement into their daily life, cause work and exercise with food and sleep sprinkled in just isn’t doing it for me anymore.

i need to be regular!

Work has been rather taxing as of late. Usually, it was Tuesdays that I would get off. I would work open to close Monday and Thursday, and shorter shifts Wednesday and Friday. Saturday I would either work open to close or a 10-3 shift, depending on who else was working. Now, considering our staffing issues, I have a very sporadic schedule. I had Monday off two weeks, ago, Wednesday last week, Thursday this week, Tuesday next week, then Wednesday the following week, and I the nights that I close now include Tuesdays on a regular basis, meaning that I am unable to attend rugby practice 3 of the next 5 weeks. I can't get into any patterns. I wake up every day unsure of what is going on. It kinda sucks.

Kilts; they are so wonderfully comfortable. They allow for near complete range of motion. They are semi-stylish in that odd ‘that doesn’t go with anything, so it casually clashes with everything’ type way. A kilt is also great attire for a formal occasion. All you have to do is know which family tartan it is, research their history a little bit, and wear a bow tie and some flashy sneakers with it. I did just that this weekend. It was once again time for the annual Roncalli High School Auction. I was once again auctioned off as a server for ‘The Best Seat in the House.’ It is located in the middle back of the room and allows an unimpeded view of the entire room from a comfortable set of lawn chairs and a table. I hustled around through the entire event for a few hours at the beck and call of Chris and Rick, a wonderfully fun and generous couple who invited most anyone who was walking past to have a drink with them. They had a great deal of fun bidding on more oral auction items and eventually invited me to have a seat at the table with them as the oral auction drew to a close. We discussed other fund raisers they have helped organize, their personal business ventures, and they were kindly interested in my goals and plans for the future. It was a very fun evening, and I look forward to next year when I can do it all again.

I also had football practice this weekend. It was a lot of fun, and I took the majority of snaps at h-back, a combination of running back and receiver. I had a few simply bad drops in warm ups, but performed better in game simulation drills. I found I really need to work on my jumping skills. I have a pathetic vertical and got over thrown on at least 3 occasions, but another 3 inches would have given me enough height to reach it, though probably still not enough body control to bring in the catch. I find that I am now rambling slightly, but being able to spend three hours on a sunny afternoon practicing football was a ton of fun. I now have a perfect farmers tan, compliments of the compression shirt I wore. My arm goes from white to red on a perfect line of my upper arm. I am bruised, sore, and scabbed. My legs were shaking and my busted foot was screaming with pain, but I had a great deal of fun, learned a lot, and met some guys that I had not been introduced to before. I am very excited for the upcoming season.

And then there is the spring thaw. I drove up to Green Bay two weeks ago and there were still bodies of water covered in ice. Then, 10 days later, I was running without a shirt… at night. The swing in temperature, and the lack of rain, the last few days has resulted in a fabulous change of mood (and the aforementioned sun burn). The sun is currently shining, but it is now cloudy… now sun- no, wait, clouds. Oh, whatever. It is partly sunny.

I also filled my car up last week, and I am getting about 29mph. Not bad for a car old enough to drive itself. It gets a little 'jumpy' when it rains, though, and given that it has been rainy 80% of the time I drive it since I bought the car, it has been jumpy quite often. I don't like that. It makes it look like I can't drive stick. And I can drive stick.
The best news I have heard in a few weeks is that my dear friend Elder Berg might be able to come home earlier than expected (though not in the same way I cam home early). Because he left at the beginning of January, he might be sent home previous to Christmas! I would love to see him as early as possible, cause I really miss him, but I am so proud of him and wish him the best. He is doing a fantastic thing by serving his mission. It is enriching his life so much, and I can tell that from every letter I get from him. It is so wonderful to see those changes in his life, and see the improvements, and yet he remains himself in most every facet. I felt the changes of a mission, and I believe in the positive influence of the people you serve, as well as those you serve with. I know that the Spirit change bring about a change of heart, and the inner desires of your very core can change through the influence of the Gospel. I love the Church, the Gospel, the Atonement, and our Lord and Savior. I am so glad that I know what I need to do to be happy, to feel secure, and to fulfill my greatest dreams.
My mom recently taught a Sunday School lesson where she asked a room full of 13-18 year olds what their five year plans were. The answers varied rather widely, but they each had a rough idea of what they wanted to accomplish. She then asked what things could occur in their lives to throw their plans out of synch. The answers cam again, and there were plenty of them. She then asked "What is your eternal plan?" Essentially, where do you want to be for time and all eternity? The answers were very similar. The followup question was what can change these plans? The conclusion the class came to was that a lot can happen in the world to change your short and even long term plans, but if you set your eternal goal, outside forces are irrelevant. The choices you make to achieve eternal joy is a lifestyle, the small and simple decisions made every single hour of every day. They are not things that can be forced upon you or seized from you. Nothing can prevent you from living your life and making your choices.
Unless you get drugged or brainwashed, of course, but I don't think that counts as you making choices, then.

Life seems to get in the way of living...

It is another two for one this week as I didn't post at all last week even though I wrote it. So, here goes!

April 12th

Someone came into the bank today. They were rather hysterical. They were cussing quite a bit. No less than 3 f-bombs crossed their lips in the first sentence they spoke. It turns out they knew someone, and this person had what authorizes considered an intimate connection with someone who, let’s say, was wanted… by the authorities… and by authorities I mean government agencies that are charged with apprehending people.

