Well it's nearing the end of my first year at college, which is pretty bittersweet. I've enjoyed college and the experiences this year, but I'll definitely miss my Freshmen year once it's over. They say Freshmen year is the most fun you'll ever have, and I definitely agree with that! It's kind of a weird feeling because I wish I had been more outgoing and involved in things, but at the same time I loved my Freshmen year just the way it was.
As you can tell from my title, I've realized that my blogs lately have been pretty deep spiritual and philosophical stuff, and I need to lighten it up a bit. Sharing thoughts and ideas are always a good thing, but I'll admit it's not a very exciting blog to read. So from now on I'll try to live up to my name of "My Life is a Comedy Show."
I truly do believe that if I had cameras following me all day I would have one of the most popular TV shows in the country. Not because I'm awesome or that I tell funny jokes, it's just that my life is so crazy, ironic, and awkward that I'm sure to someone else it would be great entertainment. Don't buy it? Listen to dinner last night at Tucanos....
Tucanos is a Brazilian restaurant where they bring huge chunks of meat to your table and they cut it right onto your plate and it's all you can eat. Well the 10 of us that went had a bit of a competition to see who could last the longest before getting full.
An hour and a half later of eating we were all stuffed and headed out to the cars. As we were walking we hear someone have a hefty barf and turn around to find Alex just smiling back at us. We ask him if he just threw up, he says yes and keeps walking.
As we keep talking and walking on our way to the car he threw up 4 times mid-conversation! It was the awesomest thing ever, major respect. He just would be talking, puke, and finish right where he left off.
Then me, being the person I am, said loud enough for this family walking by, "That's the last time I go drinking with you Alex! But do you think you're still ok to drive?"
Of course we weren't drinking and he was fine, but I could only imagine what that family thought was going on!
So that's just dinner for me, so you can imagine what breakfast and lunch are like for me! (And if a reality TV show director is reading this post, I'm completely available and ready to negotiate a contract)
I hope everyone is having a good week and is looking forward to April Fool's Day like I am!!
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Saturday, March 19, 2011
Daily Double Part Two: Live Your Own Life, Not Others.
Well, I pretty much failed at getting two blog posts out today... and I apologize. I have 4 finals going on this week and I thought I could squeeze in time in between studying to write up 2 blog posts. I didn't, but I figured half and hour late or so is better than nothing? Today's post is something that I've been thinking about for a while. It's asking why do we let what people think about us influence us?
This first started a couple weeks ago when I visited my Grandparents in California with my sister. We hadn't seen them since last summer and so there was a lot of catching up and talking to do. After a few hours of this, we all decided it was time for bed. As I walked by my grandparent's door on my way to bed I heard my grandma say, "They sure good young people." This really meant a lot to me because I realized, thats what I want people to think of me. Being cool, popular, or funny is all second to people thinking I'm genuinely good and nice. So I got thinking, what do people seem to want others to think?
The world will tell you many things. Society says, "To be cool you have to wear ____, do ______, say _____, and be _____." The only problem with this, as you can see, is the blanks. The blanks change; what is cool one day or one season sure isn't cool the next. Society for the most part is wrong and constantly changing its mind, so why do we waste time trying to chase something that never can be caught?
In my history class my teacher really focuses on the 'so what?' aspect of history. His main focus of the class is to show us the blunders and successes of previous peoples and times, and to learn from them. While thinking about this topic of following the crowd/ society we happened to be talking about ancient China and their famous foot-folding trend. When learning about this ancient activity, it was easy to think, "Why on earth would they do that? Didn't they know it would handicap them for life?" but then I realized that every society has something like that. Sure drugs, plastic surgery, and following the crowd is 'the thing' but how long will it take for us to look back and ask what the point of all of those things were? When will we realize that when we listen to others to fit in we are really just handicapping ourselves? When will we realize that nobody is perfect and that society has built impossible expectations?
Their is nothing worse in life then losing opportunity, hope, and potential. Jeff Whittier once said, "For all sad words of tongue and pen, the saddest are these, 'It might have been.'" I truly believe that as you study and work hard that you will have more opportunities come your way. But when you are lazy and choose not to do well in school and waste your time on unimportant things, you are closing the many doors of opportunity and narrowing your options.
To bring this tangent back to relevance, we need to realize that when we let people's opinions make our decisions for us, we are just handicapping ourselves. When we let other people tell us what is most important, we are losing our personal potential. Inside all of us is hidden talents and differences that make us who we are... but when we become 'just like everyone else' we all lose that special thing about ourselves. Why does society make us assimilate to what it wants? I wish we could all be ourselves and accept our differences rather than frown upon anything foreign to us.
