day 7- photo that makes me happy

Reasons why this picture makes me happy:

• I saw Kathy several times a week during her 3 months stay at the MTC. This was my last day eating lunch with her.
  
• I love that Kathy is on a mission. I love that so so so much.
• I remember later that day I got to go and baby-sit my cute little baby nephew while my brother and sister-in-law went to the temple.
• I had by this point started my new job at the MTC as a supervisor but was still also able to keep teaching my last district of Italian missionaries.
• I really like that sweater I'm wearing. One of my favorites.
• I have no idea who or what I am waving to or at, but I look like a goober.
• Kathy and I both have squinty eyes.
  
• I love the MTC. And my sister.
  

Day 6- favorite food

Strawberry and feta salad.
Curry chicken and broccoli casserole with rice.


Chocolate tiramisu'.
Italian lasagna.
I'm hungry.

Day 5- Favorite Quote

Favorite non-religious quote:

"Some cause happiness wherever they go; others whenever they go."
--Oscar Wilde

Favorite religious quote:

“If you could only see the vision I have. I wish I had your bodies to do this work. I would run from house to house telling everyone of the gospel, and after I lost strength to run I would begin to walk, and after I collapsed from walking, I would begin to crawl, and after my knees were so bloody that I could not use them I would use my arms to drag myself, and once my muscle in my body was gone I would begin to yell…oh, only if you could see the vision as I have.”
-- President Spencer W. Kimball

All-time favorite quote:

I hesitate to post it because I really don't know the author. President Eyring shared it once but he isn't the one who wrote it. But I think it is magnificent.

"I am part of the fellowship of the unashamed. The dye has been cast. I have stepped over the line. The decision has been made; I am a disciple of Jesus Christ. I won't look back, let up, slow down, or be still. My past is redeemed, my present makes sense, and my future is secure. I'm finished and done with low living, small planning, smooth knees, colorless dreams, tinted visions, worldly talking, cheap giving, and dwarfed goals. I no longer need pre-eminence, positions, promotions, plaudits, or popularity. I don't have to be right, first recognized, praised, regarded, or rewarded. I now live by faith, lean on His presence, walk with patience, am lifted up in prayer, and labor with power. My face is set, my goal is heaven. My road is narrow, my way is rough, my companions few, my guide is reliable, my mission is clear. I cannot be bought, compromised, detoured, lured away, divided or delayed, will not flinch in the face of sacrifice, hesitate in the presence of the adversary, negotiate at the table with the enemy, ponder at the pool of popularity, or meander in the maze of mediocrity. I won't give up, shut up, or let up until I have stayed up, stored up, and paid up for the case of Christ. I must go till He comes, give till I drop, preach till all know, and work till He stops me and when He returns for His own He will have no problem recognizing me. My banner will be clear."
--Author Unknown

Day 4- favorite TV show

These are the TV shows that I would go out of my way to watch.

Whose Line is it Anyway?
I like this picture because I have no idea what they're doing and what it has to do with the show. Plus Colin's face is priceless.

The Office
Hilarious hilarious quotes.

Recess
I. LOVE. THIS. SHOW.

Arrested Development.
It's funny because it's dysfunctional.

Pushing Daisies.
Colorful, clever, classy... cancelled. WHY?!? So upset.

Lots of TV shows are ridiculous. These ones aren't.