It turns out that the police and other law enforcement agencies had drawn a connection between this vulgar mouthed individual and their wanted criminal. Because of their suspicions that the criminal would attempt to flee to and hide at the home of the potty mouth, they had actually been staking the home out for quite some time. Not only that, they had asked a third person who was relatively close to our manic individual if they would be willing to wear a wire and strike up a conversation regarding the criminal at large. I couldn’t believe it; the authorities really do wire people and send them in! When they could not find evidence of the fugitive staying in the home and having gotten no information through the wire, they decided a more forward and effective approach would be to surround this frazzle person with cop cars… in the Festival Foods parking lot, no less. Well, hands in the air and shaking like mad, they told the police in as straight forward a way as they could that there was no love lost betwixt them and the wanted person, and if they did have information, it would have been shared with the po-po long before.

What a great Friday!

Now, to business. The great conundrum of my life occurs most every night; Dr. Who or Top Gear? The more I look up the episode list for Top Gear, the more I want to watch it. But there is a whole slew of characters in Dr. Who that I am anxiously waiting to meet. Jeremy, Hammond, and James are hilarious in their own ways, but the erratic qualities of a David Tennant driven Doctor are ‘fantastic’, to quote the previous Doctor. What to do?

We have also been going through quite an upheaval at work. Another employee is no longer here, so we are back to working the branch with 4 people. This branch is designated to operate with about 275 man hours a week, and we are trying to cover it all  with 175 hours. Its overtime for everyone! But it is rather tiring and difficult to find time for rugby or football practice, or even simply karaoke. I have not done karaoke since the first Thursday in March. It has been far too long and I miss it very much, but there just isn’t time. Then there is school. I am having to jump through a bunch of hoops in order to get everything in place to return to school. It really is not that much fun at all. It is rather obnoxious, but I do really want to complete my degree, and even just getting back to school will be a ton of fun! I am very much looking forward to it, but this whole tax forms crap is pretty dang annoying.

Speaking of St. Norbert, I had lunch at Acuity Insurance yesterday, and I felt like I was back in the caf. I saw 6 SNC grads in a matter of 3 minutes. It was pretty cool to see them and talk with a couple of them, even if one of them did think I was my older brother. I may want to work there after school.

April 20th

It has been a rather long week for me. My Manager told me he wanted me to have less overtime, so he said I could go home early on Friday. I stayed an hour later. Because of this, they told me to come in late this morning. I came in early. Oh, and stayed a half hour later. 49 hours of pay this week. And a 48.75 coming in May, and that is what is already scheduled, which I may very well work more than! We need bankers! SO APPLY!!!

Now that that is out of the way, I have been working out with Mark and Liam again this week, including this morning. It was a long and arduous workout, but nearly worth. I think I could have done better, but my diet this week has been atrocious. I have been living off of Kwik Trip Glazers and Little Debbie fudge rounds and Pringles for lunch. I'm serious. 5 days this week, I ate nothing but processed sweets! I feel like death. I don't want to move. My body aches. I'm always tired. This is no way to live! I hate it. I want sandwiches and pasta, pizza and salads, gyros and pork chops, ham and chicken. I love that stuff! It tastes good, it's healthy, and I do actually prefer it. There are no fantastic glazers or magnificent fudge rounds. They all taste the same. But a well seasoned and prepared lamb chop that melts and soaks your mouth with tasty, bloody goodness (sorry to all the vegetarians out there) or a salad with fine and zesty parm and exploding with taste cherry tomatoes (sorry carnivores) is far beyond that manufactured taste. But I am lazy.

I am also rather broken. I have been limping all week, and my injury knowledgeable Bank Manager tells me I may have a fractured heel in my right foot. Right then! On to the Doctor you say? NO! Too expensive and time consuming. Also, I prefer The Doctor (as is Who) to the MDs of the world (except my Brother). I have watched two seasons this past week. If I am not at work, sleeping, or working out, I am watching the Doctor. So I will be heading back to that now. 

Allon-sy!

Save the date!!!

I has a car… I bought me a car… it’s a nice car… I like my car…

So, in case you didn’t notice, I have been car shopping quite a bit recently, and I finally succumbed and bought a ’97 Saturn. It is a 5 speed manual transmission with 100 horsepower on the nose. It is somewhat lacking in zip from the starting line, but my little car seems serviceable enough for my intentions and gets me where I need to go faster than running does. I spent a large portion of my first day with it, attempting to determine what gender my car is. I do think it is a girl. It has a feminine feeling about it. Any name suggestions?

Two more things that I take to be of import; I have need of two dates (now the term 'date' is simply in reference here to 'one who is willing to set aside the time to attend said function with me' and does not connotate a romantic connection betwixt us. This invitation is also gender neutral). 

First date; I will be working at the annual Roncalli Riverside Auction and I have two tickets, so I need someone to come with me. It is a fantastic time, a night of window shopping, with tons of Silent Auction items and a large selection of Oral Auction items. They will need to be a somewhat self-sufficient date, as I will be working for a great portion of the oral auction, and they will therefore be with out me. Anyone who wants to attend but does not want to be my date, feel free to talk to me and I can get you tickets for $5 apiece. Must be 21 to attend, as alcohol is available for purchase.

