Wow intense!

I am now nearly completely finished with finals! I only have one more tomorrow and it is a pizza party... shh... it's really "a final" as they call it. I'm pretty excited. Yesterday was the most intense day of finals as it was full of 3 hard ones... Biology, Philosophy, and Art History. I think I pretty much got 100% on my art history one, but ouch the others didn't seem as well. To top those finals off I had the Drawing finals that were due today but that meant they had to be finished by today (7am) and that kept me up pretty late! Talk about bing, bang, boom but yeah they all had to hit the same day. I've sold almost all of my textbooks already so that's a nice plus! I listed them around Friday of last week because I thought they would be slow to sell. I even placed them lower in the list (more money) yet people seem to like to buy my books. I sold my Biology book on Sunday and Architecture on Monday... and the others I don't remember when but yeah... they sold fast. Maybe it's my seller name (runningforacause) and the way I bluntly list things the way they are so it's obvious that a person really wrote them. Cool, cool, cool.

I'll have to post pictures of my art finals somtimes even though they don't look that good and Kristen did a better job on her skeleton than I did.

Wow now there's so many other things to do that are stressful.

Gas is now $1.54 in Ephraim! Wow that's $2 less than it used to be about a month ago. What's the deal with that? I like it though!
11 Dec 2008

The artistic side of me?

I think I just keep getting more and more amazed at my skills in drawing. I just keep getting better and the things I draw are starting to look more real (at least I think). At least you can tell what they are! We've worked with charcoal a lot lately so here's some of my latest charcoal works:

^I think this little toy is my favorite one of all.^

19 Nov 2008

54 Pieces of Pyrex can't go wrong!

Kristen and I recieved so much Pyrex for our wedding that we have decided it is way too over-rated! We had such a mountain of it that we thought it would be fun and even funny to take a picture of it all before we returned some of it.I don't think this picture really shows the mountain very well but there are 54 pieces and I think we even missed one of our other ones that is in the kitchen cabinet still. We think Pyrex is fancy and great, but yes definitely over-rated! It was nice to be able to get about $80 from half of the pyrex that we returned to Wal-mart. We still have more to return but that was a start.
27 Oct 2008

Something... lots of somethings

I must say that shoplifters are dorks! Yesterday at work we caught a really stupid one... He had two stupidities that were really big... one he used a credit card with his name on it, and two he was on camera. This David Huntington shoplifter guy thought he was being smart when he picked up a $15 flashlight from the counter after making his purchases to "see it." He made the motions of putting it back but then palmed it and stuffed it in his pocket. What a dork. My co-worker who was with me that day he robbed it had noticed that when we opened the store there were two of them but later in the day there was only one and we didn't sell one. Yeah anyways... we got looking at the computer stuff and times proved it was him. When we looked at the computer system we also noticed that it must have happened some other 6 times apparently... but we caught David because my co-worker made a good mental note.

On Thursday Kristen and I got to see a Boa Constrictor eat a pretty big rat! That was really cool. The rat went walking around in the boa's cage as if nothing were wrong and then he realized he was snatched up and being killed to be eaten by the snake... it was really cool.

On Friday we went to my mission reunion and well that was fun and interesting to see some of the old missionaries. It was a great experience.

I have to admit that one of my biggest pet peeves right now is when people ask, "When's the 'big day'?" Any day can be a big day if you make it one... it's like they are afraid to say "when is your wedding?" I really wish that people didn't have a fear of the words 'wedding' and 'marriage' as they seem to have. I think is is plain dumb that people say 'big day'. Anyways I will quit on that one even though I could go on for a million years... just please don't be one of those people who asks anyone "When's the big day?"

I love General Conference. Some of my other pet peeves are those people who come to church in colored shirts instead of white ones... especially returned missionaries. What did they not learn or not teach?! Go conference for reminding people that we wear white shirts for a reason. Another pet peeve is those people who bring their phones to church and don't bother to turn the sound off at least... it is a killer of the spirit and anyways... go conference for the reminder to people that cell phones aren't life and don't belong in church!
5 Oct 2008

A little update

Yeah... I know it's been forever since I have said anything about the cool or fun things I've done. Maybe nobody has noticed... but that's okay. Basically school keeps me busy. There are some pretty busy classes that I have and most of them are just busywork ones. That kinda reminds me that I was going to post my schedule but never did... so here that is too:

If you can't tell my lingo of shorthand I'm sorry... it gives you an idea anyways. Human Biology and Architecture/drafting are the classes which keep me running a lot... I have a test in both of them today which I should be studying for... I will do that right when I'm done with this little update.... Gotta love my Friday schedule!

