Yesterday was a good day, for many reasons.

First it was an amazing ski day. When got up to the mountain nice and early and headed toward an area that not many people had been to yet. After a few good fun runs we(two friends and myself) met up with 2 more friends, one of which was the friend who tried to set me up a couple weeks ago, I'

ll call him "Joe". A couple runs later the resort opened up a restricted area after doing some avalanche work and we were the first ones up. It ended up just being me and "Joe" that decided to hike up farther and we got some new fresh tracks and we was really good skiing. The other 3 got way ahead of us so we just picked a line through some trees and we were just cruising. "Joe was lower than me and stopped by some trees and pointed out a big wind lip and as I was going he pointed it out to me and without saying anything or stopping a just cruised down and hit and threw a nice backflip and just kept going.

After I stopped and he caught back up to me all he had to say was good things and gave me props.

I was feeling pretty good about myself.

As the runs went on we hiked more and I spotted a good cliff to hit and hit it first and "Joe" hit it after me and thanked me for spotting it.

Later in the day after we had gone home I posted a picture on Instagram and he again commented how I "slayed today".

All I've got to say is that it was amazingly refreshing to be complimented on what you work on, versus critiqued on things you already know you don't do so well, especially when it is coming from the same person.

So all I can say is it was such a relief it was to have a day full of good times with good friends and nothing but positive words going around.

My advice to anyone who sees this is;

focus on the positives in life, it is way to easy to be complacent with the negative because it comes so easily. The more positivity you spread and the more you focus on people's strengths rather than their short comings the better you both will become.

That is all.

Goodnight world.

More Me

Being Super Bowl weekend and all...crazy sports fan make me question their sanity.
I love sports as much as the next guy, but I know too many people who take it too far.
All the fantasy football, basketball, baseball, etc. just doesn't interest me in the slightest.
If there is a sports event being televised it most likely is on at my house. I find different events to stream on my computer, but going so far as to memorize every teams roster and follow all these athletes is just too much. Sure I'll root for certain teams but being super vocal in a win or loss just isn't me.
I would say I am most attached to soccer.


Anyway I guess I'll go on telling you a bit more about me.

I write letters, hand written letters, to people who have played meaningful roles in my life.
It's been awhile since written one, and let's just say I wish there was someone who I felt needed one right now.

I'm quite good at remembering names.
I find it's almost trendy to be bad at remembering names and I think people put way to little effort into remembering names. Especially if I can spot just one unique thing about you I'll be sure to remember you for quite some time.
I'm also good at remembering where I meet people.
Like the other day, I ran into this kind I haven't seen in probably 3 years.
All he could say is that I look familiar and I remembered his name and where we knew each other from. Go figure.

I'm very observational. I catch myself looking around every room I am in and taking mental notes of all things present, including people. I catch myself glancing up at people walking by and I link them to other places I have seen them. Then if they ever say that I look familiar I just have to play it cool like "oh, maybe I've seen you at such and such building" even though I know exactly where I have seen them.
It's not something I do consciously to be creepy, it just kinda happens.

I am also really good at remembering directions.
I had to pick something up for my brother in Salt Lake the other day, so he gave me the address of this house. I looked it up on my laptop before I left campus, took a mental note of the route and the turns ...didn't ever need to pull out my phone.

Treating girls like real people.
I don't find dating to be a game, I don't think that I am greater than any woman, and I treat them with respect and act as much like a gentleman as I can.
Chivalry is not dead in me.

Me? I'm a little different.

I'm on a roll!

At the end of my past post I mentioned something about being different from everyone else and that there are no two people alike in the world.

I just kinda wanted to go through all the things that I think make me different, and make me...me.

Now, when I talk about being "different" I'm not talking about it some diminished capacity way, but just as I've said, being my own individual.

Some of these things you may find common but I guess I'll just tell you a bit about myself and I'll let you be the judge.

The most important thing about me and being able to be me is not caring what other people think and not letting them convince me otherwise.

