Huh? Seriously?

Yes...there was an earthquake...yes, I am alive and ok...and yes, the In-N-Out Burgers are all fully functional and operating. You can breathe easy.
Apparently, there was an earthquake about 10 minutes ago. I was driving on the freeway, so I didn't really feel anything. However, being the stellar reporter that I am, when I got to the office, I noticed that the entire building had been evacuated. Applying my investigative skills, I found out that I missed a 5.8 shaking of the Earth. We are obviously all back in the building now. However, I am kind of bummed because I didn't get to feel it.
The earthquake happened about 20 miles northeast of here around a place called Chino Hills. It was a 5.8 on the ol' Richter Scale.
You gotta love California!
In other news, I met with the doctor a few days ago about my MRI. He was optomistic because he now feels he knows what direction to go in. Yay for modern medicine! Anyway, the next step is to take a biopsy of a couple parts of my muscle and tissue. Here comes the knife!

Thank You

I wanted to extend a very heartfelt thank you to each of you who expressed your condolences and sentiments on my Grandma's passing away. So many of you, both publicly and privately, gave much needed emotional support.

So thank you.

"You're weird."

Let's be honest...I hear that a lot. I have actually grown quite accustomed to hearing it on a semi-regular, (if not daily) basis. Like water off of a duck's back, (which is really cool to watch), this term of endearment has become a comfortable staple of my life that doesn't affect me in any way.
However...when it is said to me by someone with a little clout, it takes on a whole new meaning.
Most of you who are familiar with my sordid history of the last few years are well aware of my joint and pain issues that torment me each waking moment. It started about 3-4 years ago, and although these last two years have subsided quite a bit, the pain has recently flared up again, prompting another round of "Guess the Diagnosis" with the medical community.
The first round ended with a giant question mark. There were blood tests drawn, needles poked and prodded, and electrical shocks strategically placed in various areas of my body, but all to no avail. My hands continued to look older than they should; I developed multiple "elbows", and overall just have found it difficult at times to do what I used to be able to do.
Fast forward to the present day: As I mentioned, the pains have returned. So another volley of doctor visits has commenced. First I went to my primary care physician. Baffled at what he saw, I was traipsed along to a specialist...a rheumatologist. Our first meeting, he slated me for another large battery of tests. He told me that with these tests, plus another set of needle prodding and electric shocks, and they would be able to say without a doubt, what was going on with me.
So...I went under several blood-sucking needles, played the part of pin cushion to some masochists, and returned to my doctor with the excited expectancy of a toddler on the eve of his birthday gathering.
"You're weird."
There it was. But this time...it meant something because it was coming from a medical professional. The doctor went on to say that several of the tests they performed were specifically set up to find out exactly what I had. He said that if test A came back positive, then without a doubt, I would have "Condition X", however, if test B came back positive, I would most definitely have "Condition Y". But just in case, if test C came back positive, then there would be no shadow of lingering question, and with every fiber of his being, he would know that I had "Condition Whatever".
The problem was that all the tests came back positive. Apparently, to his knowledge, this is the first time that has ever happened. They ran the tests again...same results.
Apparently...I am weird.
However, the other day I DID get to do something that I have never had a chance to do before, but have seen and heard about many, many times. I entered....THE MRI OF DOOOOOM!
Yes, I had an MRI...but it wasn't nearly as dramatic as what you see on television...nor did I suddenly discover that I had some random piece of metal shrapnel in my body that was magnetically sucked out of my body. I just laid there for a good 30 minutes listening to the soft rock radio station they had selected for the day. (Thanks Phil Collins...for being there for me)
And the results of the MRI are.....
Coming next week.

Oh yeah...as we were finishing our last appointment, I asked the doctor about some exercises that I wanted to do, to put a little meat on my bones. (Because nothing says Body Builder like Zachary Lifferth!)

Anyway, I asked him about doing some push ups and he looked at me like I was a complete idiot. Again...this is a look I am very familiar with...but when it comes from someone of the medical profession (that I am not related to...sorry Jason and Geoff), it seems to carry more of an impact.

So I am weird...and an idiot. But at least I am an enigma!

Grandma

“Grandma!” I hollered as I ran into the room
“I am going to jump over the house thanks to your new trampoline!”

She replied, “I believe that you will.”
“Just be sure I am there when you land on the other side.”

Summer moved on and winter came through

“Grandma!” I shouted into the phone
“I am going to win every race with the skateboard you gave me!”

She replied, “I believe that you will.”
“Just be sure to get a picture of you at the finish line.”