The second date I am looking for involves more of a commitment; it requires reading a book and then going to a movie. The book and movie are both titled Ender’s Game. The book is a family favorite, and I found the movie poster last week and freaked out audibly at work. I involves child prodigies molded into military leaders, invading aliens hordes, and inter personal and familial struggles that could determine the fate of the human race. Fan freakin’ tastic book!

Then there was Easter. I am growing to love Easter more each year, and trying to focus my thoughts on the Atonement and Resurrection more. Our service on Sunday was wonderful and full of the Spirit. I learned a number of things that I had not thought about before. I gained further testimony of the truth of my faith and the love of my Savior. I love this Gospel and the light and hope it gives me.

For Easter Dinner, my family went to my grandmother’s house, and we had a fantastic meal. I devoured a huge serving of her candied sweet potatoes and ate about half the ham. My mom had a triple decker triple chocolate torte, and even the salad was magnificent. I ate too much, but loved it!

Additionally, I have started a new blog to go in line with this one. It is called Skills, Technique, and Coordination. I named the blog in honor of the venerable Elder Adam James Berg. He is 15 months into his mission now and will be home in another 9 months and a week. I very much look forward to his return. The title is derived from his spectacular ability to couch potatoes for months at a time, and then dominate a game of pick up soccer or ultimate Frisbee. Any time he would pull off an acrobatic catch, of a spectacular dive, he would shake it off and just say he was gifted with “skills, technique and coordination,” abbreviated as simply “skills.” The new blog is rather narcissistic, being entirely about my workouts, diet, weight, and measurables, but I like the prospect of having a centralized place to track my progress in all things physical. So if you will follow it, enjoy!

 

Getting down to a size zero can be relatively easy, me thinks... I'm doing it!

A number of fun things happened to me this week, and yet my spirits are lower than they have been in a while. It kinda stinks when that happens; you get engaged in all the fun and interesting and exciting activities that you have been so looking forward to… and yet your life seems worse. It’s like going to a theme park for a day, being all bouncy with anticipation and then you feel upset or discouraged or whatever the entire time you’re there and then depressed (not clinically, simply in a mood dampened relative to your norm) the entire drive home because you didn’t enjoy it. Well, that is somewhat how I feel. There is so much I am looking forward to, but I keep failing my own expectations and falling short.

Well that is enough of the sad stuff, so on to the things I had been looking forward to. I am on a new diet that is actually going fairly well, but I it is a temporary diet at best and I will be making a transition at the end of the month. I have controlled my appetites far more than I have succumbed to the thoughts of wanting a snack or thinking I’m hungry. I have been drinking ample amounts of water, exercising with regularity, added more stretching and some relaxing meditation, and have cut down my body weight from 185 at the end of February to 171 as of Wednesday morning (but I had a very lazy day Tuesday with regards to getting up from watching Dr Who and eating, so I think I am actually generally at about 173). My goal was to get my body fat percentage to 6% by the end of the month, and I have one more week to realize that goal. Huzah!

Then there is Rugby. I have had a conditioning practice and then a full contact practice in the past week. Both of them went relatively well, and I feel more explosive and powerful than I did a year ago when I first decided to play rugby. I have a three team tournament April 13^th, and I have a great deal of work to be ready for it, but I eagerly anticipate the crushing contact of full speed rugby. Our team is a bit small (total member wise and average weight wise), so I believe we will be playing a lot of speed packages, so to speak. This means I should see the field quite a lot.

Then there is football. I missed our second practice because I had to work, but I have been doing a bit of my own training methods (some with rugby) to get ready for the start of official practices so I hope to not be too far behind. I had so much fun at that first practice, and I have been dreaming of playing for my whole life. This is the thing I am most looking forward to. It’s football. It’s freakin’ awesome. It is amazing! It is a sport I love that I have never had a chance to play, and now I am taking life by the horns and yelling in its face that this is something I am going to do so it better bloody well accept it! That was a little bit more fiery than I anticipated.

Then there is news on another front; I have (once again) been re-accepted to St Norbert College. Thank you, thank you, I am really looking forward to those beautiful trees in the fall and the river frozen over and the Zumba classes (but I may no longer be going to Zumba without Sarah Christensen teaching the class anymore :(  ), the cafeteria, the classes, and definitely my dear friends. I will return!

And now; donuts. I love donuts, and I found a recipe for donuts, so I might very well make donuts on Friday, my next ‘cheat day.’ I will attempt to shovel as much food in my mouth as I can that day, and donuts seem like a great thing to shovel. I also don’t work until 11, so I have all morning to make donuts and then I can take them to work and save money by not buying my regular cheat foods; donuts (of course), Little Debbie, Snickers, chocolate milk, Oreos, and whatever other snacks, treats, and goodies jump into my fanciful imagination. Massive sandwiches, fat and greasy burgers, chicken nuggets, disgustingly tasty Taco Bell, Cheetos and chips, whatever my fancy runs I gobble it up. Oh, am I looking forward to Friday now!

I'm so lazy!

So there are technically three posts going into this one, but one is really short, and it is this... it is way too nice out, so I'm going for a run. g'bye!