So one of the fun things that I did recently was getting engagement pictures taken. There are way too many cute ones and I put some of them on a slideshow up in the left corner of this page if you haven't noticed yet. Here's how our announcement turned out: (notice the background)

Well I better get back to studying!
24 Sep 2008

Shower Project Finished!

Ever since I was a young boy I had wanted to finish the shower downstairs that my brother had started to remodel. I started on it a little bit before I went on my mission but only got as far as ripping the old concrete out from around the drain. This summer I decided it was time to finish my bathroom and do something about it! I have done everything on that bathroom from the gutting it out after our basement flooded a few years back, to finish as it now looks! It's a project to be proud of. I even put in some new wiring to have a light above the mirror and a receptacle by the sink. Tile, door, lights, paint... everything, you name it! I did it!

It feels so nice to have it done. Looks professional if you ask me! Too bad I won't be around to use it very often now.
9 Aug 2008

I'm Engaged!

On Tuesday I went to Salt Lake to buy a wedding ring for Kristen. On Sunday I talked to her dad and she never found out because she was occupied with other things. It was perfect! She knew nothing about it. I went to her house on Saturday after work and we went to Amy's wedding reception. I was asked there by Amy and her mother when this [getting married] was going to happen for Kristen and I. I couldn't help but have a blank stare and not say anything because I knew what I was going to do. We went hiking today and I had wanted to hike to a cave up Maple Canyon but we could not find the trail. After not finding it we decided that we weren't on the right trail and that we should go back and hike up to Dizzy Rock (where I was going to propose to her). When we had made it to the top Kristen felt really nervous and worried because she had slipped on the way up and we were up there really high! We sat up there for a good while and I decided that it would not be a good idea to propose in that moment considering the way she was shaking. I waited until we were at the bottom. I took her to see the hieroglyphs that are there, and we looked for the boot prints in a rock. (Legend has it that some cowboy was chased by indians over the edge of Dizzy Rock.) After not finding the rock we went over to a grove of trees. I asked her if she had ever thought of spending an eternity with me. She said yes and said that she was going to ask me on top of Dizzy Rock if she could have me forever. I started digging in my pocket for the ring... it seemed to not want to come out, but it did. I then got down on one knee and asked her to marry me. She said yes, and there's the history. We are planning on getting married in the Manti Temple on 16 October 2008.
15 July 2008

Recent Findings

About a week ago I was reminded somehow that smartkid@gmail.com is one of my email addresses. I hadn't checked it for so long... a few years at least. I was really surprised to find a few thousand messages in my inbox. Many of them were spam of course but I also found a few curious emails. Some kid named Nick apparently thought that it was his email address and told his friends etc. I had various emails from his friends saying that he should check his email or that they had sent some email many times and they were getting frusterated that he wasn't receiving them. Others were from his school. I hope those weren't important. Anyways I thought it was pretty funny that not just Nick thought that smartkid@gmail.com was their email address. I'm the only one with the password though! I also have a million other email addresses that I don't really use anymore... I would list them but what's the point? I think it's kinda funny. Oh, and if you send me something at the smartkid address... don't expect me to reply back to it ever!

Yesterday I found out that I am being used at the place where I work. I had sensed it for some time but my findings yesterday confirmed it. I am making the same amount per hour as the new kid they just hired in the lumberyard. I asked my boss for a raise and he told me that they would look into it. In my mind I told myself that I would look into another job if that's the answer! They would really suffer without me because they already are suffering from a shortage of employees. I know all of the codes for the computer and I can speak Spanish on top of that... why am I making the same as the new kid? I was supposed to get a raise, and what I'm making now was supposed to be the starting wage. Anyways, I went on a nice long 6.5 mile run after work to try and relieve some stress. It was a very nice run.
29 June 2008

Update
I opened my paycheck today and found a $1/hr raise! Yay. I can now feel a lot better about working hard knowing that I'm getting something more for my work.
2 July 2008

Recent Lessons Learned (or re-learned)

Today I learned that a 2X10X16 can do a lot of pain to a toe through a shoe. Rusty, my co-worker and I were pulling an order and he dropped the board and that caused it to slip out of my hands and whack right down on my toe. I'm really surprised that it doesn't look as bad in the pictures as it really does in person. Yeah, it is pretty crazy. It hurts to walk on it and is most annoying because I can't go running right now and I want to.