Day 3- favorite book

Ugggh, I could not have picked a more difficult topic. I don't have only one favorite book, what was I thinking? I'll do my best by throwing out a few of my all time favorites and we'll see what happens.The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
Incredible. One of the best books I have ever read. It is the story of a young german girl in a Nazi-occupied town who has everything taken from her so she begins to take back... by stealing books. The book is narrated by Death, which I think is absolutely genius. At the beginning of part five of the book, Max, a Jewish boxer in hiding, has almost a dream or hallucination of sorts in which he is in a boxing match with Hitler. I don't think I have ever read anything more powerful about the Holocaust. This is an incredible book and amazingly written. Peace Like a River by Leif Enger Mel introduced me to this book. (Bless you forever, Bean) This is the most beautifully worded book I have ever read. The detail and the imagery that tell the story are completely out of this world. The main character, an 11-year-old named Rube, is asthmatic, Minnesotan, and seems pretty unspectacular on first glance. But the way he sees the world is unique and the way he tells his family’s story is incredible. It showed me that language makes the story beautiful and that you don’t always have to write about drama or exotic places in order to tell a story. My life is about as normal as they come but it is still a life, it still matters, and stories deserve to be told. Leif Enger is a master.
The Agony and the Ecstasy by Irving Stone. This is one of my dad's favorites which is why I read it. This book has everything. It is historical fiction, has some great character development and great writing. It is the story of Michelangelo’s mind and follows his brilliance and insanity. It is set in Florence, where I spent a good 9 months of my mission and completely blew me away. I list it as a favorite because it resembles something that I’d love to someday to: write biographies of interesting people in a similar style.
All Seven of the Harry Potter books by J.K. Rowling
I am a shameless Harry Potter freak. These books are amazing and people who have not read them (coughMotherDearcough) need to repent immediately. There is simply too much at stake. I've read each book numerous times, even book 2 which happens to be my least favorite. Incredible story, incredible imagination, incredible incredible. I've stood in the coffee shop in Edinburgh Scotland where J.K. began scribbling the story on a napkin. The coffee shop overlooks a graveyard and it is awesome. I love that these books have completely captured the world and wish there were more writers that could do something similar. People need to read more. Great Expectations by Charles Dickens
I love Dickens. I read this book in high school and it was the first time that I was able to see the layers that literature has. I felt completely engrossed in the stories, the characters, the themes and motifs, and the lessons learned from immersion in such a classic. I also fell in love with the was Dickens writes, particularly how he writes about his characters. This book made literature come alive for me. Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine
There was a point in my life when I read this probably close to once every month or two. It is a brilliant story and very imaginative, an easy read with some pretty good writing. It is a great pick for young adult fiction. There are few things I hate more in the world, however, than the movie version of this book. It makes me furious even just thinking about it. I saw that movie with such high hopes and left feeling like I wanted to punch the cardboard cut-out of Anne Hathaway on the way out. I haven't liked her since. Do me a favor: read the book... don't EVER watch the movie. Crossing the Unknown Sea by David Whyte
Wow. Go buy this book. Today. In fact, stop reading this blog and go to Amazon right now... this post can wait but you cannot. This book is incredible. All you need to know is that it is written by this Englishman from Yorkshire who studied Marine zoology, worked on a boat like a pirate in the Galapagos Islands, he lead naturalist expeditions in the mountains of Nepal, he's well-read in classical literature, quotes Tennyson and Keats like they're all old friends, writes prose like it is poetry and poetry like it is prose, and he is now living in the Pacific Northwest. He is living my dream life, except for maybe the Marine Zoology which I have little interest in. This book has some of the most spiritually sound lessons and poignant images I have ever ever read and it is almost like scripture in the sense that every time I read parts of it, it means something different to me depending on my circumstances. It is a little bittersweet for me to recommend this book for reasons I won't go in to at present but nevertheless this is one that I couldn't give a higher recommendation to. An Ideal Husband by Oscar Wilde
When I read this book years ago, I had an epiphany: literature can be light-hearted, hilarious, and satirical. It can be clever, ironic, and fresh. Literature doesn’t always need to focus on the deep and dark parts of life but can also enhance the enjoyment of the wonderful parts of life. Oscar Wilde has such a clever style and I’d consider one of my inspirations. I love the way he strings ideas and story lines together to create complicated and hilarious plots. He was one hilarious (albeit complete messed up) man. The Princess Bride by William Goldman
This book is a masterpiece. Hilarious, clever, original, wonderful. Willaim Goldman pretends he's abridged the much longer story written by S. Morgenstern, a terribly verbose man from Florin, a country born in Goldman's imagination. It adds such a hilarious layer to the story as Goldman praises Morgenstern but also sometimes completely makes fun of his writing. Buttercup is written as a complete idiot, which is one of my favorite parts. Although I love the movie version of this book, I have to say the book adds so much you can't ever get from a movie. I love it.

There you have it. Some of my favorites, but not even close to all of them. I really really like books.

Day 2- favorite movie

This is another favorite that changes almost daily but I've decided to go with my two all-time favorites.

First, there is Pirates.

I saw it opening night with Emily Weed the summer after we graduated from High School. We loved it so much that I remember going and seeing it several more times after that in the theaters. I never tire of this movie. So many people hated the second and the third but I loved them. This= pure entertainment.

And then I saw this movie:
I watched it on a whim up at the cabin at like 3 in the morning by myself. Everyone was asleep. I almost woke everyone up to talk to them about it. Instead I watched it again. Yep, right after I watched it, I watched it again. It is one of the best most imaginative scripts I've ever experienced and I absolutely loved it. This is absolutely an all-time favorite. If I ever were to write a screen play, I'd want it to be something like this.