March 18th

Let me start this post with a simple statement; I love Gaelic Storm. I finally made it to a concert, and on March 14^th, I travelled north to the Meyer Theater in Green Bay, WI, and watched Gaelic Storm perform. They were freaking fantastic. I was singing along at the top of my voice, clapping, cheering, whistling, stamping my feet, and I may or may not have been flirting with the fiddler. It was the first concert I had ever been to, and it was the perfect first concert. I love basically all their music, and could sing along with every song that I had heard of theirs. We called them back out for encore after encore, and a concert that was supposed to be done at 10 didn’t draw to a close until 10:50. My section led a fantastically choreographed dance to one song that drew laughs from the drummer, the fiddler, the guitarist, and the lead singer even gave us a shout out after the song was over to come tour with them. I came home giddy and with a beautiful, leather bound hipflask. It was a near perfect night.

In celebration of this wonderful event, my mom made two great meals; the first was a batch of icing drizzled scones that were the best I had ever tasted. They were sweet and crumbly and utterly, diet destroyingly delicious. It took a great deal of my will power to wrap those treats up in tinfoil and put them off until my cheat day. She also made a Wisconsin style Irish breakfast; fried eggs and Johnsonville ‘bangers’. After not getting to bed until 1am, she woke up early to cook up 14 brats with near perfection, cooking them thoroughly, and evenly and without bursting a single casing. SO GOOD!!!

I then spent the next three days recuperating from my wild partying. I was tired, worn out, and so utterly fatigued. I did almost nothing but watch Netflix with my dad all Friday, with my mom all Saturday, and did nothing but attended meetings and church services all Sunday. Although, I did spend most of Saturday eating beyond my heart’s content. I got up in the morning with the intention of having a good, healthy breakfast of oatmeal and eggs, but those scones were calling my name from their aluminum wrappings in the refrigerator. Their argument was very convincing, so I ate them for breakfast… and washed them down with a half-gallon of juice… and then a bag of fun sized Snickers… and a protein bar… and a half dozen bags of fruit snacks… and a can and a half of Pringles… and then I ate three donuts… then a 1400 calorie milk chocolate shake… oh my gosh I feel like a fatty just listing that off! Then I went out and brought home $40 of Chinese… just to top off my breakfast. I got the Chinese for my family, though, not just myself! And there are leftovers!

Some other highlights of the last few weeks include, but are not limited to, watching Dr. Who, finishing Season 1 of BBC’s now defunct show Robin Hood, playing football in the snow, and not slipping and sliding on the ice as I go for a run, which is not very often because there is ALWAYS ice on the ground.

March 4th

Once a year, I am afflicted with a head cold of rather serious proportions. I feel as though my head is swollen to twice its normal size, sneezes come with  AK-47 rapid fire succession, and my nose runs like a Kenyan hunter. But a thought occurred to me as this latest assault on my health and wellness began; what if I’m not sick? What if I simply spend all year building up an unfair portion of awesomeness, and therefore I must disperse it to the world through nasal explosions as well as a slow yet very deliberate drip from mainly my right nostril. Well, once I realized this, I began to sneeze on each and every person I felt needed a dose of awesome. This did not last very long at work, and it actually got me kicked out of Nicky’s Lionhead just off the St. Norbert campus on Saturday night. I don’t understand, though. Doesn’t everyone want to be more awesome? I am simply attempting to spread the awesome I have with everyone! That’s freakin charity, man!

Anyway, aside from trying to awesomize everyone I met, I also got to spend my entire Sunday afternoon with the Masarik family. They are a family that is dear to mine, and it was absolutely fun to see them. We talked about a number of different topics, but the main topics seemed to be raising children (they have 3 kids under the age of 6 being home schooled), tv shows on Netflix an Amazon instant video (Dr. Who, Merlin, and Robin Hood to name off the BBC ones), and spirituality. We were there for about 5 hours, and even though I felt that I should be disengaging from conversation because it had been going on for too long, I was always drawn back in and my interest was rekindled. I am not entirely sure if that was due to the quality of conversation, which was fantastic and wonderful and engaging, or if I am beginning to change and become more social and conversational. I have already noticed it at work; I am speaking more freely with people and talking to people I otherwise would not have only a year ago. In some ways I am glad, but I am also a bit afraid that I am going to become even more chatty and will get to the point of being overwhelming or annoying (even though I already find a great deal of my conversing to be borderline annoying… is that bad?). So I make a request; please be honest with me if I come off as annoying. I do not think I will be doing the same for you, though. I am still a touch too timid for that.

In other news (meaning actual news), Sheboygan got punch, pounded, and beat down by a rather mean snow storm last week (this information may only be news to those 7 readers who live outside of the Sheboygan area). The name of this storm; Winter Storm Gavin. After Winter Storm Draco pummeled the entire East Coast and dropped a good foot on the Appleton and Green Bay area, it left a very disappointing footprint in Sheboygan; a rain soaked city that froze over the next day. Where 15 miles inland from us there was a lovely thick coat of white fluff fallen upon a picturesque street in Plymouth, we did nothing but trudge through snow washed into our drains by the incessant rain. Last Tuesday night and Wednesday was inversed; it was a quaint pretty snow in much of North East Wisconsin, but the Storm recognized my presence and determined to ruin my week, so he swung back around to drop snow on us and blow a mean wind through our neighborhoods. Well, I was almost certain that work would be cancelled. Lakeland Auto was closed, restaurants shut down, they even stopped plowing the streets and parking lots because they just could not do it! But, Associated Bank pressed on, and we braved the snow to report to our positions inside the bank. We had a dozen customers by the time my day ended.

