An Afternoon Worth Remembering...

Well, I said in a previous post that I would touch back on this story sooner or later, so here it is.

I'm pretty sure a lot of people have at least one or two experiences where they would develop a greater sense of appreciation for life and mortality; an experience that could've directly or indirectly been caused and sometimes the situation may have been life threatening. Unfortunately for me, the two "life-appreciating" moments I remember were BOTH potentially life threatening. The first experience took place back during the 2008 Thanksgiving weekend and you may have already heard/read it. The second occurred exactly 3 months later and I share it with you now. This occurred around the beginning of second semester of my Senior year:

It was a sunny afternoon when the school day ended. I was driving home from school and roads were wet as a result of the rain the fell earlier in the day. The roads were not just wet; it looked like black ice as a result of the sunlight. Water on the ground that you can see a reflection of yourself or any other object. As I was slowing down for a red light, just before the intersection was when the good day went bad. It all happened so fast yet in slow motion, as I felt this sudden forward impact. In an instant my right foot pushed down on the break pedal as far as my strength would allow me to. I then felt this burning sensation on my face as the airbags deployed. The impact also pushed me into two cars in front of me. When it was all over, I felt like I was thrust into a nightmare; a nightmare of momentary pain and horror.

In the end, I was feeling bruised and sore all over. I was left with minor propellant burns on my left forearm and a scar (that eventually healed) on my face, below and to the left of my chin. I was able to drive the now totaled car onto the side of the road and get out of the way. I killed the engine and got out of my car. Although nothing was broken, I could barely stand because my mind was still in shock of what just happened. My heart was racing and I was breathing heavy, but I kept my composure. To my surprise, the person that rear-ended me was a someone I knew pretty well; a friend. That's all I want to say about that.

I was taken to the hospital to be checked on; for internal injuries (which I knew was highly unlikely) and a concussion (which WAS highly possible). My friend was there too. After spending about an hour or so at the hospital lobby, I went home. I've been out of the house for almost 12 hours; but it felt more like an eternity. But when I got home that evening, aside from feeling minor pain from the impact, I could never have been happier to be alive. From that day, I had a greater appreciation for life and mortality and I tried to live in a more optimistic fashion. I also easily found it in my heart to forgive the person that did this to me. I'm sure the majority of motorists are bound to get into an accident at least once... This experience taught me that you only live once (at least in this world unless you believe in reincarnation) and that there's more to life than meets the eye.

So there you have it. The story of my established appreciation (no pun intended).

NOTE: This post was prepared prior to my departure.

Again, I'll see you readers in 2 years.

It Is Time...

Well my fellow readers and bloggers, it is finally time for this day. Today, I report to the Missionary Training Center in Provo, Utah. I will stay there for two months before I'm sent to the port city of Nagoya in Japan. And believe me, it'll be an adventure.

That means no more blog posts from me for two years. And I advise you to be patient...

In the meantime, during my absence, why don't you check out the things I've left online before my departure???


If you wanna see my aviation photography, go to http://picasaweb.google.com/michaelwithak.

And I don't have much, but if you like to use YouTube and check out my account, go to http://www.youtube.com/user/mwithak.

Until then, I'll see you all in two years! And remember, "It's not good-bye until we meet again."

A GREEN WAL * MART!?!?!

No this isn't a fake, it is real!

So I was cruising around Salt Lake City and I came up to a Wal * Mart with a green sign (actual picture above). I'm thinking, "You've gotta be kidding me." Turns out it was just like any other grocery store. Now I shop at Wal * Marts a lot and I'm fine with their regular stores and their Super Centers with everything that a regular Wal * Mart's got plus groceries. But just groceries!?!? I didn't believe it until I've seen it. I'm not complaining, but I speak for the average Joe's driving up, seeing it and going, "Oh good! A Wal * Mart!" And he goes in and the store and next thing you here is "What the %*&# (heck!?)!?"

This was definitely one of those things that came out of the blue... That, plus realizing that In-N-Out Burger opened up at least THREE locations in the Salt Lake City area.

The Hardest Things In Life...

Fellow readers/bloggers, today's the day I leave home and never to come back for two years. That doesn't mean that blogging from me stops, yet. I'll be spending some time in Salt Lake City before the real work begins, but time will be short.

Today, I never realized how difficult it would be to say good-bye to the immediate members of my family... I drove my mother to work, water works begin to pour. I take my two sisters to school, water works pour... My dad takes me to the airport to see me off, I feel discomfort in the fact that this was the last time I'll see him for two years.

It really depends on how much the individual members of the family unit are connected I guess... Today, I realized that; through the difficulty of leaving home and saying good-bye. I don't have much to say but I have one thing. And that is take the time to express your appreciation. Take a minute to say "I love you" or something, because you'll never know when that inevitable time will come to part ways...

And you will, if not all, have to part ways someday, whether it's today, the next day, ten years from now, etc.

Quote Generated Blog: Quotes From Those I Admire

Whether they are funny, serious, or inspirational, I really love these quotes:

Historical Quotes

"If you are going through hell, keep going."
-Winston Churchill (British Prime Minister during WWII)

"Women desire six things: They want their husbands to be brave, wise, rich, generous, obedient to wife, and lively in bed."
-Geoffrey Chaucer (Author of The Canterbury Tales)

"When once you have tasted flight, you will forever walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward, for there you have been, and there you will always long to return."
-Leonardo Da Vinci


Anime Quotes

"There are times when you can't turn back, even if you want to..."
-Yuki Judai (Jaden Yuki) (Yu-Gi-Oh! GX Season 4)

"Power is not for satisfying our desires. It's for carrying out a great mission."
-Yuki Judai (Jaden Yuki) (Yu-Gi-Oh! GX Season 4)

"Screw the rules! I have money!"
-Seto Kaiba (Yu-Gi-Oh! The Abridged Series)

"I am NOT a freaky fish-guy!"
-Mako Tsunami (Yu-Gi-Oh! The Abridged Series)

"Friends do stupid things don't they?"
-Yusei Fudo (Yu-Gi-Oh! 5DS episode 12)

"We can't see how our thoughts will take its course now. But I'll gear up for the worst and press forward."
-Yusei Fudo (Yu-Gi-Oh! 5DS, episode 41)

"Only unity of companions can save a companion."
-Yusei Fudo (Yu-Gi-Oh! 5DS, episode 55)

"Our wishes will cluster together and be completed."
-Yusei Fudo (Yu-Gi-Oh! 5DS, episode55)

"Everyone has the right to wish for happiness. If you're saying that's a crime, then I'm just as guilty."
-Jack Atlus (Yu-Gi-Oh! 5DS, episode 59)


Video Game Quotes

"Those without strong wills can be easily turned to evil."
-Peppy Hare (Star Fox Assault)

"Don't hesitate! When the time comes, just act!"
-Wolf O'Donnel (Star Fox Assault)

"Everything has its beginning...
But it doesn't start at 'one'.
It starts long before that...
In chaos.
The world is born...
From zero.
The moment zero becomes one is the moment the world springs to life.
One becomes two...
Two becomes 10.
10 becomes 100.
Taking it all back to one solves nothing.
So long as zero remains...
One...
Will eventually grow to 100 again."
-Big Boss (Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots)

"Everyone dies. You can't stop it. You can't run away from it."
-Big Boss (Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots)

"Don't waste the life you have left fighting."
-Big Boss (Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots)

"It's not about changing the world. It's about doing our best to leave the world the way it is. It's about respecting the will of others and believing in your own."
-Big Boss (Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots)

"You only need one snake. No... The world would be better off without snakes."
-the dying words of Big Boss (Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots)

"This is good... Isn't it?"
-the final words of Big Boss (Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots)


TV Show Quotes

"I've always hated the cold, but I hate frostbite even more."
-Edward Michael Bear Grylls (Man Vs. Wild, Syberia)

"You can always learn from those who've gone."
-Edward Michael Bear Grylls (Man Vs. Wild, Turkey)

"Quack, damn you."
-Jamie Hyneman (Mythbusters)

"When in doubt, C-4!"
-Jamie Hyneman (Mythbusters, episode 100, McGyver Special)

