Too much to do with too much time...

Winter semester FINALLY ended this past Tuesday. I needed a 25% percent or above to pass my biology class. A 30% or above to pass statistics. And a 50% or above to pass organic chemistry. Mission achieved (I think) for all three. So here I sit on a Friday before summer semester begins in my laziest state to date. It feels I have a plethora of things to do with even a greater amount of time to do it in. But when school rolls around again and work gets busy, I'll have realized that I didn't do anything in this time frame. Which is quite frankly fine with me because I do enjoy being lazy every once in a while! It is good for the soul.

My list of things to buy:
A new sleeping bag: check
A new sleeping pad: check
A new hiking pack:
New hiking shoes:

Things to do:
Blog entries: check
Sleep: check
Play Halo 3 with roommate: check
Also Rock Band 2: check
Chocolate pie for breakfast: check
Find apartment in Laramie:
Do something productive:
Clean the house:
Buy biochemistry textbook:
Run outside in the snow:

Overall, I would say I'm in control of life. I have had many cycles the last two semesters but I am pulling things together and it couldn't get much sweeter than this. I have realized that I can't control the circumstances around me, I only have the power to control my own self and my own actions. This power to act and to possess our own moral agency is the greatest power that we, as people acquire from God. This is why we are on Earth, to use this power invested in us for righteous purposes. I am doing my best to make this so.

SEPotM - April 2010

Instead of honoring only one specific person with the SEPotM this month, I have decided to cover more bases. Last month, many of my family members/friends were disappointed that they weren't distinguished with this lifetime achievement award. So...the winner(s) of this month's SEPotM are...

The "Chri-" people: Chris Hardy, Christi Hardy and Crystal Hardy!!! Congratulations guys!

Christofer Michael Hardy:


Chris was the original "Chri-" person in our family. He was born in the lovely state of Utah in March of an undisclosed year (I say this in order to protect his age). He is my favorite oldest brother in the whole wide world! I like Chris because he is fun to make fun of and he always tries to make fun of me, but it never works. Every Christmas I put lights up on his house in Cheyenne, but I don't think I will have to this year because his lights from last Christmas are still up. He is a pinball wizard and I purposely used him in junior high school so I could play his playstation. He also stole my awesome Star Trek garbage can and hasn't returned it. Thanks Chris for providing comedic relief, albeit unintentionally!

Christin Elizabeth Hardy:


Christi was married into our family via my brother Gordon in Jan. 2004 and has introduced us to Smart Cookie, California Pizza Kitchen, Coldstone and Cafe Rio (I'm sure there are more too, but those are the first ones that came to my mind). She also has provided me with my two favorite and cutest nieces, Miranda and Claire! She is a super person to have around and is a whiz when it comes to making desserts! Hope you enjoy this special privilege of being co-Special-Ed person of the Month Christi!

Crystal Rae Hardy:


This picture is one of Crystal, last month's SEPotM Brian and I at a David Archuleta concert. Crystal loves David Archuleta, who happens to resemble Brian. They got married (Crystal with Brian, not with David) in the summer of 2004. Crystal has provided me with my two favorite nephews, Boo and Zac Attack. Good things about Crystal: because of her, I found the love of my life in Ben & Jerry's oatmeal cookie chunk ice cream. Bad things: She roots for all of the wrong sports teams (Broncos!?!? Seriously!?!). My life long pursuit is to convert her to the Detroit Lions. Job well done Crystal and thanks for your relationship advice!

To conclude, I have been told that the only girls I am allowed to marry have to have a "Chri-" in their name. This severely limits my marriage prospects, which may explain why I haven't been able to tie the knot yet. So, if there happens to be some stalker girl who fits into this category, make yourself known so we can get married ASAP! Thank you for your time.

Honorable Mention SEPotM - April 2010: Christina Sanchez (she took us out to eat on my mission), Kristin Stearns (prom date and friend forever), Kristen Finch Monnett (she probably still runs faster than me), Random Krystal (someone my friend wanted to set me up with), Kyrylo Fesenko (He is my favorite Jazz player ever! I love Fes, he is so goofy, big and white! Like me.)

On the Eve of Cleaning Checks...

I was really going to blog about something else, but I just received some material and frankly it was just "2" good "2" pass up. 1st off, I love where I work. We do a valuable work 4 the community. However sometimes I just marvel at some of the people that are brought in 2 work here. Did they even receive an education or did the public school systems just fail them completely? Here are 2 messages that were sent to the WHOLE clinic, admin & all:

Subject: $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
Content: HI MY BIGGES LOSER FRIENDS, I NEED THE MULON, DINERO, MONEY OR WHAT EVER U CALL IT OK. ITS $30 FOR THE HOLE 3 MONTHS OR $10 FOR THE MONTH OF FEBRUARY......