I also came up with what I believe to be a fun idea; over the next 4 weeks, I will attempt to lose four percent body fat by lifting for 4 total hours, and average of 8 minutes, 34.28568 seconds a day. I think it will be a definite challenge. Anyone want to take me up on it and do it for themselves? I can post my previous day’s diet and exercise for you to mimic.

The weather in London must be something like this

I’m late on this post. So much for trying to get these posted on Monday or Tuesday. I must say, though, that this weather is doing almost nothing positive for me. The walk in to work last Thursday was very pleasant, but since that time forth it has been naught but infuriating. A wonderful warm spell is ruined by cold rain, wind is whipping around us on days when it isn’t too cold or there isn’t some form of rain or snow, ruining those other wise pleasant enough days, and then everything is freezing. There is so much ice on the sidewalks, and I simply cannot run to work with it all underfoot. It is slippery enough for just walking around. I was afraid of tearing my knee apart today. I tell ya, it’s no good.I constantly think this is similar to the British Isles (or a box of chocolates); you never know what you're gonna get.

Good thing we had football practice indoors. It was a ton of fun, too. We had a series of position drills for 2 hours on Saturday night. I learned a bit about the offensive playbook, and got to run out at wide receiver, inside at the slot receiver, as well as playing halfback and full back. I got to do some runs up the gut, but most of what we ran was the passing game. On one play, our QB threw a little higher than he intended and it bounced off our tight ends hands, but I cut underneath my route and caught it on the deflection behind coverage. On another play, I was lined up out wide against press coverage and our veteran running back dropped into the QB position (WILDCAT!!!) and took the snap. I beat the press, got deep on a skinny post, and the pass went wide to the left sideline, and was underthrown, I cut back to get underneath it, out jumped the safety, and snagged the ball out of the air and took it all the way. Those were my really good plays. I did mess up a few times (one wrong route, and one false start), but overall I did better than I was expecting of myself.

Now to the topic that is consuming the most of my thought/time at the present; I am looking at buying a car. I had been looking before, but kinda gave up a little bit. Now I am back in the race. There is an old Subaru I’m looking at, but online prices range from 2700 to 900, and he’s asking 2500 for it, but willing to settle for 2000. If it was a dealer, I would go for the 2000, but seeing as he is simply selling it from his driveway, I am skeptical. And he hasn’t owned it long, so what are the problems with it? Bleah… so I started looking at dealers. I found a nice 2006 Impala with under 100k miles for 8500. That is pretty good, and depending on the financing I could get it for just over 100/mo in payments. But then there is insurance, and taxes, and gas, and maintenance, and this, and that, and blah, and bleah. So how much would it actually cost to own? If I wasn’t going back to school in the fall, I would get the Impala, but I think the Subaru handles what I need right now. Plus, the Subaru is a manual, which I absolutely love, and the Impala is an automatic transmission, which I find somewhat boring. There is also a Cadillac CTS for sale that would only cost about 150/mo, which is really nice. Or I could go for an old Saab for 100/mo… or there’s the Subaru…

I hate peeling eggs...

So here is the deal, chaps and chapettes; writing to strangers is kinda weird. I have done it only a handful of times. I had to write to another German student at a cross town high school my sophomore year; I sent an email to a person that I was ‘introduced’ to over the internet (no, not online dating); I sent a letter to a girl whose grandmother pressed me to write while I was on my mission; and then I just recently wrote a friends sister-in-law who is on her mission. In all of these cases it is difficult to try and figure out what to say or include about yourself to let them understand you a bit more personally without being overbearing or downright creepy. Plus, what sort of introduction works for never meeting someone? Well, one that I employed most recently was a parody of Carli Rae Jepsen. I wrote (in fun scented markers and a different color for each line) “I’ve never met you - I guess I’m crazy – but here’s a letter – so write back maybe” and then I signed it as a friend of her sister’s. I think that is about as god as it gets for a blind approach via script.

I am getting very excited for football practice this upcoming week, and I have actually been trying to recruit a handful of friends to put on the pads with me. Well, so many of them had played so rough for so long that they are all of them no longer in shape to knock heads with other people. Between unresolved neck injuries, torn ACLs and 5 too many concussions, torn rotator cuffs, mangled hands, and loss of vision, they are not prepared for a full season of impact, now or possibly ever again. It is a real shame since two of them are such pure athletes, and another has one of the best arms I have seen in person that does not play on Sundays. I shall, therefore, be flying solo as I attend try outs this weekend (unless there are any 18+ guys that would like to get involved. Email me!).

I would like to include a fun story from church. My dad was teaching the lesson, and he was asking about receiving promptings from the Holy Ghost and if there comes a time that the Spirit ceases to speak to us. Mark Palenske spoke up saying that his mother still tells him what to do, even though he is a 38 year old man with three growing boys of his own, and he knows that Heavenly Father loves him far more than his mother does, so he cannot see the Spirit stopping talking to him. My dad then turned to me and asked how old I was (23) and then asked Mark if I ever told him how often I am told the same things over and over by my parents, or if I ever tell him that they nag me. Mark replied that I am a great kid who never spoke ill of my parents, all speaking of them with respect. I began to lean back into my pew, stretching my arms out just cool as a cucumber. When Mark was done talking, I took out my wallet and handed him a 10 as the entire chapel broke out laughing. Good times.