"Is that beautiful or what!?"
-Jamie Hyneman (Mythbusters)

"That's what we do on Mythbusters! We blow (bleep) up!"
-Jamie Hyneman (Mythbusters)

"Am I missing an eyebrow?"
-Adam Savage (Mythbusters)

"I reject your reality and substitute my own."
-Adam Savage (Mythbusters)

"Failure is always an option."
-Adam Savage (Mythbusters)

"Well, there's your problem!"
-Adam Savage (Mythbusters)

"(Oh) Damn you and your science!"
-Grant Imahara (Mythbusters Shark Week Special 2008)

Adam: "So, you ever try to make yourself sneeze?"
Jamie: "No. I get boogers all over my mustache."
(Both break out in laughter)
-Mythbusters Viewers Special 1

"I'm an idiot. I'm a moron. I forgot my line. As if to really drive the point home, I will continue talking and saying nothing at all as the director comes over, shaking his head, casting espurgence on what's left of my dignity. It's what I do. You don't have to do that."
-Mike Rowe (Dirty Jobs bloopers)

"Like a one-legged man in an ass-kicking contest!"
-Phil Harris (Captain of F/V Cornelia Marie, Deadliest Catch Season 2)

"Retaliation Cornelia Marie style!"
-Phil Harris (Captain of F/V Cornelia Marie, Deadliest Catch Season 2)

"Shut up and fish!"
-Sig Hansen (Captain of F/V Northwestern, Deadliest Catch Season 2)

"On a crab boat, if you're not bleeding or dead, it's funny!"
-Mike Rowe (Narrator, Deadliest Catch Season 3)

"Now you know why lions eat their young."
-Phil Harris (Captain of F/V Cornelia Marie, Deadliest Catch Season 4)

"If you don't like it, get the hell off."
-Sig Hansen (Captain of F/V Northwestern, Deadliest Catch Season 4)

"If this thing works, I'm gonna have that thing chromed and set it up in my front yard!"
-Edgar Hansen (Deck Boss of F/V Northwestern, Deadliest Catch Season 4)

"If they don't like my style, they can kiss my ass."
-Sig Hansen (Captain of F/V Northwestern, Deadliest Catch Season 5)

"Heroes on crab boats don't last that long."
-Sig Hansen (Captain of F/V Northwestern, Deadliest Catch Season 5)


Movie Quotes

"With great powers, come great responsibility."
-Uncle Ben Parker (Spider Man)

General Grey: "Is that glass bullet-proof!?"
Major Mitchell: "No sir..." (Multiple Gun shots Fired)
-from the film Independence Day


Miscellaneous Quotes

"We were too busy [to be scared]. You must maintain your composure in the airplane or you will die. You learn that from your first day flying."
-Alfred C. Haynes (Captain of United Airlines Flight 232)

"As a captain, you have to trust your crew. As a crew, you have to trust your captain."
-Alfred C. Haynes

"Music is what feelings sound like."


"The good thing about flying solo is it's never boring."
-Steve Fossett (Record Setter, Aviator)

"The ground will always be there. I promise."
-a former S.O.M.B. member

"Even rich people have dead batteries."
-Doug Livermore (Sprague High School Mechanical Technology teacher)

"Hey! Hey! I said I was sorry!"
-Nintendood

"(Well,) That bites!"
-Nintendood (a.k.a. Rack Boy!)

"Card games and blood, (it's) the Japanese dream."
-Nintendood

"Young men speak about the future because they have no past. Old men speak about the past because they have no future."
-Boyd K. Packer (General Conference April 2009 Priesthood Session)

"Fear is the opposite of faith."
-Boyd K. Packer (General Conference April 2009 Priesthood Session)

"Turds!"
-A cousin of mine...

"Turkeys!"
-Brad Howard (Sprague High School Band Director 2006-2009)

“Life's Journey is not to arrive at the grave safely in a well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, totally worn out shouting: WOW! What a Ride!"


"Every parents' worst nightmare is to outlive their children."

“When you conquer that fear, you become stronger. And I fell in love with what I was afraid of.”
-Sean D. Tucker

Happy Valentine's Day From Michael With A "K"!

And here's a shout-out to all you love birds and couples out there! Happy Valentine's Day! Although there will be times of happiness and joy for some, others will in times of isolation, sadness, and lonliness. But for those of you who are still soul-searching, there will always be fish in the sea...

Cooking With Michael With A "K": Ramen Noodles

Are you living on terms called "broke" food? You might be if you're living on your own, living off welfare, or school with minimum wage jobs or no job at all. Broke foods include Spam (No, not the ones you find in e-mails; the canned kind), Hamburger Helper, Hot Dogs, Pasta Roni, Cup Noodles, and Ramen Noodles. Today, we tackle the common staple, Ramen Noodles. This is meant to give you variety to the instant noodles. It gives you a break from the boring flavors of Chicken, Beef, Shrimp, Oriental, etc.

I learned this from my uncle and credits of this goes out to him and one of his LDS missionary companions that he learned this from.

Things needed

Package of Ramen Noodles
Onion
Ketchup
Stove-safe Pan
Knife & Cutting Board
Soy Sauce (Optional)
Butter

1.) Take a package of Ramen Noodles and start boiling water as you would always do so.

2.) Take the packaged soup powder and put it in right away while waiting for the water to get boiling. You can also put in the optional Soy Sauce in for extra flavor.

3.) Take an onion (white or purple) and use a knife to cut a thin layer off to put into the cooking pan. Using the whole onion is not recommended.

4.) Put in 1/2 cup of Ketchup into the cooking pan.

5.) Once the soup is brought to a boil, put in the noodles.

6.) Put in 1 Tablespoon of Butter to thicken the soup.

7.) Continue to stir at a boil until noodles are soft and add any extra ingredients until it's the way you like it to taste and enjoy.

A Trip Down 'Memory Lane'

So today I was able to drive down to the old community I grew up in Illinois. A place called Cary. I was able to drive by the house my family and I lived in as well as the old elementary school I attended for 2 years. After that, I headed over to the apartment complex we lived in before moving into that house.

They say things in the movies or TV shows about taking a trip down 'Memory Lane'. That pretty much described the majority of my day today. It also got me thinking about a lot of things too. I may or may not have said this before, but we live in such an odd world. We live in a small world because where we currently reside at is nothing more than a mere speck on a map or in the universe. Yet, we live in a big world because there is so much to do, so much to accomplish, and many possibilities to go to.

If you've lost track, I am pretty much down to my final week before my departure into the mission field on the behalf of the LDS church. On Facebook, I came across a page titled 'I've lived in 3 decades, 2 centuries & 2 millenniums & I'm not even 20 yet!' If you don't get it, allow me to map it out for you...

1.) It's 2010, the third decade you lived to see.

2.) Between 2000 and 2009 was the previous (second) decade you saw go by.

3.) You were born in the 1990s, the first decade you lived in since your date of birth.

4.) 1999-2000 was obviously the turn of the century as well as the turn of the millennium.

If you still don't get it...

A decade = 10 years

A century = 100 years

A millennium = 1000 years

If you still don't get it, well I don't know what to say about that. You're an idiot...

Sorry about that!

It's kinda funny in a way that my generation and the several generations that soon followed was put into uncommon portions of the year. It's one of those things that make you feel so small, yet so special. It makes you wanna say "Don't grow up too fast." And that's what happened to me: I grew up too fast. I moved to Oregon about 3 years ago and those days have come and gone.

Now I'm no motivational speaker, but I can still give out my best advice based on my experience. As said before, don't grow up too fast. Enjoy where you are in life. You only live once (unless you believe in reincarnation). And remember that "Life is molded from broken high school dream." You've got a whole life ahead of you to chase down your true dream; your lifelong dream. If you've only had dreams in high school, you've pretty much wasted your life before it even got started...

I've had a lot to think about while I was out here in my old hometown near and around the Chicago, Illinois area. Just traveling out here has just boosted my confidence. Just what am I thinking about you ask? I'll never tell you. You've got your own life to think about and I've got mine. Let's leave it at that...

