justified

switcheroo....

2010-04-08T09:13:00.000-07:00

I did it.

I have changed teams.

I am now a Wordpress user.

I switched because I heard some great things about the customization opportunities available from Wordpress. I am still tinkering with it, but it definitely seems like the best option for what I'd like to do!

I switched a little while ago, which explains why you haven't seen anything on here. So, here's the link to the new blog I'll be using! Enjoy!

http://kylekealohaaldous.wordpress.com/

And if you're looking for that daily scripture blog I switched that one as well and it's here:

http://justifiedbythescriptures.wordpress.com/

scripture bracket 2010

2010-03-15T19:43:00.000-07:00

Ok -- so this post comes from my other blog Justified By the Scriptures -- but I loved it so much I'm throwing it on here! Haha

The top 3 events each year:

Christmas

4th of July (and all of the summer vacation)

March Madness

I love March Madness!

The brackets were announced yesterday. I have goosebumps!

March Madness = Gambling

Straight bets, Parlays and Teasers! Oh the excitement!

Last year I tried to not make any plays -- it didn't work.

It won't happen this year for several reasons:

I promised Leah I wouldn't : )

The Church says we shouldn't gamble

I'm completely broke -- actually broker than broke is more accurate.

Despite the lack of gambling excitement this year I found something else to add a new element to things.

Last year Colin Cowherd of "The Herd" on ESPN added a twist to March Madness -- he set up a bracket that involved cereal. Honey Nut Cheerios defeated Frosted Flakes in the finals!

This year he has proposed superhero/villain bracket.

It's a great addition to the excitement of the standard March Madness!

As I listened to Cowherd talk about his superhero/villain bracket my mind immediately thought of the scriptures and a potential scripture bracket!!!

I decided to stick with this years CES book of scripture: Book of Mormon

Let's take a look at the field of 32 in this years bracket:

*Let's not forget that I have no job, no life and my girlfriend lives 2000 miles away -- time is plentiful.

I have set up two regions; the righteous and the wicked.

At the end of the first round of the real tournament I will post the results from my first round of the Book of Mormon Madness bracket!

Let me know who you think should make it through the first round!

something new.

2010-03-09T18:53:00.001-08:00

Ok - so I started another blog earlier this week. In our church institute class we were challenged to read the Book of Mormon during the month of March. It has been an incredible experience so far. One more experience I've had while here in Virginia that has helped me move in the right direction. Teaching my Gospel Principles class and seminary has brought back this fire for studying the Gospel. I decided to take things a step further. In order to keep the fire going I challenged myself to look every day for a connection to the events and musings in my life to the scriptures.

Check it out:

http://justifiedbythescriptures.blogspot.com/

collaborations.

2010-03-09T09:21:00.000-08:00

My brother recently posted a video that was done by a variety of musicians to help out with the recovery in Haiti. I enjoyed the video so much I'm reposting it. And of course because I'm never able to just sit and watch one video on YouTube I watched some others that were similar and I'm going to post those here as well!

It's easy to get caught up in all the things celebrities do wrong-- in fact that's usually what the media likes to focus on. It tends to draw bigger viewership. But they're pretty much like the rest of us-- they've got some great qualities and of course some personal struggles.

Here's some of them caught in one of those wonderful moments of good.

update.

2010-03-02T13:31:00.000-08:00

So it's been awhile since I last wrote so here's what you missed:

Submitted BYU graduate school application

GRE done. Recommendations written. Application turned in. I'm not sure how long I'll be waiting. My buddy said he heard back within a month--that would be nice. I am putting all my eggs in this basket. I really want to get my Master's.

Survived Snowmageddon 2010

I never saw snow like this in Utah Valley. We had no church for 2 straight weeks. School shut down for almost 2 weeks. I spent more time shoveling than ever before. We lost power for a bit and didn't leave the house for days. I have renewed my personal vow to live somewhere warm.

Battled @ Unbreakable 3

This jam was so dope. Some big name bboys showed up. Nasty Ray was a judge and the Squadron came out to battle. The Squadron killed it. I didn't make it past the prelims. Weak. I was quickly reminded why you have to practice hard every day. I know part of the reason I moved out here was to help turn this into more of a hobby but I really want to practice hard again.

Attended 1st YSA dance in VA

We drove an hour into Maryland and arrived half an hour late to see this :

About 20 people

A cd player dj turned up to the max and super scratchy

Weak food

Overall I'd say it was a wonderful event

Began subbing for Frederick County Public Schools

Great way to make some money. Just kickin' it with some kids. Typically I just hand out worksheets and talk with the students. Easiest money I've ever made.

Leah came to visit me

What an amazing weekend. She is my best friend/girlfriend! We talk on the phone all the time--but seeing her is the BEST! I love her so much. We know each other so well and every time I am with her everything feels right.

GRE.

2010-01-23T13:03:00.000-08:00

GRE - a.k.a. Graduate Record Examination.

This is the ultimate test. Apparently it's meant to be something akin to the SAT or ACT on steroids.

This is the test you take once you've already finished with college so you can show a group of strangers (Admissions Committee) that you are worthy of attending more school.

I'm scheduled to square off with this beast on February 12 and it will probably be the single most important test of - MY LIFE. (no pressure)

Now, technically the test isn't the only thing the committee looks at. I've got a couple other ways to distinguish myself:

GRE scores

3 Letters of Recommendation

College GPA

Letter of intent

It doesn't look so bad at first glance. The GRE is only 1/4 of the items the committee will get to peruse. However, I should probably interject a quick story:

I went to visit the head of the graduate department for the BYU Communications program last Summer. Our conversation went something like this:

Me: "So, I'm a little concerned my GPA might be a little low. How important is it?"

Dept. Head: "Well what's your GPA?"

Me: "2.9"

Dept. Head: (face of concern) "uumm, wow. Well it's not impossible to overcome that - but you will have to score really well on the GRE."

Ok, before anyone decides to comment on the 2.9, let me just say something in my defense. The GPA only takes into account the last 60 hours of courses. And I don't think taking Mandarin 101 was my best idea. When you fail a 4 credit class it seems to have a bigger effect than you first think. And as for some of my other classes; well let's just say I didn't think some of them were very important at the time and I was probably practicing flares, windmills and reverse handspins when I could have been studying. (It's too bad that I can't battle my way into the program. I'd smoke all those fools - no, but seriously)

Back to the GRE - Well, I've never been much of a test taker. My college years will attest to that and should further evidence be needed, my 2 practice tests will lay to rest any doubt. In fact somehow I managed to score better on the math section than the verbal section. Good grief. I'm not even sure how that is possible.

The next 3 weeks are going to be intense.

SO.

Intense.

But I'm hopeful. I feel like I can pull this off. I'm going to score "well" (and by well I mean at least equal to or greater than the 2009 average score for students accepted into the program) I'll get my application looking sharp and turned in on time.

AND - by nothing short of a miracle (and we're talking the grand spectacle type - like Moses parting the Red Sea, or Elijah calling down fire from heaven) I WILL get into the BYU Communications Graduate Program for the Fall 2010 Semester!

Besides -the testing center I'm supposed to take the test at is located on TIMBERLAKE lane.

Coincidence? I think not.

Good omen? I think SO!

tribute to suits.

2010-01-19T17:36:00.000-08:00

I am a little obsessed with the show 'How I Met Your Mother'.

In the event that you're as old or older than I am you will totally recognize one of the main characters, Barney Stinson, as the former teen doctor - Doogie Howser.

Barney has now spent 5 seasons extolling the qualities of the suit and I'm a believer.

Anyone who says "image isn't everything--- people should look for what's on the inside" is an IDIOT.

Think about why you dress up for a job interview. Before that potential employer knows anything about you - they see you. Think about what you are telling them before you even open your mouth.

It's unfortunate but many times the only reason people take the opportunity to get to know the real you is because they liked what they saw on the outside.

*don't confuse this with attraction*

Anyways - back to the suits.

You might be asking yourself, "but Kyle there are so many options for suits; pin stripe, 2-button, 3-button, 3 piece, fitted, loose etc. etc. - where do I start?"

Great question. And who better to answer that question than the individual who helped bring suits back while bringing sexyback--Justin Timberlake.

Here's 2 options that will give you a look for any occassion:

The formal 3 piece fitted suit with dress shoes says:

"I'm the business -- Literally. I can handle your stocks, close a deal, lead a sermon, date a supermodel, and should the occassion require it; accept an MTV VMA."

The more casual 3 piece loose fitting suit with white tennis shoes says:

"I'm the business--BUT I know how to party. One minute I will attending a formal affair and the next I will be keeping things fresh on the dance floor."

Obviously I'm a little biased towards 3-piece suits. And let's be honest the white tennis shoes? Well, they're freaking awesome.

Just in case you haven't had enough over-the-top suit promotion, I will leave you with the ultimate musical tribute to this deserving piece of dress clothing.

inside.

2010-01-11T13:41:00.000-08:00

in•side

-noun 1. the inward nature

Actually that definition on Dictionary.com doesn't show up until you've scrolled down the page where you will find it sitting at #12.

I've been living back at home for several months now and have had some wonderful teaching opportunities. My students range from crazy hormonal teens @ 6:30 a.m. to mature and wise senior citizens on Sundays.

Think about stereotypes surrounding these 2 groups :

Ok, so you might not look at old people and think bad drivers or look at teens and think they are a group completely self absorbed and looking to get away with whatever they can.

But. . .

You have your own perception of these groups and many other groups. Think about these words and the judgement you pass when you hear them :

fat

beautiful

ugly

black

old

young

messy

I owe my kids and my senior citizens a lot. They teach me to not see out of control teens or senile old people. They teach me to look past the exterior and to see the inward nature.

potential.

2010-01-08T20:00:00.000-08:00

po • ten • tial

-adjective 1. possible, as opposed to actual

-noun 1. a latent excellence that may or may not be developed

It's likely that someone has said this to you at some point in your life :

"you have so much potential" - and most likely it was said to you with sincere feelings of optimism for your future undertakings.

I would suggest that this phrase is simply a polite way of saying "you are not where you need to be". In order to avoid plagiarism let me cite my mission president as the source of this fresh outlook. President Christopher Munday, recently called to the 70 made it clear to us as missionaries that the time for "potential" was over and that the time for action was NOW. Consequently, I can't help but smile when someone tells me "oh you just have such great potential".

Thank-you.

Think about the definition of potential. Literally it means you have done NOTHING. Haha

Many of us get overly excited and perhaps a bit prideful when we hear about our great potential. We should probably keep those joyous feelings in check and instead take a more reflective approach.

What good is a 12 cylinder car that runs on only 6 cylinders or worse yet is never even turned on? It's just another piece of metal sitting in a parking lot.

So the next time you hear about your potential think of yourself as the 12 cylinder car running on only 6 or perhaps you're not even turned on.

I've been thinking about this a lot lately. I don't want to be potential. I don't want to grow old and still be potential. I can't let that happen.

Around New Years many people set goals some even choose a theme to live by throughout the upcoming year. I know what the theme of this year will be for me -

Potential becomes Kinetic.

This is going to be a year of action.

ever present question.

2010-01-07T08:29:00.000-08:00

The ever present question in my life right now is :

What career path should I take?

Luckily, I am not alone. Countless college graduates are wondering the same thing.

To pass the time and put a little money in my pocket I am now a freelance writer for Demand Studios. I just published my first article with them about the "Average Cost of Air Conditioning in America" - LAME.

Career path? WRONG.

My ideal path? Teaching.

I had begun looking into what would be required to do the alternative teaching licensing program so that I could be a high school journalism teacher.

However, I was reminded last night that a teachers salary is not nearly as impressive as my potential earnings should I return to school, get my masters degree in PR and subsequently pursue a corporate position.

Blah blah blah.

Yes - I realize that.

If I was only concerned with myself then this would be an easy decision. I could teach, live relatively cheap throughout the year and then really enjoy my nice summer breaks! Oh man - so IDEAL! But I am well aware that this is a decision that will impact my future wife and family. So I should probably factor them into the equation. I want to be able to provide a comfortable way of life. *However, do not confuse 'comfortable' with 'rich'.

My biggest fear is that I will not be able to provide my family with what they need/want and thus every day ends with me looking in the mirror and seeing failure incarnate. I would gladly choose single life over that kind of personal living hell.

So - I'm kind of stuck at the moment.

freshness.

2010-01-06T06:12:00.000-08:00

Johnny Ahn. He's one of the guys I taught/danced with during my time at Center Stage Studio back in Utah.

He is the epitome of the type of student I enjoyed working with. Johnny quickly caught the vision of bboying (yes, there is a vision, and it is magnificent!) and Johnny put in the time and effort needed to progress. In fact I can't even call Johnny a student anymore really - now he's just one of the bboys. He could show up to practice and just kick it with all of us. He's gotten significantly better over the past year and now is competing at the same battles we all go to (I guess I should use past tense for me. lame.)

Anyways, he put together a solo trailer of all the clips he videotaped of me throughout different battles I did in 2009. He did a great job throwing it all together and actually made me look like I'm pretty fresh! GroundHounds Crew!!!!!

Check it out. . . .

Thanks Johnny!

my family.

2010-01-05T12:14:00.000-08:00

Some of my holiday posts might lead you to believe my family is crazy.

The truth is - WE ARE!

But name a family that isn't. Every family has their own issues to deal with. That's life! As for the Aldous family, I do not always like some of the things that are done around here by certain individuals. Those crazy acts will never change the fact that I love my family, ALOT. And so to start this new year off I've decided to do a little tribute post to the ones I love. . . .

Dad

You are an enduring example of what a good husband and father is. You make the gospel a priority and it shows in everything you do. If somehow I can even come close to measuring up to the standard you have set then I will count myself blessed beyond anything I could possibly deserve.

Mom

I've never questioned your love. It has been there through all of my craziness and it is that love that has gotten me through some of my hardest times. You have taught me well (even though I know I haven't always acted in accordance with those teachings - haha). You run around daily trying to make sure we are happy - your sacrifice has not gone unnoticed.

