Seizing a Lifetime, One Day at a Time

I have a future! I just accepted a job offer today from Clearwater Analytics, the company in Boise that I worked for last summer. It’s great to have that job security and not have to worry about finding a job over the next few months. The only thing I’m really nervous about is moving back up to Boise. I liked it up there, but it’s no Logan. I’m just starting to feel really comfortable back here in Cache Valley and now I already have to consider leaving again! I guess the constant in life is change and I just have to get used to it. So life has been pretty interesting lately. And by interesting, I mean mostly boring. I’m starting to hang out with some old friends again which has been fun, but I have a feeling that the new semester will change that. There’s a lot of thought going through my head that I would love to post about all my social life experiences, but I think for once I’m going to plead the fifth. I’ve decided that my life really isn’t interesting as an open book and I need ...

You know, it’s so much easier to vent than it is to be grateful. Last night I wrote a post that was all a vent and of course the answer to my venting came this morning. I was (of all places) in the shower and D&C 121 came to my mind. It wasn’t any sudden big revelation or any new knowledge that came to me. The only thought that really came to me was “If you’re going through trials, you’re among good company.” Also, I’ve been reminded of some interesting things that happened a year ago that just helped me know that God loves me. Trials happen, and they’ll pass. If I can’t bear my own trials, how will I be able to bear them and help when it’s my children going through them. I guess what I’m saying is that life can be tough. It sucks sometime. But who cares about the crappy times? Sure I can hold them in and let them make me shallow and angry at life. Or I can get over them and help other people going through them. I’m choosing to smile. After all, it’s better than the alternative. ...

Warning: This blog is a vent. I need to get some thoughts out but don't really have anywhere else to put them. I can already tell it's going to be negative but hopefully I'll be able to see the positive once I'm done venting. Here goes... Life is so frustrating!! I'm just really sick of so many things going wrong. I'm trying so hard to be patient and charitable but sometimes I wonder if life just keeps throwing me challenges just to make me break. It's like me and life are playing bloody knuckles and I keep getting hit because I'm afraid to hit life back. I don't want to be negative or rude or anything like that, but sometimes it seems like the trials are going to keep piling up until I finally break and be the negative person I don't want to be! I'm trying so hard to keep a positive attitude, but I can't just keep smiling when everything keeps falling apart. It's unbearable. You might be wondering what could be so bad and I'll ad...

It's been a little while since I last had anything fun to say. Sad to say, it will still be a while until I come up with something "fun" but I figured I should write something on here before I start losing all my dedicated readers. :) Actually, I'm sick (possibly Swine Flu) and have nothing better to do on this beautiful Sunday afternoon where I'm stuck inside and self-quarantined in my own room. I need to apply for EFY... nevermind, the application doesn't open until November 6. I'll have to add that to my calendar. Done. Moving on... Not a lot has happened over the past few months. School has started and is moving along, with or without me. My classes are relatively boring. Either I have a really cool teacher and a boring class or I have a really boring teacher and a boring class. The material just isn't reaching out and grabbing my attention. We'll see if my grades show it at the end of the semester, btu I think they'll turn out okay. I'...

Oh what a summer! How fast it seems to have slipped away, but overall, I really had a blast. Boise was a really good experience. My internship was great and I learned a lot, some of which is helping me in my new job. I also enjoyed a lot of the people I got to know while I was up there. I don’t know that Boise is the place where I’m meant to end up, but it was a good experience and I might be going back on a more permanent basis next year. We’ll see. EFY was amazing! I had so much fun and learned so many great things. My co-counselors were all amazing and I learned so much from each of them. I had some of the most amazing boys ever and learned something from each of them. Of course there were struggles and trials, but I loved it so much. In fact, I’ve decided two things. Next year, I’m going to apply to be a BC and I’ve enrolled in the Seminary Pre-Service program. I’m really considering teaching seminary as a full-time job after I graduate. Of course, it really isn’t my choice, but ...

I didn't write this letter, but I can't put my feelings into words any better. I'm a home grown American citizen, 53, registered Democrat all my life. Before the last presidential election I registered as a Republican because I no longer felt the Democratic Party represents my views or works to pursue issues important to me. Now I no longer feel the Republican Party represents my views or works to pursue issues important to me. The fact is I no longer feel any political party or representative in Washington represents my views or works to pursue the issues important to me. There must be someone. Please tell me who you are. Please stand up and tell me that you are there and that you're willing to fight for our Constitution as it was written. Please stand up now. You might ask yourself what my views and issues are that I would horribly feel so disenfranchised by both major political parties. What kind of nut job am I? Will you please tell me? Well, these are briefly my ...

I’ve been in Boise almost a month now! The time is flying by. It’s been great and I’ve loved every minute of it. (Except that minute a few nights ago where mosquitoes devoured my feet, but every other minute has been great!) I really am loving it. My internship is great and I’ve been learning a lot. I’m also not sure if programming computers is really for me. I love it and it’s a lot of fun, but it’s really hard to focus on for 8 hours a day. I’d rather be talking to people, interacting with real life beings. Maybe I am supposed to teach. Luckily, I don’t really have to deal with that right now! Besides work, life is good. I just got called to be the Elders Quorum Pianist in church. It’s not a big calling, but it’s something for me to do and I’m loving it. I’ve started making a lot of friends up here. I mostly just hang out with my roommates, but we have people over a lot to play rock band. I also made ice cream on Sunday and it was excellent. (It’s also the first time I had some lef...

