The Sunday Post - Issue #18

I was late to church again.  Hooray.

I almost decided to not go to church today.  Even though I know I was going to be pretty late, when I got out of the shower I, for some reason, just started getting dressed for church.  I haven't missed a day of church for about a year now.  I couldn't break that streak now.  I'm not saying that was the final reasoning I decided to go to church.  It just felt like I should go even though I ended up not really contributing to any of the meetings in any way.

So, when I first got to church, I walked through the gym so I could get a seat on the less crowded side of the chapel.  Upon entering the gym, which was quite dark, I saw two girls in the southeast corner sitting on the floor looking at stuff on their phones, and sitting in the northeast corner was a couple who were talking and kissing.  All I could think was: "Really?  I mean, come on, seriously?".  This is church.  We come here for the sacrament and to be edified in the teachings of the gospel and to be spiritually fed.  We don't come to church to skip our meetings to converse with a friend or to kiss the person we are dating.  There is plenty of time to do that elsewhere.

In sacrament, I noticed a new girl in our ward.  I knew that she was new for sure due to her blue sheet she handed our bishopric that signifies you are a new member to our ward.  She is pretty cute.  :)  We'll see what happens, stay tuned.

Time to get a little more serious here.  Lately I have been feeling like not getting up and going to church, but I do anyway.  The best way I can describe it would be like this:  I'm on a giant set of stairs that seems endless.  Kind of resembling like and my progression in the gospel, my faith and conversion if you will, even just life in general.  Now, the stairs are not small steps that you can easily climb, they are bigger and take a stride or two, or more, to get across.  The way I feel is that the steps behind me are crumbling, they are the past but also just the bad things in life, darkness and whatnot.  I feel like I barely have time to get to the next step just as the one I'm on is crumbling as I leave it.  I feel like I am that close to failing and falling into the darkness.  All I can say is that it doesn't feel good.

Anyway, even though I'm friendly and know most people in our ward I'm still more of a lone wolf.  This guy named Josh, who just came back from his mission, has been sitting next to me and always talks to me.  You can tell that he genuinely cares and it is quite refreshing because there are far too many who don't.  Props to Josh.

The sisters in the ward are doing a Book of Mormon reading challenge which was brought up in elder's quorum.  So I guess its now a ward thing.  Josh and I shook hands on accepting the challenge together.  The challenge started today and ends March 2nd, to read the whole book.

Random thing I just remembered, we were reminded that next week is Linger Longer, a Valentine themed one at that.  Which made me think of Valentine's Day and all the crap that it's about.  That's right I said it.  It's just another scam of a day to market a bunch of junk and overpriced flowers/roses to any sucker who will partake of this holiday.  If I was married/engaged/dating someone, I would, of course take them out on a date on Valentine's Day.  I might, MIGHT, buy them flowers/roses or something as well.  But I still think it's all bunk.  I would be treating my wife/fiancee/girlfriend right all the time, not just when this silly "holiday" comes around.  She would be my special somebody all the time, my best friend.  I don't need a holiday to treat her like that, to show her, or know what she means to me.  Also, it doesn't help that I'm usually single when this day rolls around each year.  Not bitter really, just more of an annoyance if anything.

Quote of the Day(Courage):

"My young friends, be strong. . . . You know what is right and what is wrong, and no disguise, however appealing, can change that [truth]. If your so-called friends urge you to do anything you know to be wrong, you be the one to make a stand for right, even if you stand alone."  -  Thomas S. Monson, Video Presentation: I Have a Purpose, Ensign, May 2010, 124.

The Sunday Post - Issue #17

Something is missing.  Maybe a few somethings at that.