The calendar turned, the weeks hurried by

“Grandma!” I boasted
“I am going to grow as tall as my Uncle Bud!”

She replied, “I believe that you will.”
“Would you like some cereal to fill that appetite?”

Seasons turned and months were spent

“Grandma!” I exclaimed
“I am going to be a successful businessman someday!”

She replied, “I believe that you will.”
“Just let me know if you ever need a partner on the side.”

Years passed on and people grew older

“Grandma!” I said
“I am going to travel abroad to help other people.”

She replied, “I believe that you will.”
“Remember that I will be back here thinking of you.”

Time was spent, the end was near

“Grandson!” She whispered
“I just want to make a difference.”

I replied, “I believe you already did.”

-ZDL

I pray that each of you may have a grandparent as wonderful as my Grandma Striegel. A woman who believed in me no matter what.

Life

Einstein was onto something with his whole Theory of Relativity. Despite the many times I have actually sat down and stared at a clock, or a watch, or some other time-keeping device, the seconds always remain the same length of time. The minutes tick by with every 60 seconds, and each hour, (no matter how much urging or persistent nagging occurs), still lasts exactly 60 minutes.
Even though all this is true, Einstein unlocked what some have deemed his greatest discovery, which is that time is relative.
My cousin Craig, the wise sage that he is, once told me, "How long a minute is depends upon which side of the bathroom door you stand."
He is a wise fellow that one.
Life happens fast. Many of you might remember that fantastic family reunion up in Montana where we got those cool t-shirts with a picture of the cabin on the front. That was 23 years ago.
Do you remember where you were when the Berlin Wall came down? 19 years ago.
Did you know the Simpsons have been on the air for 19 years?
Where were you when Kurt Cobain died? That was 14 years ago.
How many of you were at the airport when I got home from my mission in Russia? That was 11 years ago.
Do you remember Y2K? Over 8 years ago.
9/11 was almost 7 years ago.
It's been 3 years since Lance Armstrong raced (and won) the Tour de France.
Life happens fast. In the past week, I had one cousin celebrate the first anniversary of her 29th birthday, a dear friend of mine, who has been with our company for over 10 years, was let go, my Grandma passed away (which is going to get its own blog entry), and last night, I found out that a close friend of mine has leukemia. She is only 22 years old.

St. John 10:7-11 reads:
7 - Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep.
8 - All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them.
9 - I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.
10 - The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
11 - I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.

DZK

Yes, that is Danny Glover, me, and our buddy Ken. I have a great job.
This is me trying to cram 2 SnoBalls into my mouth at the same time.
I failed. But it tasted good!

Reality...You Are Ugly

So, along with most Americans with some nuance of literacy, I have been reading up on the two contenders for the Presidential Vacancy that will be arriving shortly. Wanting to gain as much information about these two men that I can, I have diligently been waxing up my understanding of these individuals by thoroughly consuming any and all information that I come across.

Lately, there have been quite few commentaries on the ages of these two candidates. Sen. McCain is of course noted for the many years he has accumulated under his belt. Sen. Obama on the other hand, has been vilified as not having enough rotations around the sun to adequately stand up to the pressures that could be placed upon his shoulders.

Well, I decided to check the facts and find out exactly how old Sen. Obama is. Thanks to the folks at Wikipedia, I learned that he is 46 years old.

He is 14 years older than me. That means he was in Jr. High when I was born.



*knock knock*

"Zach could you check the door and see who is out there?"

Sure thing.

"Who is it?"

Reality.

Crap.

Employee Reviews

Words that were used to describe me in a recent Annual Employee Review that lead me to wonder exactly how well does my boss actually know me:

Shy

Oh...so THAT'S why they call it a STING Ray!

It all makes sense now!

This morning I drove down to Carlsbad to hang out with my brother Noah and his family. They didn't have any plans today and I didn't have to go into work until later in the afternoon, so we decided to hit the beach.

Noah wanted to try his hand (and feet) at surfing, so we had our wetsuits and my board and a wide open ocean to give it a go. He went out for a while and did far better than I ever did my first voyage into all things surfing.

When he tired, he came back in and we traded places. I went out and started having some fun with the board. After a while, I came in, and he not being ready to go out again, let me take a second hit at the waves.

This time, however, as I was walking out into the ocean, when I reached a point where the water was about to my thigh, I felt a sharp cut across the side of my right foot. Thinking it was a piece of glass, I figured I better head back in and assess the damage. When I got close enough in that I could lift my foot out of the water, all I saw was blood POURING out of the side of my foot.

