There was this one time...

...when I wanted to blog, but didn't really have anything to write about.

And then there was today. ;)

I just came from seeing How To Train Your Dragon for the sixth time, and I've officially decided that it's my favorite movie. Why, you ask? I think I might be able to tell you. It's one of those things where I know I like it, but I'm not exactly sure why. However, I will attempt to write down what it is that makes me enjoy this movie so much. And yes, what would cause me to want to see it 6 times in the theater...

HTTYD is a movie that deals with hate and fear. The vikings of Berk hate and fear the dragons because they steal their food and burn down their houses. The dragons in turn hate and fear the vikings because they, well, kill dragons. This is how it has been for 300 years, and nothing ever changes.
But then one day, Hiccup confronts the night fury that he has brought down with his little contraption, and decides not to kill it. Why? He explains later that looking at this dragon, he saw himself. Instead of being prejudiced against this creature because everyone knows that dragons are dangerous killers, he sees in the dragon the same prejudice towards the vikings that all vikings have against the dragons. (Am I making sense...?) In other words, he saw that the dragon feared him as much as he feared the dragon, and hated him as much as he hated the dragon, etc. They were in the same situation. So, Hiccup decides not to kill this dragon, and instead tries to befriend it. Then after being practically disowned by his dad, he comes and saves the day, and teaches the village that the dragons aren't just mindless killing machines. Then they all live happily ever after.

So...what does this have to do with anything? I don't want to be all cliche and say "Now children,the moral of the story is..." but if we don't learn from these kinds of things, why on earth do we watch them? Entertainment? Yeah...you're probably right. Well, if you just want to be entertained, that's fine. You chose the right movie, I can assure you. But if you want to gain a little more from this, keep reading.

I'm not going to pretend that I know everything, or even that I know anything. Especially about a movie that I've only seen 6 times. However, these are my thoughts on the matter:

When people fear something it's usually because it's different. Think of war, racism, etc. I don't know about you, but people shouldn't fear things just because they're different than we are. I'm willing to bet that these things we fear aren't a whole lot different from ourselves anyway. Think of the vikings. They were under the impression that the dragons were selfish killers, and that they raided the village so they could have more food for themselves. They found out that they were only trying to feed their "queen" I guess you could call it. The vikings and the dragons both just have mouths to feed, and had to get the food somehow. They weren't that different at all. So, the point is, don't be dumb. Don't make those sweeping generalizations that cause people to be judged unrighteously or excluded from a group. They are likely going through some of the exact same things you are.

We need to be more like Russel in Disney's "Up". "A wilderness explorer is a friend to all, be a plant or fish or tiny mole!"

Anyway, those are my thoughts for today.  Be a friend, eh?

Have a nice day!

-Moscas

(P.S. Here are some of my favorite quotes from the movie)

Hiccup: "Thank you for nothing, you useless reptile."

Hiccup: "Dat-da-dah! We're dead."

Hiccup: "Thank you, for summing that up."

Snotlout: "Why read words when you can just kill the stuff the words tell stuff you about?"

Snotlout: "I swear, I'm so angry right now! I'll avenge your beautiful hand and your beautiful foot. I'll chop off the hands of every dragon I fight... with my face!"

:)

Single

So...I thought that I had been single my whole life. I've never been married, that's for sure. Now all of a sudden I'm "single" or I'm "a single" and I get put in some special category that's different from the rest of the world. It's like there's the innocent little children that don't even know what single means, and then there's the knowledgeable adults that don't need to know what single means. But me? I'm single. I'm in the phase where I go to my ward and talk to people "my age" that could be 18 or 24 and I have no clue. Well...some you can kind of tell, but for the most part everyone is pretty much the same. You can usually tell the R.M.'s from the tweens (that'd be...between high school and a mission. heheh...) but the women, you really have no idea. Probably because all of the women are just as mature as any 24 year old.

The funny thing is, being single is not desirable to these people. Once you're out of high school (or home from a mission for guys) you haven't accomplished anything until you've been married. And it's almost humiliating to be anywhere past 24 or 25 without having been married.

Why is this? What's so urgent about this time of our lives that they put us in a group together and say "Okay now, just hitch up with one of these fine young women (or men) and live happily ever after. Quickly now, it's not like we have eternity."

But...don't we? They say that those who don't have the opportunity to be married in this life will have a chance in the next. So what's the big rush? And...is there really such thing as meant to be? These questions have just been running through my head since I started going to the singles ward...

I don't really know the answer to either of those questions.

Maybe because this is the time when most people usually get married, they push for it to happen now so we don't end up like Aunt Imogin, the crazy old maid that's waiting for her "prince" to come... I really don't know. And it's not like I'm prejudice against the system or anything. I still have a mission ahead of me, and won't be looking to get married at all for 3 years at the least. These were just some thoughts running through my head.

About the other question...meant to be...

