08/04/09 My big mouth.

I just had to go and say it. "Calm after the storm," I said. "Things are quieting down," I said. Why'd I do that? Well... It isn't calm anymore. Today was supposed to be devoted to scouts. Hammer out Cit. in the Nation and get ready for World. But instead I spent part of the day juggling schedules, /while/ trying to do scoutwork. As it turns out, I do more than I thought. Monday was the reseting period so I could leap right back into action. Today was scouts, tomorrow will helping Debi with some ceiling fans and seeing a movie with the Hinds, Miriam, and Debi. This morning I thought it would be getting ready for going camping and visiting David and Teresa, then Sister Pena called and asked if I wanted to help do some yard work, then I found out that Debi emailed me yesterday about the ceiling fans. So, I rescheduled the yard work for next Tuesday, leaving Wednesday open again. After that, on Thursday, I've got to cook a Hawaiian pizza for the Fancy Nancy birthday party for Esther and Debi, as well as get some waffles and foil dinners ready for the camping trip. (The waffles are just because I like waffles...) Then on Friday, we head out for David and Teresa's. Oi... Busy week. Oh yeah, and Sister Shrimp is coming sometime to give me lesson materials so I can give a lesson in sunday school in two weeks. Oh, and I'm meeting with Brother McCord next Wednesday about scouts, so I want to get the Cits and Camping all set before then... Phew...

As for today though...

Today was actually pretty nice. It's sad to say, but I actually enjoy stress. It... motivates me? fascinates me? I dunno. Still, I got everything planned, weeded in the garden, mowed the lawn, picked some camping stuff out of the big camping boxes, filled out almost all of the Cit. in the Nation worksheet, got the requirements done for Cit. in the World done that I couldn't do on the way camping (Six hour car rides are working for me. XD), and even got in another experimental game of risk. Close quarters? I'll just say that the players will be smart enough not to go and attack each other right off the bat.

Oh, and I took my book back to the library. (Note: THE LIBRARY HAS SELF-CHECKOUT!!! IT'S SO AMAZING I FORGOT TO TE- -ahem- Enough with the caps... Anyway, I forgot to tell you. Repeatedly. Sorry 'bout that. It's cool though.)

Games By Email? Sounds neat! I'll have to look into that. ... Sometime? I suppose I could make room... But not yet. I need to wrap up Nation. And I think Mom and Joe want to get tacos or something for dinner... Plus, I need to write to Andrew- And I /really/ need to get those pictures...

Man, I'm pumped. I really shouldn't be, but this'll be pretty crazy. Crazy, stressful, testing of all mental fortitude I've got. (well... maybe not, but still.) This'll be fun... -grins-

So, yeah, I'm happy. Didn't get to work on the dining room project, but that was optional. I think I'll be able to get the essentials done, which is all that really matters.

Oh yeah, I gave the lesson in Family Home Evening last night. We're trying to get beyond just reading the Ensign and talking, so we're seeing how that goes. Ask Mom or Joe if you want to know how it went. All things I do seem like both triumphs and failures to me. At the same time, too. Funny how that works, but it keeps my spirits up.

I believe I'll have to leave it at this. My battlefield awaits! (By the way, I am not referring to Risk, although I would very much like to...) Ja mata!

07/03/09 RISK

So, ever since the game table in the family room was cleared off, I've been thinking about how it's a pretty good place for playing RISK. It's out of the way, we wouldn't need to use it regularly, so the game can be left out even when it's not being played, and the game fits fairly well on it. RISK is good. Takes forever though, which is why I'm thinking this area could come in handy.

I was excited about it, so yesterday, or today if you count this as the day I started writing this, I worked on an experiment to make set up time shorter. Basically, you draw a random territory, put a leader there with ten battalions, and do the same with all the other players, making sure that none of them are adjacent to each other. With the other 60 territories (for lord of the rings risk, that is), you put two neutral battalions that just defend. The test went fairly well, although the players started off pretty far apart from each other. I need to try a game where they're closer together, to get an idea if it would still work. Also, I found some nice places to put battalions. (The plastic bags are getting old, and I really don't like the idea of having all of the different pieces in the same pile.) A little set of drawers that go to a... tool thing? I don't know, I've been using it for ages, but never to hold tools or things like that. Anyway, the drawers are divided into three parts, which is just perfect for separating each teams' battalions. Much more convenient than the plastic bags.