A little story before I go into a little more depth about my missing somethings.  Growing up I was short.  I'm talking one of the shortest kids in the whole grade.  Oddly enough I wasn't bullied but that is heading into a different direction than I intend.  What I remember is being short and looking up at that tall basketball hoop sitting, what appeared to be a bajillion miles, above me.  I didn't know how to properly shoot the ball or dribble or any sort of tip or technique to accomplish anything about this sport.  I knew how to bounce the ball of course.  The thing that I remember most is starting out, being super short and skinny,  trying to shoot the ball.  Well, to be honest, I wasn't trying to shoot the ball I was merely trying to get the ball up to/near the rim.  I would throw the ball.  It fell short, by a lot.  I tried again.  Again, it fell short.  Again.  Again.  Again.  Again.  Again.  Again.  Again.  Again.  Again.  Again.  Again.  Eventually I got the ball to go higher.  And higher.  And higher.  Then it hit the rim.  And again I hit the rim.  I got to the point to where I could constantly throw the ball and hit the rim and backboard.  I accomplished this feat.  But I didn't stop there.  I was shooting the ball now.  Farther from the hoop, back behind the three-point line.  I learned how to dribble and picked up a tip on how to shoot which was golden for my short self.  I got to the point where I was a stellar shot.  My one-on-one skills weren't great but that didn't matter, my shot was amazing.  We used to play a lot of "Tornado" and I would win the majority of the time.  So how did I get to that point?  Drive.  I had the drive to accomplish something I wanted to do.  Some would say it was motivation, but to me they are two different things.  Motivation to me is something like: "If I do that I will get ice cream", or you have someone like a friend or wife/husband cheering you on, motivating you to reach the end of a race or whatever.  Drive, to me, seems like it is just something inside you that pushes you forward.  They are pretty similar.  But I just looked them both up and I really like this definition of drive: to impel; constrain; urge; compel.  Something inside me was simply urging me, compelling me to keep pushing forward, there wasn't anything that was truly motivating me.  Anyway, that story just shows that I once had the drive to move forward, the will was there.  Now, though, is a different story.

Church is, well, church.  Except my drive is gone.  These last two Sundays I have been late.  When I say late I mean forty or more minutes late.  Yeah, it's pretty bad.  Now, I'm not going through the motions.  I still pay attention to talks and lessons to try to learn something and other various things.  But it seems like I'm near the point of giving up on this ward.  Like I've outgrown it and that I have exhausted every option available.  So my desire to go to this singles ward has greatly diminished.  So why do I say I have lost my drive?  Because it goes beyond the singles ward.  My drive in life is gone too.  I hear so many times of people talking about stories of people who didn't have the gospel in their life and how hard their lives were and blah blah blah, but once they accepted the gospel and was actually living it that so many things changed for the better and you could see all the many blessings that have been bestowed upon them.  I'm sure a lot of those stories are true.  But not all of them.  I look at my life and how I have been trying so hard to be the best me possible, to live righteously, honestly, and just good, but nothing changes.  Things just stay the same.  Where are these so-called blessings for living the gospel and trying to be a good person?  Because I sure as heck don't see them in my life.  I only see other people get blessings and them moving on with their lives.  This factor seems to play a part in my drive in life but isn't the whole reason.

This lack of drive has gotten to me.  I have been feeling like I shouldn't even go to church especially when I'm really late but I go anyway.  So maybe I do have a smidgen of drive left but it's being consumed as we speak.  I feel like disappearing.  Not that it matters because it feels like I have been gone for a long time.  I really think that no one in my ward would really care if I truly vanished.  They would all just think I moved on in my life.  But I can't assume that.  It's never really safe to assume anything, ever.

*Random thing I've been wanting to point out.  Before Winter came with all of it's annoying snow sticking to my car and jacking up my windows from the inside, there was a time of glorious weather where upon parking in the institute building for church you could see on the very far side of the parking lot  where people were with their motorcycles.   What were they doing you ask, simply this: learning how to ride them and putting forth the time to complete the courses to get their permits  to ride those bad boys.  I miss seeing that.  It was something I looked forward to seeing each Sunday, even though it was only for a minute or less.  It made me think of how I wanted to be over there learning how to ride a motorcycle, how I've always wanted to do that.