Kailynn

I'm the oldest, but at times I feel like you're the most mature of the kids. Haha.

No, but seriously.

Because of that, I feel like I have looked up to you for years now. You've always been so disciplined and able to succeed. You are going to seriously be a supermom! In fact I might just come live in the basement and have you guys take care of me. j/k

Or am I? haha

Dallas

You somehow snuck your red haired genes into this family- haha. Anyways, I've learned to look past it. The thing I admire most about you is your drive (not in golf - even though it is better then mine.... for now) You know what you want and you just go out and take it. Your drive shows in your high level of competitiveness. Never settling for anything less than winning (except when playing me, when of course defeat is inevitable, haha) I couldn't have asked for a better brother in law.

Kory

Oh man, I can remember how we fought like crazy growing up about the dumbest things. You are one of my best friends now. You have this great knack for making things happen - even when everything seems to be working against you. You always pull through and always will. (I'm counting on you perfecting this whole handicapping thing so I can ride those plays to the bank, haha)

Kourtney

What else is there to say besides the fact that you are successful at pretty much everything you touch. A true perfectionist. I love it and have always admired your ability to seemingly do EVERYTHING.

Korinne

You do not accept NO for an answer. I have seen this work against you at times - haha - but this trait will pay off huge in the future when you really learn to put it to good use. I look at you and see tremendous potential to be successful in the whatever endeavor you decide to pursue.

Kameron

You've got a good heart and do a great job of getting us all together to do things. You have more to offer then you realize right now and I really hope you begin to see your true value. You will be so successful when you begin to catch a glimpse of the many talents and qualities you have.

I have a crazy family, but I love them and when push comes to shove I would do anything for any of them.

hello 2010.

2010-01-03T14:19:00.000-08:00

Holiday handicapping has ended - the results are in :

Kory and Karlie are still together.

Josh and Kourtney are still together

Kyle and Leah are NOW together : )

There were a couple fights.

Historical sites were visited.

Christmas cookies got some inappropriate decorations.

I struck out on 2 of my plays though :

No foil dinners were made. Lame. (Mostly because the firepit in the back is under alot of snow.

Police were never called. (It's probably better this never happened)

So I went 6 for 8. Not bad. A successful sports handicapper needs to average 65%. I pulled a 75% average, so I'm feeling good.

While riding high on my 75% - I am going to make 3 picks for 2010. . . . . .

An Aldous gets married (5*)

This is money in the bank. Kourtney? Kory? Me?

All 3 of us had friends come to visit over the Christmas break so it could be any or all of us but-

I've got a good feeling that this is gonna be my year....

I get a job (5*)

I'm exercising some serious faith here. Haha. It's gotta happen, right?

The Aldous plantation experiences it's greatest harvest yet (5*)

Good grief, I feel like I'm talking about the pilgrims when I describe the possibilities of a bounteous harvest. Haha. Dad got some books about "cloning" and "breeding" plants so if science wins out this year then we could see some serious fruits and vegetables in the fall.

Ok, those are my 3 big picks for the upcoming year. Feeling positive on all 3. I'm sure different things will come up throughout the year that I might add to this list, so keep an eye out for any potential handicapping to come.

2009 in pictures

2009-12-29T18:29:00.000-08:00

Leah used me for a photography project this past semester. The purpose of the project was to tell a story using pictures. (In my case, the sad story that is called my life - haha)

Thus in the spirit of picture storytelling, I've decided that at the conclusion of each year I'm going to select 10-15 pictures that best tell my story during that time.

2009 - you have been one of the craziest years of my life:

Moved to California.

Dancin' @ MC Hammer / Vanilla Ice Concert

Got engaged! (Still so crazy to think that actually happened....)

Tried out for SYTYCD! (and Mia Michaels said YES!)

Danced at Freestyle Session 12 with Angels of Death

Snuck into Warped Tour with GroundHounds!

Trip to Zions! (Kourtney hooked us up huge down at the ranch)

KISS for Halloween

(pretty much our greatest Halloween costumes, ever.)

I moved back home.

That same week I got to see one of my close friends from high school, Katie Young, get married!

Witnessed a historical snowstorm.....

(I never want to shovel snow again)

Leah comes to visit!

Snowed in scenarios ensue :)

2009 has been the most intense rollercoaster ride my life has seen. Somehow I have survived and am grateful for the experiences and people who made it everything it was.

Thank-you.

old & new traditions.

2009-12-26T11:15:00.000-08:00

The other day as we finished decorating Christmas cookies Mom asked us which traditions we felt we would carry on with our own families (whenever that day comes).

Everybody has different traditions; good, bad and just bizarre. In fact I just read that in Estonia one of their oldest holiday traditions is the "Christmas Eve Sauna" - Yes nothing says Merry Christmas like sitting naked and covered in sweat in a 100+ degree box with your family and friends.
We've done a lot of different things over the years - reading the Christmas story, caroling, christmas decorations, christmas cookies etc. etc. For as long as I can remember on Christmas Eve we would be allowed to open one present - ALWAYS pajamas. Here it is, the one tradition I will cling to for as long as I'm alive. I cannot part with those pajamas. So, in the even that I do get married I have a brief message to share with my dear future wife - Do NOT deny me Christmas pajamas. The consequences will not be something you want to face.
Just kidding.

No, but seriously.

This year we added something new to the traditions - we invited some older individuals from the ward to join us for Christmas Eve dinner.

I am ashamed to say that the thought never crossed my mind in the days leading up to Christmas that there might be people in the ward who would be spending the holiday season alone. Luckily, Mom & Dad once again taught us a lesson (something that seems to happen regularly around here) and we had several people join us for dinner. It was nothing short of the best Christmas Eve dinner I have been a part of. Great food and wonderful company.

And to dispel the thought that the older generations cannot relate to todays youth, let me provide you these images :

You've seen nothing till you witness senior citizens killin' it on the Wii. No busted hips or other major injuries. In fact Sister Hayes asked me to take her next week to go buy a Wii for herself so she can play it in the rest home she lives at.

To see the happiness of everyone and to hear the sincere gratitude at the end of the evening was the best Christmas gift I could have ever gotten.

It was one of those special moments where you feel that you got more out of the "service" than anyone else .

This is one tradition that we have decided will be sticking around for years to come.

redneck globalization

2009-12-09T06:59:00.000-08:00

Winchester, Virginia
Population: 25,119
Size : 9.2 square miles (mostly farms & orchards)

My current home. A rural area that can only be considered civilized in part due to the giant Wal-Mart that lies off Highway 50. That being said, were you to cross the threshold of Wal-Mart you might find civilized to be the wrong adjective.

I haven't always lived here though:

League City, Texas
Madison, New Jersey
back to League City, Texas
Singapore
Provo, Utah
Newport, Wales
Wolverhampton, England
Chelmsley Wood, England
Provo, Utah
Winchester, Virginia

Last night was Kamerons choir concert-- a quick glance across the audience would give you at least a dozen "Joe Dirt" look alikes - and if you looked harder you could probably assemble the cast of My Name is Earl.

The students singing attend James Wood High School, just like their parents, and for some even their grandparents once walked these hallowed grounds.

For many, high school never ended. High school sweethearts married, only to divorce, and then remarry somebody else they went to high school with.

The most recent triumph in the area was the acquisition of a Sonic fast-food restaurant!
Good grief.

But - these people are quite happy.

Subsequently, I found myself happy for them.
Happy for them - not for me.

We come from different backgrounds and accordingly we need different things. I'm sure I could enjoy living here and could make the most of it if I had to stay - but I would never be satisfied.

If nothing else, during my month long stay here thus far, I have learned that this lifestyle is not for me. It's not that mine is good and theirs is bad or vice-versa - they're just different.

SO different.

teaching.

2009-12-04T08:26:00.000-08:00

I was left in charge last week. Mom and dad went out of town to celebrate their anniversary.

It's been awhile since I've done the whole babysitting thing, but with the youngest being 14, I wouldn't exactly call what I did babysitting.

In fact considering our current situation I think I was more parole officer than babysitter.

The house is still standing.
Everyone was fed.
Nobody died.

Overall I would call my time in charge a success.

With mom away I also played the role of substitute seminary teacher.

My life has been filled with incredible teachers-- at home, at school and at church. From these diligent individuals I was taught many lessons over the years. Equally as important, but never the focus, I was taught how to teach.

For as long as I can remember I have enjoyed public speaking-- and teaching is pretty much the same thing.

My favorite church callings? Anything that involves me being in front of a class.

So- being in front of a group of teenagers at 6:30 in the morning is right up my alley.

They are wonderful youth. Being with them reminded me of my time in seminary (mostly how tired I always was). We started most mornings watching some bboy battles (my style of teaching is a little different than my moms) but always ended with testimonies being born of the principles taught that day. I loved every minute of it.

I've thought before about getting into the CES and trying to do the career thing- but I always get hung up on the financial thing. I've also thought about teaching in the public education system- but again, the concern in finances. But I'm starting to reconsider things now. Teaching is something I love and something I feel like is a strength of mine (but I could be totally off. haha) I love the kids I have worked with in my various teaching roles and find myself constantly thinking of them and hoping they find success in their own endeavors.

With my current lack of job opportunities I feel myself being drawn to a new career path.

But-who knows?

For now I'll just enjoy my new calling as Gospel Principles teacher in the ward.

Team Alice

2009-12-02T12:41:00.000-08:00

Back-to-back days of solo movie trips to the Alamo Drafthouse to catch a movie has made these 2 days some of my most adventurous yet since being back.

Oh man. That doesn't exactly make my life sound exciting right now, does it? Hhhmm, guess I'll have to work on that.

Todays matinee showing? New Moon.

Part 2 in the Twilight Saga. Before you ask - yes, I have read the books. All of them.

This single literary conquest places me in the heart of a very large but defined demographic. Teen girls ages 12-18. Not exactly the ideal spot for a 25 year-old male. Nonetheless, I enjoyed the storyline of the books and was bound to like the movies before ever stepping into a theater.

There is a lot of talk right now (among the specified demographic) about which team you are on. You can choose to be on Team Edward (the glistening vampire) or Team Jacob (the werewolf). The general consensus after this movie has Team Jacob well ahead of the opposition. Even I found myself liking Jacob more than Edward in this movie, which is surprising since that didn't happen when I read the book.

But I will not choose either team. In fact I have created my own team. Team Alice. The vampire. As the most beautiful person who steps onto the screen it was an easy decision to make her my choice- not to mention her bubbly and fun personality to cap it off.

Oh man - it's probably a good thing none of the guys read this blog. I just realized that I not only saw the movie, but have now spent the better part of 10 minutes writing about it.

I'm caught. Kyle, welcome to the Girls ages 12-18 demographic.

Dang.

did not disappoint.

2009-12-01T13:44:00.000-08:00

I talked this movie up after watching the trailer and I was not disappointed!

I took a solo trip to the Alamo Drafthouse here in Winchester while the kids were in school to check out The Blind Side. I was joined by a spirited (literally & figuratively) couple in the back who made it very clear from the start of the previews that they needed our waitress to bring out a lot of alcohol.

Thank-you local rednecks for enhancing my movie-going experience.

The true story of Michael Oher is inspiring not simply because it is the classic underprivileged youth turns around his life story -- it is inspiring because of the family that takes him in, making the turnaround possible.

I was touched by the high level of compassion the Tuohy family showed for someone they knew nothing about. Think about the possibilities for mankind if this level of charity was demonstrated more frequently.

I left feeling uplifted and inspired desiring to somehow make a difference in the lives of those around me. It is a feeling I would like to make a permanent fixture in my life.

My recommendation?

Go see the movie! Like right now.

red bull bcone.

2009-11-19T17:58:00.000-08:00

the latest bcone was this week.

definitely one of my favorite one-on-one competitions to watch each year. although i was sorely disappointed i had to follow the action via twitter and not the usual live video feed. lame. here's a clip of one of the battles form the night. thesis was who i predicted to win it all. he was the youngest in the competition, but instead, lilou took it for a 2nd time. for those of you who don't know these 2 guys, lilou is the one who starts on the left and thesis is on the right.

i've now seen all of the battles, courtesy of boredmonkee on youtube. thanks! if you don't watch a lot of bboying but like it now n again the red bull bc one is a good place to watch some great battles.

redbullbcone.com

freakonomics.

2009-11-19T09:37:00.000-08:00

this is how economics should be taught in school.

real life questions are answered using economic principles. one of the authors has proclaimed to know nothing of conventional economics and says that math was never his strong suit.

Levitt and Dubner touch on some candid questions with answers that go against conventional wisdom. a very thought provoking book that had me questioning many of the so-called beliefs that society accepts as truth.

one of the more thought provoking assertions made is the casual relationship between legalized abortion and the drastic drop in crime america saw in the early 90's. from out of the scores of data plugged in to various regression models come this tidy syllogism; "unwantedness leads to high crime - abortion leads to less unwantedness - abortion leads to less crime"

it doesn't matter what my or your personal beliefs on abortion are - the numbers do not lie. that is the beauty of numbers. HOWEVER, the author makes it quite clear that in no way, shape or form is he condoning abortions as a tool for crime reduction. the purpose of the book is to simply answer questions. and for years there have been many theories put forward about the cause of the steep drop in crime. this theory now seems to be leading the pack.

the book is a must read.

life in-between.

2009-11-17T15:02:00.000-08:00

my life is in-between things right now.

being home has me wishing i was either;

a. married

b. back with the crew

c. living in some random country by myself starting everything completely over

oh that's right;

a. kinda dropped the ball on the whole marriage thing.

b. moved across the country away from everyone

and

c. finances will not currently permit me to just globe-hop

it's crazy to think that if everything went according to plan i'd be married right now. instead i'm living across the country with no wife and no job.

let me just say i have no bad feelings towards kristin. how could i? things didn't really fall apart because she did anything. actually, quite the opposite- things fell apart because we never took the time to build the right foundation (aka we never did anything). sad. it sucks to look back at things in retrospect and see certain things you can't help but regret. but you cant change the past. what's done is done.

now what?

well, i doubt she will have a hard time finding someone new, she has probably wanted to do that for awhile now. and i wish her all the best. all i ever wanted was for her to be happy and i guess i just wasn't the one to fill that role.

as for me-

well i had a job interview on monday. i'll know the result by friday. looks like i might be joining the professional workforce.

yay.

ok, despite the fact that this all sounds depressing. i am 100% sure i'm supposed to be here right now. i think this will do for me something similar that living in california did for me. this will give me the chance to do my own thing and become the type of person i need to be. that just wasn't happening back in provo. sadly.

so i'm grateful to be here--even though i have absolutely NO idea what's going to happen. i'm just going to take it as it comes and seek the good in it.

family.