Anyway, though. That's a work in progress.

I need to go to the library today, or tomorrow counting from when I started writing this. Maybe I should talk about that. Well, I was going to post yesterday, but while I was writing, mom came home from work. I said hi, she said that there was a letter from Andrew in the mail, so I spent a little while looking at that. Anyway, she needed to use the computer, and after that I was mostly working on dinner, so I didn't get back on the computer until now. That being said...

I'm running low on things to say. I've been working a lot in the garden. Yay! The weeds are still coming up, but the roots are easier to pull out now, so we might see some improvement later. And I really like our soil. It's starting to look nice. I should mow the lawn today, too.

Other that that, I really don't know if there's much else to say. Life is good. Andrew sent pictures, which we have to figure out how to put up with this crazy computer. They're really cool though. He took a couple pictures of the racetrack, and there's a picture from Kevin's baptism, and a bunch of other stuff. -nods-

I have to get around to writing. To Andrew, for scouts, all that rot. We'll see about that today, but it might be a little disappointing.

Well, I'm off. I might post later today, but there are things to do first. Without further adieu, I'll be on my way.

07/31/09 The calm after the storm...

So, since Monday and Tuesday, life's slowed down a bit. On Wednesday, I didn't do much. Read a book, did a /little/ scout work. Went to young mens, which was helping the Parkers move. It turns out that we weren't much needed then. So, we're going back tonight. Anyway, Thursday was so-so. I went out to attack some weeds which were trying to grow back, played a demo version of computer Risk and beat it within the ten round limit. That was fun. I started around Asia. XD Tuffy went home Thursday evening. All being said, the past few days have inched by with little to mention.

Today, though, I'm starting filling out the worksheets for the two cits. Some studying, some planning. Basic awesome stuff. I also mean to work on the computer corner project, mow the lawn, and kill some more weeds. Probably some household cleaning and dish washing. too. We'll see how all that goes. I was meaning to get pictures and sketches up sometime, but photobucket doesn't seem to want to cooperate and the pictures are still on the camera.

After all the excitement, I feel sort of let down. Today might be cool though. Maybe the lull was just because I was reading a book and I had sunburns... Could be. But anyway, I've got work to do, so I'll best be off. See ya!

07/28/09 Our dining room is cool...

So, today was devoted mostly to cleaning house. That being said, I found a most enlightening discovery. In a prior post, I had mentioned moving– say... what are those things? Not dressers... Not really cabinets, either... Anyway, I moved them into the dining room. Little did I know that there was a space between them that fit the table /perfectly/. So, when we want more space, we can move the table back to the wall, or even fold it up, depending on what we want. A very happy discovery. -nods- I took pictures. Mostly for Andrew, but they might make their way here, too. Now I just need to get them on the computer. (That's a tricky thing now-days.) So, today was nice. I'm not really sure how ready the house is for company, but it's much nicer than it's been in years, so I do believe I'll enjoy a moment of contentedness.

As for yesterday's post, I've decided that it's probably what a typical blog post from me looks like, anyway, so I'm afraid you'll have to decipher it yourself. It's truer this way, yes? I'd like to think of it that way.

Anyhow, I'm very happy to say that I've finally gotten around to organizing my sketches on the computer. More or less. Really, most of them needed some looking after. Fixing old sketches is a bit annoying, but the payout is nice. Now I don't feel as strongly about getting rid of them. Still, a lot of them are beyond help. The best I can do is say they were from my incompetent years. Still in those years, probably, but we're getting there.
And drawing is more for relaxation than for talent, I think. Somehow, drawing sketches takes my mind off things. It's like writing, only the details are more blended together, less reliant on external thought. I still worry about errors, but I can see the whole picture clearer than I can in writing, so I can still feel a measure of pride in it, despite imperfections. The plot is physical thing, rather than in writing, where it is expressed through a compilation of effort. With writing, you're more focussed on the moment, something I feel a great joy in. It let's you explore the deeper portions of a concept, without completely forsaking the big picture.