If you have any blog post ideas that you wanna see on my blog, drop me a line in the comments section. Thanks for reading!

A Part Of Me Died/Life As I Once Knew It...

So today, I drove out to the town of Lafayette in the state of Indiana with my uncle to visit my aunt and cousin. We were also meeting my uncle from Idaho out there because he and a friend were ferrying a light-sport aircraft over to a buyer in Maryland after it got repossessed. After crossing the state line, it dawned on me that I was back in the Eastern Standard Time Zone; the first time in over 3 years. And that got me thinking that this felt like going back the life as I once knew. Sure, I lost an hour of time when I switched time zones, but this was indeed the time I was once accustomed to for 7-8 years of living in the Washington D.C. metro area.

Trivia: Lafayette, Indiana is home to Purdue University, one of the best schools in the country if you're interested in Engineering.

To go along with this blog post, check out this previous post. Story of my life thus far...

This blog post is also dedicated to 'Deadliest Catch' Captain Phil Harris, of the F/V Cornelia Marie and his family. For those of that knew of Captain Harris, may we all remember his devotion to the fishing industry and television legacy. May he rest in peace in the presence of God...

The Truth About Shopping Malls

So I arrived at Chicago, Illinois to visit my uncle after a luxurious flight from Portland, Oregon. I go to lunch, eat some deep-dish Chicago style Pizza, get settled in, life is FINALLY good after getting more than two states away from So-lame, Oregon (No offense...). Later that evening, one of my cousins from Chicago (who comes into town from time to time) came home, and invited me out to the mall.

Now before I go on, let me remind you that the Chicago area got slammed by a winter snow storm 24 hours prior to my arrival and it was still snowing when I flew into Chicago O'Hare International Airport. It was still snowing when we went to the mall.

So we're at the mall now and I haven't been to one in a long time. And the reason is that shopping there IS expensive. A pair of brand-new Blue Jeans is like 40 to 50 bucks minimum. And as may know, these places have food courts, jewelry shops, electronic stores, and list can go on. When I was living in the D.C. area, I liked going to the mall because of the various food vendors that you may not find everywhere. What I did was go for some lunch or dinner, buy a pack or two of trading cards and go home. Other times, I went holiday shopping or shopping to find a gift for someones's birthday (which I still do if needed).

And don't even let me get started with the malls in the Salem, Oregon area!!!

But needless to say, I now hate shopping malls. It's really for the people I classify as "Rich Snobs". And even with the passing of Measures Sixty-something in Oregon (don't quote me on this), they've got a lot of money. And even if they pay THEIR fair share, they'll keep making tons money.

"Screw the rules! I have money!"
-Seto Kaiba (Yu-Gi-Oh! The Abridged Series)

Shopping malls...

They are overrated.

Internet Generated Blog: Traditions, Customs, And Facebook Fan Pages

Once again, I do apologize for the lack of any graphics or illustrations on some of my most recent posts... The lack of ideas have led to laziness on my posting. I am hoping to reach at least 50 blog posts total in the archive before I leave home for a good while... I have two weeks and two days left to go...

So onward to today's blog post.

If you're a Facebooker, do you recall the some of the fan pages that were created by fellow users in additions to group pages??? Have you noticed that were CRAZY fan pages for almost EVERYTHING??? Things such as a group/fan page that has something to do with making a wish when the time reads 11:11? How about a page dedicated to people that open a pack of gum and everybody is your best friend?!?!?!

Now don't take this the wrong way. Some Facebook pages are quite legit. I'll join them if it's something that I can support with ease or if it's something I believe in. What I'm saying is that some things can be overrated and some things are quite stupid. But I'm not gonna really do anything about it because these things, no matter how stupid they tend to be, gives a place or a network where people with common ideals and beliefs to socialize; A type of brotherhood/sisterhood. It also shows off the unique character of that individual. The important thing is to be yourself and not be someone who you are not.

Now I suppose you heard superstitions such as...

1.) Broken mirror = 7 years of bad luck

2.) Black cat = bad luck (that can be countered when a white cat comes by)

3.) Walking under a ladder = bad luck

The list probably goes on and on.

I'm not saying that I believe in these sort of things. But I've come to believe SOME bad luck exists in the world. For example, I believe in sayings such as...

"Red sky in the morning, sailors take warning. Red sky at night, sailors delight."

It's quite catchy if I might say so myself. If you read my other blogs, do you recall in one of my earliest posts on my aviation blog about the flight number "191"? It has been associated with numerous crashes and incidents over the years. It has even prompted some airlines to stop the use of this number. As an aviation enthusiast and supporter of the aviation industry, I believe that the number "191" is like your unlucky number "13". And after watching the movie 'Stealth' a few years ago, I came to a ridiculous belief that all prime numbers, including the number "13", are all lucky numbers. All except "191" of course!

Remember in one of my most previous posts where I mentioned that the laws of this country is full of loopholes and thus it has been founded on loopholes? The way I see it is that this country has it's loopholes and traditions, while people in certain generations have their own stupid traditions and dreams. As an American citizen, I believe that everyone has their own "American" Dream, no matter how crazy it might sound. As a Japanese former Japanese citizen, I also have a strong sense of honor. Remember:

"Life is molded from broken high school dreams."

So go out and face the world around you. Believe in what you wanna believe. Support the things that you see fit. Be proud of the good things you've done in your life so far and strive to get more out it! Chase down and achieve your life-long dreams and ambitions so that you get that feeling of satisfaction.

Your comments are always welcome in the the comments section. I am also considering to the idea of opening up an email address just for this blog. Stay tuned for any updates. Thanks for reading as always!

The Cute Little Computer Symbols That Many Of Us Use...

I have a question for you:

;-)

How big of a computer user are you?

:S

Do you use online chats on websites such as Facebook or MySpace??

(?_?)

Do you have a way to express your feelings???

(<.<)

If so, you probably know what chat icons are, right????

If not, well let's recap with some classic examples:

NOTE: One rule-of-thumb is that you SHOULD use these things on informal occasions such as at home computer networking (such as Facebook). You should NEVER do this in the place of your employment or profession. You might get fired from your job if you do. That goes for same with the chat abbreviations (ie. luv, c u l8tr, h8, etc. etc.).

Western Examples

Smiling or happy:
:-)
:)
=]
=)

Frowning or sad:
:-(
=(
:[
:<
=[
:(

Wink:
;-)
;)
;]

Large grin or laugh:
:D
=D
XD
BD

Tongue out, or after a joke, I'm an idiot:
:P
=P
XP

Love:
<3 br="br">
Shocked or surprised:
:O
=O
D:
o_o

Bored, annoyed or awkward; concerned; 'what?' face:
=I
:/
:-\
:|
O_o

Confused, embarrassed or uneasy:
:S
=S
:?


Eastern Examples

(^_^) smile
(^o^) laughing out loud
d(^_^)b thumbs up (not ears)
(T_T) sad (crying face)
(-.-)Zzz sleeping
(Z.Z) sleepy person
\(^_^)/ cheers, "Hurrah!"
(*^^*) shyness
(-_-); sweating (as in ashamed), or exasperated.
(*_*) "Surprise !."
(?_?) "Nonsense, I don't know."
(^_~) wink
(o.O) shocked/disturbed/raised eyebrow
(<.<) shifty, suspicious
v(^_^)v Peace


Now you MAY not know this, but there are also "@*$ Icons" That's right! *** icons! If you find these offensive, please don't give me crap about. I only found online randomly one day... I find it funny, but rarely use them myself. But it's a good way to get-back at people that MAY have insulted or crossed you >;-)

(_!_) a regular ***
(__!__) a fat ***
(!) a tight ***
(_*_) a sore ***
{_!_} a swishy ***
(_o_) an *** that's been around
(_x_) kiss my ***
(_X_) leave my *** alone
(_zzz_) a tired ***
(_E=mc^2_) a smart ***
(_$_) Money coming out of his ***
(_?_) Dumb ***


Did I miss some icons? Drop me a line and let me know pronto!