2009-11-04T18:07:00.000-08:00

we ended up having a lot of family over to grandmas for dinner tonight. grandma got out of the hospital this morning after she rolled the car yesterday. i spent most of the day with her between the ER and her room while we made sure everything was ok. aunt valerie came over as well to help make sure grandma was comfortable. luckily grandma only broke her right arm, although it was a nasty break that dismantled the radius and ulna and sent them in a variety of directions. grandma had surgery last night and we picked her up today. she seems to be doing well and is expected to recover just fine.

this was another one of those "moments" for me. several weeks ago a good friend of mine lost her sister-in-law and unborn niece in a car accident- that was another "moment". these "moments" have led me to think about the current state of my life and the things i value most and the things i should put more emphasis on.

i was a little hesitant to move into grandmas at first, not knowing how it would all work out. what a wonderful experience it has been for me. the home is filled with love and it has been a joy being around them and having an opportunity to serve them where possible. we never really saw much of grandma n grandpa growing up bc we usually lived far away so this has been my opportunity to build a relationship with them. i will miss them very much when i leave, more than i ever thought i would.

since moving in there i have found myself daily looking at the picture on the wall that has the entire family on it. it was taken at a family reunion about 7 years ago. every time i look at that picture i inwardly hope for the opportunity to have that someday. at the same time i am hit with the fear that i might not ever have that.

this is why i am moving. i am moving because there is a small sliver of faith in me that i am clinging to that says-- this move will kick me out of the comfort zone i have basked in and turn me into the individual the Lord needs me to be.

i am not sure what is going to happen when i move. i'm leaving behind the closest opportunity i have had to beginning my own family-- kristin. and some people have told me it's unwise to move and that i'm running away from trying to make things work with her.

i'm not running away.

i'm acting on faith that the Lord knows what is going to happen--that He has my best interest in mind--and that by following the personal guidance i have received from Him that somehow things will work out.

i want to be able to look at my wall 50 years from now and see a picture that says my life has not been a waste.

good-byes.

2009-10-30T13:32:00.000-07:00

i have been wanting to write for awhile now, but have been absolutely lost as to how to organize my thoughts.

Nate moved the other week to Denver for work. For lack of a better word, I would describe Nate as the patriarch of our crew. A little older than the rest of us, with some life experiences that have shaped him into a truly stand-up individual, he has been a great friend to all of us. My only regret is that I did not meet Nate earlier. I was sad to see him leave. I know he has been an influence for good in my life.

It was sad/weird saying good-bye but of course you can't shed tears when everyone is around....

So I waited.

I wasn't upset about Nate leaving as much as what it meant.....

Things are really changing.

I couldn't help but think, what's next? Who am I going to have to say good-bye to next?

It turns out I'm going to have to say good bye to everyone.

I'm leaving now (and by now, I mean November 9)

I don't really want to describe everything that went into the decision-- this move is one of necessity-- and I know that it is for the best.

But-- it doesn't make it easier.

My life is here. Everything is here.

Moving to Washington D.C. will allow me to be with my immediate family while I find work, but other than that I will be completely alone.

ALONE.

starts with a prayer. ends with a swear.

2009-10-08T06:55:00.000-07:00

School has started, but more importantly INTRAMURAL sports has started.

I'm no longer a student, but I'm back. I think this is my 4th year playing (give or take).

Every year we have an intramural soccer team. This year the team looks more like the crew then anything else. If we don't beat you on the pitch then we'll smoke you on the dance floor. Guaranteed.

I love playing soccer and intramurals tends to foster strong competitive natures in people.

Everyone jokes about church basketball being the "only brawl that starts with a prayer" -- but I think that sums up most intramural sports in general.

4 years of sports and NEVER have I gotten a card. Not even a warning of any kind.

Until last night.....

I haven't been in the best mood lately, so I guess it was inevitable something would happen --

There was probably 1:30 left in the game and we were down 4-2 (which by the way, both goals were mine! They were the result of some great passing and ball movement, so I won't take full credit) I went in and challenged this guy for the ball. It was a pretty rough challenge and he ended up on the ground. The whistle blew and they got the ball. I had no problem with the call. I turned to get back on defense when one of the guys teammates comes up to me and calls me something that's definitely not on BYU's list of approved words.

And I reacted. (In a way I never imagined)

I didn't even hesitate before before yelling "what the f*%@ man" -- and then I pushed him.

Well, I was booked and ejected from the game immediately. But not before Brian was right there pushing people as well. The other team looked stunned. (If you're going to run your mouth, you better back it up)

My first reaction as I was sent off was to apologize to the refs. The last thing you really want to do is tick them off because they can keep you from playing.

I do feel bad about the way I handled the situation. BUT - for the first time in my life I did not let someone do something, or say something to me and just let it go. I have spent my whole life brushing off comments or actions and moving on. By nature I'm just not a fighter. A lot of people have told me I need to stand up for myself and not let others do certain things to me.

Although my actions were definitely not the appropriate way to stand up for myself-- I'm glad I did it.

And I would do it again.....

justified.

2009-10-04T15:15:00.000-07:00

Every bboy has a name.

A bboy name.

A list of some of my friends would look something like this :

achilles

tytrain

sloth

nomad

nateruto

undertaker

bumblebee

txt

bangkok

and while living at the slate house, I got the nickname "justified".

Sloth gave me the name because of my (perhaps a little over the top) interest in Justin Timberlake. His first solo album is titled Justified. The nickname fit and I've used it at pretty much every battle I've entered.

While at lunch with a friend of mine the name came up and another meaning was added. She acknowledged my ability to justify many of my actions and said it was a skill that suits me well for entering the field of PR.

An unintentional backhanded compliment?

The thesaurus informed me that synonyms for "justify" include the following :

excuse

explain

rationalize

pardon

exonerate

Watching General Conference left a bad taste in my mouth for the word "rationalize".

Is this the legacy I want to leave behind?

That I was capable of justifying any of my actions.

No.

I'm quite good at it however, and as a result it comes naturally.

But it's time for it to end. It is time for me to begin living my life so that there is no need to justify or rationalize.

I'm keeping the nickname though -- because I'm still an overeager fan of Mr. Timberlake.

the blind side.

2009-09-29T15:37:00.000-07:00

I have teared up in movies before -- most people have.

But this trailer got me. This is the next release I'm really looking forward to.

The Blind Side---

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=khtBvQdxta4

would you sell?

2009-09-20T16:43:00.001-07:00

I just finished reading one of the best talks I've seen in awhile (which could be do the the fact I find it the most pertinent at this time in my life).

The talk is titled "Would You Sell" and was delivered by Carlos E. Asay in March 1984. I'm amazed how a talk I was born only months before seems to have been written just for ME. True principles never really die, so I guess it shouldn't be surprising.

His remarks were based on a question he was asked at the age of 18. Would you sell the the next 10 years of your life for $100,000? (Although to keep up with inflation I suppose the price point should be changed to $1,000,000)

It's impossible to actually package up the years of your life and sell them, however, it is possible for each of us to "squander the prospects of the immediate future. Just as Esau despised his birthright and sold it for a “morsel of meat,” so may each of us through neglect and myopic living forfeit all that the decade ahead has to offer."

I had no idea what "myopic" meant either-- apparently it means "lacking foresight."

18-28. Those are the years that have the greatest impact on the years that follow.

I'm 25. Gonna be 26 here in January. At that point in time I have the length of a standard LDS mission till this formative decade has been completed. The first thought that came to my mind while reading this was-- what have you done with the past 8 years?

Part of me feels confident when I look back on the past 8 years :

served a mission that I feel proud of and look back at with pride and happiness

developed countless friendships, many of which are still growing

earned a degree in a field I enjoy

developed talents I never imagined possible

taken trips and had experiences for which I am eternally grateful for

Part of me feels like I have not used the past 8 years to their fullest :

developed poor dating habits

since returning form the mission have let much of that spiritual fire fade away

still no full time profession

But this is the past. It can't be redone. So the real question is: How can I make the most of these next few years so that the I can have the solid foundation needed for the rest of my life?

Many of my friends (myself included for a long time) approach life with the attitude that each day should be lived to the fullest. I wholly agree with this-- but I think there needs to be one slight caveat to this mindset. Live each day to the fullest, but not without a vision of the future!

With a desire to make the most of the present while preparing for the future I feel like I can make these next few years exactly what they need to be, so that I can avoid those "sad words of tongue or pen . . . it might have been."

the first pic was before prom when i was 18.

the second was one of the most recent pics of me out in CA.

life. after graduation.

2009-09-17T08:20:00.001-07:00

Until this point in time, everything in my life has followed the general path it was supposed to :

elementary school.

middle school.

high school.

college -

mission.

-college.

Now what? Well, obviously it's time for me to become a contributing member of society.

The question is; how can I best accomplish that while also receiving the financial compensation necessary to keep me alive?

I've spent the past couple of days losing sleep over my future career, or lack thereof. I'm currently still the Director of Public Relations here at SchoolTipline. I enjoy the job, but we are running short on cash over here which has led to a pay cut (from an already meager hourly rate). Living at Grandmas is no longer about me cutting loose from the crew and being able to get married -- it's now a matter of survival.

Part of me is holding on to SchoolTipline because I feel like things will get better eventually and I want to be around when it does. But I could really use some cash right now.

The thing with my Uncle Jeff is also a possibility once that gets going. His business partner Michael reminded me to follow through with the turning the $1 into more & more & more.... But to be honest I just want to start getting the product out--

I'm back teaching dance again. Center Stage, Wasatch Dance, Canyon View, Suncrest, Merit Academy as well as privates. It's busy, but I love it. Teaching is SO much fun. The more time I spend with kids the more I want to be a teacher or a principal at some school. I'm so keen on the idea of teaching that I actually got in touch with Singapore American School.

If I'm going to teach, my first choice is obviously an international school. SAS is the ultimate international school. The teachers I have spoken with LOVE it and have said there is not a public school in America that could touch SAS and the opportunities it provides. Agreed. Even though I definitely enjoyed my public school experience at Clear Creek High School in Texas!

The only problem with teaching is that it requires a teaching degree. I have a degree in Public Relations. I love PR and things have gone well--in fact maybe too well. The sad thing is, all of the national exposure hasn't led to much revenue because schools are just broke right now.

So I've written about this numerous times, but the travel bug is back.... It never really left. I just put it on the backburner. But I want to get out of here. I want to sell everything, pack a bag, get a nice camera and just disappear.

disney.

2009-09-16T14:01:00.000-07:00

I'm a Disney fan. I buy into the happy ending thing. Those smiling characters give me hope for some reason. For the most part I'm down with pretty much all the classics, the new ones, however, are hit and miss.

My favorites : Hercules & Mulan

Great stories, but it's the soundtracks that hook me. Overall, love the soundtracks. But each one has one song that gets me every time I hear them.

Hercules - Go the Distance

Mulan - Reflection

There is something about "Go the Distance" that makes me think of things from a spiritual perspective. It's all about Hercules doing whatever it takes to get back to his dad, Zeus. And really isn't that what we're trying to do? Get back to our eternal father... But the song talks about all the things he is going to have to overcome in order to make the journey back and the difficulty he is going to face--- We face challenges of our own as we make the journey back to our Father in Heaven.

I've loved the Reflection song since I first heard it.

Why?

Because it has always been applicable to me......

country songs & breakdancing.

2009-09-02T07:33:00.000-07:00

So, for some reason I have felt the need to listen to country music the past few days. My knowledge of country music is limited to a few artists; Tim McGraw, Rascal Flatts and of course Garth Brooks. Garth was a favorite of my mom and has passed that on to me. I was listening to a song called Rodeo on the way to work this morning....

That's me.

Well, kind of... I'm obviously no cowboy, despite my Texan upbringing. And perhaps a couple other elements might be a little off, but as a whole I am definitely feeling a bond with this song and my own experiences with breakdancing. Here's the lyrics, with a little personal commentary....

His eyes are cold and restless

His wounds have almost healed

(I'm not sure the wounds ever really heal)

And she'd give half of Texas

Just to change the way he feels
Well she knows his love's in Tulsa
And she knows he's gonna go
Well, it ain't no woman, in flesh and blood
It's that damned old rodeo.
(It's breakdancing... no other girls)

Well, it's bulls and blood
It's dust and mud
It's the roar of a Sunday crowd
It's the white in his knuckles
The gold in the buckleHe'll win the next go 'round
It's boots and chaps
It's cowboy hats
It's spurs and latigo
It's the ropes and the reins
And the joy and the pain
And they call the thing rodeo.

She does her best to hold him
When his love comes to call
But his need for it controls a man
And her back's against the wall
And it's "So long girl, I'll see ya."
When it's time for him to go

You know the woman wants her cowboy
Like he wants his rodeo

Well, it's bulls and bloodIt's dust and mud
It's the roar of a Sunday crowd
It's the white in his knuckles
The gold in the buckle
He'll win the next go 'round
It's boots and chaps
It's cowboy hats
It's spurs and latigo
It's the ropes and the reins
And the joy and the pain
And they call the thing rodeo.

It'll drive a cowboy crazy
It'll drive the man insane
And he'll sell off everything he owns
Just to pay to play the game
And a broken home and some broken bonesIs all he'll have to show

For all the years that he spent chasin'This dream they call rodeo.

(Point taken. In the long run, chasing this dream will only lead to regrets in other areas of life)

Yeah, I know it's a bit of a stretch. But I seem to be finding some kind of relationship between my life and almost all of the media I take in.