Yesterday I learned that cars like water just as much as humans. Well not quite, but my car was overheating and I couldn't figure it out for a few days because I noticed that the overflow tank was full. Somehow the tank wasn't pumping the water into the radiator and it needed a gallon of water. I don't blame it for the hot weather we have had lately.

Concrete can be sanded... now that is pretty amazing. Diamond sand paper is cool stuff. My cousin helped me pour a shower base for my shower in my bathroom that I have been remodeling. He let me borrow some cool diamond sand paper to smooth out the rough edges. Concrete in and of itself is amazing because you can build just about anything out of it.

Sanding makes dust! I think that one is self explanitory.

Tile sticks really well! To install the vanity in my bathroom I had to remove one piece of tile that I put in... yeah it stuck so well that it left a hole in the wall. That was okay though because the vanity hides it all. I was amazed at the power of the thinset. I will have to post pictures of my cool bathroom soon! Maybe when I get it finished.

On Wednesday I learned that housing isn't stable. The landlord of the place where I was going to live next semester called me up and said that I should come by his house to get a refund because they had decided not to rent the place out this whole coming school year. Now I need to find new housing. It shouldn't be that hard though.

Scholarship application deadlines were forever ago... but at least I still have a chance for them and they let me turn the application in way late.

Grass always grows. Clothes don't "self wash." Bob, our truck driver always says, "Smile, it confuses the enemy." Someone made the most true statement that I heard recently: They said that prIde ruins man. When prIde is in anyones life they start creating enemies and cause fights and lots of problems. A person must always think of others first in everything. I could go on forever but I think I will stop now.
14 June 2008

True Charity

I saw one of the neatest things yesterday. I was at a store and the checkout lines were really long and seemed to be taking forever. At the checkout in front of me was an aquaintance purchasing a few things. When the cashier told her how much it was she wrote out the check. For some reason her check was denied. The cashier tried it a few more times, and it still came up denied. The lady said that it couldn't be possible because there was $5,000 in her account. I was thinking to myself, "Self: you could pay for their stuff and maybe they could pay you back later." They went off to the side and the cashier apologized for things taking so long and told me that she would have to wait for a manager to come and clear the register. Just then, the man behind me in the line spoke up and asked the cashier just how much the stuff was that the lady had. Yep, you guessed it. A complete stranger paid the $55 or so for their stuff and would not accept a repayment. The guy behind me asked if it was okay if he went in front of me. I said, "Yes," and tears of amazement started in my eyes. I couldn't help but think what a large Christlike love the guy had. He told the people whose stuff he had just paid for to go and have a nice day. He said, "We all fall short every once in a while." The lady gave him a hug and the cashier said in somewhat of amazement and disbelief, "It's not every day you see something like that." Later the aquaintance asked me if I knew the man, but nope, I really didn't. What an amazing guy! He truly made an impact on many people who were there.
6 June 2008

My New Site!

This is my new site... there may still be some bugs that I have to work out... you can still see my old site layout here (for a limited time only). I'm pretty excited about this page! Let me know if you have found a bug in viewing this page, now that it is possible and you can comment! Sometimes it may be that a font which I have installed on my computer isn't on yours, and that could cause some ugly problems.

I need some opinions on a few things too: 1. Should the comments be in a popup? I know that I have popups blocked on my computer and probably most others do too.
2. Should I have the "Navbar" (the bar at the top of the page on blogger sites with the blogger icon and search box) visible? I know it helps to "search the site" if anyone ever does that or would like to ever. Anyways, do you think I should put it back on?
1 Jun 2008

Bloggable Stories

I've decided I have some stories to tell that are worth blogging. The best ones have to do with cute little kids!