I’m trying to come up with another fun story, but my memories of this last week are mostly of throwing eggs and working, so we shall leave it there for the time being. Enjoy the icy roads, everyone! It’s like a thousand car slip’n’slide out there!

But it's magical, harry. The post is magical!

Another long delay between posts, but I do see anyone beating down my door in an attempt to get me to post again. So this past weekend was the Super Bowl, which I had honestly in part forgotten. I was trying to figure out what I had going on Sunday night, but it was hazy on the edge of my mind and took me quite some time to remember that Ray Lewis was playing his final game, a game that I had no idea what to expect of. It could have been a very boring and drawn out game were nothing exciting happened, or the firework show that the second half turned out to be. The Ravens defense behaved at their best and at their worst, allowing 24 points in less than five minutes but also held the 49ers without a touchdown on 3 drives into the 20, including their final possession. Kaepernick was arrogant, the 49ers safeties were spearing with their heads, Jacoby Jones was still too unprofessional for me to respect him as the athletic speed demon he is, and Boldin and Flacco can be a dangerous combination. Ray Rice still fumbled, Delani Walker was actually catching the ball, and the refs let everyone play. If it wasn’t blatant, they didn’t call it. It made it one of the more exciting games to watch simply because everyone could play their game without much consequence at all.

Saturday night was a lot of fun as well. I had my first meeting with the Manitowoc County Mariners, and the banquet was tasty, the company was fun, and the team seems excited moving forward. They went 5-5 this past season, and may be losing out on a number of important players, but they seemed eager for the upcoming challenges. I ate with two of the team captains, as well as two players I would consider semi-starters. I reminded me of eating in the caf at good ol’ SNC. Man I miss that place…

Also, last week was a very busy one for me. A bank in our area closed down and it seems as though everyone who went to that branch is now coming in to us. Our daily transaction total has about doubled from what it was. We are seeing tons of new faces, and even introducing new customers to Associated Bank. We also finally have a manager again. I ended up working 50 hours last week, and that was with calling it quits early some nights. It was an exhausting time. So on my day off I decided some rest and relaxation was called for, so I went back to high school! I got to play badminton for 4 ½ hours! It was so much fun, and got more challenging as the classes went on. The freshman class I played against originally I outscored 94-9 in 6 games, and the I went undefeated, but the score average dropped to 4-1 in the second class, and then it went back up to about 6-1 for the last class. Oh, and the cafeteria’s Salisbury steak was pretty tasty, too.

Another fun thing going on in my life is training time with my mother. My dad and I collaborated a little bit and he got her a membership at Planet Fitness and I go there with her every Saturday morning and a few times during the week to workout with her. It keeps us both regular… I mean, it helps us be regular with our attendance at PF.

Another fun development would be a new series of books. I only know of two books so far, but the first one was pretty amazing. It was titled the Warded Man. So good. It is about a people who fight demons, and when I say fight I mean they hide behind magical symbols called wards that hold them back when they come in the night. It mainly follows three characters; one a boy who wants to be a messenger, one of the few brave souls who would ride beyond the warded walls of the homes; a girl who trainers as an herb gatherer, the medical and scientific  professionals of the world; the third is a boy, who lost his family and was raised by a jester. It’s hard to tell much more about it aside from the suspense and intrigue of the book goes like this. “This is pretty good. Haven’t read this same story before. Oh, suspense. I like it. Oh, more back story. Well told, though. Oh, that’s cool. Woah, that was pretty awesome. No way… no friggin way. OH, SO DANG COOL!!! OMIGOSH THIS IS SO AWESOME!!!! MOM, WHERE’S BOOK TWO?!?!?!” So I am really looking forward to reading the Desert Spear.

To wrap up a couple other things, I really liked the naming of the winter storms this year. I noticed ones named Draco, Luna, and Gandalf. Not sure exactly who it is that is naming these storms, but I bet they are a bit of a fan of magic. At least that is the connection I am making in my head.

Also, for those of you who like bows, my dad was gifted a bow by a generous man in my congregation, and I plan on shooting it at my friends farm this weekend before heading inside to play Age of Empires for 6 hours. BOOM!!
And as any typical day off would have it, I am currently being snowed in by a surprise storm. I do not know this ones name, though. Probably Winter Storm Quirrell...

I'm sure I have time somewhere...

After a few brief weeks of being a bit of a social butterfly, my friend Brian went back to New York state, and since then I have only socialized once. Ouch. I was really starting to get into it. I was having fun. I was trying new things. I played Just Dance 3 which is friggin awesome!!! Karaoke was tons of fun as well. Instead, I find myself either working or at home. Even though I have a stack of books to read, I have stagnated on that as well. I haven’t gone for an honest run in weeks. I am really not sure what it is. But it isn’t all bad. I am so very glad that Castle is back on the air. For my mom’s birthday last week we watched the first new episode of the year, and it was fantastic. We also started re-watching Firefly. I am not sure what it is, but Nathan Fillion just seems to be a great actor for our family. Well, those that are still home. Both my brothers have bones to pick with Fillion, Castle, and Firefly. Where my mom and I find the smarmy arrogance of Fillion’s characters fun and an addition to the show, T and Brando find it irritating. That is what I have been able to gather from them thus far, at least. Even his roles as Captain Hammer and the OB/GYN in Waitress fit his perceived persona perfectly. To be quite honest, he probably is rather like that in real life, but I do not know seeing as I have never met him. It is a great deal of fun to look back into old episodes after watching new ones and see how much weight he has gained, though. It is also fun to realize other roles he has been in, such as watching Saving Private Ryan and realizing he is the other Private Ryan that does not need to be saved because he is not Matt Damon. Fun stuff! But 1 episode three days a week is far short of the rate I was watching them before I had a job. That really takes up my time.