Questions? Comments?? Complaints??? Hate mail???? Comments section! That's all there's to it. :-)

Okay! I'm gonna stop using these for now!

Quote Generated Blog: My Quotes

Over the last 2-3 years, I coined a few quotes:

"Life is molded from broken high school dreams."

"You'll find greater appreciation for life and mortality after you've witnessed or experienced fear and danger."

"Loyalty on the grounds of friendship is questionable."

"Life is like a fighter aircraft being shredded by machine guns or getting clipped by a missile."

"The world would be better off without people who speak harsh and cruel words as well as people who speak selfishly. But that would just defeat the purpose of our existence."

"Shut up and listen!"

"The test of loyalty begins when one accepts someone's hand in friendship."

"One's seriousness inspires admiration and fear in others."


If these apply to you in any way or form, feel free to quote me on this... And check back to this post every once in a while, because I'll be adding more of my quotes as they come along.

Now I've also generated some responses from people I know:

1.) I'm not gonna lie, those are some pretty depressing quotes! Life isn't THAT bad! See, the nice think about reality is that we can live it however we choose. It's true that our trials and tribulations are what helps mold us, and that we can't experience real joy without feeling pain first, but think about how great it is to have the opportunity to ... See more be able to experience all of this! Think about what a great blessing it is to be able to get up in the morning and look out your window to know that you've been given this wonderful opportunity to live life! To know that you can do whatever you set out to do! Live life to the fullest! Don't be weighed down and fooled by these negative thoughts and emotions! Allow yourself to enjoy life and see the beauty in it! Look for that light that keeps you on the right path and follow it! All it takes to get the most out of life is to just live it with the right attitude and follow your heart!

2.) It's never too late! Everyday is a whole new day to start fresh! Sure you may be enduring struggles, but take it as an opportunity to grow and appreciate the little things!

3.) I know that I can't understand exactly how you feel, I can feel your pain only so much because I personally haven't had to go through that... Everyone has problems of their own. When I walk through a crowd of people, I feel ... See more sorrow for each and every person because, if you look around and listen with an open heart, I swear you can feel the pain each and everyone of them go through, even though you have no clue what it may be. I know I'll never be able to understand completely what you're going through, but I can feel your pain, and you need to know that you're not alone in the world. You have people that care about you and want you to be happy

4.) When I say those things, it's not just me blowing smoke. I mean what I say, and I am darn proud of it!

5.) Broken high school dreams... Don't even get me started. I was to be an all-state football player, state champion and playing for college. I was already being looked at by colleges when I got hit hard and my back went out. You talk about broken dreams. But, who gives a damn? Make new dreams new goals and press forward. You have to look at life in one of two ways: Is the glass half empty or half full. Be positive and smile through life and it will be that much more sweeter.

You got something to say about this? You want me to blog about something else. Well, as always, you can drop me a line in the comments section.

Chicken, Anyone???

"Chickens. Need I say more?"
- a friend of mine.

Peck around the library and lay this egg- a page of chicken trivia:

1.) There are over 150 varieties of domestic chickens. The most common egg-layers are White Leghorns and Golden Comets. The most common poultry varieties are Cornish Cross and Plymouth Rocks.

2.) Chickens and turkeys can cross-breed. The result is called a turkin.

3.) The short-term egg-laying record was set in 1967 by a White Leghorn in Sri Lanka. She layed 17 eggs in six hours.

4.) If there's no rooster in a flock of chickens, one hen will stop laying eggs and crow, assuming the role of protector.

5.) The chicken is the closest living relative of Tyrannosaurus rex.

6.) The amount of waste a chicken generates in its lifetime could power a 100-watt light bulb for five hours.

7.) Chickens are native to Asia. They were spread around the world as an easy food source, and were first brought to North America by Christopher Columbus.

8.) World record: In 1930 a chicken in New Zealand laid 361 eggs in 364 days.

9.) Typically, it takes a hen 24-26 hours to lay an egg, which hatches in 21 days.

10.) A chicken's comb (the decorative head plumage) has a practical function: it keeps the bird cool. There are eight varieties: buttercup, pea, strawberry, V-shaped, silkis, cushion, rose, and single.

11.) Chickens can't swallow while they are upside down.

12.) If a chicken has a white earlobe, its eggs will be white. If it's earlobe is red, the eggs will be brown-shelled. An exception: Arucana chickens can lay green, pink, and blue eggs.

13.) Worldwide, chickens outnumber humans. o_0

14.) World's largest chicken egg: 16 ounces, laid by a New Jersey White Leghorn in 1956.

15.) Chickens have 24 distinct cries to communicate to one another, including separate alarm calls depending on what kind of predator is near.

Video Game Generated Blog

For those of you who are Zelda fans, the image above is a game secret that a lot of people miss. If you wanna see this scene unfold, follow these directions:

1.) Get all the Spiritual Stones (Kokiri Emerald, Goron Ruby, and Zora Sapphire)

2.) Go to the Hyrule Castle Town Draw Bridge to engage the cutscene where Zelda and Impa flee Ganondorf.

3.) OPTIONAL: Get the Ocarina of Time from the moat.

4.) Head into town and go to the Back Alley.

5.) Talk to the Hylian Soldier and witness his last moments of life... :'-(

6.) Proceed to the Temple of Time, obtain the Master Sword, and honor what the soldier died for!

Remember, this secret will only happen as Young Link BEFORE picking up the Master Sword for the first time.

And now some lines from the not-so mysterious character, Sheik:

"The flow of time is always cruel...
Its speed seems different for
Each person, but no one can
Change it...

A thing that doesn't change with
Time is a memory of younger days..."


"It is something that grows over
Time... a true friendship.
A feeling in the heart that
Becomes even stronger over time...

The passion of friendship will
Soon blossom into a righteous
Power and through it, you will
Know which way to go..."


"Time passes,
People move...
Like a river's flow,
It never ends...

A childish mind will turn to
Noble ambition... Young love will
Become deep affection... The clear
Water's surface reflects growth..."

You got another video game you want me to generate my blog with??? Well, drop me a line in the comments section and I'm all years, because I LOVE video games!

Politics And The President

I never thought I'd see the day when I would be dedicating a blog post about politics and the government. But before I do so, please refer to the following link containing statements by my fellow blogger and friend over at Eel Sushi:

http://eelsushi.blogspot.com/2008/06/president.html

Now I can agree with a lot. Especially about addressing the President by his proper title. Even I believe the United States has been put in a sorry state. This isn't to say I don't want lower gas prices, or have opinions on abortion and gay marriage, but I have never really cared much, because I find the subject to be quite a bore. The economy has me worried a little bit though... The initial state of it was successful in preventing me from getting summer job last year (considering that the State of Oregon was third highest in unemployment).

But still, I don't think the Founding Fathers had any of this in mind, nor intended on having the country turn out this way...

And before you ask, my political views are Independent. But since I find it a bore and don't pay attention to much of it, I'm pretty Apathetic about it. Otherwise, I don't have any real political views. But I do stand up for what I believe in. So my official statement in regards to political views is "Independent, but Apathetic. Otherwise none. I stand up for what I believe in!" Main reason being that I find the world of politics and the government full of complications loopholes, thus making it even more complicated. This country has thus been founded on loopholes.

But just because I find it so boring and don't pay attention to a lot of it doesn't mean that I'm aware of it. Now I'll support and respect our elected leaders in whatever I see fit.

I saw the 2008 Presidential Election a very historical event considering that outcome meant either a white man as President with a female Vice President for the first time or the first African-American President. And not to mention the major upset in the very recent 2010 United States Special Election in Massachusetts for the succession of the late Democratic Senator Ted Kennedy; which drew national attention due to the now Senator-Elect Scott Brown's unexpectedly closing the gap and running with, or even ahead of Martha Coakley in recent independent and internal polling as well as concerns over the loss of the Democrat's filibuster-proof majority in the President Obama Healthcare legislation.

Now one year ago today, President Obama took office as the President of the United States, creating a sense of unity in a historical moment for this country. Fast forward a year and look where we are now. The economy sucks. People are out of work. A new healthcare bill is waiting in the wings. Approval ratings for President Obama have changed since he took office. Some remain faithful, others have second thoughts.