There was a general authority that said that a marriage between any man and any women could be made to work. That being said, some combinations would probably work better than others. Does that totally blow my question out of the water? Maybe that just settles it right there. How could two people really be meant for each other if they could really have a good marriage with anyone?

Je ne sais pas...

And it's not like I really need to know. I tend to make a habit out of blogging about topics that are either impossible to come to a conclusion, or just a little ahead of my time. (Go go go Joseph...)

Well, in 3 years maybe I'll be on again wondering these things again.

Until then, have a nice day!

-Moscas

Alive...I think...

So, it's been a while since I posted. Or since I've even done much on the computer at all. I went to a priesthood encampment Friday and Saturday, which was really awesome. They talked about a lot of missionary preparation kind of things, which is really what I need right now. There were some really awesome speakers, and fun activities (like eating sardines, because everyone knows that on your mission you'll have to eat stuff that's super-gross). Also they had some physically trying activities like canoeing across a lake 4 or 5 times, and then the next activity was doing as many push-ups and sit-ups as you could in 5 minutes. Needless to say, my arms were pretty tired. But...they weren't as tired as they were red. pink. ...whatever.

I had to leave early to get to work at 6 pm, and at work I found an anti-burn spray (probably meant for oven or toaster burns, but it felt really nice on my sunburn). Then after work, my dad and I picked up another young man that couldn't get of work, and headed back up to camp. I got to drive...I don't know why. Oh well. I was semi-confident in my driving-up-a-canyon-at-60-mph-in-the-pitch-dark skills. It wasn't too bad after the first turn or two. I got used to it more or less. And we didn't hit any cars, cement barriers, or deer. I'd say that's good news.

The next day was full of adventure. Red ants all over my dad, bottle rockets almost killing a few deacons...it was a great day. ;)

Then I got to work for...5 or 6 hours that night with a collared shirt on my sunburn. Isn't life just great?

After work I slept. ahhh... That felt really nice after a couple days of hard work. But then I was up at 8:30 to be to church on time (my dad's father's day wish). Normally I would just sleep in until...whenever, because the singles ward doesn't start until 1 pm, but I recently finished my Duty to God, so I had...sorry, got to come to my home ward to get my certificate and medallion...thingy.

Then I went to Matt's ward (also Spencer and Spencer's ward) to hear his parents speak before they leave to Jacksonville (tomorrow!!!) Matt, I really think your dad sounds like a general authority. :) And your mom practically made me cry. Maybe I'm just a baby, I don't know. My dad always has been one to tear up. I haven't really been a very emotional person, as far as feeling the spirit, or bearing my testimony...you know. But lately, I've been more...prone to tear up. Maybe I owe that to my dad... Anyway, their talks were amazing, and I'm really glad I went. :)

Then the third sacrament meeting I went to yesterday was my singles ward. The talks in sacrament meeting were pretty good. They were high councilors...so, they were good, but... I guess they just don't connect to singles as well as other singles do, y'know? Anyway, it was good.

So...that's probably all for now.

I am alive, yes.

I hope that's good news for y'alls... ;)

Hasta luego,

-Moscas

me...

if I will be

who I can be,

and I could be

who I should be,

then the only

who I would be

is the should be

who I could be.

-me

Hugs...

Have you ever been having a really, really cruddy day, and then someone just randomly gave you a hug, and suddenly everything was okay?

That was me about 30 seconds ago. But...I was kind of on the other end. It's not like there's a bad end of a hug, but I wasn't really the one who needed it. You know?

Two of my sisters got braces today. Poor girls... I did the whole braces thing when I was 12-ish. I had them for 16 months, and the first 3 days I had them on, I wished I was dead. Okay...not really, but I was in more pain than I ever had been before. It was like having some incredibly large parasite sucking on my face all the time! And I couldn't get it off. I just had to live with this...thing in my mouth for 16 months. Painful, humiliating, ugly...these are some of the words I would use to describe my experience with braces.

Anyway, now that I'm done with that tangent, I'll get back on track...

Just a few minutes ago, my sister (one of the two that just got braces) came up and randomly gave me a hug. In my opinion, those are the best kind of hugs. :) It was nice. I think it helped her feel better, and I know it helped me feel better, even though I'm sure I'm not in nearly as much pain as she is... Anyway, I was thinking, (it was just this once...don't worry) and I decided that I don't hug my sisters as much as I should.

Sisters, if you read this come give me a hug, eh?

If you don't read this, I'll just come give you one.

I love you! :)

-Bro.

Blah, blah, blahg...

So, I'm posting today, not because I feel the need to say something, but because I have a friend that wanted me to blog today. Or...something. I'll probably get off on some ADD tangent and start theorizing about something anyway...

I voted today. Yay! It was my first time, since I just turned 18 a few months ago. That would make sense, I suppose. Anyhow...I went in, flashed some ID, signed my name, and they took me over to the fancy little electronic voting...station...thing. Then with the touch of a finger, or...3 touches of a finger, I was done voting. Just like that.

