By the Way, I actually wrote the post proceeding this last saturday, but then, for a very good and undisclosed reason (which means I just don't have any interest in telling you why), I didn't post it when I wrote it.  Following saturday was (AMAZINGLY) sunday.  I don't get on the computer on sundays, and after sunday was monday.  Monday I told myself I will get on and post it.  Well monday came and went, followed by tuesday, wednsday, thursday, friday, and here we are at saturday again.  So I it turns out I just don't stand a chance of blogging during the week.  From now on I guess I'll plan to post things as soon as I write them, and that, is my long-winded and rambling way of saying - sorry for the two week silence.

Life just keeps coming

Yesterday was my senior meet.  My last home meet for Dimond swimming.  The milestones are beginning to loom soon, very very soon, I won't be freaking out because my friends and family are going on missions, leaving for college, and getting married.  Instead I'll be freaking out because I'm doing those things.  I always have thoughts for home improvement or better scheduling running through my head (though I rarely act on my thoughts).  Lately as I've thought "oh if we did this to the house", or, "if we made this chart",  I have been forced to think at the same time, "Even if I could convince mom to do that I won't be here to see if it works...".  It is very strange as I get older I think back and marvel at how old the priests in the priest quorum were.  How big and strong the seniors on the swim team were.  But now I'm there.  The old guy in the young men's program is me.  The big guy on the swim team is me.  It's extremely strange to think about.  And it's only going to get stranger...

Consider this blog alive

In recent months I have had the opportunity to go back to school.  I am taking a world lit class this year.  Wow. (Let me just get this out of my system) WOW.  That's a little better.  This class is amazing, it is an online class through a school based in Utah, that goes by the name of Williamsburg Academy.  We read in depth - wait let me rephrase that - We were supposed to read, in depth, the Iliad in three weeks.  We are moving on to the Odyssey and the time line for that is one week.  I'm still working on the Iliad, not even halfway through, and I have already learned more than I can believe.  I can't even verbalize the inspiration and learning, growing and stretching, that my Teacher, Dr. Andy Groft, brings into his classroom.  My life is suddenly EXPLODING.  I am motivated in everything that I am a part of and it is extremely invigorating (not to mention overwhelming), I'm loving it. That is just a small, and all to inadequate, update about what is happening in my life right now.  But I have no more time, I must sleep I just wanted to say that, due to my burst of incredible motivation (see above), I am resurrecting this blog.  That will be all, Good night to you.

I'm still here

I haven't posted anything in forever. So here I am posting something just to let you know I'm alive, but not thinking. I'm not thinking much currently because of too much work and lacking wisdom teeth, yep they are gone. I promise I'll post something intelligent soon though.

Got a job at Skyline Electric doing manual labor and odd jobs. My brother worked there for about a month sometime last fall doing the same thing and they called asking for him. My Mom talked to them told them he was gone, but would they be interested in hiring his brother? They said they would, so I called them back asking for details and they hired me on the spot. Yay for connections! The position is temporary. I'm guessing they'll need me for about a month, if past patterns hold true...

Honesty

I was recently playing a game called Mafia with several of my friends.

A brief explanation of Mafia for those who don't know the game:
In Mafia a card is dealt out to each player (minimum of 7 players needed) and depending on which card you get you are either a mafia member, a policeman, or a townsman. The game is begun with an open debate. Players debate on who they think the mafia are, and then end the debate by taking a vote. One person is "executed" by majority vote, and becomes the spokesman who runs the game. Every night the mafia kill one person, and the spokesman reveals the identity of one person to the police. Every day another person is executed by majority vote. This continues until all the mafia are dead, or, only mafia are left alive.

So, me and some of my friends are playing mafia. In the particular game of which I wish to speak, I was one of the mafia. Fairly early in the game my partner is found out and executed, while I am suspected deeply by several key players. But when it comes down to end I manage to convince those of my friends still in the game, that I am innocent, not mafia, they execute the wrong person, and I win. So there I am, I just played the game extremely well, winning despite what was a nearly unsalvageable situation, and I feel, well, just bad. I found something out right there. I found out that night that if I want to be able to tell myself, my friends, and my God, that I am an honest person, I'm going to have to be honest all the time. Even when everyone is expecting me to lie (that is the game after all), I have to be honest. So, I'm not going to be playing Mafia anymore. When you realize the choices are, simply put, winning by deception and betrayal of trust, or losing, the game sort of loses it's appeal.