Quote of the Day(Service):

"My brothers and sisters, we are surrounded by those in need of our attention, our encouragement, our support, our comfort, our kindness, be they family members, friends, acquaintances, or strangers. We are the Lords hands here upon the earth, with the mandate to serve and to lift His children. He is dependent upon each of us."  -  Thomas S. Monson, What Have I Done for Someone Today?  Ensign, Nov. 2009, 86

 

The Sunday Post - Issue #16

I keep meaning to write "The Sunday Post", but things get in the way, or I simply think that what I have to say is meaningless or too much on the negative/mopey side(which I have to agree with).  The reason why is because I just don't have a plethora, heck even a few, of friends that I can actually talk to and vent.  A blog is a small outlet for me to get this kind of crap out of my head.  Anyway, I'm getting off topic.

So, I've been going to the Singles Ward for a while now.  In about a month and half it will be one year of being in this ward.  And a full year of not missing church once.  When I first starting going to the Singles Ward, I was going with a person that I had grown up with.  Not too long after he got engaged and moved on to better things.  I had started to get to know people in the ward but not a whole lot, but I kept getting to know people.  There were a lot of cool, nice, good people.  Key word is were.

Jimmy - got married and left the ward.
Eric - also got married and left the ward.
Cameron - moved away to play soccer at a college.
Arthur - moved downtown for various reasons.
Nicole - will be getting married and leaving the ward.
Logan - also getting married soon and will leave the ward.
Brother Kessler - was assigned to another Singles Ward.
Brother Taylor - was just released from our bishopric.

These people are awesome.  I always loved being in the same Sunday school class with Cameron because he wouldn't talk a crap ton but when he did it was meaningful, thoughtful, and usually something that wasn't mentioned before.  Arthur was friendly to everyone and always knows how to laugh.  Brother Kessler always had deep insightful things to say.  Nicole, Logan, and Jimmy were always nice company to have, people who would listen to you.  Eric though.......  Eric is awesome because he is so spiritual and kind hearted(apparently hearted isn't a word).  Eric was a teacher and always taught well, but he wasn't just good, he was meaningful, he would tear up often.  To me he always meant what he said, he fully believed whatever he was saying.  But none of them beat Brother Taylor.  He will be missed dearly.  He always had a smile on his face.  He always had time to listen to you.  He always had a handshake and hug for you.  He always cared about you.  Always.

With the lack of these good people I have found myself floating.  Don't get me wrong, there are still some awesome people in the ward.  Very few now though.  After being in the ward this long I have seen many others come and go and I have gotten to know who people are.  I actually know a lot of people that regularly attend church but I can honestly say that none of them are actually considered as a friend.  Simple update conversations or the typical small talk will take place.  Maybe being a lone wolf, a floater, is what I'm always meant to be.

Singles wards aren't what they are cracked up to be.  There are three reasons why they have these wards.  That's right, they have a purpose, imagine that.

1- To help bring back inactive members that have fallen away.  According to what was said today by a stake council member(I believe it was something along those lines), 7 out of 10 people that are single adults between the ages of 16 to 31(I also believe it was that range, it might be 18 to 30) are inactive and don't do anything church related.  That's huge.  Like, ginormously huge.

2- The Singles ward is there to help us by giving us callings to give us leadership experience and teach us how to lead the church.

3- And of course, to get us married.

I can totally agree with reasons 1 and 2, and 3 to an extent.  When I said Singles wards aren't what they are cracked up to be I meant that it isn't really all that enjoyable for different reasons.  I get that they want us to help bring others back to the church and that they want us to gain necessary experience in the church, and that it would be ideal to pair us all up.  But I really think that they try too hard maybe on reason 3.

Making real friends in a Singles ward is slim.  And of course you want to marry someone who, hopefully, you can call your best friend.  We have all of these different committees, one for Family Home Evening, one for Linger Longers, one for Stake events, etc etc etc.  The end goal in most of these is to get people to come out to do stuff with other single people and actually mingle and converse with them.  More often than not though the things that get planned give you no actual face time with people.  How can we get to know people when we get two minutes to talk to someone?  Dur, you can't.

I've been to almost every activity that has taken place and some have just been absolutely retarded.  But I won't go into that right now, just take note that I've gone to a lot of stuff to broaden my capacity of meeting people.