2 a.m.

2009-08-28T14:53:00.000-07:00

I have 2 external hard drives.

One of them holds tv shows. One of them holds movies.

I am somewhat of a media fiend and as a result fuel the fire with media that others share with me. My love for movies is well known, but get me hooked on a tv show and I won't stop watching until I've seen EVERY episode of EVERY season!

My latest loves?

Friday Night Lights - Riggins is so tight. Lila is SO hot. And I admire the relationship the coach has with his wife.

How I Met Your Mother - I can definitely see some of Ted in me. Barney is legen (wait for it) dary. Marshall and Lily have one of those relationships you can't help but love.

I just finished watching an episode of How I Met Your Mother based on one phrase..... "nothing good happens after 2 am"

I want to strongly disagree with this statement -- but I can't. I mean let's be honest, after 2 am, most of our good judgment has gone right out the window, which leads to some interesting choices being made. Haha. We've all been there.

But seeing as how I get in to work early I don't even stay up late enough to make the bad decisions. And, let's be honest I probably don't need it to be 2 am for me to make some crazy choices.

break.

2009-08-28T08:23:00.000-07:00

break (verb) --

to dissolve or annul.

to put an end to.

to remove a part from.

to disable or destroy as if by shattering or crushing.

dictionary.com tells me that these are some common definitions of the word break. As of Wednesday night, "break" takes on a whole new meaning.

break -- state of limbo where you reside when you are not dating, but have not completely ruled out the possibility of dating.

in short, break = SUCK.

Kristin and I are on a break. First time I've ever been on a break before. Although let's be honest I have never really been serious enough with anyone else to get to the "break" stage of a relationship. Well, except maybe Allison in high school. But, that was high school, there aren't many complications and things were smooth sailing there.

The purpose of this break? Neither of us feel like we are as happy as we were when we first started dating. So now we are going to step back, take a breather, and I guess see where we want to go from here.

How do I feel after day one?

Like something is missing. It's interesting that I spent all afternoon with the guys doing all kinds of stuff and had a TON of fun. But-- I felt different. I can't remember the last time I felt a loss like this. Maybe I never have.....

So, now what?

Well, Kristin will date other people. BLEH!

Grandma told me this morning as I ironed my shirt that maybe Kristin left because she already found someone else! Hahaha, thanks for the pick-me-up to start the day! As for me, I'm thinking I might use my new found spare time to do a little personal overhaul. I think I really need to do a better job of being the type of person I want to marry eventually.

life's transitoriness.

2009-08-16T09:08:00.000-07:00

I recently finished reading "Man's Search For Meaning", the story of concentration camp survivor Viktor Frankl.

Stories like this help put your own life in perspective. The smaller worries of life seem to not matter anymore and you begin to see the bigger picture.

Frankl was a Professor of Neurology and Psychiatry at the University of Vienna Medical School. It's this background that makes this book quite different from other books also written about experiences in the concentration camps of WWII.

The entire book is filled with observations and analysis of the mentality of the prisoners and the guards. Two pages in this book connected strongly with some thoughts that have bothered me for some time now.

I often look at the kids I teach with envy. I envy the fact that there is still so much ahead of them. Envious of the potential they each have before them. Wrongly I often think my better days are gone and I wax nostalgic over a time long since past.

In short, I find myself acting like this -- "The pessimist resembles a man who observes with fear and sadness that his wall calendar, from which he daily tears a sheet, grows thinner with each passing day."

Thinking like that is DONE.

I have not been living in the past, just perhaps not appreciating the present as much as I should. As a result of this I'll now be trying a new approach to things -- " ... the person who attacks the problems of life actively is like a man who removes each successive leaf from his calendar and files it neatly and carefully away with its predecessors, after first having jotted down a few diary notes on the back. He can reflect with pride and joy on all the richness set down in these notes, on all the life he has already lived to the fullest."

After reading this section of the book I sat down and thought about the life I have lived and how much I have to be grateful for. I have experienced things I never imagined and have been blessed with meaningful friendships that will carry on for years to come. There is no need to look back with envy, but instead with gratitude for a life lived to the fullest.

It has definitely helped me to understand the need to make the most of each day because "at any moment, man must decide , for better or for worse, what will be the monument of his existence."

800 years.

2009-08-06T12:14:00.000-07:00

A random conversation at work last week occupied my thoughts and continues on at this moment. One of my coworkers even blogged about it herself and in turn got her roommate to blog about it. So it's obviously necessary for me to write down a couple things.

So what's the topic?

If you could live to be 800, would you do it? And what would you do with that time?

(Several assumptions must be taken into consideration before you answer this; no one can know that you are the worlds oldest individual, no one else can live that same length ie. no 800 year old spouses, you are still susceptible to injury and pain and lastly, you spend the 800 years basically in the "prime" of life around 25 years old)

Based on the aforementioned assumptions my answer would easily be; YES! No second thoughts.

Now what would I do with that time? Here's a small list of activities :

*Live on EVERY continent. (Yes, we are including Antarctica)

*Learn roughly 20 languages (one of those must be the clicking language down in Africa)

I figure with 20 languages you can safely navigate most of the world.

*Start a successful company (I'll sell it off for around 8 figures before moving on)

*Learn about 6 culinary dishes from MOST cultures worldwide so I can hold crazy dinner parties.

*Learn every bboy move possible (maybe even create some)

*Win the Red Bull BC One!

*Own my own dance studio that gives completely FREE lessons to the kids who can't afford the normal studios. (Mine will be better anyways!)

*Win a PGA tour

*Learn to fly

*Live in the Amazon for awhile

*Have sex 283,300 times (thnks for doing the math on that Ashley)

*Visit every temple (both LDS and non-LDS)

*Learn to play the piano so well I get invited to play at Carnegie Hall, NYC

*Become a professional photographer

*Write several books (I actually am hoping to do this within this lifetime)

*Win a gold medal in the Olympics (I'm not too fussed about which sport it's in)

*Have my own clothing line

*Take a trip around the world in a hot air balloon

*Go to the moon to moonwalk

*Build a grip of houses in several areas of need around the world

*Form a non-profit that helps kids in need get an education so that they can succeed and in turn help other kids

*Have a very large family

*Go on a lot of couples missions

*Create the craziest zoo, EVER

*Have a pet tiger (at least until he tries to kill me)

*Star in a Bollywood movie (how could you not want to be in a movie where everyone spontaneously starts dancing)

*Be President of the United States ( this was the ONLY thing I wanted to be my entire youth)

*Get back into playing the french horn and play with the New York Philharmonic

*Conduct an orchestra (after developing "perfect pitch")

*Star in a TV show (preferably a comedy)

*Become so rich that I can end hunger in several countries for a couple centuries

*Become professionally capable in EVERY major dance form (including ballet)

*Spend the ENTIRE 800 years developing meaningful and lasting friendhsips/relationships (out of all of the endless possibilities of things to do, this is the MOST important)

Thinking about all of the things I want to do and then remembering my life is SO short is a sobering thought.

Am I using the time I have been given to the fullest?

saltimbanco.

2009-08-06T07:21:00.000-07:00

Saltimbanco-- from the Italian "saltare in banco" which literally means "to jump on a bench" is a colorful masterpiece from the Cirque Du Soleil collection that draws the viewer in with a variety of high-flying and creative pieces.

Saltimbanco is playing at the E-Center here in Salt Lake City till the end of the week. If you have never been to a Cirque Du Soleil show before then you HAVE to go sometime. I was engrossed from the get-go. I have always wanted to go to one of the shows when I visit Vegas but I seem to usually spend my time and money in other places . . . .

Through the course of the night I couldn't help but think of the many hours put in to develop the skill sets that allow these individuals to have the opportunity to do this for a living. Wow. And of course that thought led me to dream about taking my unique skill set with breakdancing and the possibility of integrating that into a show like this.

There are some bboys down in Las Vegas who actually auditioned for Cirque Du Soleil and made it because of the tricks they developed as a bboy. Amazing.

I have to admit that I got that ever-so-common feeling of envy again as I sat there.

Ugh.

Haha. It's ok though. Such is life. The show was amazing and I had a wonderful evening.

$1 to $20....

2009-08-01T10:16:00.001-07:00

I met with my uncle and one of his business partners last week.

I tried the product which by the way is an "energy shot". This is the equivalent of the popular brand 5 Hour Energy, that little bottle found on the counters of every major gas station across the nation.

The name of the product? Raging Rhino.

The target market? Hmmm, anyone old enough to think they need more energy to do all of the "crazy" things going on in their life but young enough to have not reached the point where it wouldn't matter how many energy drinks you have it's still going to be a challenge to get up the stairs.

The drink apparently is supposed to be a tropical berry flavor. As far as energy drinks go, it was quite good. Personally I'm more of a fruit juice kind of person, but I'm not opposed to supporting a drink that will help me pay my bills. Haha.

The effects? Well, I actually felt it pretty quick. I'm not sure what exactly is in it, but my mind felt pretty sharp and I had a good practice that night. However, as with most energy drinks, when it's done, I DROP. Same thing here.

Anyways, during this meeting I was encouraged to be more proactive about this $1 to $10,000 challenge. As a result I invested my lone dollar in.......

myself.

I got some studio time over at Center Stage and did a private lesson for one of the kids in my normal class. The kid is 6 and I swear if he keeps practicing he is gonna smoke everybody by the time he is about 14 or so. Jealous? I am. Incredibly jealous.

I better get back on topic before I start lamenting how old I am and how my better days are gone... blah blah blah. So, I turned the $1 into $20. Not so bad, eh?

The real question is? How am I supposed to keep it going. I am open to any suggestions. Anyone have something I can put $20 into that will even net a $1 return? I'd be quite grateful for the advice!

Anyways, the meeting with my uncle and his business partner went well. I'm still a little curious as to when I'm actually going to be making any money. No one has really explained anything yet to me, it's just been a bunch of assignments with no real talk about any kind of compensation. And no I don't count the $1 to $10,000 thing I'm doing -- that seems to be more of a personal challenge with an end that is nowhere in sight at the moment. Haha

But, this is the nature of the "start-up" company. My other company, SchoolTipline, is doing much better now that it has been over a year. Investors and sponsors are locked in our sights and hopefully I'll be getting some health insurance by 2010! So, I like the idea of Raging Rhino, so I know the drill, buckle down and do some serious work and pray that the compensation comes and is worth the effort put in.

sytycd commentary.

2009-07-27T08:44:00.000-07:00

I'm sore, tired and I missed work this morning.

Why? I auditioned for sytycd (so you think you can dance) this past wknd and it's a pretty intense experience.

Ok, so first off, I have to admit that I have probably only sat down and watched 1 entire episode from beginning to end. (note: This is frowned upon when you're auditioning to be on their show). In all fairness, I have watched some of the dances on youtube.

From what I understand about the show, the first round shown is the solo round. Technically this is the third round of auditions. By this point in time you have done 2 free

style rounds and a series of interviews and other miscellaneous camera stuff.

Let me tell you the general order of things;

day one:

wait in line for hours

meet friendly dancers from all over

have producers get you excited about being in front of camera

spend lots of time doing flips & tricks on the concrete to get optimal camera time

get back to waiting

go inside and sit down with several thousand other dancers

*you're sent to the stage in groups of 10. they play a song and you go one at a time for about 10-15 seconds till they say next. then if they like you, you get a golden ticket.

get a headshot pic taken

now turn in your solo music to the audio guys

do your "signature move" for a slow-mo camera ( SO sick!)

bust-a-move for about a minute doing the stupidest dancing you can muster up

get interviewed by a producer ( my producer said my tag line would be the Mormon

breakdancing missionary who gave up dancing and his friends for a girl)

day two:

more waiting in line

run across the street looking excited for the cameras (you'll do like 7 takes)

go inside and get seated in a row of 10

interviewed more in depth by another producer

back to the stage for freestyle round 2 -- same thing as before--if they like you, you stay to do your solo

wait for everyone else to dance

dance your solo in front of nigel, mary and mia

have them critique you

get cut (this is all the expertise i can offer, as this is where I have been booted both times now)

In case you were wondering, after I finished my solo here's what the judges said;

Nigel - good tricks, but nothing they haven't seen before (No)

Mary- not enough gas to finish strong (No)

Mia- could have used more audience connection, but liked it (Yes)

Overall this wknd was a wonderful experience. I met some great dancers with amazing stories and some with even more amazing technique. I love watching all types of dance forms and this kind of competition is the biggest melting pot I've ever seen.

I do have a small problem with this past wknd; judging

Our friend Ashley (amazing dancer) got cut in the second freestyle round. She killed her freestyle set and they sent her packing. I have one suggestion. There needs to be a judge present who understands hip-hop dancing and bboying. I heard some of the most bizarre critiques on some of the bboys and hip-hop dancers.

I kept hearing them say "well we have seen that before".

Of course they have seen that before, just like they have seen dancers do arabesques, rond de jambes, fondus and countless other dance moves before. I didn't hear them tell the ballerina they had already seen all her moves before. What about the ballroom partners who did a Cha Cha that looked strikingly similar to the couple who went right in front of them.

So, my suggestion. There should be someone there who can judge the technique behind the bboy moves and hip hop movements so the judging can be a little more fair. I saw some great lockers, poppers and other bboys/bgirls get cut who were told there moves were nothing new.

That's some wack judging. Haha.

What a great experience overall though! I'm excited to watch the Salt Lake City audition episode to see if Groundhounds gets any air time.

I'm thinking it's a definite possibility.....

owl city.

2009-07-25T09:40:00.000-07:00

While out and about reading some other blogs (Ashley Stinochers to be exact) I came across a recent post about a song by Owl City :

Vanilla Twilight

I am a huge Owl City fan. I enjoy the music because I get a really peaceful feeling every time one of their songs is playing. It's a group I can listen to regardless of my mood.

I strongly suggest you go out and have a listen. It will be worth it.

p.s. I auditioned for So You Think You Can Dance yesterday.....

at the open house.

2009-07-23T15:25:00.000-07:00

We meant to goto the Oquirrh Mountain open house weeks ago but never got around to it in the midst of the breakup and other such activities..... Haha

And yet here we are, a couple weeks later happy as can be.