Now this is the part where my brain usually steps in with its distracting ADD...ness, and gives me something to ramble on about for...a long time. Probably longer than necessary.

...it's not happening.

Oh well. I might as well just go sleep.

Oh...I can't go to sleep. Not yet, anyway. My siblings are still at a baseball game, and I have to be the one to...make sure everyone gets in bed. My parents took a trip somewhere for their 20th anniversary, so I get to be the man of the house for the weekend. Another reason I want everyone to be in bed before I sleep is because I'm planning on camping out on the roof tonight. But if any of my siblings found out, they'd want to join the party. It's not that I just don't want them at the party...but...they're all cute little girls...and...roof...you know. Probably not the best idea to bring my little sisters up on the roof to spend the night.

So instead of going to sleep, I'm here blogging on and on. Isn't life just wonderful?

...that was a rhetorical question, and the answer was yes.

Have a nice day!

-Joey...I think...

June 12, 2010...

...is the date today.

I've been out of high school for 2 weeks and 3 days now. I don't think it has really hit me yet, or if it ever will, that I'm officially done with that cute little place we call PHS... One of these days I'll be out buying kitchen supplies, or laundry detergent, and it will occur to me that I'm really moving on with my life. One of these days...

Until then, I'll just act like I know what I'm doing with myself. I don't have any commitments except work and various family/church obligations, so my life feels kind of...empty. I feel like I need to start a project or something. Take a class. *Gasp!* I know...I'm thinking about educating myself...on purpose?! 

Yup.

Then again...that's really how my whole educational experience has been. My mom pulled my siblings and me out of grade school after I finished the 5th grade, and she home schooled us for four years, give or take. I honestly learned more in those four years than I've learned before or since. I didn't necessarily learn more facts or knowledge or skills, but I learned one thing that would become one of the most valuable pieces of knowledge I would ever have. I learned that my education is my own. Just because the state requires that we send children from 5-18 to school doesn't mean that it's the state's responsibility to educate them. They may require them to go to school, but they can't force a child to learn. There have probably been more students than the state would admit that went through 13 years of school and didn't learn a thing. That's why I was so grateful for my insightful mother, that saw how much school was getting in the way of my education. Those four years did me a world of good. During those four years of home schooling, I was given the liberty to study whatever it was I wanted. Anything I was interested in. Just think of the possibilities...

At first, I didn't want to study anything. If I got to choose, then I'd choose to study nothing. I think anyone right out of public school would have done the same thing. And then, after a few months of learning about paper airplanes, or building a makeshift stage in our basement and putting on shows for the family, I began to see how fun learning could be. I began to realize that school wasn't all about memorizing facts and dates of what happened when, but that it was more about applying myself and becoming something. 

That's when my education became my own. I could now see how valuable education was, and that it wasn't going to happen unless I did it myself. Not just because I was home schooled and that there wasn't a teacher there to spoon feed me, but because no matter how many hours I spent in a classroom, I wouldn't learn a thing unless I chose to. I wouldn't learn a thing until I invested myself in what was being taught. 

Education can't just happen on the outside. It's got to be internalized before it can really become a part of us. We can go to school for 13+ years and not learn a thing until we open up our eyes, ears, and hearts to what's being taught. Learning to love learning made this so much easier. Events like the revolutionary war weren't just a bunch of names and dates on a page anymore. They were things that really happened. That war was a real nation of real people doing their best to defend themselves and their families. It really did happen. 

So, my education became more of an adventure, a quest for knowledge, instead of some dry, boring thing that I "had" to do or the state would come looking for me...or...something like that. 

Those four years were some of the most valuable of my life. I wouldn't trade them for anything. Yeah, it was "weird" to be a home schooler. I honestly didn't have a ton of friends during that time. Most of the people I interacted with were other home schoolers that were just as "weird" as I was. Okay, I wasn't really that weird. It just seemed that every time someone found out that I was home schooled, there was some little switch that flipped inside their head that said, 'Wait a second, I can't be talking to you. You're one of those "weird" people with no social life. Is it even legal for me to be talking to you right now?' 

So I like to exaggerate a little. Sue me. 

Not really...I don't really ever want to be sued. The point is, those four years were worth all the 'trials and persecutions' in the world, and I wouldn't trade them for the world, because my education is now really, truly, my education. 

Thanks mom for pulling me out of school and turning me into a social misfit. ;) I couldn't be more grateful. Really. :)

Have a nice day, eh?

-Joey

Weather...and other things.

In Norton Juster's The Phantom Tollbooth a character named 'The Whether Man' says this: "It's more important to know whether there will be weather than what the weather will be." It's not an incredibly helpful quote, but it makes one think at least (and for any of you who haven't read The Phantom Tollbooth, it's really quite an amazing book).