So I think what I am getting at is if anyone is in Sheboygan and is looking for a good time, please come up with a good idea, cause I ain’t got none, and try and catch me when I’m not working. But I guess what I'm kinda trying to say is, does anyone know how to squeeze a movie in the 37 minute time window I have available?

Not as Soon as I Would Like

I used to try and post to my blog each and every day. Then, the college football regular season ended, and I was only posting every 2 or 3 days. Then, the Packers were eliminated from the playoffs, and I didn’t post for 2 months… okay, it didn’t quite go like that, but it is kinda close. I was pumping out posts like crazy when I first started, but then on my mission I could only post once a week, and I found that worked fairly well. There are some instances that will make it better for me to post more often, when something important arises. This is that type of post.

My plans to return to school have been put off another semester. I was offered my old position back at the bank, and I accepted. I will be working here for a number of months in preparation of returning to school. This was not the only factor keeping me from returning to school. I did not get a reply from the Admissions office until late November, and then I did not receive a financial aid package until mid December. Because of this, I was unable to even begin to sign up for classes until everyone else, including procrastinating Freshman, had already snatched everything up, leaving me to take classes that A) I didn’t need, B) I had already taken, or C) that were at 3 in the morning.  I want to only spend another 2 semesters at school, and going back this next semester would be far too costly relative to the minimal progress I would make on my degree.

It was a decision I wrestled with. Even though I was given a raise, and flexible hours, and every Sunday off work, it was a wrestle within myself to decide to not return. I want so badly to be back at St. Norbert, to wach the ice flow down the Fox, to see the leaves turn and fall across campus, to get to see my friends more than just those rare occasions when I can come up. The biggest reason for me to return this spring had nothing to do with academics; it was solely for the opportunity to see you all again. I am sorry to those who greatly anticipated my return. I will be doing what I can to visit, which I know is nowhere near the same. Take care, enjoy your graduations, many of you, and I look forward to a return.

Not Quite a Confession of a Not Really Shopaholic

I think I may have become an online shopping junkie. I have spent such a great deal of time perusing Amazon, and eBay now has a large selection of buy it now items that operates very much like a far more sketchy Amazon. Due to this, I have spent over $200 since Christmas on these two sites alone. I have also planned spending as far ahead as the end of March. I continually find things that are of great interest to me on these sites that have NO USE OR ACTUAL WORTH!!! It’s so very similar to window shopping, but far easier, and without the guarantee that the clothes will fit. You can effortlessly flit from an electronics store to an auto shop to toiletries to whatever else you so choose. It is not for me… because I like it way too much and find it far too enticing.

My standard technique for not spending money is simple; leave my debit card at home when I go to work. No problem! By doing this, I never use my debit card. But when I am at work and what something to munch on, a complication arises; I work in a grocery store, so even if I have cash on me, the constant smells and the allure of the Snickers bar a mere 40 yards away from me proves to overpower my weak self control. Solution # 2; leave my wallet at home. BOOM!!! No cash, no card, no spending, right? WRONG! I work at a BANK in a grocery store. This means I can get money whenever I need it, meaning that I can always buy that tasty, diet killing snack. But wait, there’s more! We do not get a great deal of customers here at Associated Bank, Sheboygan Festival Foods, so I spend a great deal of time on the computer. When I become overborne with tutorials and online classes and organizing the back room, I turn to the internet and find that if I log into my Amazon or eBay account at work, MY DEBIT CARD IS ALREADY POSTED!!! The fact that I left my card at home has no hindrance to capping my spending. So now I am fat AND broke… a bad combination.

SO I have tried some new techniques. I transfer all my money into my account that doesn’t have the debit card… oh wait, I work at a bank that instantly transfers money. Okay, I tell my employees to not transfer my money when I ask while at work, and also to not allow me to do a withdrawal. Done deal! Oh, I have online banking that allows me to transfer funds between my accounts at my whim, loading money back onto my debit card in the blink of an eye. So now I am only broke, but no longer fat. How do I stop spending the rest of my money on the internet?

I stumbled across this possibility by accident. I was pulling money out of my account in preparation to go to Arizona at the beginning of December, and then found myself in Fond Du Lac craving a burger and ice cream… Culvers, anyone? So I decided to drive over and get me my fix, when a thought popped into my head; how much money is on my card? I could not say for certain, having pulled out my cash to take to Phoenix and not really knowing what my account was at before and since I had to buy gas to get to Fondy, as well as Milwaukee on two separate occasions that week… well, the burger isn’t worth maybe over drafting my account. Finally! A great solution. If you suffer from buy-crap-at-random syndrome, and do not have a good enough interest rate at your bank to offset the risk spending your money, then I suggest pulling it out, and hiding it under your mattress. Except for the mattress part, that is what I have done. It works!... most of the time at least…

Now what am I to do with this new jacket I didn’t really need…

The new year can begin when I SAY it begins!!!