In my first blog post I shared my belief that their is too much hatred and prejudice and not enough love and acceptance. I think that if the world could change this attitude, we could all be some much happier and feel the love. To God we are all His children and wants nothing but the best for us. So are we above God to not want to give everyone the benefit of the doubt and love one another?
Lets love more, judge less, and be ourselves.
This first started a couple weeks ago when I visited my Grandparents in California with my sister. We hadn't seen them since last summer and so there was a lot of catching up and talking to do. After a few hours of this, we all decided it was time for bed. As I walked by my grandparent's door on my way to bed I heard my grandma say, "They sure good young people." This really meant a lot to me because I realized, thats what I want people to think of me. Being cool, popular, or funny is all second to people thinking I'm genuinely good and nice. So I got thinking, what do people seem to want others to think?
The world will tell you many things. Society says, "To be cool you have to wear ____, do ______, say _____, and be _____." The only problem with this, as you can see, is the blanks. The blanks change; what is cool one day or one season sure isn't cool the next. Society for the most part is wrong and constantly changing its mind, so why do we waste time trying to chase something that never can be caught?
In my history class my teacher really focuses on the 'so what?' aspect of history. His main focus of the class is to show us the blunders and successes of previous peoples and times, and to learn from them. While thinking about this topic of following the crowd/ society we happened to be talking about ancient China and their famous foot-folding trend. When learning about this ancient activity, it was easy to think, "Why on earth would they do that? Didn't they know it would handicap them for life?" but then I realized that every society has something like that. Sure drugs, plastic surgery, and following the crowd is 'the thing' but how long will it take for us to look back and ask what the point of all of those things were? When will we realize that when we listen to others to fit in we are really just handicapping ourselves? When will we realize that nobody is perfect and that society has built impossible expectations?
Their is nothing worse in life then losing opportunity, hope, and potential. Jeff Whittier once said, "For all sad words of tongue and pen, the saddest are these, 'It might have been.'" I truly believe that as you study and work hard that you will have more opportunities come your way. But when you are lazy and choose not to do well in school and waste your time on unimportant things, you are closing the many doors of opportunity and narrowing your options.
To bring this tangent back to relevance, we need to realize that when we let people's opinions make our decisions for us, we are just handicapping ourselves. When we let other people tell us what is most important, we are losing our personal potential. Inside all of us is hidden talents and differences that make us who we are... but when we become 'just like everyone else' we all lose that special thing about ourselves. Why does society make us assimilate to what it wants? I wish we could all be ourselves and accept our differences rather than frown upon anything foreign to us.
In my first blog post I shared my belief that their is too much hatred and prejudice and not enough love and acceptance. I think that if the world could change this attitude, we could all be some much happier and feel the love. To God we are all His children and wants nothing but the best for us. So are we above God to not want to give everyone the benefit of the doubt and love one another?
Lets love more, judge less, and be ourselves.
Daily Double Part One: My Mission!
Today is your lucky day! Because I haven't been on in so long, I have a lot to talk about...so today I'm doing a Daily Double, which means two back-to-back blog posts! This is part one, stay tuned later for part two!
It's been a really long time since I have written on this blog. As always I have a lot to say, but I'm never sure how to really say it. It's quite frustrating because you want to share your thoughts, but not sound hypocritical or full of yourself while saying it. I guess I've always been the kind of person who always analyzes something and finds what can be improved and thats kind of what this blog has become. I see things in the world that need to be fixed and try to share those thoughts. I'm far from perfect, but maybe these blog posts will help someone learn from my short experience so far in life.
Part 1 today is about probably the biggest moment of my life so far... my mission. Yep, I'm going to be a white shirt wearing-bike riding-missionary! I have been called as a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (The Mormons) going to the Arizona, Tempe Mission speaking Spanish. I go into the Missionary Training Center June 22nd and will learn to speak Spanish in 2 months. As a missionary we don't get to pick where we think would be nice or fun to go to, we merely submit our papers saying we are able, worthy, and ready then they assign us where they think we are meant to be. You may think that sounds a bit strange, but I truly believe that this is an inspired call for me.
As a missionary I'm going to go for 2 straight years with no vacations, no breaks, and little contact with the 'outside world'. The reason I say little contact is because as missionaries we try to stay focused on our job and going out to see movies, watching the news, or reading newspapers doesn't really fit in our schedule. Granted we do have one day a week to do laundry, exercise, go to meetings, and possibly site see, but other than that it's work work work. I'm going to have to get used to waking up at 6:30am and being back to my apartment by 9pm. I'm going to have to get used to being out preaching in the hot Arizona summer. Im going to have to get used to living on my own with a randomly assigned companion who you live, teach, and do everything with.
You may be reading this and thinking, "Miles has gone crazy! Who would sign up for that, especially when YOU have to pay to go?!"