Anyway...there was weather today. 'Bad weather' as some call it, or 'Gloomy weather' maybe. Whatever the case, it was cloudy and rainy all day today. Just yesterday it was sunny and nice. There was some wind, sure, but it really was a pretty nice day. Nice enough to spend some time at Utah Lake at least. :) It just amazes me that one day I'm out on a wave runner getting sunburned and the next day I don't even want to go outside. Utah is just such a magical place... 

Almost as magical as Ecuador. Okay, not really. In Ecuador it rains every day out of the year except maybe...10. I'm exaggerating, I know, but it rains a lot there. Only, the cool thing about Ecuador is that it stays at an even 72 degrees every day. And that's not exaggerating. You never really had to wear a coat, unless you were from Cali and everything below 85 is chilly... 

Ecuador really is a magical place. I think that now might be as good a time as any to blog about the "Ecuador Experience". Here goes nothing! :)

Once upon a time, there was a family named the Cannons. They lived in Eagle Mountain (where the deer and the antelope play). One day, mama and papa Cannon were talking to some old friends of theirs, and found out that these friends had been to a magical place called Ecuador, and had served there for several weeks. This sounded like a wonderful service opportunity, so they signed up quick. They also signed up their 7 children. It would be somewhat difficult to leave the country with 7 young children at home. So we all packed up to go to Ecuador. We left on December 28th, 2006 at about 2:30 am. It was...really early. But we had to catch the red eye to Houston. 

So, after various airport adventures, we arrived in Cuenca, Ecuador on December 29th, 2006. 

We got off the plane and loaded our luggage onto a few vans to take us to the "OSSO House". This would be our home for the next 6 weeks. We moved everything into out downstairs apartment and got all situated. We had a gas stove (that had to be lit with a match), and fridge, a sink (with water that we weren't allowed to drink...) and a purified water dispenser (that we could drink...duh). All of the floors were hard, cold tile, and the walls were plastered cement. Nice and homely, I'd say. 

The OSSO house was big enough to hold the host family, the Roseros, 10-15-ish college girls that had also volunteered, and us. There was a living room with a couch that looked a lot more comfortable than it actually was, a couple of computers, and an internet phone (it was a phone with an 801 number, so you didn't have to call long distance to home. It was really nice). There was also a kitchen and a dining area that was always stocked with delicious fruits and breads. Yum! The mangos were my favorite. I hardly went a day without eating at least 2 mangos. And they weren't anything like the mangos here. They were almost as big as a pineapple, and orange and red. you never saw a green mango. Ew. Then there were the "monkey brains" that I didn't really like. I think they were called granadillas, or some such thing. They had a hard outer shell, and then a bunch of seeds in some slimy grey...stuff. Hence the name monkey brains.

So...now for the actual reason we were there...service! Yay. There were, I think 5 different orphanages that we served in there in Cuenca. Tadeo Torres was split into Cunas, Casas, and Pequeñitos. Cunas held children from birth until around 2, and then Casas held children from about 2-5 or 6. Pequeñitos had some infants and some special needs children. Then there was Special Kids that had more special needs children. Hogar Miguel León was an orphanage for girls ages 2 or 3 to 18. Remar was an orphanage for boys and girls of those ages. Oh, and there was Trinidad that was more of a day care, or a school, but we still went there to help out. 

I was in Casas for most of my time there. We would work in 2 shifts, 7 days a week. The morning shift was from about 7 until noon, and the afternoon shift was from 1-ish until 5 or 6. We would feed the children breakfast, help them brush their teeth, and then we'd spend most of our time just playing with them. We'd give them "caballo" (horse) rides, read them books en español, and bring them to el parque to play on the swings, teeter totter, etc. It was a blast. The children were so cute and sweet. Most days we just wanted to take them all home with us. (That's probably why we ended up adopting...but that's a different story.)

We had a lot of fun with the children, and there's really too much to write in one post. I'll have to touch more on this subject later, but in short, going to Ecuador to serve the children was one of the most life-changing experiences of my life. I got to see the world from so many new perspectives. It was incredible. 

Oh, and on a side note, if anyone is thinking about some kind of service opportunity, I would definitely recommend looking into this one. Go to http://www.orphanagesupport.org/. That's the website of the organization that we went down with. 

Anyway, it's time for bed, so I'll see y'alls later. I hope this was somewhat inspiring...or at least...not too boring. It was kind of just a bunch of semi-connected, random memories about Ecuador, but it's good to write at least some of the things that happened there...I guess. :D

Well, have a nice day,

-Moscas

Grateful...

Do you ever get to that point where you're complaining so much that you start to annoy yourself?

Normally, I don't really complain that much. Well...I like to think that I don't. But these past few days I feel like I've been complaining a lot. Like, there are times when I just want to tell myself to suck it up and stop being such a pansy...