Subject: *PaRTy*
Content: HI every1, dont 4get 2 bring the stuff that u put ur self in the list, 4 2morrow, Lucy B/Day (4?) Party will be @ lunch time 11:45am in the break room

Seriously, did the skill of professional writing just go down the drain? If I were to write an e-mail to the entire clinic, I would make sure it was legible to read and actually contained content that was grammatically correct!

I could have blogged about how I love Lady GaGa

I could have blogged about my softball experiences

I could have blogged about the end of the semester as we know it

Or I could have blogged about my dating life and/or cleaning checks "2morrow"

But instead I chose to blog about this...

Guerrero: A True Warrior

Last Friday, I received a call from Richard Guerrero, an old mission companion that needed some help. Guerrero was living in Chicago but moved to Ecuador (where he was originally from) to be with his fiancee. They had known each other since they were way young and he got connected back with her via phone calls a little bit after his mission ended. Only two months into his return to Ecuador, Guerrero decided to come back to the US to work and save up some more money so he could get married and be able to support his future family. Since he had no more family in the US and his other plan fell through, he called me on short notice to help him get settled. I went and picked him up at the airport this last Sunday. I noticed right off the bat he was already regretting his decision of coming and leaving his girl. He decided quickly that this wasn't the place for him to be and I helped him book a flight back to Ecuador. I just took him to the airport today.

Richard Guerrero and I in Cary, NC on our last p-day:


We also served together for two transfers in Wilson, NC:


Guerrero taught me a lot about friendship during our time together. He is a very loyal guy and I know that he will be a great husband when he gets married. I would like to make it down to Ecuador for the marriage..it would be sweet!

Night before Guerrero's departure:


I just want all my friends and family to know that I will bend over backwards to help anyone out in time of need...as far as my resources will take me. Never hesitate to ask me if you need any type of help.

Is it Winter?

Ugh...are the weather patterns in denial and suddenly reverting back to winter? It sure seems like it! I used to not mind the snow when snowboarding was in full force but now it is just annoying...c'mon Zeus, start giving us some true spring weather! I might just have to bust out an old poem of mine to help move the climate in the right direction:

To say the least, some are quite enamored by the falling white snow
They marvel over the first little flake that drops to the ground
As for me, I succumb to the dream of more temperate places to go
Forever wanting and counting the days ‘till summer-bound
Why oh why does winter have to hit us so hard?
To beings not capable of surviving a harsh wintry storm
Chilly air to the face, thick ice scraped from the car
These are just a few things that make my heart to mourn

Rushing to refuge alarmed through fierce winds of deep chill
Facing whiteouts and stuck when elevating up long steep hills
Who said that fun would make up for such a jittering pest?
Behold this child never knew of such bitter cold I suggest
Below zero and devastating wind was all that this author previously knew
Freezing gusts, to annoy and bother, likely making nose hairs frozen too
My early tradition, the root of which was laid in a frigid barren land
T’was where I was raised, t’was where I learned about Mr. Winter Man
However to continue in this abyss would be a thought insane
Never to return ever again, unless a warm paradise it became
In short, I do not despise my hometown not one tad bit
But a giant hefty coat is required for all, of such perfect fit
There is nothing about the people or terrain to truly dislike
Sadly it is just the arctic chill that destroys all that is right

I hope that no one is saddened from this rumbling mess
But I have seen places of weather which was oh so great
A land above all others, a land so widely and richly blessed
Wishing to stay long, but returning was my eventual fate
Now I’m stuck driving in the snow, searching for ways to leave
Hoping that I can soon return to the climate that I love and know
Praying that I can soon see the faces of those so dear to me
Wishing that from this snow I’d leave and to a Carolina beach I’d go

Spooning in the Toilet

This morning, I spooned in the toilet...

In other words, I noticed a shiny object in the furthest depths of the toilet (a spoon) and I wielded the courage of a lion and fished it out...with my hand (which I was smart enough to cover with a plastic bag)

And no, before anyone asks...this is NOT an April fool's day joke, it is a true story!

To preface my early morning spooning activities, about a week ago we decided to do a much needed cleansing of the kitchen. My roommate Jamal (bless his heart) decided to flush a sizable portion of dirty water from a huge bowl down our our toilet. However much to his (and especially mine and Mat's) dismay, there was a hidden spoon in that bowl that happened to be sent down the drain and was irretrievable for the time being. Eventually we all forgot about it. Consequently, this was the very same spoon that magically reappeared today as portrayed in the following picture:


Notice the tip of the spoon emerging from the dark "tunnel" area. Yep I had to reach far!! FWIW, our toilet really isn't this dirty looking. It is a combination of lighting and discoloration. Our bathroom is the guest bathroom and is so fresh and so clean clean!

This is the final product:

If you have any spec of imagination...this will disgust you to a great deal. This spoon was in the plumbing of the toilet for ONE WEEK. Think of all the nasty stuff that has passed through that spoon!

After taking it out of the toilet, I hand-washed it and returned it back to the silverware drawer. Maybe Jamal, John or Mat will use it today...