Jungle Ethics in Urban Planning

excellin'

I've been staring at an excel spreadsheet for more than the hours of a day. The show "24" based on my last day of life would be exceedingly crammed with figures. Not the figures of some ripped male or female FBI agent but that of the 00011111000010101010 variety. Maybe the similarities aren't right away, smash your face in obvious, but at least tonight in my slightly warped mind I am Jack Bauer.

on the way to institute

I love finding grafitti artists like this. I'm not sure if its categorized as gafitti if its done with a brush or maybe it is simply because there was quiet possibly the use of a deceptive element of 3am painting.

The Temper Trap

So there is a great band with like two songs in existence on the interweb and beyond. The song sweet disposition is one of those songs that you listen too over and over never getting tired of but hoping for more soon!

Only a Matter of Time

I got a calling today at church. I'm now the 1st councilor in the Young Men's Presidency and actually feel really good about it. Leaders get paid the big spiritual bucks to know where and how people should serve I guess. I start next week with no clue what to do.

Weird enough my first reaction was to call my old Young Men's President, Brother Potts, from back in the day and see what pointers he'd share with me. Also as I'm writing this I have LDS.org up telling me about my calling.

In the states we would use the scouting program but here it's the Duty to God thing. It seems really churchy, which is fine, I just liked scouting because it was more about skills and wilderness. It's going to be challenging to mingle exciting activities with the status quo of spirituality. I think I can be a good mentor and teach these kids things that they'll like and appreciate. Plus I will kill them at basketball cause they are rugby players. I can spin a basket ball on my finger and it will probably blow their minds. So if there are any of you out there reading this that have had this calling or some good general advice I'd appreciate it. More to come later.

Masters in Work

The future may hold a profitable and enriching career but the present has me paying out the ying yang to plow though books and their endless pages. That sounds like somewhat of a drab introduction for this edition of blogging but really I enjoy the crap out of reading these days. While I was at the University of Utah I had a full-time job on top of a nearly full semester, like many others of my friends have had too. So therefore you know the plight.

I liked to give the young kids with no jobs a hard time for their complaints about the stress and work load. Not to say they aren't working hard but to sa that they are making it that much harder to feel as though people like me would be able to float. Defense mechinizism are great security blankets.

I feel as though my educational career has panned out beautifully and I've attached myself to subject matter that I have become truly passionate about. Now though that I have the fortune of self induced unemployment allowing me to read and learn as much a I want. I find myself reading not just for what might be on the test but reading to increase my understanding, depth, and breadth. Hopefully there comes a time when I can speak as well as my mind works.

P.S. Just like the US bailout bill has grown to over 815 billion through the addition of pet projects and payment for votes, I kind of wish that if I could pay an extra few bucks to get an addition to my masters program so that not only could I be a master of planning but also something like master of damage, or awesomeness.

long time coming

There has been a transition in my life. I have let go of a lot of juvenile beliefs shrouded in uneducated guises and have been able to take a look at a lot of other definitions in my life. There have also been family issues that forced me to take a long hard look at versions of deity and morals wrapped up as package deals. I've learned that answers aren't only given in terms of specifics but that feeling is determinate of my personal beliefs. The better I understand how to feel the more I have grown. This might all sound like bullshit but for me at least there is truth in getting to know yourself and in wading through all the prepackaged hand-me -out answers or push button scenarios.

Moving past childhood, adolescence, puberty, post mission, and my early twenties into some version of maturity is like my eating habits. I eat too much and fast then miss eating what I just ate. My wife says that the people in Spain believe that Americans never taste their food because they have their next bite already on their forks. At least as a metaphor this works well with how I recently find myself slowing down and enjoying the life, love and especially friendships around me. To be able to debate life in an open minded way let a small piece of Christopher, Kelly, Katie, Jeremy, or anybody lately help define me.

By the way I have 3 callings and am loving my Mormondom.

SIDE NOTE:
Limbo...it feels more like overdoses of caffeine, ADD, and stagnation than bending over backwards for a prolonged time period. The decision for the next couple of years is coming and coming soon so right now I'm just trying to be creative on my own.