Anyway, whenever I start to feel like this, I find that the best thing to do is to be grateful. For what, you ask? Everything. :)

I am grateful for the wonderful weather we had today. It was a lot warmer than I thought it was going to be. That made Utah Lake much more enjoyable.

I am grateful for my friends. Friends that plan awesome boating activities. Friends that like to go on adventures. Friends that cheer me up when I'm not feeling so amazing. Friends that help me keep my standards. Friends that I look up to. Friends that I just plain love. Thank you, to all of my friends. You have helped me out in more ways than you know.

I am grateful for my family. I honestly don't know where I would be without them. I am grateful for my parents that raised me in a gospel-oriented home, and that have loved and cared for me my whole life. I am grateful for all of my siblings. I don't know what I would do without any one of them.

I am grateful for a car to drive. I am grateful that my parents allow me to drive the car that they bought and that they pay insurance for. I am grateful that it runs well day to day, and that it hasn't had any major problems.

I am grateful for the gospel. This one is big. Like, the biggest on the list. I am grateful that I have known since birth that Jesus Christ is my Savior, and that He atoned for my sins. I am grateful to have been able to grow up in this valley where I have never had to drive more than a few miles to get to church. I am grateful for all of my church leaders that have kept me on the straight and narrow. I am grateful for a living prophet that receives revelation for the church today, and that he leads and guides us where Heavenly Father wants us to go. I know that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is true. I am eternally grateful for that testimony.

More than anything in this world (or out of it), I am grateful for a Father in Heaven who loves me no matter how imperfect I am.

I am grateful.

-Joseph Morris Cannon

We're all in this together...

I know, I know, I already posted today. Get a life, go play outside, do something useful with your life for goodness sake!

I did. I went to the Temple and then to the post office to mail a letter. Well, a contract and a check for $100. That contract and check will hopefully mean that I have a place to stay this fall during school. But only because of an angel.

Well, not really and angel, but why not? I think she was an angel. So did the guy in the line in front of me.

I went to mail my contract overnight (aka. really fast) to reserve my spot for an apartment, and when I told the lady at the counter what I wanted, she put it in an envelope marked "Extremely Urgent" and printed out a stamp for it. The stamp said $18.50. I didn't have that much... My mom had given me a ten, thinking that it would be more than enough. But apparently it's more expensive to get to Rexburg than I thought. I handed her the ten and then looked in my wallet to see what other cash I had. $4... Not enough. "I don't have enough" I said...stating the obvious. She gave me that awkward look that people give when they don't know what to do...and that there's still a line behind me. "Do you want to ship it..." She started to suggest some other way to send it that wouldn't be as fast, and the lady behind me in line said "Oh, help the poor boy out." She came forward, asking how much. "$18. And I have $14..." She pulled out a five and payed the rest of my stamp, saying something about hurrying up and that she had a dying husband at home. The man being helped next to me looked over, and said "So you're one of those angels? I've always wanted to see one." "We're all in this together," she said. "I hope it's worth it."

Angels are here to watch out for us. Whether they're actually beings from another realm, or just someone on this earth who wants to help out, they're out there. I couldn't be more grateful. Getting an apartment for this fall was not life or death. It's important, yes, but there are other apartments, and I didn't even have to send it "extremely urgent"-ly. But what's done is done, and I am ever grateful. Thank you angel, whoever you are. I hope that all goes well with your husband and with all your endeavors. God bless you.

We are all in this together. We get so involved in "me" or "us" and we tend to forget about the other 6 billion people in this world. They're trying just as hard to feed a family, or care for a sick uncle. Shouldn't we care about them and their plight in life just as much as we care about ours?

So there's your challenge for the day. Find someone who could use some help. Be someone's angel. And as you start thinking about how you can help others, you'll forget about yourself, and really come to see how "we're all in this together."

Have a nice day!

(By making someone else's day)

:)

-Joey

Poetry. I think...

So, I really like poetry. I used to write it, but I've never really written a lot of poetry...not unless I was assigned in an english class or something. In which case, I did okay I guess.

My favorite kind of poetry is the kind that someone else wrote. That someone else being a friend, or relative, or...Shel Silverstein. Okay, I read poetry other than his...but his just makes me smile. :) Like that, see?

Anyway, I was reading his book "Falling Up" and thought that I would put up some of my favorites.

The Voice

There is a voice inside of you

That whispers all day long,

I feel that this is right for me,

I know that this is wrong.

No teacher, preacher, parent, friend

Or wise man can decide

What's right for you - Just listen to

The voice that speaks inside.

That was one that I don't think I had ever heard before today, but it's a wonderful poem. It's...serious, and profound. I haven't read a lot of Silverstein like that. :) I like it.

Writer Wating

Oh this shiny new computer-
There just isn't nothin' cuter.
It knows everything the world ever knew.
And with this great computer
I don't need no writin' tutor,
'Cause there ain't a single thing that it can't do.
It can sort and it can spell,
It can punctuate as well.
It can find and file and underline and type.
It can edit and select,
It can copy and correct,
So I'll have a whole book written by tonight
(Just as soon as it can think of what to write).

