There's a First for Everything

Just to start off, this past week has been crazy!! It was full of a lot of firsts, good and bad. I went swimming for the first time this summer. Actual lap swimming. It was kind of a wake of call of how behind I'm going to be every B day fourth period for swim team. We were swimming and Jake told me that I had done literally one tenth of a workout. On the way to swimming I was pulled over for the first time. I like to think that I am pretty cool under pressure, but that was scary!! Fortunately I was only given a warning. Unfortunately, apparently everybody I know drove past while I was pulled over and decided to tell the world, so it's no longer a secret. Later, I went on a date for the first time. It wasn't really my first date, but it was the first date where I asked the girl instead of being asked. The date was fun, and I'm already planning more. I'm excited for a couple of dates I'm planning with a few specific people. The following morning I went rock climbing and lead climbed for the first time. Lead climbing is crazy difficult. Instead of having the rope already strung through the top, you are bringing the rope up with you and could possibly fall upwards of 10 to 15 feet and slam into a rock. Well I guess this is just one more step on the way to me becoming a professional rock climber. While I was sitting at Harrison's house achieving the highest Black Ops score in my career, I received a call for a job interview. The interview wasn't bad, and I'm basically hired. In order to get this first job, I had to take my first drug test. I didn't do anything wrong, but apparently that's the kind of people a moving company attracts and they just have to be sure. I've turned in the drug test but was given a 20 page packet for insurance and billing before I can start. I completed my first Eagle Project. I know that one is a stretch but I'm trying to keep with the theme. That was a relief to have my parents stop hounding me! Part of completing an Eagle Project (in my family), means you receive a shotgun. So now I have my first shotgun, and my first real gun actually (excluding BB and airsoft guns). Tonight, I'm going to my second Bruno Mars, but I guess you could say it's my first concert this summer. I am super excited for this concert, especially since his new album is fantastic! Tomorrow I get to drive down to Schofield with my family and go fly fishing for the first time. I hear fly fishing is a lot more fun because you're constantly involved in the fishing, and not just sitting by a lake killing time, with a fishing pole that also happens to be in the water. This week has been hectic, wild, and full of tons of excitement. 

 

 

 

Summer has arrived!

Summer is just around the corner. School has been really stressful, especially these last couple weeks. I am looking forward to a wonderful summer filled with lots of fun activities.

Reasons why I am excited for Summer.....

1. Obviously no school. After reading my introduction this should have been obvious.

2. I'm going to play tons of tennis. I have 3 weeks of straight tennis camps and matches lined up for the first 3 weeks of summer. I recently learned that thing that your parents would always tell you is actually true, "the more you practice the better you get!" Wow, who knew.

3. Sleep. I always say this, but it never happens.

 

(Random babies)

4. Rock Climbing and Repelling. I recently purchased a good amount of equipment and I need to make use of this expensive stuff! And its also super fun.

5. Water activities such as scuba diving and boating. Scuba Diving is amazing and I already know of at least one time I'm going. And I guess boating is not that bad either.

6. In addition to swimming and diving in lakes and oceans, I need to spend a lot of time in lap pools. I decided Im going to do swim team however I haven't swam competitively for more than six years. Also, 7 peaks is going to be awesome. Only I'm hoping for fewer makeout couples there. 

7. Somewhere in there I'm going to need a job. Hopefully not at a super crappy place but some money is better than no money.

Bad Job!

Worse Job!

8. Driving and Dating. I have waited so long for this and I am so excited, I can't even contain myself. Them girls better watch out.

Skiing

I wrote this a while back and now that it's the end of the season I thought I would share.

Skiing is kind of like mining; you want virgin ground. 

I don’t know why they call it skiing into powder. It should be called melting into powder. It’s quite contradictory if you think about. Melting into something even though it is more than 20 degrees below freezing; yet, it somehow all makes sense. If you’ve ever taken a closer look at butter melting on a simple piece of toast, you’ll find that it slowly fuses into it, until it simultaneously seems to become one in the same. That is how it feels to be skiing in fresh untouched powder. You start to become lost, not all at once, but fluently like butter on toast. Your worries soon leave you and you are transfigured into a world that can only be found on slopes of a mountain peak. You are waist deep in such a simple substance: a snowflake. So light and easily destroyed, but gathered in millions and hundreds of millions they become a child’s playground.