Who would've guessed?

I had a pretty good idea things were going to come back around once I started making some much needed changes

But I didn't realize it would happen as quickly as it did.

migrant farm workers.....

2009-07-22T15:42:00.000-07:00

No, this post is not about the growing number of migrant farm workers making their way into the fields of America.

It's about fun times I'm having here with grandparents Aldous.

They have an incredible garden/orchard in the backyard. We've got a little bit of everything :
tomatoes (several varieties)
cucumbers
squash
green beans
apples
pears
plums
apricots
cherries
strawberries
blackberries
raspberries
zucchini

and to be honest there are probably others in there that I have no idea about. Pretty much every meal involves something that came from the backyard.

I want to have this someday!

Since I've moved in I have taken an active role in the gardening. I love it. It's so peaceful out there in the back just weeding and picking fruits and vegetables. But my favorite has to be the raspberries. I feel like a "real" migrant worker when I put on this old denim jacket, thick gloves with a bucket hanging around my neck! Love it!

Kristin came to join the harvest festivities the other day.... It was nice to spend time with her out in the garden!

$1 to $10,000

2009-07-17T10:28:00.000-07:00

According to the Consumer Awareness Institute there are 25 active Multi-Level Marketing companies in Utah County alone. In fact, Utah county has more MLM's per capita than any other county in the nation.

To be fair I don't have a good understanding of the whole MLM thing. But, from what I do know, I'm skeptical.

How does it all work? I'm not sure anyone really knows.
Is it really possible for people to make money doing this? Maybe?

Why my sudden interest in the MLM industry? my uncle is joining the ranks.

However, he is not joining up with another AmWay or Usana. Instead he has gotten together with several other experienced professionals to create their own, Milennial Elite.

(Now this isn't the first time I've had a relative get in on the business side of the MLM industry. I have another uncle who helped found and run NuSkin, Utah's most prominent MLM. The worlds largest understatement would be that he is successful. He has a keen business mind and was able to use his abilities to help NuSkin become what it is today.)

So what does this have to do with me? He wants me to get in on this whole thing.

Let's take a brief moment to observe my current employment situation:
Director of Public Relations at SchoolTipline (part-time till they can afford to pay me full-time)
Breakdance Instructor at Center Stage (2 classes/week. Come check it out, Mondays 11-1)
Collections Agent at SecurityOne (although Saturday was my last day)

While we're doing that let's also take a brief moment to observe my current financial situation:

Bleak. haha

Could I use some extra cash? Sure. I think most people would love a little extra income.

Since I know nothing about this whole industry I met with my Uncle and his colleagues last week for lunch to talk. They explained a little. Not too much though, so I'm still a little wary of things. But basically my role in all of this is to join up and blog about my experiences candidly. I love writing in this blog and it will be nice to add another topic for me to talk about. The other good thing is; I'm not being paid to do this which means I can write whatever I want to about the product, the company and my successes and failures.

During the lunch they told me to set a goal of reaching $10,000 by the end of the year. They gave me one dollar, had me sign it and told me to turn it into $10,000.

wait for it....... HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH.

Alright, it's out of my system now.

$1 to $10,000 by the end of the year? Look, if I thought that was possible I would've jumped on that boat a long time ago.

BUT, let's be honest, I could use some extra money and I love writing. Nothing to lose.

Sooooooo.....

I'm in.

the big 3.

2009-07-13T17:54:00.000-07:00

I've made 3 big decisions in the past week.

1. I'm moving out of the Slate House. (My place of residence for the past 2 years, where I live with the guys in the crew and have more fun than I could've ever imagined)

2. I'm going to cut down on my dancing. (My biggest passion in life; a source of fun, freedom, creativity, and self confidence)

3. I'm going to quit my job at SecurityOne. (A fun place to work because of all the people.... even though the job itself sucks)

What am I hoping to accomplish with these 3 things? Hopefully I'll find myself more capable of a healthy relationship..... That's the goal at least.

So, let's start with #1 -- I moved out Saturday. I'm now living with grandparents Aldous currently. Apparently I am incapable of a relationship while living with the crew. I can't argue with that statement, so change was needed.

Oh #2 -- it breaks my heart to do this. We are talking about something that I have arranged most of my life around. I never worked late nights because I wanted to practice. I never went to FHE because I wanted to practice. I would avoid studying and schoolwork because I wanted to practice. I even based my social life around practicing, I would avoid normal dating because it usually seemed to interfere with practicing. I go to competitions both here in Utah, down in Vegas and have traveled out to LA for Freestyle Session the past 2 years. If you have never been this passionate about something then you won't understand why I was SO willing to give up anything and everything for dancing. But even now, I can't cut out dancing completely, I'm just cutting down to only 3 days of practice a week. It's the best I can do.

and finally, #3 -- Well I have to admit this was the easiest decision of them all. Working 4-8 meant that practice was 8:30-10:30 or later which really doesn't leave a lot of time for a significant other. I never really liked the job, although I love the people I work with. So, this Friday will be my last day there.

I guess the real question now is....

Will this all be worth it?

*I put a picture of my family on here because if giving up these things will allow me to someday have a family like the one I have now then the answer to the question is: yes, it will be more than worth the sacrifices.

kyle.kristin.kollage.

2009-07-12T17:18:00.000-07:00

here's my latest attempt in photoshop, a collage of sorts.

it's a collage of Kristin and I. Yes, I'm very aware of the fact that we are not dating, let alone getting married.

but has that changed how I feel about her? no

am I trying to get my junk in order so we might be able to possibly get back together. yes

but I guess who knows. my time might have come and gone already. I've thought about texting her this past week, but decided against it. I figured it'd be best to give her some space for a little bit.

So when am I going to get back in touch with her? I have no clue.

I think part of me is worried about how it will all play out when I do.....

outliers.

2009-07-10T08:45:00.000-07:00

My latest literary conquest is a book called Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell. He is also the author of The Tipping Point and Blink. Gladwell also writes for the New Yorker, so I've also been going through some of his old articles. His style of writing is fun to read and the content is engrossing.

Outliers basically is about individuals in the 99th percentile, OF LIFE! Billionaires, professional musicians, software geniuses, professional athletes. The book describes how these people reached the pinnacle of their fields.

The twist is that Gladwell shows these individuals were not just born with an overwhelming innate ability that led them to where they are now. He describes the circumstances that allowed them to develop that ability.

The success of an outlier Gladwell says, "is not exceptional or mysterious. It is grounded in a web of advantages and inheritances, some deserved, some not, some earned, some just plain lucky---- but all critical to making them who they are. The outlier, in the end, is not an outlier at all."

disclaimer : Even Gladwell says there are some people who just have such an extreme ability that they stand out and achieve greatness quickly. BUT, the majority of outliers are the result of circumstances and lucky breaks that helped them reach their potential.

I find this book so interesting because I have often wondered what it would take to be in the 99th percentile of anything, but mostly bboying. What would be necessary for me to reach that point?

According to Gladwell most professionals have logged about 10,000 hours of intense practice before reaching that level. 10,000 hours! What was the last thing you practiced for 10,000 hours?

The 10,000 theory got me wondering how many hours I've logged dancing.... so here's the math:

I began breakdancing the end of my Sophomore year of High School, which means technically I have been dancing for about a little over 9 years. Wow. Ok, so here's the hourly breakdown of the past 9 years of dancing....
Sophomore year: 10 hours
Junior year: 20 hours
Senior Year: 40 hours
BYU1: 40 hours
Mission1: 1 hour
Mission2: 1 hour
BYU2: 120 hours
BYU3: 140
BYU4: 400 hours
BYU5: (yes it took me 5 years) 400 hours

They're rough estimates... and I rounded up a little on most just to be safe. But my grand total of hours practiced comes to : 1172 hours.

Sooooo.... I'm a little short on hours. Dang. Not only am I short on hours, but I'm short on advantages. I never lived around anyone who truly knew how to breakdance until my first year at BYU. Huge disadvantage. Basically I will never be a professional bboy. I think I knew that already though. It just sucks seeing the numbers verify this truth.

Think about the thing you're most passionate about and calculate the hours.... it's amazing to see how much time you've invested into something.

Go read Outliers and you'll see that your success or lack thereof is more circumstantial than you might think....

i've been "let go"....

2009-07-07T07:34:00.000-07:00

there is a lot going on right now, and I'm not quite sure where to begin.

i was "let go" Saturday morning.

and by that, I mean I am back to being single. bleh. not a good feeling. not at all. although the problem is a little more complicated than just the fact that I was deemed incapable of a relationship. The real problem is that this label is accurate of my current state of being.

It sucks when someone tells you something you don't want to hear but you know is true. Do I deserve to be with Kristin, or anyone for that matter? Obviously not.... I failed miserably to show her that she was a true priority in my life.

(I know, trust me I already feel like an idiot, so please spare me the "you're an idiot" comments)

But here's the problem : my friends.

It's not that they don't like her, or she doesn't like them. Well, at least not that I know of. The problem is that she feels that whenever I'm with her, I would rather be with them. Is this a valid concern? Yes! But only sometimes....

I've known these guys for years. I've known her for months. Will there ever be a time when I am capable of a real relationship where I actually only want to be with the girl all the time and move on from the guys? I'm beginning to think not. Scary thought.

Living in the house with the guys I dance with has led me on some crazy adventures, sometimes a little too crazy... But it's been fun. Definitely fun. Can a girl ever replace that?

Not while I'm in that "comfort zone". It's just too much fun.

So what now?

I have to move.

This is probably the hardest thing I've had to do. ( I thought leaving on my mission was pretty hard at the time... but this easily beats that) It's not that I will completely ignore the guys. But moving out will completely change the dynamics of things. I recognize I need to move though. In the short time I have been back from CA I have made NO progression at all, in fact in many ways I have just slipped back into old habits and ways of thinking which has led me to a quick downward spiral.

Will moving suddenly mean I will be capable of a real relationship? I'm not sure. But I know that I will be in a much better frame of mind to be able to properly develop a healthy relationship where I am not constantly wondering what the guys are up to and if they are having more fun than I am. (which by the way is often a thought crossing my mind....)

So where am I moving to? The grandparents. It will be a big change from the environment I am currently in. But I expect to see some pretty swift and positive changes. And once I get my head on straight I'm thinking I should find my own place somewhere....

*Just a sidenote, this is in no way meant to be derogatory towards the guys I live with. It's just that the house is NOT a good environment for progression. Not even close. It's the ultimate comfort zone that is dominated by a strong sort of "mob mentality" at times. Each of us in the house when taken aside and shaken up a bit is a really great person with huge potential. The problem is that putting us together for extended periods of time leads us away from our potential.

It's going to be a rough week. Actually it's already been a rough couple of weeks, and I doubt things will get better right away. I'm not sure the guys really understand why I have to move out... Plus to be honest I don't really want to do this. This is a huge leap of faith. A leap I'm doing with the hope that somehow this will all work out well, for everyone.

*by the way, I brought the mohawk back for a limited time to mix things up... Haha. Oh and I'm trying out the glasses thing as well.

photoshop tutorials....

2009-07-02T13:45:00.001-07:00

ok, so it's been awhile but I'm back to messing around with photoshop....

here's the product of the latest tutorial ---

It's a watercolor and the girl is..... Kristin!

Follow me on twitter as well.... just search for justified84

I also just updated my twitter background after messing around on photoshop for a couple hours.... check it out.

movies...

2009-06-28T13:58:00.000-07:00

"Cinema should make you forget you are sitting in a theater" (Roman Polanksi)

I LOVE watching movies. For about 90-120 minutes you can leave everything behind and lose yourself in another world. Those worlds are sometimes funny, filled with action, somber and sometimes they're animated....

my favorite part? those worlds are not this world I currently exist in.

do I like the world I live in? of course.
do I think it's healthy to live your life through movies? of course not.

But I love having an opportunity to experience something different.

I have a friend, Morgan Grice, from back in Texas. Clear Creek High School. Her most recent job; a film critic for Bloomberg News. Lucky. (She no longer works for them, but luckily continues to blog about the movies she watches-- I kinda blogstalk you Morgan. Haha)

My latest film?

I just watched The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian last night for the first time. I enjoyed it although it seems that if I start a movie past 10:00 p.m. I'm going to fall asleep at some point. So let me rephrase my previous comment; I enjoyed the parts I saw of it.

Hhhmm... what should I watch today?

here's what you missed.

2009-06-25T09:37:00.000-07:00

I'm back.

i haven't written since 17 May. Here's what you missed;

*Got a tan ( thanks to the 3 hour break I have in-between SchoolTipline & SecurityOne)

*Saw terminator salvation

*Wrote an article for the Journal of School Safety (hopefully it gets published)

*Bought a ring (yes, an engagement one!)

*Went to CA - went to the beach, a photography museum and watched the sunrise over LA

*Got engaged

*Drove with Kristin and all her belongings from CA to UT

*Got back into practicing regularly and have been workin on a couple new things

*Started teaching again at Center Stage

*Decided to see what all the fuss was about and began watching Season 1 of The Office

*Was in a battle over at Ozz (lost to Munk in a tie-breaker)

*Got back into Photoshop

*Spent a lot of time with the crew

*Did the long distance relationship thing

*Saw the hangover (ridiculously funny movie, although quite crude at times)

*Got SchoolTipline back in the news ( http://www.kesq.com/Global/story.asp?s=10565191 )

*Realized I should probably start working out again

*Lost my tan (thanks to almost 3 weeks of rain and clouds)

*Went to the temple

*Talked with my Uncle Jeff about doing PR for his company Millenial Elite

*Mulled over the idea of starting my own PR company

*Grew a moustache (yeah I didn't know it was possible either)

*Had dinner with Tyson several nights mulling over our lives and their current directions

*Found out the Journal of School Safety will be publishing my article in the Fall edition!!!!!!!