Yay for writer's block! That's me. All the way. Well, almost. I'd get an assignment to write an essay during english or some other class, and I'd be all excited about it, and then go to write, and nothing would come. So I would usually spend the last 5 or 10 minutes of class just...getting down as much as I possibly could, regardless of whether or not it actually fit with the paper...

Then there's now. I come to post on this blog because I want to write about something, and then I get here, and either I've forgotten what it was I wanted to write, or I just can't find the right words...

There are times when it works. I've had some...pretty okay posts I think. Some that actually made sense at least. :-/

Here's another one. This one is just...well, read it for yourself. ;)

Gardener

We gave you a chance

To water the plants.

We didn't mean that way--

Now zip up your pants.

That's more like Silverstein. :)

So, there's my poetry for the day. And now that you've seen how deep and profound a person I am...I'm gonna go water the plants. Kidding, kidding. I watered them this morning, and I used a hose and a sprinkler. There's this patch of brown grass in my lawn that won't grow, now matter what I do. Maybe it just needs a little love. Hmm. I might have to go read it a story or something... Sing it a song maybe? Hmm...

Goodbye for now, I'll be out singing to some dead grass.

Have a nice day.

-Joscas

Today...

Today I backed a trailer for the first time. It was pretty cool. I only messed up once or twice.

Today I drove 5 of my siblings to three different places.

Today I killed some ants. Which reminds me of a quote: "Whenever I see an old lady slip and fall on a wet sidewalk, my first instinct is to laugh. But then I think, what if I were an ant, and she fell on me. Then it wouldn't seem quite so funny." -Jack Handey

Today I sprayed my lawn for weeds. I haven't seen any dead weeds yet...

Today is Tuesday. I will probably go to Institute tonight at 7. Who knows...

Today I studied Preach My Gospel for an hour. I think maybe I should have studied more.

Today I went to bed at 2 am after my internet died on me. Sorry to those people I was talking to online when that happened. :-/

Today is June 8th. There have probably been a lot of babies born today.

On the other hand, there have probably been almost as many who passed away today, too.

Today I am tired because of how late I was up last night.

Today I want to get to sleep early so I'm not so tired tomorrow.

Today I called to find out whether or not I have a place to live in Rexburg. I don't.

But I might. I'm hoping that today I get a call telling me that they have a place for me to live.

Today, that would be wonderful.

Okay, it'd be wonderful tomorrow, too. As long as it's not a call saying that they don't have an apartment for me...

Today my pectorals hurt. I was doing push-ups yesterday.

Today I am sitting here blogging because I don't want to go outside and load a dresser into the van to take to D.I.

Today is another day...

-Me

AllergAACHOOO!!! ...allergies...

So, summer brings only two things for me. ...Okay, three things.

1. Heat. I prefer the cold. I'm moving up to Rexburg this fall where it's winter for...9 months out of the year. Yeah. :) My body is one that likes to start sweating at around 75 degrees. Turn it up to 95? I'm dying. Not that I don't love the sun. I absolutely LOVE the sunlight. That's really one of my favorite things about summer. Long days. Then again, as a child, I was always confused...and kind of sad/mad...when my parents put me to bed during the day time. "It's 8 o' clock" they would say. "Time for bed." I learned eventually about the earth's orbit around the sun and how it's north/south axis is on a slant, which gives us seasons. Phew. So...long story even longer, I don't really like the heat of summer, but I love the long days.

2. Allergies. Ever since I was about 7 years old, I have had seasonal hay fever. I am allergic to pretty much anything that grows. Okay...not really, but close. I am allergic to pollen, which comes from every green thing on this earth (some more than others...), and dander from animals (mostly the animals with hair). So, summer equals heat, which equals growing plants, which equals LOTS of pollen as these plants are doing what they've done since their creation. Reproducing. Their sole purpose is to continue the existence of their species through making baby plants. So, now that we've had 2 science lessons...here's a third. Okay, not really. Animals have a LOT of hair. Especially during the winter. Cats, dogs, Sea otters (Random, I know...but I heard once that sea otters have as much hair in one square inch as a german shepherd has on its entire body), etc. So, when it gets hot in the summer (I won't explain that one again...) these animals start shedding. Their hair and the stuff on it that I'm allergic to (Whatever that is) starts floating around in the air, or getting on people's clothes (I love you Mariah) and then it gets in the house. Needless to say, the summer is not a good time for me allergy-wise. My nose starts to itch, my eyes start to itch, and the second I touch either of them...any of them... it itches 10 times more, and the more itch it the worse and worse it gets, until my eyes are bloodshot, and my nose is running off my face. Not the most pleasant experience, I can assure you. There is such thing as allergy medicine, but I have never found it 100% effective... It does help, however, so I use it. Also there are eye drops to help a suffering person that has already started to itch their eyes. I find that the best remedy is to lay down in a cool, dark room with a cold, wet cloth over your face (mouth, nose, and eyes), and just lay there for a few hours. Another preventative measure one with allergies can take is to wash your hands (up to the elbows) a LOT. The more you wash, the less dander/pollen there will be on your hands, and the less it will effect you if (when...?) you touch your face. Oh, that's another thing. Don't touch your face. EVER. :D sigh... Other than that, allergies are just great. You get to chew on sagebrush. I mean, how cool is that? I bet you've never chewed on sagebrush, have you? It tastes like an orange peel. Yum!

