This is the job I had this past semester. It was probably the coolest oncampus job I have had.

I thought this was funny:

Genuine learning occurs as we stimulate new dendrite growth in the brain. (Dendrites connect neurons for continued, effective thinking.) The three emotional states that interfere with optimal dendrite growth are 1) fatigue, 2) stress, and 3) fear. Most students attending college battle against one or more of these factors most of the time.
(Harvard Brain Research Conference, 1998)

I thought this was perfect:

Stanza 5

So here I am, in the middle way, having had twenty years—
Twenty years largely wasted, the years of l'entre deux guerres [between “the two” world wars]
Trying to use words, and every attempt
Is a wholly new start, and a different kind of failure
Because one has only learnt to get the better of words
For the thing one no longer has to say, or the way in which
One is no longer disposed to say it. And so each venture
Is a new beginning, a raid on the inarticulate
With shabby equipment always deteriorating
In the general mess of imprecision of feeling,
Undisciplined squads of emotion. And what there is to conquer
By strength and submission, has already been discovered
Once or twice, or several times, by men whom one cannot hope
To emulate—but there is no competition—
There is only the fight to recover what has been lost
And found and lost again and again: and now, under conditions
That seem unpropitious. But perhaps neither gain nor loss.
For us, there is only the trying. The rest is not our business.
“East Coker,” from The Four Quartets
T. S. Elliot

I think this is what the would needs to hear:

. . . I would go back to a home that has a mother there . . . . I ask you . . . what good is a big picture window and the lavish appointments and the priceless décor in a home if there is no mother there? The mother as a mother, not as a breadwinner, is an essential figure in the battle against immorality and wickedness. I would also go back to the family where children were accountable and where father was the head of the family.

Would you think me naïve if I were to propose that this battle ultimately will be won on such simple grounds as the children coming in after school to homemade bread and jam and Mama there? Or on such grounds as Daddy and Mama taking their youngsters to Sacrament meeting? Or that tender hug as they are put to bed and Daddy and Mama are saying, “We need you in this family. You are part of us, no matter what your troubles are, you can come home. (Boyd K. Packer, quoted; The Miracle of Forgiveness, 69.)

It's kind of a bad shot but this was championships today.

Funny and True.
http://consumerist.com/consumer/clips/snl-skit-dont-buy-stuff-you-cant-afford-252491.php

Badger Creek caretaker winter 2007!!

I was 24 back then.




This was one of the best experiences of my life. My job was to snow machine and groom cross country trails at the base of the Tetons in Tetonia, ID.

It really looked like this every sunset. I got it before the clouds got painted by the sun so it's not as good in picture.

I was able to cross country ski around the property.

This is the yurt. One time I slept in it with a 0 degree bag. It was a bad idea, unfortunately it was 20below that night. I had cross country skied up to it so I was really warm before sleeping and couldn't tell how cold it was. I also had the stove going inside, but it turns out that the stove was a cooking stove and not a heat producing stove. All in all, the coldest night of my life.

This is the tractor I would drive and one of the snow machines I used to groom cross coutry trails. I got the sled stuck on a sharp turn and had to pull it out with the mini tractor.

Finally pictures from the cabin!

So I lost my keys a week ago and haven't found them. They have my jump drive and of course the key to my car. My jump drive has all my homework on it. Oh well. Wait I just found them.

So I accidentally offended the people at the party with my comment. I am sorry.

Anyways, I was thinking about how I've been acting lately. It reminded me of Stitch from Lilo and Stitch. I think my little sister is like Lilo, completely oblivious of my energy and destructive tendencies--she just sees the cool things I can do.

And it's my mom's birthday today, so that's cool that I have sisters to remind me about that.

Air

Sometimes parties are really a big waste of time, people aren't fun to talk to, so it's time to jump.

Bowling Ball

So I broke a bowling ball and the guy let me keep it. Too strong.

I get so frustrated sometimes, and I don’t know how much my attending this university has anything to do with it. But whatever it is, there is advice being given all the time here. It’s like we live in a culture of advice givers. Everyone has every solution to every single one of our problems in every situation in our life because we feel we grasp all eternal truth. It’s like no story we go through is hard because everyone knows the ending if we make the correct plot choices, we don’t even get a chance to effectively feel the story out. Because I know the gospel is true I should know that being sad or confused is a result of sin, heaven sent trials, or some other condition that can be summarized by a scripture mastery quote. There are so many quotes and spiritual thoughts that I can’t even think! Every situation I find myself in I think, ‘Oh, I already know the problem and answer, I just need to apply through hard work and gumption;’ but, jumping to the end of the story with a scriptural solution before seeing the plot through forces me to live a scripted life. Thomas Plummer quotes S.I. Hayakawa about living a preprogrammed life:
Most people don’t know the answer to the question, “How are you? How do you feel?” The reason why they don’t know is that they are so busy feeling what they are supposed to feel, thinking what they are supposed to think, that they never get down to examining their own deepest feelings. "How did you like the play?" "Oh, it was a fine play. It was well reviewed in The New Yorker.@ With authority figures like drama critics and book reviewers and teachers and professors telling us what to think and how to feel, many of us are busy playing roles, fulfilling other people's expectations. As Republicans, we think what other Republicans think. As Catholics, we think what other Catholics think. And so on. Not many of us ask ourselves, “How do I feel? What do I think?” C and wait for an answer.[i]

2. Thomas G. Plummer, "Diagnosing and Treating the Ophelia Syndrome," Lecture delivered to Delta Phi Alpha, the German Honor Society at BYU, April 5, 1990.

So today I was frustrated up the wahzoo! So instead of going to devotional I went to the temple. Luckily the devotional was the Rexburg temple president talking about how we should go to the temple more. Then I didn't do any more homework the rest of the day, just played sports and worked out. I realized something today: I hate sitting still. One of the sets during swim practice was a 900 im! Then I ran a dry land practice with my swim team latter tonight. We ran 2miles and then did a series of 100m sprints with pushups and situps in the middle. After than me and my roommate went and played catch with so girls for a while. All I did today was run around and I loved it, so much happier than when in my English classes. Well I have just more clearly defined a need I need to fill and not feel bad about.

a little energy + inbetween conference session + frustrations with every single girl in Rexburg + a big box of apples + a baseball bat + roommates = fun

Sometimes

"It was their beliefs and the motivation that came therefrom that pulled them through. Evevryone of us is largely the product of his or her beliefs. Our behavior is governed by these. They become our standards of conduct." --This I Believe, Gordon B. Hinckley