Now like my friend Nintendood of Eel Sushi, when it comes to referring to politicians and the government, I just can't stand how the typical American refers to the president. I see/saw it and hear/heard it over and over again. I can understand if people don't agree with the President's ideas or action, or even if people don't like him. I can even accept that many Americans hate him. But, we as Americans DID elect him as president. We voted for him, he's here, and he's the president. That's how things are gonna be until the next Presidential Election.

Why, can't the American people who elected the President in the first place take some responsibility and refer to him by his proper title. I was taught to address my superiors with a sincere amount of respect. Whenever I see people refer to the president simply by their last name makes me cringe because one, it makes me think that this country doesn't acknowledge that they were the ones who elected him. Two, in my opinion, it doesn't matter what he did, or failed to do. He is the president, so at least give him the respect of calling him President (insert last name). Three, I don't want to hear anything about it, nor share my views because I just don't care about in the long run. People should simply act like Americans and give SOME respect to their leader.

Now I don't usually want to do this, but what do you think? What are your thoughts and opinions about our current politicians and government? How has the state of things in government and the economy benefited you? Are you thriving, struggling, or just barely managing? Do you think the men and women of Washington are doing their best, or can they do better? You can express your responses in the comments section for this post.

You can also give me ideas on what to blog about in future posts in the comments section. Thanks for reading!

General Music 101

Musical Notes

Here's some trivia about the structure and history of music:

1.) There are more than 42,000 playable guitar chords.

2.) The first modern piano was built in 1700 by Bartolomeo Cristofori in Italy. The instrument's real name: piano et forte, which means "soft and loud" (But you knew that right?).

3.) Since 1955 piano keys have been made of plastic, not ivory.

4.) In 1987 Missouri named the fiddle it's official state instrument. In 1990 San Francisco named the accordion its official instrument.

5.) Purdue University had the first collegiate marching band (1886). They were also the first to play on a sports field and make a formation-they formed a giant "P" (1907).

6.) Most recognizable piece of Western music: the opening of Beethoven's Fifth Symphony (duh-duh duh-duuuh).

7.) Clarinets are made from the wood of the granadilla tree.

8.) Most frequently sung songs in English: "Happy Birthday", "For He's a Jolly Good Fellow", and "Auld Lang Syne".

9.) Written music, as we know it today, originated in the 1200's.

10.) Mozart wrote the opera Don Giovanni in one sitting. It was first performed the very next day with no rehearsals.

11.) The trombone is based on a medieval instrument with a much better name: the sackbut.

12.) Florida state song: Stephen Foster's "Old Folks Home".

13.) For an album to go "gold" in the United States, it must sell 500,000 copies. For England it's 100,000; Canada, 50,000; Australia, 30,000; New Zealand, 7,500.

14.) Oldest piece of music found: a choral work from 408 B.C. used in a performance of the Greek play The Orestia.

15.) "Guitar" comes from the kithara, the name of an instrument popular in ancient Greece.

16.) There are more than 10 million pianos in the U.S.

17.) The first flutes originated 20,000 years ago. They were made of reindeer antlers.

18.) British scientists say chickens produce more eggs if they listen to easy listening or Top 40 radio (They hate heavy metal, opera, and jazz).

Frederick Fennell's Points for Performance

1.) Listen!

2.) Have some idea what the music should sound like before you play; learn to listen for EVERYTHING - not just yourself.

3.) Line up your chair and stand so you look directly over the top of the music at the conductor.

4.) The conductor MUST have your eyes before he/she begins the music - ESPECIALLY IF YOU DO NOT PLAY.

5.) Play your whole instrument - learn to listen!

6.) Prepare! Be cocked and ready to play - Listen!

7.) Play with intensity - breath and finger support - keep your stomach in it.

8.) Resonance is the whole reason for your instrument to exist and for you to play it in the first place.

9.) Learn to look at the conductor ONCE EVERY BAR in music of a slow pulse, FREQUENTLY in music of a rapid pulse. - Listen!

10.) Music is also a waiting game - wait for ONE!

11.) Vibrate. Music is also controlled and ordered vibration; you, too, must make it a vibrant sound; support your sound CONSTANTLY.

12.) Pulse is music's lifeblood as well as yours: learn to feel it - it is always present. Seek to play by it.

13.) Learn to listen and look for the phrase - listen for phrase ENDINGS.

14.) Help stamp out mechanical error - Listen!

15.) The perfection of ensemble playing is not a matter of acquisition. Rather it is a matter of ELIMINATION - of mechanical error, unnecessary motion, the wandering mind, and all those things that get in the way - Listen!

16.) Don't repeat your mistakes - they become a disease!

17.) The group that plays together - stays together.

18.) Get it the FIRST time - get it right - Listen!

19.) You can only read a piece of music for the first time once. Make that time memorable.

20.) Constantly widen your range of dynamics - avoid messonothing - Listen!

21.) At a pianissimo release, let the sound evaporate.

22.) When the dynamic is FORTISSIMO, hear only YOURSELF; when the dynamic is PIANISSIMO, hear only your NEIGHBOR.

23.) Uncontrolled silence is the enemy of music - Listen!

24.) The group that breathes together - plays together - Listen!

25.) Music is not an art for the chicken-hearted: seek what is right, but don't be afraid to be wrong.

26.) Give all your energies to performance. Avoid fatigue; blow out your chops; shake out your hands.

27.) The music turns you on, but only YOU can wind yourself up for it.

28.) Legato playing is mostly a thu-thu business.

29.) Blow through the whole passage.

30.) Beware of practice-room sound - get out of that telephone booth.

31.) Good performances are planned that way.

32.) Seek the style of the music - and this you can only do by listening TO and FOR everything.

Street Number Numerology

Playing with numerology is kind of like reading your horoscope: even if you don't believe in it, it's fun to see what it says. So here's a way you can have fun with your street address:

By the Numbers

Numerology is the study of the mystical relationship between numbers, physical objects, and living things. Here's how it works: start by taking a number that's assocated with you - your street address, for example - and add the digits together. Then repeat the process until you end up with a single digit. For example, if you live at 762 Outhouse Lane, add the digits together to get 7+6+2=15. Then add the 1 and the 5 together to get 6. For numerology purposes, your address is a "6". Note: If you live in an apartment, use your apartment number only. Now, calculate your numerology address number and then look below to see how it applies to you.

Addressing the Situation

1- Because it's the first number, 1 is considered very powerful. It symbolizes independence, ambition, and new beginnings. A 1 address is said to be good for artists, the self-employed, and anyone else who has a home office and expects to do a lot of work there. It's also good for people with strong egos.

2- This is a romantic number; 2 addresses are good for young couples (two people). Do you live alone in a 2 address? You may feel lonely or depressed; the lack of a second person can be draining. These houses are good places for visitors, parties, and other social gatherings.

3- Represents creativity, teamwork, and good fortune; 3 addresses are best for artists and people who think differently. This house is upbeat and full of energy, but be warned: it's also unfocused, so it may not be the place to set up your home office. Religious people may find it hard to live here, too, as it may be difficult to concentrate on prayer.

4- Because 4 is the first number that can be created by multiplying numbers other than 1 and itself, it is a very special number. It's very solid because the simplest three-dimensional object, a tetrahedron, has four sides (Picture a pyramid with three sides plus a fourth side serving as the base). A 4 address is very well grounded, which makes it a good place for young families, career-oriented people, and people who place great importance on budgeting and spending money wisely. Artists, writers, and other creative people may find this house to rigid and confining.

5- This number represents freedom, adventure, intelligence, and unconventional thought. A 5 address can be pretty chaotic, though; if you're single you may find it easy to attract friends and significant others into your home and heart, but difficult to keep them there. This is a good place to think creativity, but a bad place for narrow-minded or irresponsible people.

6- This is the most nurturing number number of all; as such it's considered a good address for just about anyone, but especially for families with teenagers (or grown-ups who act like teenagers).