Keep in mind, 3 or 4 weeks ago, there was a fatal Great White Shark attack about 4 miles to the south of where we were.

So I hobbled on into the beach and sat down to start cleaning the wound.

Fortunately, after wiping away most of the blood and all the water that had mixed with it, the cut wasn't near as bad as it had first appeared. It was only about an inch long, but pretty deep. It was still bleeding quite a bit.

I want to pause now and thank all of Corporate America for their generosity when it comes to t-shirts. Those logo emblazoned team-building promotional items make great make-shift bandage wraps.

So as I am soiling my latest t-shirt, a local beach comber strolls by and asks if I got tagged by a sting ray. I told him I was pretty sure it was just a piece of glass. He told me that I will know in about 5 minutes if it was a Sting Ray or something else.

Sure enough, within 5 minutes my foot felt like it was on fire, wedged in a closing vice, and crushed under a 5-ton elephant. (Not that elephants actually get that large...but you get the idea.)

Well, I had to head into work, so I cleaned it up the best I could, hopped-along to my car and drove for the next hour or so back to the office. All the while, my foot was throbbing like a love-sick swooner's heart as he stares at a picture of his gal. Only it hurt too.

Long story short...about 3-4 hours later, it stopped hurting all together and I now have a clean slice right across the inside of my foot.
My friends have said that I am now, officially, a Local.

On another note...happy Mt. Everest Anniversary! It was on this date in 1953 that Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay became the first people to reach the pinnacle of the tallest mountain in the world. A truly remarkable feat!

Pride is a Sin...

And I am NO Saint.

Many of you know that I am teaching Early-Morning Seminary this year. I have the Freshmen class and we are studying the Old Testament. Combine all these factors, (crack of dawn...pre-adolescent, Isaiah), and you have the workings of...well, Chaos.

Keep this in mind as I tell a tale of wonderment and pride!

So this evening we had our End of Year Scripture Mastery Night where all of the classes in the stake get together and we have a fun contest to see which of the classes best retained their knowledge and understanding of the 25 Scripture Mastery Scriptures. It is a big event hailed by all members of the Stake, most especially the parents.

We brought together the Seasoned Seniors, the Well-Versed Juniors. There are two classes of Sophomores, each preambulating around the room with boisterous confidence. As special guests, we had the combined classes of the San Juan Building, and finally, we had my riotous Freshmen.

The battle lines were drawn...the contest commenced. It was a grueling struggle. Tears were shed...confidence was shattered...entire teams opined expressions of grief and juxtapostioned joy. But in the end, the points were tallied and each of the classes was able to see how they performed.

When all the chips had fallen, the Freshmen class had turned in a respectable amount of points taking the third place position.

But wait...the points were given on the performance of individual students and then collectively gathered as a team. This meant that those classes with more students, had significantly more potential to earn points than those classes where only a few participants had arrived. So algorithms were sequestered, calculators pounded, and as our Stake Presidency representative asked for silence in the gymnasium, he read off the final stats to a hushed audience:

For the first time in recorded history, (at least as long as anyone could remember), the FRESHMEN Class gave a resounding wallop to all other challenging classes...every one of which had experienced veterans of the Scripture Mastery Night. The Freshmen Class took First Place overall.

I know it is a church event...I know pride is a sin...however, I can't help feeling just the slightest little twinge of swelling in my heart to know that my students actually pulled off the victory.

I think a tear might be shed in honor of this moment.

Decisions

This post has nothing to do with the confusion in the previous post...however, I have a choice to make. For a reasonable deal, I can upgrade from 1080i to 1080p. If you know what I am talking about...share with me your thoughts.

What's that word...?

The relentless pandering of each minute as it steadily tick-tocks its way into the abyss of oblivion has not wasted itself echoing on deaf ears. Oft times we find ourselves precariously staggering that fine line between sanity and the great depth considered as “at a loss”. Ergo, the natural instinct is to stand idly by, gathering a substantial amount of relevant (and irrelevant) data, presume to postulate on the situation as best we can understand it, and then to take action as is finally deemed necessary and appropriate. Concordantly, I have metaphorically been taking this leave of absence on all things pertinent, and delved into a self-indulgent assessment of where I stand.

So I welcome you to this culinary fusion of drama and humor that is considered in all respects, My Life, and invite you to briefly allow yourself to be subjugated to the wandering muses that constitute my rambling. I would not be so pompous as to assume you will chase this roe of a thought as it leaps and hurdles through diverse cross-sections of all things Zach, but the sheer concept that you have taken a portion of your 24-hour allotment of Present Time is appreciated far more than mere words can attest.