3. Um...I can't remember what number 3 was. Maybe it was boating. I love boating. I've only done it...4 or 5 times, but I'm not too bad on a wakeboard. I was never very good at the whole water skiing thing, but I love to wakeboard. Also, getting sunburned in the shape of a life-vest is great fun too. What's even more fun, is putting your handprint on your chest with sunscreen and getting a...painful but cool looking burn. Life is just great!

Anyway, I hope Y'alls have a sweetawesome summer!

Have a nice day.

-Moscas

Bored?

Bored. What a funny word. One that I think is used all too often. When I was young, and I told my mom that I was bored, she would either just tell me to find something to do, or she'd give me a list of about 15 different chores I could use to help me get rid of my boredom. I love my mom. but...

I stopped being bored. At least...around her. :D

It's just funny to me that only a week or two ago, we were busy little high schoolers, working hard without much free time...but now that summer vacation is here, everyone is all of a sudden "bored" out of their mind. It's like some little switch kicks on that tells your brain that you don't know what to do with yourself.

Before I continue... most of my friends that have blogs of their own, they're really deep, and usually have some crazy awesome conclusions they come to at the end of every post. So, if that's what you're looking for, you're probably not gonna find it here. :) I tend to start writing about topics that have the potential to be really deep and profound, or even life changing, and then they end up just kind of...fizzling out. Not knowing where to go or how to come to any sort of conclusion. So sue me...I'm not Ghandi...or...anywhere close. I'd be lucky to be compared with some local journalist...

Where was I? Bored. That's right. I was talking about how being bored didn't exist 200 years ago. In Noah Webster's 1828 Dictionary, the term "bored" only existed as the past participle of the verb "to bore", as in...wood. People back then didn't get "bored". That might have been very painful, especially when you see the tools they used back then...

So I try to be funny...does it work? Maybe. My only hope is that I can be clever enough to keep someone's attention for the length of a post, without scaring them off. I'm probably not doing so well tonight...and I'd try to tell a joke or something, but my brain really isn't functioning like it's supposed to. That's not really surprising, seeing as it's 1 in the morning. I should probably get to bed soon, and spare you from my...non...clever...ness, right now...

Once upon a time, there was a little boy who wanted to go to sleep...

THE END.

Of this post.

Fer rills.

Goodnight,

-Someone...

Sin and Sunburn...

A wise man once said, "When you can't go left, go right."

Okay, I don't actually know if a wise man ever said that, and it has absolutely nothing to do with this post. I just...I don't know. I was feeling random.

Yesterday was fun. I went swimming for the first time this summer. The water was nice, there weren't too many annoying kids, and I only had to watch over two of my younger siblings. It was very relaxing.

Before I got in the water, I applied sunscreen. To my front, because it is WHITE, to my back because...well, same story, and to my arms. I didn't put any on my legs or feet because I am a runner, and I pride myself in my tanner-than-the-rest-of-my-body legs. After that, I jumped in the water, completely forgetting about my face, ears, and neck. These three places happen to be where I get the worst sunburns, the most often. Maybe it's just because I forget about them, I don't know. Anyway, I was fine pretty much the whole day, and then it was time to go to sleep. I had taken a long, relaxing nap earlier in the day, so I was pretty sure that I would have a hard time getting to sleep. Yeah...that was an understatement, to say the least. I got in bed, turned on my iPod, and tried to sleep. An hour later, I still couldn't sleep, so I got out of bed and came upstairs to the computer. I tried to start a post here...but nothing was coming. So I just chatted with my friends for couple of hours, and then went back to bed to see if I could sleep. After rolling around a bit in pain, sleep finally came. 6 hours of it. Not bad, I guess...but during the summer? I think it should be illegal to get any less than 8 hours of sleep. Okay not illegal...just, dumb. So I'm dumb, alright.

Anyway, about the title of this post. I was at a Seminary morningside where Brad Wilcox was speaking, and he said something like this. This is all paraphrased...it's been a couple years... "Sinning is like getting sunburned. It's always painful, but we forget how much pain a sunburn actually causes us until we get burned again." I'm really botching this...sorry... "We would never say, 'I can't wait until this heals, so I can go FRY AGAIN...'" So, there's my...thought for the day. Next time you're in a situation where you might be tempted to sin, just think of the last nice, pink sunburn you had and how much fun it was. :)

I'm gonna go now. The cousins are here!