Other favorites include:

Day 1- Favorite Song

My favorite song changes almost daily, but there is one song that I think I will always love. It is the most played song on my iTunes and I never tire of it: Journey's "Don't Stop Believing".

Not only is Journey an amazing band with great music but one of the best parts about this song is who is singing it: Arnel Pineda. You need to watch his story. He's the new lead singer of Journey and his is a real-life Cinderella story that I just love.

My friend Joe got us tickets to go see Journey in the summer of 2008 and it was a life-changing experience watching this man perform, thinking that only a year earlier, he was a poor Filipino singing in a bar. His energy was contagious and I loved the way he'd suddenly look at the other band members with this look of surprise in a middle of song as if to say, "Wait, what? What am I doing here? Hey, is that JOURNEY?!" I mean, the guy used to be homeless...

So I think it will always and forever be my favorite song.

A-Musing-A-Day

My lovely old roommate Emily Bell started doing a-blog-a-day doodad thingy that I thought was wonderful so I am copying her, which I hope makes her feel flattered and not annoyed. Starting tomorrow, you will be hearing the following:

Day 01 → Your favorite song
Day 02 → Your favorite movie
Day 03 → Your favorite book
Day 04 → Your favorite television show
Day 05 → Your favorite quote
Day 06 → Your favorite food
Day 07 → A photo that makes you happy
Day 08 → A photo you took
Day 09 → A photo of you taken over ten years ago
Day 10 → A photo of you taken recently
Day 11 → A photo that makes you angry/sad
Day 12 → Something you find interesting
Day 13 → A fictional book
Day 14 → A non-fictional book
Day 15 → A song that represents something significant
Day 16 → A song that makes you cry (or nearly)
Day 17 → An art piece (painting, drawing, sculpture, etc.)
Day 18 → A hero
Day 19 → A talent of yours
Day 20 → A hobby of yours
Day 21 → A recipe
Day 22 → A website
Day 23 → A YouTube video
Day 24 → A passion
Day 25 → Your day, in great detail
Day 26 → pet peeves
Day 27 → A hope
Day 28 → A dream
Day 29 → A goal
Day 30 → Something you've learned about yourself in the past month

This will be fun. Mark, set, go.

Hope.

There is hope smiling brightly before us.

We doubt not the Lord nor His goodness.

We've proved him in days that are past.

Tanti Saluti Calorosi Da Firenze!

I am typing this from Florence on a computer that is older than my great grandpa. All of the letters are worn off of this keyboard so I am doing some pretty hefty guesswork. Thank you Mrs... Shoot I don't remember your name for teaching me keyboarding in the 7th grade TLC class. Starts with a C... or a P? Mom, help me out... she was the one who taught you too... good friends with Mrs. Bridge... dang it. I am sitting in a room without a view, but no matter. The lights are all off. As my sister would have said 17 years ago, it's bewwy gawwk in heeyow.

Anyway, Italy is rainy and wet and cold and I love it. I am leaving in an hour to go invite a family to be baptized with two Elders I taught... Elders that entered the MTC with so much desire and NO experience. Now their language has developed into something beautiful and their abilities as missionaries are incredible. The day I got here, there were a bunch of missionaries waiting for me at the mission home. I flew in on their P Day and a group of them that I taught waited for me wanting to say hi. They are so grown up I hardly recognize them anymore.

Ate tiramisu for breakfast because I can. Bought about ten packages of bucacacao. If you have tried them, you'll know why I needed to buy so many. I brought a whole suitcase to fill with Italian food stuffs so I can cook davvero when I get home. Tomorrow I am going to Prato, this tiny town outside of Florence where I lived for 6 months, and see a bunch of my favorite people in church. Going to go to the Florence markets on Monday. Afterwards, I get to go to the Florence zone conference to see another bunch of my favorite people, some of the other missionaries I taught. Then I get a free ride back to Rome with the President and his wife.

I have so much more to say and so much more to try to express but for now, this will have to do. Ciao da Italia!

Hiatus

I haven't posted a real musing about life in a really long time. The reason behind that is a total lack of time. These last two months have been some of the busiest I've had. I've been pulling 60 hour weeks at work (and luckily being paid for some hefty overtime) and that accounts for most of it. So here are updates:

I'M GOING HERE IN 27 HOURS!

I will there for two weeks and I am so excited I'm having a hard time falling asleep at night. Go Italy!

Christmas. Was wonderful. We got to talk to Kathy on the phone and she is doing great in the You-crane. She loves Russian. I think it sounds hilarious.