I often use big words and talk somewhat old fashioned. Quite often my friends and people give me weird looks and make comments like, "ok, whatever that means". It's not my fault you have a small vocabulary. Then again, when it comes to spending time at home my family's vocabulary makes me feel like an idiot, but we do have fun talking in accents though.

Along the lines of vocabulary, sometimes words, mostly simple words, completely escape me and I sit in an awkward silence. It's fun. ...not really.

I'm also a bit of a grammar Nazi, but I know people hate Nazi's so I try to oppress that side of me.

That's what I get for being corrected by one of the biggest grammar Nazis of all time, my father, a college professor.

I cook, and man can I cook. Or at least I think I can...and baking, particularly rolls. Love em. 

I enjoy it, and for some reason people think that's weird.

Whatever. 

I know my wife will love me for it.

Cleaning and staying organized. Sometimes I lose control and things will get a little messy but that's when I do my best work. I'll kinda snap and spend hours cleaning and detailing everything.

My room

the kitchen

my car

our yard

then shed

the garage

and even the bathroom.

I find it quite fulfilling. I like the little details. 

I'm sure my wife will love me for that too.

I can juggle on a unicycle.

Weird, unique, whatever, I know.
Taught myself to unicycle in high school, taught myself how to juggle oranges while working at Jamba Juice just out of high school, then couple years back thought about putting them together.
I also solved a Rubik's cube on my unicycle at an EFY talent show. The ladies loved it.
Ok, maybe, not really.

I'm kinda weird, as I'm sure you deduced from that last little thing there.
I'm proud of my weirdness and it comes out at random, often in the form of words that make my friends say, "what?", and then conversation just goes on.

As much as I would like to be "tall, dark, and handsome", I'm not.
I'm about 6 inches, dark, and handsome short of being such.
I'm kinda short, as hard as it is for me to admit that, it's a fact, and it's who I am.
I'm running a few inches short of average when it comes to men my age.
So what, sue me.

I'm not a muscle head, far from it.
But I am quite athletic and very active.
I pretty much enjoy anything and everything that can be defined as a "sport", and much more.

I take random hikes, at random times.
Last summer out of no where I decided to ditch all my plans for the 4th of July, just kidding, I didn't have any plans, surprise surprise!
Anyway instead of making plans I hiked Mount Ogden.
That's the big peak East of Ogden with the radio towers.
I did it alone, and watched all the firework shows 5,000 feet below.
I've also hiked it in the middle of the night to watch the sun rise.

That was one for the books.

My taste in music is unlike anyone I've ever met.
All the mainstream pop music makes me sick.
Sure they're fine at dance parties when no one cares about anything but when I'm by myself you won't catch me dead listening to that garbage.
I listen to either oldies, some nostalgic music from my past, or just some of the smaller names and bands that are floating around, with the occasional high profile artist. Don't think I'm a hipster or anything, I'm not a snob about it.
I particularly enjoy female vocalists. Usually one's with unique voices.

I don't have little man syndrome.
I don't drive a big lifted truck to make me feel better about myself.
I actually drive a little zippy sports car.
It's the car of my dreams, at least for my current budget.

It is very unique and if you saw it you would have no question whether it was mine or not.
Just like tonight, I was in class at the U and a friend texted me and said, "I spy your car".
Parked at the Institute at the U.
Very individualistic, very...me.

I hate school, but love learning.
Being required to learn certain things is a serious drag. I end up spending most of class reading up on things that have nothing to do with that class or even my degree. So glad I'm in my last semester.
C's get degrees.
That kinda my philosophy for this last semester(I'll likely get better than that though).

This one is weird, but I think it's awesome.
Sometimes when people touch you, you get that tingly feeling on your head and down your arms, right?
Well, I can give myself that feeling when people touch my stuff.
My stuff!
Better yet, if I convince my mind to think something is mine and people touch it, I get the feeling.
And every movement they make sends another wave.
For example, if someone borrows a pen from me, all I have to do is watch them use it, and I get it.

What color of hair I am attracted to constantly changes.
I'll go from blondes to brunettes, back to blondes, then to redheads, back to blondes, and it goes
on and on.
Right now?
I'd have to say blondes.
Especially ones that wear beanies,
and big sweaters,
and dark jeans
tucked into tall brown boots.