Now, in most Singles wards they want the guys asking the girls out.  Which I agree with.  I'm still old fashioned and prefer to do the asking.  I've gotten names and numbers and called them, never texting them to go out, or I ask them in person.  Nothing is wrong with a girl asking a guy out though, it happens but its rare.  I think that needs to happen a little bit more to be honest.  So what is the point already you are asking, well it is this:  the guys ask the girls and the girls are saying no, mixed in with some guys not asking any girls at all. 

I was talking with a couple guys about this topic and one of them brought up a good point.  I'll even use myself as an example.  

EXAMPLE OF MY LIFE:   I asked a girl for her name and number, she gave them to me and also told me she was going to be out of town for the weekend.  I called her, she didn't answer so I left a message.  Days later I called her again, she answered, I mentioned me calling her, she said she never got my message, I then proceed to ask her out, she said yes and needed to check when she could go out and would get back to me.  She never did, so I tried contacting her with no results.

So, using that example, Andrew brought up the point that the bishopric keeps telling the guys to ask the girls out, because the girls aren't getting asked out.  But in reality they are getting asked out, they are either giving us a non-answer reply, saying no, or saying yes and flaking out on you.  And one reason might be that a girl has her sights on one specific guy and that apparently qualifies the girl to complain to the bishopric that they aren't getting asked out, when in reality they just want that one guy to ask them out.  Makes sense to me though.  Now, I'm not bashing on you girls, especially because I know not all of you are like that.  But you know that is what is happening and that's how you girls are to the T.   "Oh, Ben isn't asking me out, I really like him and I want to go out on dates, why aren't boys asking me out?!" (in reality it reads - why isn't Ben asking me out?!)  So then the guys get crap for "not asking" girls out.  Thanks "ladies".  Hard to actually find a real lady.

Another thing that makes these wards absurd, at least mine and the Stake it belongs to, is that they told the girls to say yes and go out with guy at least once.  They obviously don't do this.  Which I agree with the girls on this one.  They shouldn't say yes to every guy that asks them out.  You have to have physical attraction on some level and a slight interest.  The possibility and potential has to be there.  But if you are so focused and intent on one guy that obviously isn't giving you the time of day, and you don't have guts to ask him out, you will be missing out on other great guys out there that actually want to take you out.

Going back a little bit here, I want to just make note of the example I shared.  In my whole life I have been to about 2-3 firesides.  No particular reason why I don't go, I just don't.  They aren't for me you could say.  While in the Singles ward I've been to 0 firesides.  Until recently.  They mentioned that a fireside was being held and blah blah blah and I pretty much thought to myself that I wasn't going.  Then a girl named Katie asked if I was going and I said maybe.  My typical answer which usually turns into a no.  But later in church I felt like I should go to this fireside.  So after church I went to tell Katie that I was going, she said she was going too.  Later that night I go to the fireside, and while waiting for it to start I kept looking around for Katie so she could sit with me but she never came.  While looking though I saw this beautiful girl.  I kept finding myself looking at her from time to time.  So when the fireside was over I got up and thought to myself, "I'll talk to her in a few minutes", and immediately after I thought this, this came into my head, "No, go talk to her now.  Don't take your eyes off her."  So I listened, I saw her getting up and it was obvious she wasn't staying to chat or have refreshments, she was headed for the door.  So I took a side route so I could reach her in time on the stairs, introduced myself, had a small conversation, got her number, etc, then refer to my example for the outcome.  Also, a day or two later I had a strong, good feeling about her.  But...... well you know. 

So what is the point?  I'm beginning to think there isn't one anymore.  Really tired of trying to play the dating game.  On a good note, before the above-mentioned girl, I had gone on two dates with another girl.  Very nice, cute, but it just didn't work.  I knew she wasn't right for me.





Onto other randomness that I have been wanting to mention.

- A month or so ago I sat a couple seats away from a girl that kept shaking her leg in sacrament.  You know these kind of people.  She wasn't just that kind though.  She was shaking her leg insanely hard.  Like violently shaking it.  Literally.  I was thinking how the crap, and why, would you be doing that so intensely?!  Violently shaking of the leg.  I just didn't understand what would possess her to go to that extreme.