*Lost contact with the civilized world (ok, not entirely true, my phone just broke)

*Cried

*Got unengaged

*Cried again

*Had some awkward "I'm no longer getting married" moments w/ friends asking about wed stuff

*Finished The Office Season 2 ( I see what all the fuss is about, great show)

*Began to redate the woman I was going to marry

*Sat and wondered about my potential and what will happen with my life

*Worried that I may never be married

*Shaved the moustache ( I was starting to feel like I was eating hairs at meal time)

and now at this very moment....

I'm here at SchoolTipline taking a break from transferring school information to a GoogleDoc from the database.

cant wait.

2009-05-17T00:03:00.001-07:00

im so happy.
and I can't wait to see Kristin. It sucks being away from her. I just want her to be right here with me.
im going back to la next wknd. I cant wait. cant wait. cant wait. cant wait. I need to be around her....

im still awake.

2009-05-15T00:09:00.000-07:00

I know, I haven't updated this in forever. Blah blah blah. I'm back now. Although I'm not sure if I should be writing right now. Ideally I would be asleep. I know this isn't exactly late by my old normal standards, but things change and life is now already on the boring track. I get up at 7:30, go to work from 8-2. I come home and eat a sandwich, or maybe a corn dog. I'll lay out for a bit, so I can at least somewhat pretend I was blessed with some of the poly skin I should have, but dont. I then go to work part deux. Blah. Then I come home and practice. I really shouldn't complain. That's actually a really good day. I enjoy working at Schooltipline and doing their PR. I now have 2 interns I hired on and I have a little list of things for them to do and I'll get my third intern here in June. Nice. It's only a matter of time before that company takes off big. Hopefully sooner rather than later, things are tight financially, and it would be nice to have one full time job as opposed to several jobs. Working at SecurityOne is ok. The job itself, super boring. SUPER boring. But I know almost everybody who works there so the environment is fun at least and it's not like the job is hard....just boring. And then to end my day with practice is always a pleasure. I'm back to feeling really good about my progression with practicing. Nate has come down a couple times lately and I've picked up some really good stuff from him. Dang, dancing brings me so much joy. I get to forget about anything and everything else going on in life and just listen to the music and practice till I can't move anymore. Part of me worries whats going to happen to me over the next few years.... I'm not sure what I'm going to do if this outlet ever starts to go away.... I don't forsee that being a pleasant experience. But whatever, I suppose you're supposed to grow up and be mature and whatever at some point. Although I don't really see the bearing breakdancing has on my maturity.
I wish I was asleep right now. It'd be so nice. But I can't for the life of me get to sleep. My mind is kinda running away with all kinds of thoughts. I thought I would be ok, but nope. Totally not. And I'm not sure what to do, which has led me to writing here.... something I havent done in forever now. Dang, I have nothing good I want to say right now, and according to Bambis friend if you have nothing good to say you better not say anything at all... whoa, a motto to live by? Should I just keep things in when they suck. Eh. Probably. oh well. I'll stop for now.

swine flu?

2009-04-28T11:53:00.000-07:00

Dang, I feel like crap. Yesterday morning I woke up and I could barely swallow. My throat hurt so bad. Now it's pretty much spread everywhere. My throat hurts, my body is weak, and I'm congested. Lame. Is it possible I have this new crazy flu going around? Haha, Actually I think that'd be pretty tight to be the first case here in Utah. I wonder what it's like being in quarantine. It can't be too bad.
As for now I'm in my own little personal quarantine which involves; me, a lot of orange juice, and High School Musical 2 & 3. Haha. Love it.

eventful weekend....

2009-04-26T15:46:00.000-07:00

This past wknd has been filled with a little bit of everything. I had graduation early Friday morning... The family all showed up to support and Kristin actually flew out for the weekend. It was so nice having her here. It's crazy how different things are when you have someone you really care about with you to experience it. She came with me to graduation, kicked it with the crew at the house, met the family, came to the battle, and went with me to church. All of these things were made by better simply by her being there. I want her with me for every major event now and all the small ones in between. Man, I didn't want to take her back to the airport. Hopefully she is able to come out here permanently as soon as possible. I already miss her.

The Lord is in the details....

2009-04-11T13:36:00.000-07:00

I saw Kristin again last night. I got back from my trip to the bay area and of course wanted to see her as soon as I could. Before I left on the trip I thought it would be good for us to be away from each other so that we could make sure that we are actually interested in each other. I have heard people say that it's good to be away because it helps you sort through your feelings and can help you grow closer. I agree and disagree. I have spent most of my life without Kristin so, can I live without her? Yes. Do I want to? No. No. No.
I can see the hand of the Lord in almost every detail that led Kristin to me. (I say He led her to me because she actually approached me the night we met) And then a week later she approached me again at a dance. I think the Lord realized I was pretty much useless at dating and knew He would need to step in if I was ever going to be with that person He had in mind for me. Haha.
I can't help but smile right now as I think of the timeline of our relationship. In the span of one month we have gone from meeting to me beginning the journey of falling in love with her. And after 2 weeks of dating I can't picture my life without her. The Lord knows what he's doing. And he does things His way. I NEVER NEVER NEVER thought I would follow the "stereotypical" Mormon pattern of meeting someone and being married soon after. All I can say now is that I'm done trying to do things my way. It's time I exercised a little more faith and let the Lord continue to guide my life.
I'm so grateful to know that He takes an active interest in my life and really in each of our lives. Think for a second about times in your life when you know the Lord has guided you and think if we would just leave ourselves open all the time how much more He could do for us. What a humbling and testimony strengthening experience the past few weeks have been.

honeymoon with my brother....

2009-04-08T08:20:00.000-07:00

I just finished reading a book titled “Honeymoon with My Brother.” I bought the book because my boss Tom mentioned it in a meeting last week. He described his friend Franz Wisner, the author, as a man who had everything, lost it and set out to travel the world with his brother. I set a goal this year to read 24 books, two books a month. This was number eight. Easily the best book I have read in a long time. I don’t care if you hate reading, you should read it.

Here’s a snippet from the close of the book:
“A friend e-mailed me during our stop in Cambodia. He wanted to know if the country was suitable for children. Absolutely, I responded, feeling it would be beneficial for kids to see their counterparts playing happily in front of one-room tin-roof shacks. They could learn a lot from the poor. So could their parents. I know I have.”

I have read many times about the conditions of poverty in other countries. I have seen the pictures of the starving children. And I have heard the stories of the people who despite facing a life-long uphill struggle smile at the beginning of each day.

This post was originally going to be a bitter diatribe about how unfair life is and how I want to just leave everything behind and travel the world. About how I want to experience the things I have read and seen pictures of.

How selfish.

I was born in a country that allows me many freedoms. Most importantly, the freedom to practice my religion. The Lord has blessed me beyond measure. He has many things in store for me, but at the moment, traveling is not one of them. I will travel someday, I know it. But at this very moment there are things I need to do with my life to be of service here, both in and out of the Church. And there are things I need to do with my life to help prepare me to raise a family.

Raise a family? Me?

I’ll never be ready for that. Ever. But I have put off preparing myself for it long enough.

So, what am I going to do? Great question. I’m still waiting for the Lord to keep open the doors that need to stay open and to close the doors that need to close.

What’s open right now?
*Grad school (at least until I meet with Sister Walton and get her advice)
*SchoolTipline (As long as we can work out the salary I asked for)
*SecurityOne (as long as I can sell in LA)
*Possibly the Chevron project Tom is arranging.
*Kristin (although who knows how long that will last if she keeps reading my candid posts
to this blog)

Doors recently closed?
*Around the world trip involving the selling of all my possessions
*Hannah (A tender mercy of the Lord)
*Dental equipment sales in Ventura

So I have no idea what’s going to happen. The next few weeks will be interesting to say the least. But I’m making sure that I let the Lord take the reins on this one. I will move forward towards the open doors until he shuts them and guides me somewhere else.

coastal drive....

2009-04-07T09:40:00.000-07:00

Last week on the job and they have us traveling up to Northern California to get some more letters for the Jerry Hill district and to do some surveying in the Oakland area. Nice. I like Northern California, it's beautiful. But I still think if I had to live anywhere I would still choose Southern CA. Clark and I decided to drive through Santa Barbara on the way up and kick it at the beach for a bit. Good call. I love the beach. Gonna miss that for sure when I take off. Driving up the coast is SO amazing. There are a couple really good viewpoints along the way and the smell of the forest mixed with the ocean is a pretty good combo.
It's definitely a much longer drive than just hopping on the 5, but totally worth it if you have the time. The long drive gave me some time to think about conference and a bunch of other things going on in my life. It was a really good time for some reflection and to think about where I want my life to be heading....

Sabbath sunrise....

2009-04-06T10:31:00.000-07:00

The day started pretty early, I got up a little after 5 got ready and headed over to Kristin's. Beautiful even after rolling out of bed we then headed over to Mulholland Drive. There is a little viewpoint park there that overlooks the Hollywood Bowl as well as downtown LA. It was a crystal clear morning and we got there just as the sun was beginning to come over the horizon. It was amazing to sit and look at such a fast paced city from a distance. I'm so used to sitting in traffic with hundreds of other cars and the hustle of the city. It was nice to sit back and see the city in a different light.
We headed back to Glendale after the sunrise so we could make breakfast. Kristin brought a waffle iron and some waffle mix from Williams Sonoma. Yeah, she loves that store. And yes, I know Mom, you love that store as well so you should be happy about that. Haha. I actually noticed a difference in the taste of the waffles as opposed to normal waffle mix. Of course I had to make sure some kind of crazy sugar was involved so I got strawberries, whipped cream and powdered sugar for the waffles!
Conference was amazing. There were times where I sat there and felt like the speaker was sitting with just me, offering me counsel as I move forward in my life. I feel really strongly about provident living and some changes I need to continue making in my spending habits. I was really touched as I was counseled to embrace change. I can get into a comfort zone very quickly and often hesitate to move forward. This needs to change. It's time to embrace that next chapter in life. And with each day that passes I feel like I'm mroe willing to accept the fact that there are things I need to make less of a priority in order to make myself more available to do the things the Lord wants me to do. I really feel touched by the words I heard and the feelings promptings I received personally.
Oh and how crazy is it that President Munday was made an Area Authority. I just found out he will be the Area Authority over the Utah South Area. What an amazing man and how grateful I am for the things he has taught me both on the mission and after the mission.
Kristin and I literally spent from sunrise to well after sunset together. You would think we would have been more than ready to say good bye at the end of the day. I wasn't ready. We didn't really do much besides watch conference, eat some food and talk. Some times we just sat there with our own thoughts. And I loved it. It felt as comfortable as if I was with one of the guys in the crew, but with one exception, I always feel like standing a little taller and being a little better around her. I'm trying as best I can to show her the respect she deserves. I feel grateful that she is somehow able to see past my weaknesses and flaws.
It's funny how we both feel a sort of familiarity with one another. We have been dating now for just over one week but I get the feeling that we have been friends for much longer. How crazy, but really nice.
I'm leaving today for the Bay Area for a work trip. And I'll be gone all week... We both decided it will be good to take things off for a bit to see if we still really want to be around each other or if we feel differently. It will be interesting for sure to see. But I have a feeling I know how this week will go and how I will feel Friday as I drive back here...

Kozy Korner & the Americana....

2009-04-04T08:53:00.000-07:00

It had been 2 days since I last saw Kristin. That's too long... Part of me obviously wants to see her as much as I possibly can because I'm leaving back to Utah in a week. Wow... a week? I can't believe I'm already getting ready to finish up out here. The time has disappeared. I have done so much here and maybe that's why the time has gone in a flash.
Kristin got off work around 7 and after that we headed over to Kozy Korner Thai. Kozy Korner is this small Thia restaurant with the nicest lady owner. I'm going to miss this place. I've gotten Thai there more times than I can remember and if you're ever in the Glendale area you better head over to Wilson Street and check this place out.
I also wanted to get a couple pictures down at the Americana. This is one of the most amazing malls I've ever been too and I've loved going down there to watch the water show at night. It's beautiful.
We watched Nick & Norahs Infinite Playlist after that. Eh. We didn't really care for it. Now I wish we had gotten Eagle Eye instead because I still haven't seen that one.
We talked for awhile about all kinds of different things and she mentioned something about how it was too bad we met so late during my time here. I can't help but think it was by design things played out like this. If I had met her at the beginning of my time out here I may not have even shown interest because I wouldn't allow myself to.
I can't stop thinking about the words of my Bishop back in Provo. He called me out in Sacrament meeting a few weeks before I left, saying, that he wanted to see a wedding invitation from me soon... Haha, I laughed. And later that night he told my brother in an interview that for some reason my name came to is head as he was making the announcements and felt prompted to call me out because he felt I was going to meet someone here in California. Well, I say "someone" but I guess I should say he said I was going to meet the person I was going to marry. I doubted. And doubted all through the entire time out here. But I have to admit I am beginning to push the doubt aside.
I could easily say that because I'm going back to Utah that nothing will happen and I will just move on. But I feel complete when I'm around her. It's a different feeling than I have experienced with anyone before. And I like it. A lot. So I'm not going to go back to Provo and just move on. I'm going to take the advice I've given out dozens of times to other people and I'm going to work for it....

a night at the movies....

2009-04-01T07:51:00.000-07:00

I took my last class at Millennium tonight, sad. Because it was the end, I just spent most of the time working on different combinations of things with the teacher (who by the way is only 15. although his sister Shorty is 18. So basically I'm about 8 years older than the average teacher age. haha) I was so exhausted after class that I'm pretty sure I fell asleep in the shower for a minute or 2. It's actually pretty nice with all the steam going everywhere.
Kristin came over again tonight and she planned our outing for the evening. We hit up this drive-in theater over in City of Industry. SO sick! I haven't been to one of those in years. I actually think it was in Utah with Val's family. We went and saw Confessions of a Shopaholic. It's a good thing I'm down with most movies. Haha. We picked up some In-n-Out on the way and had ourselves a nice little old school night with burgers at the drive-in. Honestly I had a blast. What a great night.
Well, as much as I am looking forward to going back to Utah to see the fam (a term which is inclusive of the crew and their respective spouses, haha) I'm not looking forward at all to the idea of not being able to see Kristin. I'm starting to get used to this whole hanging out consistently with one girl thing. haha Who knew it could be so fun?

yoga master.