Saw one of those today.

I let her keep walking, away from me.
Shame.


Now that my mind is rolling I think I could go on and on and on.
But if I did that, you, my masses of readers, would get bored.
So I better save it for another day.



Cheers,

Anonymous Blogger

To the masses.

After a post like yesterday's I hope all of you, my masses of readers, don't think I'm some sad little boy who has no friends and is helpless.

I want to assure you that this isn't the case. 

I got to thinking as I was driving around today and jammin' out to some of my favorite tunes that I really am happy and there isn't really too much out there that gets me worked up on a regular basis. Sure there are things, like those I posted about yesterday that I let get to me on occasion but honestly, those things come and go so fast it makes my head spin.

I am who I am and if people around don't like and appreciate me for that, they're just gonna have to deal with it. Granted, there are things and aspects of my life that I do indeed need to work on, I don't do it for anyone but myself.

I am happy.

I am happy with who I am and there isn't anything that is going to change that.

There is a sense of confidence that comes from you knowing that you are your own individual. There is nothing that says you have to be like everyone else around you.

I can assure you that I am like no one you have ever met before.

Seriously, and in more aspects than you could probably imagine.

That's what makes me Great.

Thoughts

It seems that the only time I come back to this blog is when I need to organize my thoughts and find some answers for myself.

I guess this last week I've had a few things that have come up that both frustrate me and give me more questions. These events and questions mostly stem from friends and family.

I would usually add in school and work but those are probably the only two things that I can say I don't have to worry about too much at the moment.  I was just given a raise and I really have unlimited possibilities there, and school, I'm almost done and I'm just pushing through it.

Most of my frustrations stem from some things that happened over the last few nights. I got a text from a friend telling me that I need to go on a date. Thats usually a given, I should probably go on dates a lot more often than I do but for some reason I haven't been too worried about that lately. Once I get done with school and get that monkey off my back I'll probably feel a little more internal pressure to get out a little more often.

Back to the text, he said that I didn't need to find the girl, all I needed to do was agree.

So Naturally, I agreed, yes I should probably go on a date soon.

So of course thinking that his girlfriend probably knew someone that they thought I would match well with and thinking that they would want to double or something I said ok, what's it all about?

All he said was, "her name is so-and-so, her number is such-and-such, and she's available Wednesday".... That's it?

Come on man, just throw me some random chicks name and number and basically say good luck?

I don't roll that way. Throw me a frickin bone here.

I found it appalling and somewhat insulting.

I basically said that I wasn't available and he shouldn't be banking on me taking her out.

Generally in the past when people try and set me up, it feels like they are doing it out of pity, just hoping that there is some slim chance that I may like her. Hasn't happened once.

When I want to go on a date, I find a girl and I have no problem doing that. If I find a girl really attractive, then I get a little nervous and shy and it doesn't always work out the way I plan but whatever.

He wrote me back telling me those were his last efforts.

Last efforts?

Is it the contract of our friendship for you to be obligated to find me dates? Are there a set number of times you can try and set me up? Does quality of the set up not count even if that was the case? Last time I checked there are aspects of friendship that come long before sending me on a date with some random chick. 

Granted, I have known this kid my whole life, I still just didn't trust him to set me up with someone that I would find attractive. I couldn't resist and looked her up and sure enough, there wasn't any sort a wow factor, and I know from his history of girlfriends that she isn't someone he would find attractive. It's like they think she is in my same position and they think we are both helpless so they feel bad for us and try to set us up. She may be helpless for all I know, but I sure as hell am not. I guess it just shows he doesn't have much confidence in me, and he instills 0 confidence in me doing such an act. Talk about making me feel like nothing.

It just makes me wonder, where did I go wrong? Or did I go wrong at all?

Should I be worried that people around me perceive me as someone much less confident and attractive than I perceive myself to be? How is that going to affect me when I really start pushing to date someone?

Let is suffice to say that my friend situation seems to be a bit awkward at the moment. All of my best friends are married and I don't get to hang around them much in the same capacity as I used to so I'm trying to make due with friends who aren't married and haven't historically had my back as well as others. I guess it's time to try flyin solo again and see what I can come up with.