- Along with the crazy leg shaker, I was near a guy who wasn't singing any of the hymns.  Now this irks me.  You know I love music.  And some of you might know I suck at singing.  But I sing the hymns.  Singing hymns is giving praise to God.  Why would you not want to do that?  It's almost insulting to sit there and not sing.  My short experience in Singapore/Malaysia showed me that a lot of the poor natives would sing the hymns.  Everyone sang the hymns, no matter what.  And a lot of them were worse than me at singing, but they would do it anyway, they would also pick songs in the hymn book that a ton of people have never even heard of because it is "too weird" or hard to play on the piano.  But they sang.  That is what matters.  In my ward there are two girls that are handicap for whatever reason(I want to say semi autistic), all I know is that its hard for them to talk, but it amazes me that they will sit in their wheelchair and try to sing the hymns.  Every single week.  So it really bugs the crap out of me when people don't want to sing the hymn, for a dumb reason that is.  Because I know there are reasons why you won't, like you are sick and have no voice or whatever else.  But just because you don't feel like it or its not your favorite hymn is a load of crap.  If off pitched and out of tune Malaysian's and handicap girls are giving praise to God, you should be too.  Sing the dang hymn.

- Another random thing is that from going to a lot of activities the ward and stake have, I noticed that a lot of people that I see in sacrament don't go to any of them.  A tidbit hard to try to get to know someone during sacrament, ya know?  I think a lot of people bounce out after sacrament because I don't see certain people in either Sunday school classes.

So there you have it.  Singles wards, not all that great or cracked up to be.  You don't hear from me for a while and then I basically write a novel.  Sorry.  =P

Quote of the Day(Courtship/Marriage):

"There are many qualities you will want to look for in a friend or a serious date--to say nothing of a spouse and eternal companion--but surely among the very first and most basic of those qualities will be those of care and sensitivity toward others, a minimum of self-centeredness that allows compassion and courtesy to be evident. 'That best portion of a good man's life [is] his . . . kindness,' said Mr. William Wordsworth (Lines Composed a Few Miles Above Tintern Abbey [1798], lines 33, 35). There are lots of limitations in all of us that we hope our sweethearts will overlook. I suppose no one is as handsome or as beautiful as he or she wishes, or as brilliant in school or as witty in speech or as wealthy as we would like, but in a world of varied talents and fortunes that we can't always command, I think that makes even more attractive the qualities we can command--such qualities as thoughtfulness, patience, a kind word, and true delight in the accomplishment of another. These cost us nothing, and they can mean everything to the one who receives them."  - Jeffrey R. Holland

Unsuccessful At Success

What do the following have in common?

- Not finishing college
- Coming home from my mission early
- Not finishing my A+ certification
- Not getting my headshot taken for auditioning
- Stopped playing soccer/basketball
- Stopped learning ASL

The above list, (of the main things I can remember), all have been things that have been left unfinished.  Things that were left behind, things I gave up on, things I quit.

I'm really not a quitter.  Deep down inside this empty shell of mine I'm a fighter.  I will think and ponder until I can figure out an answer to a problem, especially ones that intrigue me.  I fight for what I believe in.

The thing that I keep thinking about when I look at that list is simply this: unsuccessful.


I am superbly successful at being unsuccessful.  The conclusion my brain keeps bringing up is: Am I afraid to succeed?  And I can't help but think on this question.  A lot.  Am I really afraid that I can make a difference?  Am I afraid that I can do whatever I want?  Am I afraid I can actually do something I like and be good at it?  Am I afraid that I can actually have a decent paying job to support a family?  I look at each thing on my list and the things not on it and I reflect upon them one at a time.  And in the end I really believe that I am afraid of success.  The thing is, I don't know why I am.

I have many useless skills.  I can make either eye go lazy, that can pretty much do nothing for me.  But other ones like having the uncanny ability to waste time like a professional definitely becomes a problem.  Along with my unmatched power to procrastinate anything and everything(not literally, but some times it rings all too true).  This isn't who I remember.  This isn't me.  And I don't know how to change it.