I suppose the crux of the situation comes down to choice. How often do we find ourselves flitting about with all the logic of an erratic butterfly cranked up on speed, assuming that our paths are those we have chosen, forever salivating in a Pavlovian reaction to the telltale ring of the Bell of Life? Do we really presume ourselves to such a degree that we unceremoniously accept everything that we have as the works and glories of our own hands and action? Only in the delirious state of self-absorption could one feasibly dilute the facts of reason and logic into a melting pot of self-serving aggrandizement. How easily do we forget that we are no more than symbolic tetrarchs of our own destiny?

It is only through constant daily reminders that there is a Power that is greater than what the mere mortal mind can conceive of that has graciously given us all that we have, and on top of that, has given us the opportunity to CHOOSE whatever it is that we want. We have been given choice, the ability and knowledge to do as we wish. Every action that you take today will be because our Heavenly Father, through His Son Jesus Christ, gave you the opportunity to choose.

However, before dashing off into a myopic trance of ultimate choosing, let us not forget that consequence is the Siamese Twin that is eternally bound to the freedom of choice that we have been given.

So with choice…as I enjoy having its traveling partner along for the ride, and even though an understanding of this eternal concept always seems to sally forth just out of reach of my simple mind, I am still obligated to exercise this right. The tomfoolery imagination that I might abstain from choosing, in the hopes of negating any possible fall out, is easily derailed on its way to the train station of acceptance by the glaring notion that to not choose…is simply choosing not to. Consequences shall rain from the skies, in spite of the abjectness of inaction.

Choice. Thy movements reflect the choreographic beauty of the Wind Dancer. Here in an instant, gone in a flash, just when the warmth of understanding begins to wrap its woolen arms around, lulling you into a sedentary state of comfort and security, the drenching power of the cascading cold consequence drowns out your feeble assumptions.
I have choices to be made…but I still lack the one word that I am searching for…the one word that will draw this all together…the one word…

Confusion! That’s the word I was looking for.

Yummy

So I ate an entire apple pie today. It was good.This has been a good day off.

Oh Yeah...

One reason I never liked those questionnaire things is because I always have that moment after I am done filling them out where I think, "OH WAIT!"

Anyway...I wanted to publicly post some more best friends, whom without I never would have become the person I am today:
My sisters Monica, Gretchen and Bridgett, my parents, Mandy, Shem, Jeff R., and of course Jonathan.

I have a lot of best friends...and more than likely, I will remember another one as soon as I post this.

D'oh!!

Time For Another BLAG

So on two different blogs that I regularly read, I was tagged...one specifically named yours truly, and the other one was a general, "If you are reading this...consider yourself tagged" type BLAG (Blog + Tag).

So, to appease the masses, I am going to accomplish both BLAGs here. The first is from Hayley and the second from my cousin Lisa:

BLAG # 1 - The A to Z tag:

A - Attached or Single: "ALONE" would have been a better "A" word here...which of course I would have to apply to my current status in life

B - Best Friends: I like that they made this a plural opportunity, because I have several friends that I would rank right up there in the "Best" category. I will break this down by relative and non-relative. First the Relatives: Erik, Noah, Gabe, Craig, Scott, Daren. Non-Relative: Blue, KA, Tim F., Scott B., Alma, Beckie and Todd B.

C - Cake or Pie: Both is an option right? Ok...gun to my head, I would have to chose pie

D - Day of choice: What kind of question is this? I would have to say TODAY

E - Essential Item: Oxygen

F - Favorite Color: Whatever actually matches when I go out in public so I am not flogged and sneered at, or embarrassing to my family

G - Gummy Bears or Worms: Gonna have to go with Worms

.H - Hometown: Good ol' Payson, UT...where everyone knows your name...

I - Indulgence(s): PCH Chili Cheese Dogs

J - January or July: Both fantastic months with good things to offer...

K - Kids: Yes...I've heard of them

L - Life is incomplete without: the letters L, I, F, or E

M - Marriage Date: Half past Febru-later

N - Number of Siblings: Cinco

O - Oranges or Apples: I know this one! They are fruits!