Go Shissa Kath.

I got the Willow Tree nativity I've been coveting for many a year from my awesome sister-in-law and brother and parents. Go Christmas.

I am now 25. Woah. That happened two days ago. We partied at the cabin. Loved it. I got tickets to go see Lion King in September
and tickets to go see Brian Regan in March Go birthday.

Did I ever mention that I got a new car? I was driving to Salt Lake when this guy swerved into my lane and clipped my car, causing me to smash into the median. Thankfully, I walked away with only a small bruise and stiff shoulders but also with a totaled car. The lame part is that he drove away. But we found this little beauty on KSL.com and ended up paying only $300 for her after collecting insurance money. Her name is Sue. Go Sue.

It has been so fun watching this little guy celebrate his first Christmas. And also I love my sister-in-law Taryn.
Go them.

One of my Christmas presents was a private archery lesson. Larry taught me how to shoot bows and arrows just like Robin Hood (I've had this obsession with Robin Hood since I was little) and I felt so official. I have excellent form.
It is actually waaaay harder than it looks. Go Robin Hood.

I got hired on full time at the MTC working as a training coordinator, meaning my job is to teacher MTC teachers how to be good teachers and I love it. I've been working as a training coordinator for a few months but only part time so I am excited to be there full time, especially since I have benefits and a administrative parking pass at BYU and free tuition and 5 years of job security and I still don't even have my degree. Kathy took this picture of me at work when she was at the MTC and waiting for me to be done so we could go to lunch... she had been waiting for a while... a long while...
Go MTC.

aaaaaaaaaand...

I updated my blog.

Go updates.

Grrrrr.

Bahhhhhhh! It is almost 10:00 PM and I am still at work... and still have another hour or so left of work to do before the night is done. BAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH.But somehow, this makes me feel a lot better.

Take Anything You Want- Japanese learning english

Okay, so here is the story behind this one. Remember how I told you all the Japan is the coolest country in the world? Well they decided to try to develop an English language learning program around exercise and chanting to try to help their clients remember the words. They have several scenarios that they teach phrases for. This is one about going to America, getting robbed, and not knowing what to say.

My favorite moments:

• how one of the robbers has the bandanna tied underneath his nose... huh?
• the awkward close-ups they do between chanting of someone's shoulder
• the running in place move these girls have perfected
• the big grin on all of their faces while they chant "spare me my life"
• the way they pronounce "I was robbed by two men"
• the awesome synthesizer music in the background
• the amazing exercise moves, especially during "take anything you want"- the girl on the far left has weird arms
• their amazing exercise outfits with nylons

Seriously, this is the best thing everrrrrrr. We watched it about 23 times last night.

Oh.

My.

GOSH.

A poem.

A poem I wrote recently about an experience I had watching a little girl in the Duomo in Florence on a freezing cold rainy day. Your critique is welcome.

The Florence Duomo

A chilled cathedral, dark and dank

In sullen silence stands of stone

Torrential rain beats at the planks

And I, within, observe alone.

The tired shoulders, bended backs

And hopeless handclasps enter through

With burdened souls in torment racked

In ways that words cannot construe.

Confusion seeps in seeking light

But answers go unquestioned here

The many wond’ring “Where is right?”

Are shushed by reason: cold, austere.

Now past me faceless faces go

Expressions hungry for relief

It’s hard to let a feeling show

As imperceptible as grief

Then suddenly I see her face

All curious and rosy round

She squirms, escaping dad’s embrace

And plants two feet upon the ground

And all at once she’s running fast

Unsteady but with all her might

Determination unsurpassed

Towards a faint and flick’ring light

Tea candles lit by those in need

Are on a stand and placed in rows

She races towards them at full speed

And reaches them, her smile aglow.

Though oft in shadow we reside

Our childlike natures recognize

That in the warmth and light abide

A permanent celestial prize.

And in that moment I could see

Discomfort stemming from the dark

These people longing to be free

Require someone to start a spark.

Canadian Border Patrol

I know I've been posting a lot of videos but when you're working roughly 55 hours a week and trying to fulfill a calling and trying to still have time to eat food and work out and still remaining in contact with family and people and trying to cultivate other relationships, all I have the energy to do anymore is watch videos and listen to podcats on my breaks. This American Life is my favorite new (and free) podcast and this is my favorite new (and free) video.

I promise to blog about real stuff again soon. But in the meantime, you can learn about Robert Michael Jack, who is surprisingly a Border Control Agent for the United States and Canada Border from Washington State to Maine... state.