7- Commonly thought of as a lucky number, 7 is also considered a very spiritual number. It's very conductive to contemplation, study, and prayer, so a 7 address is a good place for students, religious people, and single people. Although if you're lighthearted or superficial, or tend to "act on a whim" a lot, this may not be the best place for you to live.

8- Because a figure eight is two loops created by a single line, this number has very strong karma - what goes around comes around. So if you work hard in an 8 address house, you will be more than rewarded for you effort, but conversely, if you lead a lazy, corrupt, or immoral life in this house, expect to get what's coming to you.

9- This number inspires creativity, change, and growth. It's better for single people than families though, because a 9 address encourages involvement in community groups and social work. But either way, it's a good number to live in.

Looney Laws

Believe it or not, these laws are/were real:

1.) A train conductor in Illinois may not collect fares without wearing his conductor hat.

2.) It's against the law to slap a man on the back in the state of Georgia.

3.) In Fort Madison, Iowa, the fire department is legally required to practice for 15 minutes before going to a fire.

4.) In Warren, Idaho, puppets must wear distinctly American clothes.

5.) It is illegal to mispronounce the word "Joliet,"but only in Joliet, Illinois.

6.) By law, restaurants in Kansas may not serve ice cream on cherry pie.

7.) It's against the law to yell "Oh boy!" in Jonesboro, Georgia.

8.) New Hampshire law says that when 2 cars meet at an intersection, each must wait for the other to pass.

9.) If you're in a meat market in Los Angeles, California, DO NOT poke the turkey to see how tender it is.

10.) The state of Minnesota forbids women from impersonating Santa Claus.

11.) Unrestrained giggling on the streets is illegal in Helena, Montana.

12.) It's illegal to draw funny faces on window shades in Garfield County, Montana.

13.) Newark, New Jersey, forbids the sale of ice after 6 p.m. without a prescription.

14.) In South Foster, Rhode Island, any dentist who extracts the wrong tooth must have a similar tooth pulled by the village blacksmith.

15.) Any map that does not display the city of Lima, Ohio, is illegal to sell in Lima, Ohio.

16.) In Portland, Maine, it's illegal to tickle a girl under the chin witha feather duster.

17.) In Seattle, Washington, it is illegal to carry a concealed weapon that exceeds 6 feet in length.

18.) A dead juror may not serve on a jury in the state of Oregon.

19.) Canadian laws state that it is illegal to push a moose out of an airplane in Canadian airspace.

You tell me which one of these, if any, makes sense!

Flubbed Headlines

These are 100% honest-to-goodness headlines:

1.) MASSACHUSETTS WOMAN HAS EYE ON KERRY'S SEAT

2.) Four Top Dogs Inducted Into Meat Industry Hall of Fame

3.) Material in Diapers Could Help Make the Deserts Bloom

4.) Study Shows Some Denial From Parents on Ecstasy

5.) MAN KILLED OVER PHONE

6.) Passengers Feeling Airline Crew Cuts

7.) Toronto Suspects Hate Crime

8.) Waterskiing Accident Ruled Accidental

9.) JUDGE NOT CONVINCED MURDER VICTIM IS ALIVE

10.) Men Who Make Inappropriate Advances Should be Exposed

11.) 11 HIGH STUDENTS SCORE PERFECT GRADE

12.) Bonus Permits Enable 809 Hunters to Kill Two Deer

13.) Brief Cooking at Low Heat Recommended For Diabetics

14.) Teacher Strikes Idle Kids

15.) POLICEMAN SHOOTS MAN WITH KNIFE

16.) Astronomers See Colorful Gas Clouds Bubble Out Uranus

17.) School Bans All Kinds of Nuts on Campus

18.) DEALERS WILL HEAR CAR TALK AT NOON

19.) MINERS REFUSE TO WORK AFTER DEATH

20.) HOSPITALS SUED BY SEVEN FOOT DOCTORS

21.) Youth Steals Funds For Charity

22.) MUSIC INDUSTRY MEETS ON DRUGS

23.) OIL BARGE BREAKS OFF TEXAS

24.) Dodge Says Probe Puts Him in Awkward Position

What were they trying to say???

REAL Backstabbery!

Remember one of my previous posts where I talked about backstabbers and how I gave an example that was really not a textbook definition? Well, I'm heading back to those shaky grounds and provide a textbook example in today's post.

And did I mention that it has something to do with Facebook???

So when I opened up a Facebook account about a year ago, a lot of people I knew added me as a friend. That's the natural thing to do right??? Now I've come to enjoy using Facebook. What's fun about is that there are fan pages, groups that can be created, photo albums you can create, etc. It's mainly a social network and you can talk to friends whenever they're online as well.

I got 'friend invites' from my classmates, current and former, from family members and relatives, and even some of my old friends back in the D.C. area. Now for those of you that don't me, I have some rules if one wanted to be my friend on Facebook:

1.) Don't tag me in photos that I am clearly not in.
2.) Don't send me stupid game application requests such as Farmville, Mafia Wars, etc.
3.) Don't tag me in pictures or illustrations that clearly come from a Facebook application.
4.) If you're gonna remove me as friend, at least give me reason because it's rude to just randomly remove people as friends.

I felt like I was connected with everybody I ever knew. Well, almost everybody...

There were some people that WERE once my friends only to remove me as a friend later on... People that I THOUGHT I knew pretty well...

Now I just find that pretty rude. You know there's a group on Facebook called 'I hate rude people'. And you can bet your college trust fund that I joined that group. Now you know what the sad thing is with some of the people I knew? They're people of the same faith; people that go to the same church (or church organization) as I do.

So now what? Well I ask the following:

Is there something wrong you see in me?
Do you just hate me?

Well, I think the people that de-friended me did so for a few reasons:

1.) I have a short temper.
2.) I am too serious.
3.) I've said some mean or pessimistic things.
4.) I am a jerk.

Well in response, I'd say:

1.) I'll admit that I can be short tempered a lot of times. But I have my reasons.
2.) Too many people haven't been serious around me. Well I don't know about you, but I'm interested in getting things done and rather not goof off while doing it. Remember my previous post??? I'll goof off when the time is appropriate. There is a time and place for everything. Just read Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 if you're looking for guidance from a religious point of view.
3.) I know I've said things, and I didn't mean it. But if you've known me for the last 3 years or so, you should understand that things haven't been easy for. If you want details, go and read this post. You just don't know me well...
4.) Fine. I'll say it myself. I WAS a jerk. I wish I could change the past, but I can't. I can only mold a better future. But I have changed (I know! I sound like a movie character!). And again, you don't know me as well as you should have...

But if I'm still not good enough for them fine. The least thing they can do is tell me what they have a problem with. The can at least tell me what they hate about me... Otherwise it was nice knowing you (I guess...) and good-bye forever. Despite all this, I'm willing to move on and leave them with the fact that whatever WAS our friendship is certainly gone. If people hate me, fine! In the end, two or three people really don't make a difference. I've got other friends that still care. But in the ultimate end, I say it's really their loss... So ha!

Thanks for reading! You wanna another blog post? You wanna spill a question(s) or comment(s)?? You wanna spam me with hate mail or something (because I KNOW you do!)??? Well drop me a line. And I'm not baiting you! So please hurry! Don't fillet (delay)! Give me some ideas here! Much appreciated!

Complicated, Or Overcomplicated???

Have you ever taken an advanced class in school? Were you assigned difficult and usually complex assignments?? Did you ever feel like it was too much to even think about???

If not, well how about these questions?

Have you ever been in a class where you DID understand a lot of the materials? Did your classmates ask complicate questions that overcomplicated the current subject and discussion?? And did THAT ever annoy you???

If not, then stop reading this blog post immediately! Otherwise, carry on.

So as a member of the LDS church, I was expected to take a church class (usually off campus; known as Seminary) all throughout high school. Was was a Freshman back in D.C., I got up at 5:00 in the morning to go my instructor's home to take that class. After moving into Oregon, there was a church-owned building behind the school to go to during school hours. That required me to take a class period off on my schedule. Now the latter method was a lot easier on me because I didn't have to wake up as early as was used to. But as always in my case, there were always Pros and Cons to both scenarios...