On Sunday I went to my home ward because it was Mothers Day. I decided that it would be fun (and nice of me) to help my mom with the Nursury. It was great. It reminded me of times of old. There is a durable plastic rocking horse there that I remember riding when I was in the nursury. I so wanted to ride it but the little kids didn't want me to, so I didn't. There was one kid who wanted me to read him a book made for little kids about farm equipment. The book had so many huge words in it and the kid had me read it ten times at least. He didn't listen all ten times but I had a different audience each time. Some of those kids in the nursury can throw very well too... one kid kept throwing a bean bag at me and he got better every time he did it. The cutest of all was the little girl who decided she liked my lap. She sat on my lap for at least an hour. She didn't want to play or do anything but sit on my lap. I would ask her if she wanted to go play with the other kids and she would reply with a cute "no." I could ask her anything and she would say no... but when I would ask her if she just wanted to sit on my lap she would say "yes". She said one or two times, "I want my mommy." I would tell her that her mom would come in a little while for her, and she would just sit there as cute as could be.

Yesterday at work I saw a guy who really wasn't thinking much. He rented a huge saw with one of those dangerous abrasive blades, and before he got in his truck he started it up to test it out. When he turned it off the blade kept spinning. He almost put the blade to his truck to stop it but decided that wouldn't be the best. Yeah... so what does he do to stop the blade... puts his foot into it! It's a good thing it didn't go through his shoe or anything like that. Smart people!

One of my co-workers thought he was funny telling me a "joke" about boards while I was restocking the 1X8's. He said, "Do you know why they call those boards?" I looked at him with that look that says, "Okay." He replied, "Wouldn't you be bored too if all you did was sit around all day?"

Today at work a little girl said the funniest things. I was helping a customer and he needed a piece of wood cut... so I went to the saw and did that. Meanwhile there was another customer and his daughter nearby. The little girl must have been about three. After I cut the wood she said, "Daddy, that's a noisy boy!" Her father replied, "Yep, just a little bit." She then said, "We don't need boys like him." Talk about funny. I had to run away so I could laugh! While I was leaving the scene I heard her father say something like, "Well that's a good boy, he helps people like us...." It was great. Little kids are cute!
16 May 2008

Living life in the Coach's House

I must say I have been really blessed this past school semester.... I have had many good roomates and I am glad they all have high standards and were were all great combined together. Many people have said various things about all of us there and the spirit which could be felt there. I really think a lot of it had to do with the way we all believe in the same things and had picutres of Christ and the temple. Many things made a difference. I must say I have been grateful to have the roomates I did, and the friends also. I like how we all encouraged each other in everything that we did. It couldn't have been anywhere as great as it was without Kristen either! Now that I have just moved back home everything feels so different. I will be working a lot this summer and hope to get back into running (to stay in shape) and just have fun. There are cars to fix (and sell maybe?) and many things to do that will keep me busy. Life must be lived one day at a time I guess. Anyways... Snow College has been fun and I can't wait to get back into it. In all of the good times that we had at the Coach's House we created a quote wall and I decided to make a webpage to remember all the good times... http://coachshousequotewall.blogspot.com/! Check it out... it's good for some laughs!
3 May 2008

Valentine Recall

This is a great true story I just recalled today (Valentines Day). I remember one Valentines day when I was really little. I was crazy about being able to give out valentine cards. My mom referred to taking the valentine cards around as "kicking valentines." Well me being so young... I think four years old... took the meaning literal. My sister took me to "kick valentines." I got to the first house. My good buddy named Brady lived there. My sister handed me the valentine and knocked on the door. I, thinking I was out to "kick valentines," dropped it on the ground and gave it a great big kick! Yep! It was such a force full of great impact that it broke all the candy inside. I understood that I was out to kick valentines and that is just exactly what I did. My sister really wondered what I was kicking it for and just then Brady's mom opened the door and my sister was faced with explaining the broken candy and the scuff on the envelope. After leaving Brady's house my sister explained that I was not out to "kick" the valentines but to "hand" them to the person. I was a little kid. I took it literal.
14 Feb 2008

My View of Remodeling

Plain and simple I will state my view of remodeling like this: BUILD NEW! Remodeling isn't worth anything! I know that remodeling is the only way to go sometimes... however if you decide to ever do a remodeling project, take my advice on this one: Don't throw away old parts until you're sure the new ones work. I recently took on the huge project of remodeling our kitchen cabinets. I bought new hinges and figured we could make them work. Needless to say this project has been a lot harder than it was thought out to be. I have had a hard time getting the new hinges to go on right, and the old ones that we threw away are so old that there is no place in this world that they are sold. I must say that it would have been so much easier if we had just ripped out the old cabinets and installed new! Moral of this story: When faced with a remodeling project... DON'T DO IT! MAKE NEW!
1 Jan 2008