P - Phobias or Fears: Lupislipophobia: The fear of being chased around a kitchen table by ravenous wolves on a freshly waxed floor wearing socks

Q - Quotes: Aren't those the little punctuation marks that go around things people say? Like, "Anyone who takes offense when no offense is intended, is an idiot." Mark Twain

S - Season: Tabasco is a seasoning in my book

T - Tag Three Friends: I'd rather not

U- Unknown fact about me: My life is a pretty open book to all

V - Very favorite store: Any book store

W - Worst habit: Eating out ALL the time

X - X-ray or Ultrasound: I'm really not sure what to answer here...I defer this one to someone who knows far more than I do on such topics...JASON!

Y - Your favorite food: Chili Dogs...hands down

Z - Zodiac: Libra or Virgo...depending on which calendar you look at. Being born on the Autumnal Equinox means: I'm special.

Now for BLAG part deux -

1. What is your occupation? Survival in the OC
2. What color are your socks right now? Flip-Flop Brown
3. What are you listening to right now? The continuous roar of engines up and down the 55 freeway
4. What was the last thing that you ate? Mashed Potato Bowl from KFC
5. Can you drive a stick shift? Is the Pope Catholic?
6. Last person you spoke to on the phone? Hayley
7. Do you like the person who sent this to you? Love her like family!
8. How old are you today? Somewhere between 32 and 33
9. What is your favorite sport to watch? College Basketball
10. What is your favorite drink? Dr. Pepper
11. Have you ever dyed your hair? HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA....it would help if I had any
12. Favorite food? Still Chili Dogs
13. What was the last movie you watched? 21
14. Favorite day of the year? Ummm...Today? Tomorrow?
15. How do you vent anger? Drive and drive and drive
16. What was your favorite toy as a child? The wood pile out back
17. What is your favorite season? I still maintain that Tabasco is a seasoning
18. Cherries or Blueberries? Blech...going with the blue berries
19. Do you want your friends to e-mail you back? Considering this particular questionnaire has transitioned from e-mail to blog status...I don't think this is a relevant question any more
20. Who is the most likely to respond? See previous question
21 Who is least likely to respond? I hate repeating myself
22. Living arrangements? House...with a bedroom AND indoor plumbing
23. When was the last time you cried? During "Run Fat Boy Run" last week
24. What is on the floor of your closet? Shoes, luggage, snorkel gear, vacuum, carpet
25. Who's the friend you're sending this to that you've know the longest? What's with these "sending" questions?
26. What did you do last night? Took a date to Balboa Island...awesome time
27. Favorite smells? Apple Pie
28. What inspires you? The fact that I am so amazing...and humble
29. What are you most afraid of? There is nothing to fear...but fear itself. And nuclear holocausts
30. Plain, cheese or spicy hamburgers? What kind of question is this? It's a hamburger...Give it to me!
31. Favorite dog breed? Doberman
32. Favorite day of the week? Today
33. How many states have you lived in? 4 that I know of...Utah, Montana, Washington, and...I can't believe I am saying this...California

Wow...did you read it all or just skip to this point?

I bet you are curious where I am currently standing on the pet snake issue...I have had a lot of people weigh in. First of all, Gretch...it was Noah's snake that got loose. Second...to those who have stated they won't come visit me if I get a snake...I have made arrangements for a "Sitter" any time you want to come down. And finally...I still don't know if I am going to get one. But for anyone who knew me back when I was in elementary school...you should remember that it has always been my dream to have a pet snake for more than a few days. Ask the Payson Library...I think I was the only person that checked out every single reptile book they had for a good 8 year period, (no, it didn't take me 8 years to get through elementary school...just my fascination with the Herpetology sciences extended well into my teenage years).

However....no snake yet. I'll keep you posted.

Awesome...Just Awesome

Having no desire at all do delve into the recherche quagmire that is my life, and much preferring to rankle on in a garrulous manner, I found this today and simply had to post it:


This too:



Oh and on a temerarious note, I am thinking about getting a brobdingnagian pet:
Let the philippic comments flow...

Perspective

With a title like that I bet you were thinking that this was going to be a deep introspective dissertation on some complex socio-interaction and its affect on the youth of today.
Well...it's not. My cousin Jamie actually inspired this one with a picture of her son. It reminded me of a picture I found that I have been threatening to post for a while now. Well...here it is!


(Notice the ear on the left side of the picture?)
This is what happens when two bald guys put there heads together with a pair of pants.

Things I Have Learned...