I suppose they each have their own qualities. And while I know now that I've been rambling, I can't help but feel like they compliment each other. An illustration captures a broad idea well, while a caption can be used to pinpoint certain aspects that may have otherwise gone unnoticed. I know I like reading better. It engulfs me. And yet, between writing and art, I'm not sure which one I prefer for myself. I am in no wise highly skilled in either one, but I still find a simple joy there. The thought of a clever phrase, or a well crafted stroke. Even if, in fact, the outcome leaves the audience in want of something better, the author still has that moment of happiness to look back on.

But anyway... Life is good. The house is improving. I suppose I better go get ready. Not sure what to expect from a visit with the Bishop and Stake President... Yep. So, I'll see you later!

07/27/09 Why are there so many marbles???

So, I sit before you now in my sunburned state, to tell you the tale of the day's activities. I am slightly drowsy, so this may take a while, but in essence, I spent the day ripping out all of the front garden, fighting hoards of weeds, and finally pouring several bags of wood mulch over the barren battlefield. Sunscreen? Used it. Sweat didn't take to it. Still, it was good. Mom doesn't know yet. After I took a very cool shower, I headed for the library and turned in The Goose Girl for Enna Burning. I might write what I thought about it, but that'll be later. I'm tired. Actually, not really tired. More like... bored? That can't be right. Not that there's nothing to do. Just that I don't /want/ to do anything. Lazy? ... Yeah, that's right. I'm lazy. ... That's nice.

I need to take pictures, write to Andrew, and clean the house. Not sure if I'm gonna make it... Very sleepy... I took a picture of my foot before I took a shower. Kinda weird. You can see where my sock was. REALLY clearly. It's like a line... Yeah...
I want to play Risk. Not now, maybe. But sometime. Risk is good.

I wonder if I'll read this later and think it sounds funny. I feel funny... Maybe it's more like stupid. Stupid...

Stupid sun, maybe... I don't like the sun. Not unless it is masked by the great obscuring cloak of overcast. Clouds are so nice. So free... Sometimes I think about being a cloud... Then a breeze came and blew me up. Didn't want to be a cloud after that...

I think I should sleep. But that's a bad idea. I need to do stuff. Maybe I should eat. I haven't eaten since I went out to work on the yard. What'd I eat today? Eggs? Sounds right. Eggs are good. Waffles are good, too. I like waffles. I found out the proportions for just making two waffles. I've had waffles a lot since I found that out.

Tuffy isn't lazy...

I don't think I'm making any sense. That means I'll have to post again. You know, when I'm awake? Not looking forward to that. Well, I'm not dreading it either. What's that mean? I wonder if this is what being drunk is like... Why'd you want this? It feels funny, but you can hear the laughter in your head. You can already tell that people are reading this and thinking it sounds stupid.

Oh yeah, the Bishop and Stake President are coming tomorrow. What'd we do? Should I run now? I don't think I be able to run very well like this... Maybe they just want to visit... That'd be weird. Anyway, I gotta clean. Glad I've been working on the house, though. That makes it easier.

Is this enough? I feel like this is enough. But I'm drunk, so how do I know? Whatever... It's enough. Goodbye, peoples... I'll try to remember to come back when I know what I'm saying...

Wait! The topic... I found a bunch of marbles in the garden. Why? o_O? I don't understand, either...

07/26/09 Too many princess stories...

Well, to start off, I've gotta say that Ruth has got to have the best party-planning instincts I've ever seen. Alice in Wonderland theme, with /lot's/ of work. And you could see it, too. The cake alone was awesome! Definitely the perfect centerpiece for the Mad Hatter tea party. -nods- But yeah, she read the story (Some people aren't familiar with it, so that was really cool. I mean, it's not like the Lion King or Toy Story.), then everyone moved outside to the tea party, played a couple games, and painted the roses red, which, by the way, looked amazing. I mean, it looked just like it did in the movie. Anyway, it was about that time that the cake announced it was time to cut it. Ninety+ heat= Lethal. Even to awesome cakes. After the cake, Esther opened presents, and after that, there was some croquet. Then, the grown-ups played. Competitive, although there seemed to be some confusion which wickets the ball was supposed to go through in what order. Figure eight? I think that's what it ended up being. So, that's about when the party ended. Pretty fun! I may have disarranged some things, though. There was a lot going on.