Take today for example.  I was supposed to call the college to set an appointment with the counselor, I was also supposed to study up on my math so I can take the math placement test (for the 3rd bloody time) so I don't have to take Math 1010 again.  Did I do either of  those?  No, not at all.  I didn't even do the dishes.  What did I do instead?  I wasted my time.  I don't know how so much of my time just disappears but it does.  Facebook doesn't help either.  Michelle is right on this topic, she talks about it in her blog, and she definitely has the right idea to stop using it.  It's not only a time waster, not always but far too often it is, it is depressing.  It really is.  "Oh you're married!!! And you've been married for many years!"  or "Oh you have kids and this nice job!" and it forces our human nature to compare all that crap to ourselves.  With me being so unsuccessful at success it brings me down.  I'm just trying to be the best me that I can be, but I really hate my human nature.

Some things on and off this list can be finished while others are already a done deal. 

I don't fail at life, I merely don't succeed at it.  I try and try and try.  And try some more.  Looks like the hand dealt to me has "unsuccessful" written all over it.  All I can do is play my hand the best way possible and take what tricks I can.  For now.

The Sunday Post - Issue #15

Aye, I know it has been a while for "The Sunday Post" but there just wasn't much to write or say from my eyes perspective.  Until now.

So my normal church block is from 11:00am to 2:00pm.  Glorious time, I absolutely love it.  Today was a different story.  Today we had to meet at 1:00pm to 4:00pm.  *insertgrumpyface*  Not my ideal time frame at all.  The reason behind our time shift was because another stake was having their stake conference, thus they hogged our normal time slot, which in turn slightly inconvenienced me but also helped me.  Now how in the heck did it help me you ask, well because I had more time to practice my talk.

That's right.  My talk.  I had to speak in church today.  Let me rephrase that, I chose to speak today.

Funny thing about today though was the fact that upon getting to church early the lights were off in our chapel.  And they weren't coming on.  Apparently for some reason the lights in the whole building went out after the stake conference and well yeah.  We kept the side doors open, so the only light came in from one side or from your cell phone.  We started sacrament meeting, we sang a hymn, conducted some ward business, sang the sacrament hymn, passed the sacrament, had speaker number one talk, all without the lights.  They flickered on when speaker number two got up to speak and they stayed on.  Then we all sang another hymn and I gave my talk.  Interesting to say the least.

We had our linger longer today and it was combined with another ward.  As I started typing this I thought that we should do more combined linger longers, was definitely better that's for sure.  I even got a females phone number.  She's cute, we'll see if there is anything there worth pursuing.

So in other news, since I've been home from my mission, I think I've been on a total of two dates.  That is TWO dates in FOUR years.  If my calculations are correct.  I would of had been on more but being rejected, given a fake number, having them say yes and then flake on you, or the fact they are already dating someone, plays a large role into that factor.  Sad thing is that both dates I had were within this last year and one of them I knew wasn't going to go anywhere.  So, hooray?  Hahaha.

My sister is right though, I'm a good guy, I'm a gentleman.  She said I should start being a jerk to girls that way they will all flock to me because they all love that type of guy.  There is some truth to it.  But I don't want to have to be someone I'm not.  If someone cannot accept who I am then they are not worth my time.  Nice guys finish last, in my case looks like I've been disqualified from the race.  I don't even get to finish last.

There are some future possible prospects.  But I'm running out of those.  Just trying to keep a positive outlook and trust in my faith in God.  It's hard being my age, still single, and it doesn't help that I live with people who don't go to church.  It has definitely been taking its toll on me.  I try to keep wearing a smile on my face though.  It can be tough though, that's for sure.

I'm excited for tomorrow though, we are going to Temple Square as a stake.  Hopefully I can talk to a few girls I've been wanting to talk to.  Plus I hope I can get some good pictures while I'm there.

Quote of the Day (Conversion):


"The best way to make a permanent change for good is to make Jesus Christ your model and His teachings your guide for life." - Richard G. Scott, "He Lives! All Glory to His Name!",  Ensign, May 2010, 78

It's Jacket Weather

Ahhhhh, Fall.  I love Fall for so many reasons.

The weather cools down.  It's not too hot nor too cold.