The Pros for getting up early:

If you're a good student, it's generally quiet and you could get a lot out of the class. Other classmates would be just tired and usually won't be talking amongst each other. And when class gets out, you are given a lift to school.

The Cons for getting up early:

You have to wake up early in the morning. And there are times when you're too tired to stay awake in class.

The Pros for going during school hours:

You don't get up early for this one. Plus there are times when this class really makes your day.

The Cons for going during school hours:

Well... That depends. For me there were times when class size annoyed me. Other times, it was usually certain individuals that were the spoiled apples in the pack... In general, by not waking up early, the students have SOME energy to start a ruckus... Oh, and there is the factor of giving up a class period just take the class (which doesn't count towards earning a high school credit by the way).

Now don't get me wrong. I enjoyed these classes. I got a lot out of it in my four years of high school. But like I said, there are Pros and Cons. And I'm a no-nonsense kind of guy and there are times when I lose patience. Believe me, I've had those moments.

So what does my religious class have to do with complicating or overcomplicating??? Well, in a nutshell, another one of my pet peeves of course! Specifically during the second semester of my Senior year...

This is probably gonna come back to haunt me, but what I hated about my religious class that part of the year were two things:

1.) The class was quite talkative (And it was under 20 students; numbers that I can usually tolerate!) to a point that the class discussion would get off track. And every time we got off track, it was just a test of patience. And let me tell, there were days when I lost my patience...

2.) There were a few people that asked off-topic or stupid questions. Other times, they would try to look smart by asking questions that overcomplicated an already complicated discussion, lecture, etc. Again, it would be another test session of my patience. If I ever had a question that fell into that category, I would hold it and ask the instructor/teacher after class individually. Ever heard of "keeping it simple"!?!?

What? Do you think I'm a little too serious??? Well, there's nothing wrong with that right??? I mean, can't I choose to be serious in my studies??? I've got nothing against having a good time, goofing off, and letting off a little steam... But let me ask you this:

Would you throw away your future just so you can screw around for the rest of your life???

You have got to grow up sooner or later right???

Now I'll admit that my standards are a little high. But I do question how much commitment others around me have. I also question how much consideration everybody else has when comes to those around them...

Thanks for reading.

You have a similar story or experience? You have a question or several questions?? Comments??? Or hate mail???? You can drop me a line whenever you want in the section called 'Comments'. Duh!

Broken (High School) Dreams

So what does a Storm Trooper affected by the "ways of the Jedi" have something to do with broken dreams? Well, practically nothing. It was the closest thing available to go along with today's blog post.

So I have a few questions for you, the reader:

Was there a time when you were dreaming big and one day you got shot down?

Was there something you wanted to do or achieve in high school but that was all shot down??

Would you consider this as a broken "high school" dream???

Well I know what it's like to have a broken high school dream... But remember this:

"Life is molded from broken high school dreams."

For those of that know me to some degree, I kinda sorta coined that quote. For those of that don't know that well... Well now you know!

So when I was a Freshman in high school, the band program was pretty much my only forte. I was in the concert band playing the Trumpet. Around the beginning of the second semester, I made the section leader position and I kept that spot for the remainder of the school year. That was probably one of the greatest things ever to happen to me all throughout high school. Things were different because I went to school in the Washington D.C. area in the state of Maryland.

So by the end of the school year everybody starts thinking about next year right??? Well, I wanted to do marching band and I had to make the highest band class offered there in order to participate. I had no problem doing that and I was in the advanced band (designated Symphonic Band) for the remainder of high school.

So as summer break got underway, I got into planning. You know the usual:

Camp
Youth group activities & trips
Music practice
Spending time with friends
And so-on...

Well sort of... My parents dropped a bomb shell as summer got underway. We were moving to Oregon in August!

(Cue dramatic music)

"Seriously!? After 7-8 years of living in the Washington D.C. area (longer than any other city we've lived in), we're pulling up the stakes!?"

I was just devastated. I just saw my dreams of being in the high school marching band go up in flames... I had no idea about where we were going. I had no idea about what the school programs had to offer. That was the natural feeling... So we make our way out to the land of "unspoiled trees" and constant rain (which I'll soon come to hate) and settled in. School would start in September and we got registration and classes taken care of. Now all I had to do was check out the band program.

Much to my disappointment, I came into town too late to join the marching band. And just to further grind down the shards of my high school dream into pulp, I went from rising section leader of Washington D.C. to last-chair Oregonian underdog.

So throughout Sophomore year, I just slugged it out. I did Pep Band and had a lot of fun. Junior year, I FINALLY got to do marching band. Despite that, I was still feeling bummed that I was only gonna get two seasons of marching band in high school AND I was still an underdog. To make matters even worse, I got braces in my teeth midway through the year and my ability to play the Trumpet was severely hampered. If Junior year was any consolation, we got to go to the Anaheim Heritage Festival in Los Angeles, California that year and won the competition. Still, I felt quite useless because I couldn't play as well as I used to. Despite that, I was named the most improved Junior musician at the annual end-of-the-year band banquet.

At the end of my Junior year, I asked my band director if I could switch instruments to accommodate my braces during my Senior year. His suggestion was a low-brass instrument known as the Baritone (or the Euphonium). Immediately, the change came out as a positive. Playing the low-brass instrument didn't bother my mouth and braces and I soon became a low brass-o-holic. So I played the marching Baritone for the marching band and Pep Band seasons and played the Euphonium in the concert ensemble. At the end of the school year, just days before graduation, I was named the most valued and most improved Senior musician. I also lettered in band that year and was one of the few students to receive the Director's Award for band as well.

It was a decent school year. It was year to remember too because it was the school year where I developed a greater appreciation for life:

If you recall in a previous post during Thanksgiving break, I got to go flying with my uncle. About four minutes into our flight, the engine started to lose power and we were forced to make an emergency landing. Those few minutes were probably one of the more frightening experiences of my life. I started to feel a sense of change towards the outlook on life.

But it wasn't until around the beginning of second semester of my Senior year, I was thrusted into some kind of nightmare... I was driving home from school with my sister one sunny February afternoon. The roads were wet and sunlight was reflected from the water on the roads (Now I saw that as an ill omen). I was slowing for a red light and the next thing I knew was this impact feeling with the sound of crunching metal and loud pop. The car airbags went off and I was feeling disorientated. I felt as if my face was burning and I was left with minor propellant burns on my left forearm and a wound on the lower part of my face, just to the left of my chin. I was able to drive the car to side of the road and assess the situation. The car was totaled. I was injured. The person that caused the accident was someone I knew; a friend of mine. I ended up going to the hospital to be checked on. It was indeed a good day gone bad. And I found it in my heart to forgive my friend and from that day on, I had a greater appreciation for mortality.

(And I'll touch back onto this story in the near future.)

Those two experiences changed my outlook on life completely. It changed my life as well. Ever since I moved to Oregon, I haven't been the person I should have been. I've been a pessimist, depressed, and I haven't been a good friend towards the people that reached out to me. I have regretted being that bitter demon to the people that did care about me even to this day...

So back to the band thing...

The hard thing for me was dealing with that feeling of demotion, the fact that I had to change high schools, and the fact that there are people out there better than me. I was feeling so down, that I even had a great deal of dislike toward my band director. This personal high school ordeal lasted for 3 years (all throughout Sophomore, Junior, and Senior year) and has taught me a lesson of humility and that there's more to life than meets the eye. To this day, it serves as a constant reminder that there ARE chapters beyond high school. Especially after going through those near-death experiences, I've tried have a greater outlook towards life... And I've come to respect my former band director as well.

Thanks for reading! And remember:

"Life is molded from broken high school dreams."

Bad Attitudes = Bad Morale = Total Buzz-Kill!

Super strength!? More like the ability to be a total buzz-kill! I'm pretty sure a lot of you had THIS happen. If not, you might wanna get checked out by a therapist to make sure you don't have any bottled up anger...

So you ever had a family member or friend just ruin your day or spoiled a good moment just because he/she was in a bad mood or had a bad day??? I've been there. I've been a victim as well as the perpetrator.