Have a nice day,

-Joscann

Summer!

So...it's been an entire week since high school officially ended, but it feels like it's been at least 3. A week ago I was on my way to the David O. Mckay Events Center to practice with the choir for graduation. So many things have happened since then, but I think more than that, I have had a paradigm change. A week ago, high school was my world. It was my world. There was nothing outside high school except family, which I regret to say, wasn't as much a part of my life as they should have been. I was always off somewhere with my high school friends, doing something that I'm sure was productive, or at least not destructive...but I didn't spend enough time with my siblings, with my parents. That's what I need to do this summer. Spend a lot of quality time with my family. Anyway, this paradigm shift that I've had...it's an amazing thing, really. One day I'm in high school, hanging out with my high school friends, and the next day, I'm not in high school, and I'm hanging out with friends that are no longer my high school friends. We're going to college this fall, we're going on missions, we're moving on, and we're done with high school. Forever. What was our entire life just one short week ago, is now gone. Out the window. Never to return. Is this a bit saddening? A little. I really enjoyed high school, but more than sad, it's liberating. I feel like I'm my own person. I no longer "have" to go to school. From here on out, my education is officially my own. Anything I want to learn, I have to pay for it, and I have to invest myself, because no one else is going to make me.

So, that's my paradigm shift. I don't know if that's even the right phrase to describe it, but that's as close as I'm gonna get. I'm done with high school, and all of a sudden, I'm a different person. I'm the same person, but different somehow. More responsibility, more weight on my shoulders...but FREE. I am my own person. That's what's important.

At the same time it's a little bit scary. My parents aren't going to be there to tell me to pay my tithing, or study my scriptures. Then again, they haven't really done that for a while. I've done those things on my own for quite some time. I just don't know how I will act without them there. Suddenly not paying my tithing has become an option. Or...it will when I move out this fall. I have done it my whole life, but they've always been there watching. They've been at tithing settlement and have heard me declare myself a "full tithe payer". So now that they're not there, will I still act the same?

I hope so. I sincerely hope so. I am confident that when I go out into this world, I will take with me not only their examples, and the memory of their faithfulness, but also my own testimony of the truthfulness of the gospel. I know for myself that if I pay my tithing faithfully that Heavenly Father will be watching out for me. He'll have my back, so to speak. And if things don't always go so well, I will know that whatever happens, it will be for the better. As long as I am in the right place, doing what I know to be right, then whatever happens will "give [me] experience, and shall be for [my] good." (D&C 122:7)

So with that, goodbye high school, and hello world.

Have a nice day,

-Moscas

Me...

So, since this is my first post and all, it should probably be all about me. Who I am, what I'm like, etc. Fortunately for all that read this post, it's not. I have never really been good at talking about myself, so we'll save that for a later time when I feel up to it. Or until...never. Whichever comes last.

Anyway, I started this blog because it seemed like all of my friends had one, so why shouldn't I? Also, the prophet said to keep a journal, so why not an online one? I've never been good at keeping a journal. Maybe this will help.

There are a lot of things that I've never been good at. Like sneezing with my eyes open! I've tried so many times, and I still can't quite get it...

So, today I went to the temple for the second time in 24 hours, and I decided that I really like the Provo Temple. I've been to the Salt Lake temple, and the Draper temple, and the Timpanogos temple the last few times, so I hadn't been to Provo for a few weeks. The ordinances are all the same, the prayers, the procedure. It's just the subtle differences in the execution of the ordinances, flow of traffic, etc. that is different enough to be distracting. (Another thing I'm not good at: getting to the point of my stories. Bear with me, they usually do have a point.) So, I decided that since I've been going to the Provo Temple so regularly, it's a lot better for me because it's what I'm used to. That way I can focus on the work that's being done instead of how it's being done. So, there's the point. Provo Temple = less destractions. Any other temple = a good but distracting experience.

I am ADD. Self diagnosed, maybe, but I am. I was typing that paragraph up there, and was suddenly thinking about how grateful I was to have Mrs. Snyder as an English teacher. She taught us all about comma use. So, I was grateful that I knew where to put the commas up there in that paragraph. That's the end of my ADD-ness for now. It'll be back though, don't worry.

Commas...where was I? Oh. Temples. I really enjoy going to the temple. It's right at the top of the list of places I like to go. Right underneath temples on the list is the top of Lake Mountain. That's my favorite outdoor place to be.

And now it's late, and I'm rambling. I think I'm gonna call it quits for the night. I'd say this was a wonderfully mediocre first post.

So, signing off. Or...um, signing out. Checking in. out... Whatever people say at the end of their posts. I think I'll just say, Have a nice day!

-Moscas