It's perfect for wearing jackets.  I love jackets.  Mind you, I didn't say hoodies.  Hoodies are lame because you have to pull them over your head and well yeah.  Jackets, with zippers and a hood, are always so cool looking.  If I could, I would totally have a closet full of jackets and nothing else.  When I go shopping for shirts it is rare that I find something I actually like, but jackets on the other hand......  I swear there always a ton that are appealing to my eyes and style.

Another marvelous thing about Fall is that all the leaves are changing colors.  I love going to look at trees in a canyon or in a park, nature is drawing us a beautiful picture.

The beginning of Fall also means that it is hunting season.  Oh yeeeeeaaaaahhhhh.  Even if I didn't draw out, someone in the family usually does which means I can go camping/hunting.  Waking up way to early for any sane person, change clothes in the freezing mountain air, drinking some hot chocolate, and riding with family members to go hunting.  Gotta love it.

Another crazy good thing about Fall is Halloween.  Not because of the holiday really, but when the holiday comes around this comes with it: ***

That's right.  Franken Berry.  This has been one of my favorite cereals growing up and I was saddened the day they stopped making it year round, so when Halloween comes around I get excited because I can eat me some of this delicious artificial strawberry flavor frosted cereal with spooky-fun marshmallows.

Fall also brings with it many birthdays within my family, so we get to celebrate those which is always nice. October is chock full of them!  :)

Last, but not least, Thanksgiving.  A holiday where we gorge ourselves on many foods, surrounded by family members, friends, and whoever else.  A holiday where we share what we are thankful for in our lives.  A lovely time indeed.

***Bonus points to the person who can name the movie playing in the picture.  I even enlarged it some more, doubt anyone can guess it though, hard to tell by that scene alone.
*More bonus points to the one who can name the movie that I'm referencing in this post's title.  I'm not directly quoting them, but I will here: "That's Julia's jacket! She took off on Notson Street, remember? She said it wasn't jacket weather anymore."

The Sunday Post - Issues #9-14

So.......yup, I know I haven't done "The Sunday Post" in a handful of weeks.  I wanted to, I really did, but sometimes it just simply slipped away.  I was gone for one of them, I was camping, but that only excuses one.

Life can be very monotonous.  People get in ruts, their little routines keep them in line.  I'm still in a rut that doesn't seem to end.  Some how I still have a speck of faith that things will change.  I'm literally hanging by a thread.  I don't like to write about sad or depressing times, but it is part of life, it is the other side of the story.  It has to be told.  To help others, to help one self, to remind us, to keep us going forward because deep down we know that things will turn out better, that what we went through makes us stronger.  We can't forget the paths that we have traversed, our stories matter, the journey we all take is different but it will either make us or break us.

"It is said that only a fool learns from his own mistakes, a wise man from the mistakes of others."  - Otto von Bismarck

We must all learn to be wise.  But we must all share our stories so that others can learn.  There are certain times and places to tell certain parts of your journey and you will know when the need arises.

Nothing much really happens in church that I haven't really mentioned before.  My A.D.D. is still there, speakers, lessons, same old same old.  I do recall being pretty grumpy one week, I felt like Calvin from "Calvin and Hobbes", this is what I felt like:

Other than that not much has changed.  I still try to meet new people every week, always people coming and going or don't go to all the meetings.

Two songs have been giving me a small amount of strength, even though they aren't really new, but I came across them.  I have played them over and over that they should be burned into my skull.  I'll add a few others that are still awesome/uplifting.

Beyonce - Halo
Adele - Rolling In The Deep

Katy Perry - Fireworks (great song and lyrics, except for "Boom boom boom, even brighter than the moon moon moon")
P!nk - Perfect
Kelly Clarkson - Stronger
Sick Puppies - Maybe (I overplayed this one too, aside from the top two)

Quote of the Day(Patience):

"Life is full of difficulties, some minor and others of a more serious nature. There seems to be an unending supply of challenges for one and all. Our problem is that we often expect instantaneous solutions to such challenges, forgetting that frequently the heavenly virtue of patience is required." - Thomas S. Monson,   "Patience, a Heavenly Virtue", Ensign, Sept. 2002, 2