My answer to that is when you truly believe in something that will change someone's life forever, you would want to share it too. The way I see it is like reading a really good book or going to a really good restaurant. If you really liked it then do you just keep it for yourself? No, you tell people like your friends and family about it! (Have you every read ____? It's so good, you have to read it!) Thats the way I see my religion. Being a Mormon is the most important thing in my life. If someone asks you to describe what defines you, most would say where they are from, their profession, or their education. I would say that what defines me most is being Mormon. If you're asking right now "What's so important to Miles about being Mormon?" Then we need to sit down and chat, because I couldn't fit everything in this blog post. But I will tell you that the Gospel of Jesus Christ is what gives me the most true happiness. Sure Disneyland, or going to the beach makes you happy for a week or so, but believing and coming to Christ gives true happiness that never fades.
I'm sure I'll write more about going on my mission in later posts, especially as it gets closer and closer. But right now, I feel like I'm rambling and overwhelming all of you not familiar with Mormon Missionaries.
The last thing I want to say is that when I go into the MTC, I've started my official mission. As a missionary we are allowed to email our family every week, and call them one Christmas and Mother's Day, but I'm allowed to write letters to everyone all the time! So if you want to still keep in touch, write me a letter! I would really appreciate it :) I might be a little slow writing back because we are so busy, but I promise I will try to respond back as soon as I can! You are all great awesome people, and I want to thank everyone one of you for the friendships we have made!
STAY TUNED for Part 2 of the Daily Double....
It's been a really long time since I have written on this blog. As always I have a lot to say, but I'm never sure how to really say it. It's quite frustrating because you want to share your thoughts, but not sound hypocritical or full of yourself while saying it. I guess I've always been the kind of person who always analyzes something and finds what can be improved and thats kind of what this blog has become. I see things in the world that need to be fixed and try to share those thoughts. I'm far from perfect, but maybe these blog posts will help someone learn from my short experience so far in life.
Part 1 today is about probably the biggest moment of my life so far... my mission. Yep, I'm going to be a white shirt wearing-bike riding-missionary! I have been called as a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (The Mormons) going to the Arizona, Tempe Mission speaking Spanish. I go into the Missionary Training Center June 22nd and will learn to speak Spanish in 2 months. As a missionary we don't get to pick where we think would be nice or fun to go to, we merely submit our papers saying we are able, worthy, and ready then they assign us where they think we are meant to be. You may think that sounds a bit strange, but I truly believe that this is an inspired call for me.
As a missionary I'm going to go for 2 straight years with no vacations, no breaks, and little contact with the 'outside world'. The reason I say little contact is because as missionaries we try to stay focused on our job and going out to see movies, watching the news, or reading newspapers doesn't really fit in our schedule. Granted we do have one day a week to do laundry, exercise, go to meetings, and possibly site see, but other than that it's work work work. I'm going to have to get used to waking up at 6:30am and being back to my apartment by 9pm. I'm going to have to get used to being out preaching in the hot Arizona summer. Im going to have to get used to living on my own with a randomly assigned companion who you live, teach, and do everything with.
You may be reading this and thinking, "Miles has gone crazy! Who would sign up for that, especially when YOU have to pay to go?!"
My answer to that is when you truly believe in something that will change someone's life forever, you would want to share it too. The way I see it is like reading a really good book or going to a really good restaurant. If you really liked it then do you just keep it for yourself? No, you tell people like your friends and family about it! (Have you every read ____? It's so good, you have to read it!) Thats the way I see my religion. Being a Mormon is the most important thing in my life. If someone asks you to describe what defines you, most would say where they are from, their profession, or their education. I would say that what defines me most is being Mormon. If you're asking right now "What's so important to Miles about being Mormon?" Then we need to sit down and chat, because I couldn't fit everything in this blog post. But I will tell you that the Gospel of Jesus Christ is what gives me the most true happiness. Sure Disneyland, or going to the beach makes you happy for a week or so, but believing and coming to Christ gives true happiness that never fades.
I'm sure I'll write more about going on my mission in later posts, especially as it gets closer and closer. But right now, I feel like I'm rambling and overwhelming all of you not familiar with Mormon Missionaries.
The last thing I want to say is that when I go into the MTC, I've started my official mission. As a missionary we are allowed to email our family every week, and call them one Christmas and Mother's Day, but I'm allowed to write letters to everyone all the time! So if you want to still keep in touch, write me a letter! I would really appreciate it :) I might be a little slow writing back because we are so busy, but I promise I will try to respond back as soon as I can! You are all great awesome people, and I want to thank everyone one of you for the friendships we have made!
STAY TUNED for Part 2 of the Daily Double....
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