Things I have learned on my recent trip to Utah, in no particular order:
- I can stuff an entire Hostess SnoBall in my mouth
- Sometimes a friend just needs a hug
- Fudge brownies also help
- Sometimes it is best to TRY the flavor of the day before ordering it
- A cherry tomato when properly forked, can squirt a very long distance and cover a large area of a shirt
- My sister's taxes were easy to do
- My friend's taxes were not
- Chocolate + Caramel = Happy Girl
- "Enchanted" is a funny movie
- Technology can be impressive
- Bryce Canyon was named after Ebenezer Bryce
- When asked about the canyon, Ebenezer's only comment was, "It's a hell of a place to lose a cow."
- Even after 11 years...Ruby's Inn is still one of the greatest places to visit
- Monica L. is my Guitar Hero
- I can still hike 6 miles through the desert and still want to do more
- Even General Authorities have a special reverence for the office of Patriarch
- It takes a very special man to be called as a Patriarch
- My Uncle Bob is a very special man
- My Nephew Jake is easily thrown around a pool
- He will keep coming back for more
- He is an awesome kid
- My Niece Gabby is no longer a baby girl...or even a toddler.
- She can read very well
- My Nephew Alex can reconnect vital parts of a computer, mess things around in the system, and then pull the parts back out so it appears he was never there
- He is 2
- Even though he won't admit it, my Uncle Karl would prefer to be with his family in Southern Utah than "working" in Hawaii
- Hot Tub Suction units certainly do suck
- "Hickeys" left over from hot tub suction units, don't go away quickly
- My Aunt, for one brief moment, actually thought I had gotten a large tattoo on my back
- I probably won't let her forget that
- Even Boy Scout Silver Beaver Award winners sometimes forget to "Be Prepared"
- My Uncle David is the quietest sleeper I have ever roomed with
- He also goes to bed really early
- My cousin Whitney doesn't like it when I win at cards
- I win at cards a lot...even games I have never played before
- In the game, "President/Scum", I prefer to be President
- The California Highway Patrol is hiring
- No, I didn't get a speeding ticket
- No, I didn't get pulled over
- Having a movie play in your car can be distracting...unless it is a boring movie
- Veggie Tales movies aren't boring
- My Cousin Jamie makes some REALLY delicious cupcakes
- The Easter Bunny found me in Southern Utah and was VERY generous
- Henrieville is still one of my most favorite places on Earth
- Calf Creek Falls is worth the hike
- Cinnamon Granola bars taste better than Peanut Butter ones
- Spanish is a useful language to know
- Russian isn't very useful
- You can run into Russians from Moscow at a gas station in Baker, CA.
- Volkswagen recommends that all cars year 98 and newer should be using synthetic oil
- Synthetic oil is expensive
- My parents are wonderful
- So is the rest of my family
- My sister is dating a pretty cool guy
- My Cousin Esther still looks too young to be a college Grad, a wife and a mother
- My Cousin Ruth needs a 10-Key
- My Aunt Sandy dresses very hip
- My Aunt Marilyn puts her grandchildren's sun protection above her own
- My Brother-in-Law Erik still amazes me with his knowledge and selection of music
- The common denominator of all my failed relationships is me
- Communication is vital
- So is Honesty
- There are some amazing young women in this world
- No matter how many times I read it, the Book of Mormon still has something to offer
- Wal-Mart brand socks make your feet stink
- So does hiking 6 miles
- Water baseball and basketball are fun
- Speedo Home Runs are hilarious
- My Aunt Carol is a Saint
- So are all my aunts
- When it comes to Girl Scout Cookies, there is one very distinct favorite
- Peanut Butter Sandwich is not that favorite
- Diet Dr. Pepper Cherry Chocolate isn't very good
- Jackson Hole Huckleberry Soda is
- Sometimes waiters forget your drinks
- But they still make a killer salsa
- There are two sides to EVERY story
- My Grandpa was an interesting character
- My Grandma has earned a Sainthood and a Fast Pass to the Celestial Kingdom
- A little progress in the right direction is a good thing
- Egg Salad Sandwiches from gas stations shouldn't use sweet pickles
- Most girls like chocolate...unless it is used to remind them of their age...even when they are younger than you
- Some people automatically revert to being mean and sarcastic when they see you for the first time in several years
- They are still happy to see you though
- Habanero Hot Sauce is stinking hot
- Even though they are old enough to vote, my roommates still struggle with aim and toilets
- Most people younger than me can play video games better than me
- Over 18 Easter Egg Hunts are fun
- It's important to watch where you step when running on asphalt
- The Church is still true...even in small towns
- I really do have the greatest family (immediate and extended) that anyone could ever hope for
- This includes everyone who married into the family too.

I'm Here

Where are you?

Jean Valjean Said It Best...

One day more...