Some people cower at the sight of a blizzard, but I thrive on them. Why would I depart upon the sight of more snow? I revel having snow grace me on the lift ride up. It’s just another reminder that I’m doing the thing I love. You can barely see 15 feet in front of yourself, but that’s what makes it a challenge. People will come into and out of view like ghosts, fading away and being encompassed by the snow. It is like a movie where you enter your suspension of disbelief, but somehow it is real. As the blanket of snow thickens, it begins to obscure the light. Soon you are unable to distinguish ridges and drops. You’re perception has been tarnished, and you must rely solely on your experience now. It is a true test of skill and gut reaction. It is Mother Nature’s ultimate challenge, and it is not to be taken lightly, but instead attacked head-on

          Being on the lift is like watching a trailer for the best movie that ever existed. You get to preview the landscape and start to plan out your next run while suspended 40 feet off the ground. You start to compare yourself to other skiers, “I’m a better skier than him, but maybe not as good as that guy.” Then you finally touchdown on mother earth again, as the wind is rushing over the backside of the mountain and over the peak, testifying to you that you’re not the most powerful thing out there. Finally, the movie begins. You get to customize it and make it as relaxed or exhilarating as you want. You get to carve up the mountain try new things each time. And the best part is, the movie starts over and over and over again.

 

Harlem Shake

I don't know why but these videos are hilarious.

Check the guy in the sleeping bag on the left.

This is disgusting because he's so fat, but funny.

That's one way to get rid of your washer.

It would be fun to make a Harlem shake video. There's tons more on YouTube.

Mind BLOWN

An excerpt from my journal:

"My seminary teacher said that whenever the Old/New Testament references "Lord" or "Father", they're actually talking about Jesus Christ. This kind of blew my mind. He said whenever we pray, we praying to God, and Jesus is like the messenger to God because we aren't to be in God's presence. I've been thinking on this topic all weekend and I'm going to talk to my seminary teacher tomorrow."

This also means that Moses saw Christ in the burning bush, not heavenly father. He explained it by saying that most visitations are through Christ, when I'd always thought it was through heavenly father. He explained as Jesus being our God, and that most everything is done through Jesus Christ, and God is just kind of a supervisor. (most) All actions were done through Christ, except for combining intelligences and spirit in the Premortal World. Well, I'm going to go have one of those really deep conversations with my seminary teacher tomorrow and hopefully I'll organize my thoughts a little more.

and this last one just because it's kind of funny:)

Winter

Most people think winter is really depressing. It gets dark earlier and it's ten times harder to get out of the bed in the morning. Although this is true, I think winter is probably the best season that there is, and especially this year. On Tuesday, I saw the Warren Miller film, and my dad and I were trying on ski boots yesterday. Needless to say, I am really pumped for the ski season. Plus, it's snowing outside which I'm hoping means a promising ski season.

Winter also contains a bunch of other great things:
-There is this cool thing that America does called Christmas which happens to be a really fun holiday.

-Snow allows for snowballs, and everybody loves snowballs.

-I know this isn't really important but I'm kind of looking forward to the release of The Hobbit(and The Dark Knight Rises comes out on DVD)

-Ice Skating. I don't know why but I'm just looking forward to ice skating this year.

-Thanksgiving is kind of a winter holiday, anyways, we are going to my grandmas house this year and calling her an amazing cook would be an insult(because she's better than that).

-The Day after Thanksgiving is Black Friday. I went for my first time last year and I'm planning on it again this year. Since I stay up until 5 in the morning anyways, it might as well be while Christmas shopping.

-Along with Christmas, we get Christmas break. I haven't had a real break since summer because I've always had to stay back for football.

-And finally, the most important thing ever: HoT ChOcOlAtE!!

 

The Warren Miller FlowState trailer:

"Skiing is about expressing yourself. You are given a white canvas and then you fill it with your creativity." -a quote from the movie

Life...

....is stressful. This week has been crazy. I'm not sure whether to say it's been good or bad but as of now I'm going to stick with bad. I did horrible on my math test which means for the first time in my life I am going to get a B. This didn't go over too well with my parents either....at all. Because of this, my parents said I can't have friends over on Friday. Now that wouldn't be too bad but this is basically the only day in the next month that I'll be able to do anything.

Speaking of friends, my dad and I made a deal that if I did so well at my football game, that I will have redeemed myself and I will be able to have friends over again. The good part is, for the first time since my concussion, I have a starting defensive position. Throughout the season I've started on special teams but not defense. That's like saying you only go in for the penalty kicks on soccer. Of course I've played when we were ahead, but considering we lost the past two games I didn't get that much playtime. Finally after all that time of giving it all I've got, and just wondering if coach noticed me, I know it's payed off. So that's a lot of pressure to do good, and a potential for a lot of hard work to be lost really quickly.

Next, I am trying to get my driver's license. In order for me to do this, my parents mandate that I must first have my eagle project done. I've been eligible to start working on my project since last December. This summer, I had a project signed off and ready to go and the day before I went to do it, it was shut down by one of the city employees. Now, I've called Primary Children's and I'm trying to get another project approved, but the only time it works to meet to get an approval, my parents won't be available.

So there's a lot of good things that seem to be becoming negative instead of positive. But, the week is still young. I still have football game to play, and Friday to (hopefully) look forward to. This week is also general conference and you can't go wrong with that.