2009-03-31T08:04:00.000-07:00

I went and took a yoga class last night with Kristin at this place in Pasadena called Yoga House, I think. I did yoga one time with some of the guys but I don't remember it being anything like what I experienced last night. Before even going in Kristin had to explain some of the proper yoga etiquette to me. Apparently I was dressed more like a bboy than a yoga master, but hey, I was ready just in case the teacher wanted to battle. I wasn't supposed to eat or drink 2 hours before because i guess yoga is similar to swimming? No socks and no shoes. I was cool with everything and really thought it was gonna be a breeze. I figured if I can go windmill-flare-turtle-ufo then how hard could it be to hold some little pose. WRONG. I ended the night in more pain then I feel after most practice sessions, needless to say I was also covered in sweat. But I'd partially like to blame the fact that they keep the temperature of the room at something reminiscent of an island, which explained the thick smell of sweat. I did pretty well for the most part, but I seriously gotta tip my hat to you crazy yoga people, some of those positions you hold are really intense. Really. This one Chinese guy was all into it and his breathing was so loud that I almost started laughing in the beginning, but apparently laughter is also not allowed while trying to put your body in its natural state. The class was great though, I really enjoyed it. It was nice being there with Kristin, we have now exchanged activities. I took her bboy'n and she had me do some yoga. I think her activity was much harder, but then again I've been doing mine for years now.
We've now seen each other 3 out of the past 4 nights and are planning on getting together again tonight. I heard from someone yesterday that she just got out of a relationship which makes me wonder if I'm just the "bounce back" guy. Who knows. Although, I would kind of like to know....
But hey, if I'm gonna take the advice I always give to everyone else, then I should not even worry about it, give my all and just go for it....

tagging. LA. bboy.

2009-03-29T09:12:00.000-07:00

I feel compelled to start this post with something directed to my sister Kourtney. We recently exchanged some interesting thoughts on "growing up". She basically told me to suck it up and just do it. She didn't do it in a negative way and in fact I think I really needed to hear it even though at the time I didn't want to hear it. Well the next morning I opened up my scriptures to study for the day and the page it opened up to only had one scripture highlighted, and only part of it was marked.
"you have censured me, but it mattereth not; I am not angry, but do rejoice in the greatness of your heart." (Alma 61:9)
Of course humility hit next. And so to my loving sister I say; "you have censured me, but it mattereth not; I am not angry, but do rejoice in the greatness of your heart."

Ok, so I would like to talk a little about this date I went on Friday night. Well I actually met this girl at a party a few weeks ago, then saw her again at a dance a week ago ( I had already forgotten her name by the time I saw her again, I suck with remembering names) We talked, danced and I got her number. For those of you who know me really well, I'm terrible with the "standard dating protocol". So, I actually texted her that night. A couple days later we set something up for Friday.
We decided we would go downtown and get some bboy pics by some of the tagging. First off, any girl who is down to do something like that is pretty legit. So we went and got some pics down off Garey St. Then we went and had sushi at Sushiya this little trendy restaurant over on Sunset. We grabbed some yogurt at Yogurtland (pretty much the best yogurt place I have ever been to) The night culminated with us watching dancing videos on youtube.
Just a little note here, this was the first date I've been on in about a year I think. Why? Because I have spent this entire past year all wrapped up in the Hannah thing. The guys would be the first to say I should've forgotten about her a long time ago. I couldn't though. You can't blame me for holding on though. I have been around, dated, and hung out with enough girls to know how I want to feel around someone. In fact I know exactly how I want to feel. Hannah was the first girl I had dated since high school who made me feel like that. Well I got that feeling again around Kristin, actually before we even went out. Weird, I know. Part of me was actually hoping the date would be a huge disaster, because the idea of going through a Hannah pt. 2 doesn't strike me as fun. So, I thought, maybe if it goes horribly wrong I will just stop liking her. Wrong. Haha. The date went really well ( I think... haha) and of course now I like her even more.
Of course I called Mom the next day to fill her in on how the date went and for the very first time EVER, Mom said, "you better not mess this one up". Whoa. Usually I like calling bc I know she is gonna say something like "well, just see what happens", or "thats nice, if it is something good then things will work out".... I'm not sure if she is just ready for me to settle down or what, but it was so out of character.... Haha, thanks mom.
Well, if nothing else comes from this I would like to say that I owe Kristin big. Because I have spent the past year unable to move on, always dwelling on something that wasn't good for me. I'm now past that. So, I have no idea what's going to happen but at least I know I'm willing to let something happen.

sell. pack. travel. dance.

2009-03-22T11:40:00.000-07:00

Is it wrong that I am now unsure about moving back to Provo? Haha. The past few weeks have been just amazing. And I feel like a lot has changed. I'm getting a lot more involved in the social scene here and I like it. I've met some really nice people and I've had a lot of fun. So, the only problem is that I have no job. Haha. Oh well. If I could find something that paid decent I could definitely see myself moving out here. I met up with a friend the other night and she said she would hook me up with something out here, but I'll talk to her later this week to find out more. So, I guess we'll see. For now I'm still plannin on headin back to Provo for graduation and a lot of dancin' with the guys.

Ideally I would like to just sell everything I have, go buy a nice camera hop on a plane and spend the next year traveling from country to country teaching breakdancing at orphanages along the way while taking a TON of pictures, then come back and write a book about it all.

millennium dance....

2009-03-17T22:14:00.000-07:00

So most people know I have a really strange obsession with Justin Timberlake. And if you don't, well now you do. Don't judge. Haha. Anyways, so my friend Chris Sullivan has always been telling me about this dance studio called Millennium. The studio pretty much is home to some of the biggest choreographers out there (ie. Shane Sparks, Dave Scott, WADE ROBSON & MARTY KUDELKA) The last two names are in bold for one very special reason, they choreographed specifically for Justin Timberlake! So, of course I've always wanted to go to this studio to go bask in the aura of the greats. Tonight I went and took a bboy class down at Millennium. After I register for the class I go and wait outside the studio and who should come walking out the door ....... yeah Marty Kudelka.

This may not be a big deal to any of you, but to me this was HUGE! This is the man who's choreographing for my freakin' idol. Of course I play it cool and casually nod my head and acknowledge him and he nods back and says hey.... but then he was gone out of my life..... haha In retrospect I feel like I should have maybe tried to talk a little bit and see if I could work some kind of angle. I also had the idea of jumping him and stealing his phone.... but that one didn't play out too well in my head. So, needless to say I'm going back next week.
Oh, and the bboy class I took was dope. The teacher loved me because I can pretty much do most stuff. We actually sessioned a little and tried working on somehow going flare to airchair. He was definitely closer than me, but then again I was killing my reverse handspins tonight. Oh, and there were 2 beautiful girls there. I say girls because they were probably 17 or so, but hey who am I to be "agist"? Anyways, I feel fulfilled as I lay here in bed, more sore than I've been in awhile.... I feel really fulfilled.

march madness = gambling.... well not this year.

2009-03-15T20:11:00.000-07:00

I love this time of year. We are about to witness a crazy amount of basketball. Typically this is a time of year where I bring the laptop to class in order to follow the day games. This year provides a unique challenge for me, a job. Whoa, it's looking like I will just have to miss the games and catch the highlights at the end of the day. Lame.

Well, another reason this year differs from years of past will be due to the lack of money in my BookMaker account. What is BookMaker you ask? Well, let's just say it's the sports equivalent of a stock portfolio. Haha. Bluntly, it's my gambling account. Ok, so let me just point out, I have not gambled in quite awhile now. I have learned from some serious mistakes, like choosing Michigan over USC in the NCAA Football Championship several years ago. Oh man was I on the wrong side of that one. But obviously there are other reasons for not gambling, perhaps the biggest being, "thou shalt not gamble." Ok, so technically it didn't make the top ten commandments but nonetheless it's still out there.

So, will March Madness be the same this year? No. I won't be watching all the games, and I won't be *making* any money! It's gonna be rough, but I'll survive.....somehow.

days in the bay.

2009-03-07T08:33:00.000-08:00

I spent the past week in the Bay Area. What a beautiful place. We went into San Francisco several nights and walked around. The city has so much to offer if you're willing to walk. A lot. Parking sucks as it does in most cities. But once you're out of the car you can get anywhere. I really liked Northern California because of the diversity of environments. After work one afternoon we hiked around this amazing redwood forest and then fifteen minutes later watched the sunset at Half Moon Bay. Absolutely beautiful.

While sitting at the beach I was thinking about graduate school, the latest plan for the near future. I still have not heard back from Sister Walton about the application deadline. Technically the deadline was last Saturday, but there are always exceptions to the rule. However, with no word back I'm weighing new options. Well, I guess technically I'm weighing the only other option, find a job. The problem is, where do I go? To be honest I can think of a lot of reasons to move back to Provo. Kickin' it with the crew and my other friends is definitely a top one. I'm also missing all the kids I used to teach and I'm anxious to see them again. But there is also a certain girl that I can't seem to stop thinking about that draws me back. But should I really base my future on something that is only a possibility, and maybe not even a good one? I'm too freakin' emotional about decisions sometimes. I wish I was able to really detach myself from things better.

So basically after all the forest walking and beach bench sitting I have come to this conclusion :

It's time for me to do a little more earnest praying, because obviously I'm useless on my own. Haha

Hammer & Ice

2009-03-01T22:17:00.000-08:00

I went back to Provo this past weekend for the MC Hammer/Vanilla Ice concert. Wow. What a great wknd! I drove up with Cbass and Lindsay Thursday night, so we got into Provo around 4:30 Friday morning. But we didn't get to rest because we had to drive up to Salt Lake to dance for the Good Morning Utah show that morning to help promote the concert. It was sick seeing all the guys again. We had a great time dancing despite the early hour.
The concert was pretty much the most amazing thing ever. We got VIP passes. Free food, clothes, pictures with some of the Jazz players. So dope. Hammer and Ice killed their sets. It was tight listening to all these jams from my childhood.
I loved dancing again and kicking it with the guys in the crew. These guys are a second family. We all share so much together. I'm grateful for the support they are to me and the inspiration they give me. It's funny how Heavenly Father will put certain people in your life who can help you become better. These guys help me do that. It has been amazing to watch all of us change in our desires to become better.
I don't really want to be back here in CA right now. I want to still be with the crew back in Utah. But such is life. You do what you gotta do. I'm grateful to be employed at the moment.

paradise cove...

2009-02-21T19:03:00.000-08:00

I'm lucky to have a maven for a roommate. He has a certain knack for knowing where to go eat in the greater Los Angeles area. Although I don't think it would matter where we were, he would somehow find the places to hit up. This morning we drove down to Malibu to go eat at a place called Paradise Cove. You have to pay $25 to park unless you spend over $20 at the restaurant. Good thing we can eat whatever we want. And since the price of food is not really a problem for us, this was a perfect place to go. It's actually a private beach with the restaurant right on the sand. I had cinnamon french toast while sitting on the sand. What an awesome experience. I just sat there looking at the ocean and was in awe. I ate and then laid down on one of the outdoor beds they had and just read.
I have to admit though, part of me wished I would've had a significant other to enjoy it all with. Oh well, someday. But for anyone coming down through LA I would definitely recommend taking a morning to go check out this place.

spinal tap anyone?

2009-02-19T22:33:00.000-08:00

so, im on here now because my mom reads this thing religiously and complained that I had not updated it recently. I've been sick lately and there's not much to talk about. But let me tell you I now have this bump on my left hand near my wrist bone. I think there is something growing in my arm. It doesn't hurt or anything, but man I do have to worry a little bit about something growing that shouldn't be there. Mom says I should hit up a doctor.... however, seeing as how I have no health insurance at the moment, I do not think a doctor will be in the future plans anytime soon. hahah, I love having no real job. Haha. So I gues for now I'll let it keep growing and we'll see how big it gets.

Oh, on a separate note I spoke with another friend today was recently made unemployed. Tough times. I have a bunch of friends facing some serious problems with employment. For all of you, you're in my thoughts and prayers and soon enough I'll be joining all of you on the unemployment market. Haha. But my buddy mentioned that we can go get medical tests done for some quick cash. Spinal tap = $4000. 15 minutes of hell for some serious money doesn't sound too bad at the moment. Any takers?

done and done.

2009-02-07T14:11:00.000-08:00

Even though I knew I had finished all the necessary requirements for graduation I was still a little skeptical of being completely done. Well, my small doubts were removed this past week as BYU made it official. After 17 years of school, yes 17, I put myself on the 5 year plan at BYU, haha, I am DONE. Picture me smiling right now as I write these words.....

lightning could strike....

2009-02-07T10:29:00.000-08:00

“As I stated before, the guys here (BYU) are just like all guys everywhere. They will make a wonderful first impression, leaving you in the clouds, then drop off the face of the planet entirely. They play games and mess around, date you’re girlfriends behind your back. They are immature and self centered.”

Ah yes, another bitter diatribe centered on the nature of dating at BYU. A real rarity, right? Wrong. The first paragraph comes courtesy of a good friend of mine from a recent essay of hers. It seems there is a running commentary about how every guy has failed miserably at being "prince charming". Just as common is the incessant whining about the dating failures of the ladies of Happy Valley.

I’ve done both. I have sat down with many a girl friend and said, "man that guy is a jerk, what was he thinking doing that, you totally deserve better." Come to think of it, at times I have probably been the jerk being discussed in a situation just like that. (I'm sorry!) I have also spent countless nights with the guys talking about why you girls do some of the off-the-wall things you do. (To be honest I don't even think you girls know)

But these discussions are just fine because actually I think they are all based on truths. I think that as guys we can do some really stupid things. Sometimes we premeditate our stupidity, but more often than not I think we do it in ignorance. And girls, well you can be pretty brutal at times yourselves.

And so, to my friend, I'm not here to disagree with your point that “A perfect man does not exist in any non-fiction realm.” I agree with you. But I do have a bone to pick with you about several other comments you made. And whether or not you actually believe these things you wrote is not important, I'm going to comment on them anyways.