I don’t think I posted anything all December. I could easily check the dates on that, but I am currently at work and therefore am not supposed to be going online, therefore, I will be writing a post for my blog instead. Productive? I guess so, in a way, but not really.

It is now January 2^nd, 2013. I have another 28 days to continue to write ‘2012’ on forms for the year before recognizing my mistake, crossing it out, and correcting it, but I only have another 5 days to write in ‘12’ for the month with leniency. The days are going to be getting longer, the weather should start to improve, and I have a lot of work to do. I have high hopes for this year. I am really hoping to be better in oh so many ways, many of which I will not be telling the masses because I think that many of you have already read 8 such blogs so far today and will read another 15 by the time you decide you are fed up with Resolution Posting, 2012… uh, I mean 2013. So, let us take a different train of thought for a ride.

Country music. I have never been one to like it, but dang it all it is catchy. You hear a country song and it can stick with you for years. I once heard a song probably titled ‘Letters from Home’ while I was a teenager. I was in a car with a former MP; an intimidating man standing nearly six and a half feet tall, weighing 23 stone, and driving a very large pickup truck. He was a very nice man, a friend of my dad’s, and also owned numerous guns. Oh, and he listened to country. It was while driving home from church with him that this song came on the radio, and 8 years later I can still hum it in my head. So, when I was on my mission and one of my Zone Leaders had a country CD, and it was one of the few approved CDs that we had, so it was played very often. Weeeeeeeell, it got stuck in my head. When I left the field on mid October, my Zone Leader gave me the CD. Much to my chagrin, I listened to it. Multiple times. And still listen to it. It’s addictive. I know most of the words to many of the songs. “Ol’ Red,” “John Deere Green,” and “Dirt Road Anthem” play through my head rather often now, though the tracks we listened to in the field most were country adaptations of hymns and religious songs found in “Oh Brother where art Thou?”. But still, bloody country is all up in my head!

What I find to be a brighter note is that I am somewhat expanding my reading horizons. My brother has a great deal of time to read. He is stuck in a hospital hours upon hours a day and doesn’t want anything to do with much of what goes on around him if he doesn’t have to, so he does two main things with his time; plays Words with Friends, and reads between turns on Words with Friends. He has found a few new series of books and gave some of them to me for Christmas. I am now reading a book called “The Name of the Wind,” I think. I am only about 10 pages in, so forgive me my ignorance as to what it is about or even if the title is correct, but it comes very highly recommended by most of my family, so I give it a go.

I have also taken up being an imposter; I have posed as a dancer, a singer, and an athlete. In other words I have played Disney Sing it, Glee Sing It, Just Dance 3, and also I am back to playing Madden 08. I was okay at the Karaoke games, but I was surprisingly good at Just Dance, but I had a flashback to when I was at dinner with my Ward Mission Leader back in Lodi and his kids had the demo version of the game. The only songs they had were “California Girls” and “Dynomite” which played constantly from the living room. Good times.

I also believe that Madden 08 is the best version that I have played thus far, and I have played ‘99 through ’12. My favorite thing to do is find the best players for the price at each position (Shawn Merriman, Tommie Harris, Patrick Willis, Frank Gore, Vernon Davis, Steve Smith, Jason Campbell, Kevin Schaffer, Deon Hall, Reggie Nelson, Nick Mangold, just to name a few), trade for them, and then proceed to see them hold out and demand massive contracts, or wait until their contract ends and ask for a ridiculous sum of money. It just isn’t worth it, though. It is also strange to see marquee players sit in free agency because eams can’t afford to pay them what they want. Marc Bulger (rated 94 or so in that game) is on a one year, $4 million contract to start the game. At the end of the first season, he becomes a free agent. He typically goes for about 5 years, $70 million. Many teams just can’t pay that, so he sits, waiting. Same thing with Julius Peppers. His contract expires at the end of the first season and we see him demand a substantial pay raise. If the teams can’t afford him, there he sits. I have seen a free agent pool with 10 players ranked 90 or more. Most teams are lucky to have 6 guys rated 90+, so there is, theoretically, a playoff team made up entirely of players that remain without a job. I think this is a very cool feature. I find it more within bounds of how the business side of football should behave. In the NFL that we see today, teams simply cut players, or restructure contracts, or pay front or back heavy deals to absorb a big hit to the cap now or push it off to the future. The way the game is structured, you can’t do that, so you end up not being able to acquire top tier talent because you made a bad couple moves by signing less than dominant players to huge deals, or those back heavy deals are now being played out by players far past their prime, but they are still making 8, 10, 12, 15 million dollars because they had 14 sacks when they were 26, or 15 touchdown catches, then tore their ACL 4 times. By playing within the structures of the game, I find I have to plan for five seasons down the road as much as I have to plan for winning now. It’s cool to me.

Well, I wrote far more on that subject than I thought I would, and I believe this is as good a place as any to stop. I had a fabulous time with family and friends last month, and look forward to good times to come. Happy New Year, and may the odds be ever in your favor… gosh, I’m a nerd.