So, after the party, family sat around and talked. I read a little and played with the kids. And somewhere in the mix, one of them, a relative of Tom's, started chasing me around calling me lovely guy. Or lovely boy, or something like that. That was kind of weird. To make a long story short, I spent a good portion of the evening hiding, part of which time in the closet, where I learned something. Never hide in the closet. For one thing, it had to be a hundred degrees in there, plus, other kids keep giving away your presence by opening the door, and thirdly, when the kid finally catches on, there aren't many exit options. Eventually, I went outside and laid down on the play set. That was good for a while. Then the kids came outside to play. Still, it wasn't as bad, then. I mostly kept my distance and juggled. Fun thing, juggling. Croquet balls are good for it. -nods- Hedgehog plush balls... Not so much, but doable. So, after a while, we had dinner, and Mom, Joe and I took our leave to care for the beasts. -looks at the tennis ball Tuffy has left on my lap- That dog never gets tired... Anyway, in general, it was a fairly interesting day. I guess I've got some stuff to write to Andrew about now.

But for now, it's getting to be time for church, so I shall leave my record here. In conclusion, I've decided that I probably won't read my daughters a great condensation of princess stories. We'll stick with The Wizard of Oz, Hansel and Gretel, and all those other classic fairytales. Maybe one or two princess stories so they don't get obsessed as soon as they see one, but mostly The Wizard of Oz. These princess stories are too dangerous. I bid thee all farewell.

07/25/09 Belated...

So, I couldn't get on the computer yesterday, but it was a very successful day, so I don't mind.
Yesterday, Mom and I went to go pick up Tuffy (we're dog sitting this week). After that, I spent most of the day on a three pronged attack on the house. I had cleaned an area in the garage for storage, but I didn't even need to use it. So, after the garage was clear, I would have been able to clean out the closet in the office, with which space I planned to store some memorabilia stuff. So, the pictures and scrapbooks and what all was there was moved out of the family room, leaving a space I would utilize by moving the sewing machine. After cleaning out the area by the sewing machine, I hoped to move the dresser-things (also in the family room) into the dining room. That was the plan, and it worked perfectly. XD To make a long story short, I have all but completely annihilated the mountain that once inhabited the family room. Yay! So, the boxes of pictures and things are gone, the dresser-things have a home, and the sewing machine has been moved to a more beneficial place. The best part is that we now have TONS of open space, both in the dining room and in the family room. I'm very happy. Plus, there's some room in the garage that I didn't get to using. Some future project just got that much easier? ^^ I wonder when I'll get started on that...

But for now, I've just got to hone out some spots in the family room and start in the office.

But that's only part of it!

After cleaning house, I read a bit, then got ready for the Youth Temple Trip.
Doing baptisms for the dead is always a meaningful experience, but really I just love the time you have to reflect. On what you're doing for those on the other side, and on just life in general. I liked it.
On the way home, I was in a car with Brother McCord, Brother Kenealey, Brock, and Anthony. Brock and Anthony are from Brighton Ward. Anyway, for some reason, Brother Kenealey was holding a rubber band out the window on the freeway. Maybe he was going to shoot it? Anyway, it made a funny noise, so he decided to try holding his harmonica out the window. (How cool is that? He had a harmonica. XD) Then, he started playing it by covering part of it with his fingers. Not the most clear, perhaps, but it was pretty cool. XD Good times...

So, all in all, a pretty cool day.

As for today, we'll be going to Esther's Alice in Wonderland Birthday Party (Happy Birthday!), then we might be going to a ward party. Not sure. Anyway, should be very fun. Maybe I'll read, work on scouts, or clean house. They seem to be my top three activities these last few days. Or wasting time on the computer. That happens, too.

So, without further adieu, I'll get right to that. See ya!