“So maybe it’s our fault. Maybe the perfect man for us does not really exist. We will eventually just find someone that puts on an act believable enough, and then spend the rest of our lives being too forgiving. He will hold the title of “Prince Charming” in our minds as we block out reality. It must be our fault.”

Put on an act? Wow. Ok, does anyone really want to spend the rest of their life with someone who is “putting on an act”? The correct answer should be, NO. And I don’t believe you have to. I honestly think that you can find an imperfect person who can love you perfectly. So you’re wading through a swamp of guys “pretending” and doing whatever stupid things it is we do, big deal. There will come a time when, if you allow yourself to not be so cynical, someone with a host of imperfections will devote himself to you, and only you. And I do not believe it will be an act. They will truly love you, with a perfect kind of love.

“I want to be fooled.”

This is how my friend wraps things up. Interesting. But I know she can do better than being “fooled”. And if I were to ever know that she or any girl settled for something less than they deserve than I would have to say this:

“I want you to get swept away out there. I want you to levitate. I want you to sing with rapture and dance like a dervish...Yeah be deliriously happy or at least leave yourself open to be. I know it's a cornball thing, but love is passion, obsession, something you can't live without. I say, fall head over heels, find someone you can love like crazy and who'll love you the same way back. How do you find him? Well, you forget your head and you listen to your heart. The truth is, there's no sense living your life without this. To make the journey and not fall deeply in love, well, you haven't lived a life at all. But you have to try, because if you haven't tried, you haven't lived. Who knows, lightening could strike!” (Anthony Hopkins, Meet Joe Black)
Great quote from a great movie. Ok, so maybe I watch a little too many “chick flicks”. Is it a bad thing? Well, I think the guys in the crew would definitely say I’m a little out there. But someday I hope even each of them will find somebody who will give them the love they all deserve. But provide me an interesting predicament about relationships and love and I’ll most certainly have a movie quote ready for you. Haha.

I think my friends piece of writing was great to read and was well written (except for the typo in the first paragraph, see if you can spot it. Haha), but just in case she believes more than she lets on I would like to say, DON’T. Haha. There are too many cynical people in the world. People will find what they leave themselves open for.

You ladies are not going to get a “perfect” Prince Charming. But you can definitely find someone who will love you in that perfect way you have always dreamed of. Leave yourself open and who knows "lightning could strike."

Ok, so because I’m such a big fan of these movies, I figure I’ll test your knowledge and see if you can tell me the movies these quotes come from :

1. “The greatest thing you’ll ever learn is just to love and be loved in return”

2. “You must know…. Surely you must know it was all for you… You have bewitched me, body and soul, and I love, I love, I love you. I never wish to be parted from you form this day on.

3. -“Tell me what was so special about your wife?
-“Well how long is your program? Well it was a million little things that, when you added them all up, they meant we were supposed to be together….and I knew it.

4. “I always take a relationship to the next level. If that works out, I take it to the next level after that, until I finally reach that level when it becomes absolutely necessary for me to leave.”

5. -“Go ahead, say it.
-You don’t deserve her.
-I don’t, I know that; but I need her, and I don’t need anything.”

this is me.

2009-02-01T19:19:00.000-08:00

Several of my friends recently did these "25 things about me" posts on Facebook and so of course I decided to get in on the action, so I decided to repost it here as well.

1. I'm a bboy. Nothing beats the rush of dancing in front of a crowd, in front of other bboys and even just practicing in the studio.

2. I love public speaking.

3. I've broken my right arm twice. Once, scoring the game winning touchdown in 4th grade at recess. I was a champion on the playground. Haha. The other time was when I first started to breakdance.

4. When I'm driving and I see a red light I will take my foot off the gas and just roll until it becomes absolutely necessary for me to begin braking. I feel like for some reason I'm saving gas or something.

5. I think I might have a slight obsession with Justin Timberlake.

6. I get easily hooked on tv shows, so I'm trying to limit how many new shows I watch otherwise I end up having to sit down and catch up with every previous season.

7. My middle name is Kealoha. It's Hawaiian and so am I. It means "Beloved".

8. For almost my entire youth my only goal was to be President of the United States when I grew up. I'm not sure how close I am to that goal. Haha.

9. I love to shop. But I have a special love for hats and shoes. New shoe smell is one of the greatest things!

10. I bite my finger nails even though I know I shouldn't.

11. I played the french horn for 7 years and loved it. Someday I'd love to get back into playing it. Love the intro horn parts for Til Eulenspiegel by Strauss.

12. I have spent my entire life on Apple Computers and will never switch. ever.

13. I'm a sucker for romantic comedies. It doesn't matter how terrible or cheesy it is, I'm going to love it. I seriously believe that everyone is entitled to that amazing movie love you see in those movies.

14. I am going to write a book someday.

15. The month of December is by far the best month of every year. The Christmas vibe is a special one.

16. Yes, I have read all of the Twilight Series. And yes, I liked them.

17. When I was in 2nd grade I won a National Invention Convention for my age group for the "Stay Dry Mail Bag". Those were my glory days.

18. Out of all the amazing Book of Mormon characters my favorite is definitely Alma the Younger. I love reading about his life. It gives me so much hope.

19. I would love to always have a song playing out loud as I go about my life that matches my current mood.

20. I think my biggest physical flaw is that I can't grow a full beard..... Although some might argue it is my "hunchback". Haha

21. I would love to stop everything; grab my camera, my laptop, and go travel the world taking pictures and writing about all the amazing things other cultures and places have to offer.

22. There is nothing I won't do for my family and friends. Well, maybe one or 2 things, but once I know you I will gladly help you with anything you might need.

23. I love teaching. Loved teaching on the mission. Love teaching Sunday School. Love teaching my kids breakdancing. I want to spend the rest of my life teaching in some capacity.

24. I hate being late. Even when you're supposed to do the "fashionably late" thing, I still secretly have a weird anxious feeling.

25. I like to pretend that I don't have a care in the world and that I'm always relaxed and nothing phases me, but if you really know me, you'll be able to tell when something isn't quite right.

sunset at the beach ....

2009-01-28T21:39:00.001-08:00

After work finished today I went over to Hermosa beach to relax... I went out to the pier sat down on a bench and just looked out at the sunset while listenin' to some Owl City. I sat there thinking about how lucky I am to have this job. It's not just because all my food, gas and rent is paid for. It's not just because I get to be somewhere warm in the winter, or even that I get to sit by the beach after work. I consider this one of the Lords tender mercies on me that I have this job. I think Heavenly Father realized I'm probably not ready to jump right into the real world, and I think he is easing me in. Haha. I also realize the job market isn't quite what it used to be. I was working some restaurants in a shopping plaza and saw a line of about 70 people with job applications at a grocery store. Times are tough. I am grateful to have a job. That is a tender mercy in itself at this point in time.

Sunset at the beach was amazing.

groundhounds wknd in vegas....

2009-01-24T22:31:00.000-08:00

Went up to Vegas this weekend for Vegas Shakedown 5! CBass came and picked me up after I finished work and we drove up to Vegas to meet up with the rest of the guys. Well, not all the guys were there.... we were missing a few. Brian, you homo, I can't believe you let a little thing like being sick keep you from coming. Haha. It was great seeing everybody. I'm lucky to have friends as good as all of these guys. It was dope that Kory came down as well to watch us dance...
Shakedown 5 was dope. All the guys from Super Crew/ Full Force were there. So we got to watch Do Knock and Ronnie and those guys kill some sets.There were 34 crews battling and after one round they narrowed it down to the top 8. Dang, we gotta work on battling. We didn't make it. Haha, but it was still really dope being there. Going to battles like that always inspire me to practice harder so that next time I can do even better.

After we finished at the battle we went back to the Rio and slept. forever.

Saturday we went onto the strip to do our thing... We went to the fountains in front of the Bellagio and did some dancing. We actually had people throw about $50 bucks into a hat.... haha, split a bunch of ways turned into like $7 bucks for everyone. haha So sick.
Oh man, I didn't want to come back to Cali after such a good wknd... It was so sick being around the crew again. CBass and I had a really good talk on the way back here.... Dang I'm grateful to have friends that help motivate and push me to be better.

what im thinkin' bout.....

2009-01-18T15:33:00.000-08:00

breakdancing. of course.
do you have some place your mind tends to go when it's not directed somewhere intentionally?
Mine goes right to the dance floor. I can't help but think about it, even when I should be focusing on something else.
I can't think of too many things better than hearing a great song, having a great floor, and then goin' out and rockin' some beats.
I love it.
I haven't had much of a chance to practice since I've been down here in LA. But hopefully that will change this week. I just heard about a place where a bunch of bboys get together each week. Time to get back in the swing of things!!!

perpetual neverland.....

2009-01-13T17:15:00.000-08:00

I’d like to believe that living in a perpetual Neverland is a possibility for me. A place where I am able to do the things I would like to do, when I want to do them and in the way I want to do them. This is not reality. The reality of life is that I have now graduated from college. There are some things you cannot avoid as you grow up. I have bills that need to be paid. Money is a necessity. Priorities need to shift and change. When I was in school I could afford to “waste” time watching bboy videos on Youtube for hours at a time. This is no longer an option for me. When I go to work I am expected to do just that, work. Gone are the days where my biggest frustration was finding that the dance studio on campus was being used by the ballroomers. I now wonder about health care, an ever falling economy and a declining job market. Ughh.
This is not too related, but I actually had a dream that I was Peter Pan several nights ago. Well, at least that’s how the dream started. I was flying (if you have not had a flying dream before, you really need to look into trying it) accompanied by the most carefree feeling I have ever experienced. Sadly the dream ended with me losing not only my ability to fly but that wonderful feeling. And I remember feeling absolutely terrible before I woke up.
I don’t think we are meant to feel like that. And growing up doesn’t have to be like that, at least not my version of growing up. I plan on growing up and somehow holding on to at least a piece of that wonderful carefree feeling . . . . .

4 dollar cupcake.....

2009-01-10T14:56:00.000-08:00

I ate a cupcake the other night that cost $4. $4, are you serious? Those are crack prices. With the drop in gas prices I could almost get 3 gallons for that. But I have to admit, it was perhaps the most amazing cupcake I have ever had. Sprinkles Cupcakes is a pretty popular place. I was told that sometimes the line can stretch all the way down the street. But despite the "trendiness" of the place and although my red velvet cupcake had this great cream cheese frosting on top I'm quite sure I won't be going back. Well, let me rephrase that. I won't be going back on my own tab. While I'm enjoying this "my food is expensed by the company" dream job, it won't kill me to go back and get another one.... or two.

merry christmas....

2008-12-25T19:49:00.000-08:00

Christmas is always my favorite time of year because it's one of the only times our entire family gets together. In fact, with Kory getting back from his mission this past summer, this is the first time we have all been back for Christmas in awhile now. What a great feeling it is to have everyone around. Merry Christmas!

they say change is good.

2008-12-21T13:25:00.000-08:00

- it started when paul moved out
then chris moved out
then ty got married and moved away
then sloth got married and moved out
+ but then we got Brian back
then Kory moved in
then Tyson moved in
then Mike moved in
- but now I'm leaving
Brandon is heading out to China
Brian is heading out to Moscow.

the dynamics of our little crew has changed over the past year. It is funny to think that one year ago our house was partying hard and school was not a real priority. Now I'm graduating, 2 got married, everyone else is on track for graduation, and our idea of partying is practicing, hitting the hot tub and finishing with some FIFA on the x-box.

I believe change is a good thing. I have moved around quite a bit and I enjoy change. And even if it is difficult it usually results in some form of progression.

However, I've spent the past couple of days a little sad as I look to the future. Don't get me wrong, I am thrilled for everyone and the new chapters of life they are beginning or have already begun, but I'm going to miss this chapter. It's been fun.

Now what?

Accept the inevitable and just enjoy the ride. I'm excited for California next semester and excited to hear what everyone is up to. Should be another great year -- and where will we be when it ends? Well here's a few predictions. . .

Brandon stays in China.... not intentionally. It's Communist China, he's stuck.
Brian stays in Moscow....not intentionally. It's formerly Communist Russia, he's stuck.
Lil C ends up making the football team down at Dixie and never comes back.
Mike marries Sophronia and moves to England.
Chris will be able to benchpress the equivalent of 5 me's.... and he gets a girlfriend.
Tyson remains single. HAHA j/k Still workin SchoolTipline and has a girlfriend..hopefully. HA
Ty and Krista have a kid and name it Kyle.
Sloth and Ashley also have a kid and also name it Kyle.

As for me. Well according to the Bishops "pulpit prophecy" in church the other week, I'm getting married. HAHA! Doubtful. But I suppose I should keep an open mind, right?

where has the time gone?

2008-12-17T10:10:00.000-08:00

I took my last final on Monday. Not just my last for the semester, my last forever. Unless of course I end up doing graduate school. wrong! It's a weird feeling when something comes to an end. I've spent quite a bit of time here at BYU, 5 years to be exact, which feels like forever. High School seems like a distant memory. I can remember absolutely hating my first semester here. There were a lot of reasons, GE classes suck, my family was living in Singapore still where I wanted to be, the honor code was a bit intense for me (i'm more of an independent spirit), and at the time I felt like the people I was around were self righteous and judgemental. I actually begged my parents to not make me come back here when I went home for Christmas.

They made me go back.

But I started going to breakdance club that semester and met some guys who kind of took me in and made me feel part of something. In fact I live with one of them now, Mike Easterling. Came back from the mission and picked up right where I left off. Doing the bboy thing. These guys I dance with have become family to me and have made this journey through BYU an experience I would not trade for anything. That's right, groundhounds son! uuuughhhh! haha

But it wasn't just these guys who made the difference there have been countless others who I have met in class, or in church or through other dance groups I have done that have brought joy to my life. And even though they'll probably never even read this I want to say thank-you, you have enriched my time here at BYU.

Enough nostalgia.

I just took my last final ever. ever. ever. ever. After 5 years of tests, papers, projects -- this feeling is priceless.