I’ve finally moved in! Okay, actually I’ve been here almost a week now. I was just lazy and haven’t updated my blog. But that’s it! That’s the house I’m living in. Can’t you tell how cool it is? If you look very closely on the right side of the house towards the back, you can see my bedroom window. It’s a pretty nice place, but it also required a little bit of work. On Tuesday, I mopped and swept the kitchen floor and today I cleaned the bathroom floor and shower, both of which probably hadn’t been done in over 6 months. It needed it, but now the place looks a lot nicer. The kitchen sink still has a leak which I’m planning to try and fix on Saturday. Anyone know how to fix a leaky faucet? :) I’m sure I can figure it out. My bedroom is really nice (and I’m still working on organizing everything! :) ). It’s really different (and pleasant) having my own room! I’m not sure I’ll be able to go back to sharing a room in the fall, but we’ll see. One problem with the room was that I ha...

I have no idea what the title of this post means, but it sounded catchy and I’m not creative enough to think of anything else. I’m in Idaho! It’s weird to be living in a different state. Actually, it’s not really. I still feel like I’m in Utah. There are definitely less LDS people here, but it’s still a great place. Right now I’m living with Darrell and Michelle, my aunt and uncle, and their 4 boys. It’s been pretty fun. They have this little pug named Chuey that freaked out when I got here. I came in Sunday around midnight and it was barking at me because no one was awake when I came in. Luckily it was in Matthew’s room (one of their sons) so it couldn’t come out and bite me. It really freaked out the next morning when I suddenly appeared from the room I had been staying in. Luckily we’ve become friends since then and now he won’t leave me alone! I started my new job! I work in the Banner Bank Building. It’s a LEED building which means it’s extremely environmentally friendl...

Can you believe that I’m adding another post already? It’s only been two days! I know what you’re thinking. It’s summer and I have nothing better than to post on my blog. Actually, it’s the exact opposite! Life has been less usual lately so I have more to write about. First, Star Trek. Go see it. That is all. Just kidding, that’s not all. But seriously go see it. I was amazed at the new look, feel, and attitude this movie presented. To me, there always seemed to be something a little to perfect about the Star Trek universe. No disease, problems, greed, money or anything else that we’re so accustomed to. Star Trek has always been very Utopian. Well J.J. Abrams decided to change the feel to a more industrialized atmosphere. Also, the battles have amazing cinematography. The cast was pretty good, but I had a few problems believing that Zachary Quinto was Spock and not Sylar (I expected him to chop someone’s head open at any time). Overall, it was a great movie for anyone and definitel...

School’s out! (Insert Alice Cooper song here) I’m so excited. The last few weeks have been way stressful but it’s over! Wahoo!!! Now it’s time to kick back, relax, and enjoy the summer breezes. About two months ago I got a phone call from a guy up in Boise asking me if I wanted to interview for a internship up there. I really had no interest in taking the internship, but thought it would be good practice. Well, three interviews later, I’ve accepted the internship. This summer I’m going to work for Clearwater Analytics in Boise, Idaho! What do they do? Not sure exactly. I know they do some sort of financial advisement for large companies. They use custom software to do their analysis and that’s where I come in. I’m nervous because they program in Java, but I’ve been practicing and I should be able to pick it up pretty quickly. I move up on Sunday and I’m stoked. Besides that, life in general has been pretty mundane. I’ve been watching a lot of lost. I also have been cleaning my comp...

Wow, it's only been a week since I last wrote! It seems like so much time. So, I've finally decided that my blog doesn't need a theme, direction, motive, or anything like unto it. Instead, this is me. This is my mind. These are my thoughts and how I view the world. I guess that is a theme, but really, my blog is all about what I want to say to the world! So world, here comes today's thoughts and today I'm in a very thoughtful mood. I've been thinking a lot about myself. Don't worry, I'm not thinking about how talented or great I am (can we say egotistical?) but more about things that I can improve on. As I was thinking about this, I stumbled onto facebook and saw an invite for a group called " We need a compromise on the USU student fee increase - Lower it." Now, if you didn't know, there's been a huge controversy lately about this proposed fee increase to support athletics...blah blah blah. In case you're wondering I voted against ...

I'm alive! I know surprising since I haven't written in forever. Life just hasn't been very proactive for me lately and I find when I'm not trying to accomplish anything, I have nothing to write about. However, I've been thinking a lot lately about my life and the universe and everything (42, for all you Hitchhikers out there) and I've realized I need to make a change in my life. I've decided I need to carpe diem (seize the day, for those like me who aren't others and don't speak Latin). I've decided it's time for a change! For the last little while I've been sitting back, waiting for life to lead me wherever. I haven't had a lot of goals, directions, desires or wished. I haven't made a lot of choices. I haven't accomplished a lot of things. Mostly I've just sat in my room doing homework, playing racquetball occasionally, and learning the guitar. Well enough of that! Watch out world, here I come! So that being said, what a...

Well, I haven't posted in a while. Such is life. I was thinking about this blog and what I should keep writing about. The idea of defining myself was fun, but I really ran out of things that define me. The fact is, my interests, personality, morals, and characteristics are always changing. Sometimes I wish I were a cowboy and others I want to run for president. The fact is, there's only one way to know who I am and that's to get to know me personally. So it's time for a new topic. I don't know how long this will last, but I came up with this 2 minutes ago while I was chatting with someone on facebook about my new goal to not be pathetic. 2 minutes ago I decided that I was going to set a new year's resolution to be less pathetic. "But it's not new years today", you may say. Well that's true, but everyday starts a new year. So for now my topic will be the random things I've decided to set as new year goals, each and everyday. We'll see ho...