I hate Hollywood and The World's Idea of Beauty

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Home for the Holidays.

I think it's easier to read blogs that are numbered. For this week here are 10 things that have been on my mind lately.

1. Without the gospel I wouldn't have anything good to put here. It's just how it is.

2. I turned down a 5month paid prestigious internship in DC to see if I can make a dream work in the west. My heart wouldn't let me try anything else. "One see's clearly only with the heart, anything essential is invisible to the eyes" (quoted by President Uchdorf).

3. I'm going to be in DC and Pennsylvania for the Holidays. Paid demolition work for my sister!

4. Man I don't look my age. Twice this year I have been carded to see if I was 18.

5. Next summer I will be in South Dakota living a different dream I didn't know I had.

6. I have a job in Maine after that. I don't know if I will go back but there is a wonderful branch there!

7. I still love the song "All These Things That I've Done"

8. I'm happier when I do things that I want to do. In proportion of course.

9. College was extremely difficult for me. Extremely. I want a home of my own so that I'm not living like a sailor or gypsy anymore. The problem is I need a girl to get this done.

10. I hate musicians. They're so annoying with their fashion and their skinny arrogance. I want to hit them in the head with their own guitar and then see how much they whine in an unnatural voice about their emotions.

Progress

(Note about the picture above: Jackson was crying and as soon as I held him and cupped his head with my hand he stopped. I'm not sure if he was terrified or if he felt safe. I felt a little bad and I hope he didn't think I was going to crush him.)

Thanks everyone for being life for me. For being examples. For all the times I call and ask for help, ask for reassurance, or to tell you something I'm excited about. For being people to react and respond to-life wouldn't mean much without you.

And I feel grateful most often when I am still, when I don't force things. Example: I was in the weight room and swimming pool tonight working out with some kids going into BUDs (Navy SEALs). They were doing a whole bunch of push-ups and pull-ups and stuff and I joined in a bit. But the excellent thing is that I didn't finish everything they did. The swimming part was pretty easy so I didn't have to push much. I am definitely not in the push-up pull-up shape I used to be in so I just didn't finish all of it. In the past I could have done twice what they did by sheer numbers alone. But I didn't want to push myself. I'm still loved without being in SEAL mode. More importantly I just didn't care that I wasn't tough enough or whatever.

Our Valley

Me and my friend Matt with another year at Sky Mountain Ranch

Balance

This is a story about a recent tender mercy. Earlier this year I felt I should apply for an internship with the Heritage Foundation. It's a political think tank in DC. I didn't have much going on until grad school so I thought it would be fun. So I got an internship with the Foundation through the help of my professors. It wasn't exactly the internship I wanted but I can't be picky right? I got the offer a week before Thanksgiving and had to decide by the Monday before Thanksgiving. I think I was in Michigan when I called and declined the offer. I realized it wasn't for me.
Then on Wednesday while Matt was taking pictures of granite columns outside of Mount Rushmore, I went inside to look at the books and ranger stuff. I started talking with the ranger and he offered me an internship. I didn't believe it. I told him to wait while I went to get a resume. What are the odds that I would have one readily available amongst everything that I own. But I did and gave it to him. He left ten minutes later to leave to the other side of the state for a family thanksgiving dinner. Good timing. On Saturday morning I emailed him references and stuff. The Monday after Thanksgiving I called the ranger to see if he got my materials. He said he did and then he gave me the internship.
This is how the internship goes: I will be giving two types of tours and a possible 3rd one. The first will be a 1/2 hour trail walk around the base of the monument. All I have to do is spend a half hour talking about why the men are there. Within those parameters I can do whatever I want. The point is to inspire and teach the American people about what made this country and to inspire stewardship in their hearts. The second is about the building of the monument. The third is before an audience of 3 thousand in the amphitheatre and it is strictly patriotic and meant to inspire and to teach. It's like missionary pre-discussions.
On Monday I turned down an amazing internship opportunity and on Wednesday I got a much better, cooler, custom fitted one.