Speaking of married friends. A bunch of them were throwing a big group date together and were going to do something that has traditionally not required a date but now that so many of them are married it was going to this year. I wanted to go but wasn't too interested in taking a girl on a first date to be around a bunch of married people participating in activities that aren't a guaranteed good time for all involved.

The next best option was to go to dinner with my family for my brothers birthday, which really was the first option. Some friends gave me crap for it(the friend who tried to set me up...who didn't go either) but I was really happy to spend the evening with my family. As much as I am sometimes annoyed with the antics of some members of my family, we all came together and had a good time and were happy.

Thoughts were rolling deep last night and I became somewhat emotional thinking about all of this. What it really comes down to is that no matter how well you think your friends have your back, they can and will fail you. Often times when you are in your greatest need. But family, family will always be there and there is no greater feeling than knowing that they will be there, forever.

I just hope that one day soon I will be able to find a friend who I can trust and before they have a chance to turn on me we can turn each other into family, and at that point I will know that they will be my friend forever because they are now family.

Hope to see you again soon, but likely in another year.

Anonymous Blogger

2 Year Hiatus

There seems to be a trend with me and this blog, after a long hiatus I come back to it and write how I have failed and will try to do better but never do.

It is what it is.

I don't ever have a definitive reason for coming back to this blog but I often check in and catch up on some blog that I follow and never take the time to write something myself, which defeats the whole purpose of why I started this thing. 

Anyway, it's pretty much been two years since I have written anything of consequence.

In these last two years I have had some pretty high highs and some pretty low lows.

Starting with summer of 2011, I didn't know at the time, but that summer would be the last summer I was going to be able to spend with my dad. Without knowing what was coming I naturally chose to spend more time with him. We had many family trips planned and were able to do some things we had been wanting to do for a long time, and somethings we had planned we still weren't able to do.

We had a family trip planned for the second week in August, a trip we had been wanting to do for years. Two weeks before that trip I was invited on a Lake Powell trip by some new friends that was at the same time. One week later after a short backpacking trip my dad suffered a stroke that lead to minor complications resulting in a week long stay in the hospital. Because of that, we had to cancel the trip. Members of my family still went but because my dad couldn't be there I decide to go to Lake Powell with a group of people who were mostly strangers.

That would turn out to be one of the best decisions I have ever made. I met some of my current best friends on that trip, some who were just what I was going need over the next 7 months.

October rolled around and my dad seemed to be recovering well, gaining strength and coordination. Fall break he had another stroke and that began another list of complication.

We don't know what exactly what was going on but to make a long story short over the next 5 months he slowly weakened.

In March surrounded by our immediate family he passed into the next life. 

As sad as it was, and as hard it was to watch him go, I felt at peace.

If it weren't for some of the friends I made that fall I don't know how I would have handled it all.

One of those friends who helped me the most lost her dad 5 years before and was there as a support to help me through it and I will be forever grateful for her. There were also many other who were there for me when I needed them.

Now that a year has passed and things are back to normal, at least as normal as they can be, I feel somewhat empty. I've been told I handled the whole ordeal extremely well, but that, I believe has been somewhat to my detriment. Life is smooth, but as I have moved on, so have those friends I came so close to. We will forever be friends, but I just don't see them very often for various reasons.

Along with friends moving on, this summer both my older brother and younger sister will be getting married leaving me the lone ranger at home. With one more year of school I am left in a very awkward situation, and have some very big decisions to make over the next year or so.

The biggest decisions I will face in the next year deal mostly with school, career path, and dating.

I always have so many thoughts and things going through my mind it's hard to organize and make any sense of them. I want to make another effort at this blog and report on my progress of making sense of this world and pursuing the life I imagine myself living.

I think that is sufficient rambling for the day, I hope to check back in shortly.

Peace and Love,

Anonymous Blogger

Where have I been?

Who knows. I had something posted here but by now, March 2013, it is completely irrelevant.

Cheers,
Anonymous Blogger