That's right sir. They're glasses sir.

I break and or bend my glasses almost every day. Normally it's from getting hit in the face by someones body that I am wrestling or some ball of some kind. Whatever the reason I hate glasses. Yesterday while playing catch I took my glasses off to bend them a bit and the metal rim around the lens completely broke. I knew this time would come. Every thing breaks. This summer I broke a crowbar. Back to the point, I purchased 2 pairs of the glasses above. They were $25 with prescription and everything. I am excited to see again with nerd glasses. It's a new style and I don't think it will last long because I now can find good cheap glasses for like $10. I can break them without feeling guilty anymore! Wrestling city here I come.

More importantly, my sister had a baby this week. He is not named after me and I am still coming to terms with this. Lilly and I will be forming a protest committee.

Have you ever made maybe one of the most difficult decisions of your life and realised you made the best decision and that you did it because you were a better person than you used to be? I had a situation like that recently. Daily scripture study, prayer, and temple attendance changes who we are in a good way if done with sincerity. It's just how it is.

And finally, every night this week I gave the boys in a cabin a 'how to become a man' speech. Monday night I talked to them about how to treat women. When I finished they asked if I could give them another 'how to become a man' speech the next night. They got quiet and in their bunks Tuesday night waiting for what I would say. Tuesday I talked to them about integrity, Wednesday about values (what you would have integrity about), and Thursday night I gave them their final talk about work and service--that they needed to be good for someone else not just for themselves. What a full week!

Sucess

This has been such an interesting week in the most extreme sense. Extreme tests of faith followed by great spiritual experiences. On Friday I gave two copies of The Book of Mormon away. Each was to a close friend and each was a private and a sincere experience. In both of these experiences I did not plan them nor did I force them. I love The Book of Mormon and I love these people, I wanted them to have this book. Then today, us three mormons at Kieve, went down to Boothbay Harbor and had more intense spiritual experiences. Great day, great day.

These are some of the things . . .

I know my mom reads this and I think Elise read my last post; and, sometimes Jessamyn reads. So for the 2.5-4 people who read this, these are some of the things I care about or love in no particular order:

It turns out I am not as deep as I wanted to be -- pretty uncomplicated. I like hitting things, smashing things, running around, and generally wasting energy.

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I chose this picture because it moved me. I think I love people; and, it is important to note that I have been taught this.

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I love standing for something, alone or with a group. This is because every day is a battle -- if it wasn't I wouldn't love standing for something.

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Although this is a commentary on child labor I am choosing this photo because it is filled with the pathos of a heart yearning and feeling. And in the business of the day I love taking time to feel and listen. I have regained this here in Maine.

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Work. I have been saying this for the last few years. I have learned that I'm not as hard a worker as I thought I was, I wish I was more. But dispite this I still love it; and, this love stems from something that work gives me.

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This is a given that I have recently decided how grateful I am for it. I have read this book so much that I almost forgot if it meant as much to me as it should. I love it, I read it, and I wish I loved it more.
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This is a pretty simple list. I have tried to complicate it more in my life but my wants or needs are pretty simple -- I really don't need much more to be happy than the essence of what these things mean. I am learning to come to terms with this.

I'm Done

I recently looked at pictures of college. At first they were good memories. Then I realized some themes or patterns that made me feel ashamed from the first few years (my senior year was pretty good.) Times of passivity, patterns of dishonesty to self, and times of muted happiness. I'm done with these things. I'm moving on. I'm done.

On another note: I know the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is true. I have made covenants and I have faith that things will work out.

Mom and Boston and More

My mom came up to visit me the other weekend. You can see her in this picture of us to the left with the EAT sign. I have no idea who the woman in the beanie is.
I also fended off some creepy guy in a North Face store. He wanted me to buy stuff for him. I didn't. I felt clean and honest after.



The LOVE thing in Rockland, ME. The sun was bright.








I finally got to go to the Boston Temple. I am grateful that it is there and that I can go to it, and feel and learn.


I am excited to go to the temple for the rest of my life. An older woman was in the car with us for the ride and she was funny, she was kind.




I have heard multiple times that "A Man for all Seasons" was Gordon B Hinckley's favorite movie. I can tell why. I accidentally purchased it while buying some online books for my Africa class. I watched it. The cinematography is excellent, especially for the time. The music was seldom heard which is a plus in my opinion. If you can't deliver emotion through plot and dialogue you should look into another trade(but then what would happen to Hollywood?) The strand that made this movie perfect in my mind are the ideas that are at play, and the acting which delivered some superbly written dialogue. The role of conscience in this movie is as it should be, ever present and ever dictating one's actions.

Paid to Play Dodgeball

I do not know what to say. I'm pretty happy in Maine. I haven't had such a consistent release and enjoyment in life in eight years. I have enjoyed just having fun so much that I almost do not trust it.

I laugh every day. I also have periods of reflection and spiritual nourishment every day. I play sports and games every day. I feel the cold weather tighten my skin and the heat negate the need for layers. I run because I want; and, never stop. I teach because I don't want to stop.

I feel little worry because nobody is telling me to worry. I think a lack of confidence in my own judgement and intuitive ability confuses and stresses me more than real trials. It takes time to make decisions. You can't yell at a plant to grow faster than it is-- that's just inappropriate and somewhat rude.