Well, what else can I say about this? That anybody with the figurative black cloud over their head will just damage the good morale when he/she comes up to you???

Well I suppose it's understandable.

Time are tough. People are struggling. The economy sucks. Finding jobs of your profession are hard to come by. It's no wonder people are in bad moods...

Kinda reminds me of times throughout my two marching band seasons...

What? You expecting me to share about what was a buzz-kill about marching band???

Well, all I'm gonna say is that a lot of things were a buzz-kill:

1.) Time committed Vs. Time for other things
2.) Not-so-happy band director (especially one that MAY die at a young age from a lot of stress)
3.) Snobby members
4.) The weather
5.) Hypocritical decisions made by student leaders and the director
6.) Not having things done YOUR way

Believe me, there are just some things that I'd rather not talk about and THIS is one of them. But if you wanna figure it out for yourself, go right ahead.

If you've got any text book examples of buzz-killing moments that resulted from bad moods and so-on, drop me a line in the comments section and let's all reminisce about together! Thanks for reading!

Micromanagers = Total Buzz-Kills

I have decided to write about the things that really bug me. So every once in a while, I'll dedicate certain blog post to a pet peeve of mine...

Are your friends and/or family breathing down your neck about SOMETHING? Do you feel like you are constantly being pestered to do something only to be bomb-shelled with something else?? Do you feel under-appreciated or mistrusted???

Well I feel your pain...

I don't know why we weren't friends in the first place... (Well, maybe not.)

So for those of you that didn't know, I used to carry a pet peeves list around in my wallet. I don't anymore due to a magical device called A COMPUTER. Yep. Like an online will, I have typed up my list of pet peeves (somewhere) and I add on to it when a new pet peeve surfaces. I usually use it when someone that I'm close to is acting obnoxious or just to put someone in their place.

Well, today I'm officially adding micromanagers to my list of pet peeves. Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, I present to you my reasons and argument:

So I'm going on a mission to Japan right? What can do to better prepare? Well I can study Japanese in some way and form of course! Well, this is where things get ugly...
I've got family members pestering me to learn Japanese differently; do this! Do that! How about 'shut up!'

Sorry about that!

Well to give ya details, one of my uncles is pestering me to learn how to Hiragana and Katakana. For those of you that don't know what that is, they're both writing styles/formats of the Japanese language. Hiragana is easier to recognize. It's where beginners and young students first learn the letters and all that before mixing it up with Kanji. Katakana is used mainly for borrowed words from other languages and even when written out, it looks like something a computer would type up. So my uncle gave me some Internet sources on learning how to write Kana. But he also imposes what he calls the "Favorite Uncle Challenge" and what that is he "assigns" a certain section of the learning process. What ever happened giving me the sources and let me have at it?!?!?! So there's one micromanager.

Want another text book example of micromanaging? Well, how about parents living their dreams through their children? How about parents making up for their mistakes and regrets through their children??? Both my parents took piano lessons when they were kids. But they never really committed to it and they don't have a clue about how to play it. My sisters and I however, took lessons (only because our parents got us a private instructor without our consent. We were little tots back then...). We turned out fine with it (so far). So I'd say, "There! Are you happy!? No get off of my skin!"

Got any other good examples of micromanaging? Drop me a line in the comments section and I'd like to hear all about it!

As for me, I'm gonna go do something productive!

Dating. No Friendship Speeches!

Before I go onto my blogging, I would like to point out that the posts that only had pictures on it and very few words were only because I didn't have anything to write about. Or in other words, at a loss of words on what to write. No ideas whatsoever. Just for laughs, that is all. Now onto to today's blog:

So today, I overheard my sister's boyfriend say something about celebrating a two month anniversary with their relationship or something. In response to that, I just bursted out laughing. My sister then countered by stating that two months feels like 5 years for high school students. I personally think that's just a load of bull crap...

This is a difficult life subject to talk about.

Now I'm saying that there is nothing wrong with being in a relationship with a guy or a girl. There's nothing wrong with being a boyfriend or a girlfriend. However, I do hate some aspects of a "relationship" between a guy and a girl. Allow me to name a few:

1.) The majority of society thinks dating is an "exclusive" thing. In other words, you only date that one person. That's how it is, especially in British culture.

2.) As a result, that "exclusiveness" tears up friendship cultivated with other people.

3.) People tend to act differently when they're in a relationship.

4.) There are times "when things are taken too far", if you know what I mean...

5.) Exclusive relationships takes away from others in my opinion.

Now while I don't claim to be a dating expert, take this into thought from a guy in his last teenage year, about to become a missionary on behalf of the LDS Church. I have seen a few things that disturbed me. The thing about dating is that it's simple when you're at home, in high school, in the comfort zone of students you know. But when you're on your own, in college, fending for yourself, it gets a little harder. Getting a phone number requires just as much effort as a regular date. Let me paint the following scenario for you:

Imagine yourself at an annual neighborhood block party. There's this hot guy or girl (depending on what gender you are of course) going around with a box of pizza and he/she says to you "Hey! You want some pizza?" And you say, "No thanks." and make the mistake of thinking that you were smooth. You say "But I'll take your number." and all of a sudden, you've never been more embarrassed to see someone’s left ring finger.

Don't take this the wrong way. Dating is fun. It doesn't have to be expensive. An awesome activity is a good clean game called 'Apples to Apples'. It's a really great way to spend time together, especially in a group date. If you are unaware of what 'Apples to Apples' is, I don't know what to say about that. You need to get out more. However, like all games, you need to see if you're good at it. Take it from myself, a gamer. The game itself seemed to have left some bad impressions on some people I know... I’m not sure if this is part of the game or not, but at the end, you’re supposed to use the cards to describe yourself. Imagine someone saying, "I’m smart, funny, and attractive." while you have to say, "I’m fat, stupid, lazy, smelly, and boring." every time you play the game...

Another inexpensive activity is the movie theaters. It's a classic in the dating world. Personally, I just don't go to the movies these days. But I'll go if it's the designated date activity. However, it's hard to catch a decent, original movie these days. Remember one of my earlier posts about the Hollywood film industry??? Almost every movie is a book, a sequel, or a remake. Don't take this the wrong way; some of them are okay. But aren't you dreading the impending day when we have the 'I Love Lucy' remake starring Drew Barrymore?????

Again, while I don’t claim to be an expert, for the guys, there are three words you can say in any conversation if you want to guarantee that the girl has a bad memory of the date: “World of Warcraft”. And for all the ladies reading this, there are two words you can say in any conversation if you want to guarantee that the guy has a bad memory of the date: “Edward Cullen”.

(Cue dramatic music)

Now here's the things I see about dating I believe in:

I've been growing up in the LDS Church. My standards are based off of the guidelines and counsels of our reading materials, teachers, and leaders.

1.) Dating is a way to help an individual develop lasting friendships. Good friendships CAN and SHOULD be developed at every age. Remember one of my more recent posts about friendship???

2.) We should date only those who have similar high standards and in whose company you can maintain your standards.

3.) As LDS youth, we don't start dating until we're at least 16 years of age.

4.) As teenagers, you don't have to date. It's entirely up to you. You may not believe this, but many young people don't date during their teenage years. Reasons include lack of interest, lack of opportunities, or simply the desire to delay forming more serious relationships.

5.) We should avoid going on frequent dates with the same person. We should date different people so that we can get know many different individuals.

So what's the point of this? Well, besides giving me a blog topic to talk about, it gives me an opportunity to pass on what wisdom I have to you, the reader. It also puts forth the opinions of myself as well as other people who have similar opinions. Remember:

"Good writers write all the time."

If you wanna put forth your opinions or questions, I'm all ears in the comments section. And remember, you're entitled to your own opinions. I am hereby in no way forcing my opinions on you. Thanks for reading!

We Live In A Complicated, Yet Funny World...

Well, I'm not gonna say much. Look at the pictures, catch a few laughs, interpret what I'm trying to say (not really), and move on. Enjoy!













You didn't think I was done did you?! Well technically, I am. All I have to say is that we live in a complicated world and all we can do about is laugh. So LAUGH dang it! Catch you readers and bloggers later!