A Talk, Lunch, Friends and Family.

Today was the day I gave my talk in church for my farewell. I took me about 2 days to prepare the talk because I went to Bear Lake, which I will talk about later, so I had a very short time to finalize it. But in the end it came out beautifully! I got a lot of praise for my talk and A lot of friends came and several guessed who I was surprised to see, but none the less I was happy to see them. After making my rounds at the church I went to the lunch were delicious food was served provided by my parents and other family members. One of my good friends commented on how good I was at "working the room." I talked to ever single person there played with my cousins, talked to really good friends, and really was just a social butterfly. Many people noted that "walk and talk with a lot of confidence." As flattered as I was, I always remember that I may have to much at times. Over all my farewell was a complete success! I couldn't have been happier.

As I noted earlier I have been to Bear Lake this weekend. I went up early Friday and came back late in the afternoon on Saturday. I went with my singles ward and had nothing short of a good time. The first thing I did when I got there was play golf. I had forgotten my set so I borrowed a friends. on the 7th hole when I went to drive the ball, I hit it BEAUTIFULLY! I mean spot on, however along with the ball went to the head of the golf club as well. My friend Tyler (cool name right) couldn't believe i broke his new club. I felt so bad about it I bought him a new one when we got back into Salt Lake City. Even though I broke his club he wasn't mad. He quickly responded "ya know what? it doesn't matter because im on vacation." That there was the theme for my trip. I woke up early morning Saturday for breakfast and Immediately headed to the lake. I was on the water for 3 or 4 hours before we got rained out. But It was so much fun! I tried knee boarding for the first time and I was a natural. Got up the first time and every thing. After that wake boarding, wake surfing, and tubing of course. When I got tired of water stuff I went to the beach to play volleyball and flirt with women.

I have had such an amazing year so far. I know that the good times with family and friends will obviously be put on hold for a couple of year, but I knew that and I still have a great desire to go serve my mission. Thank you all for your support, friendship, the laughs, the smiles, and the memories. I will take them all with me when I leave July 25th. It has been an honor and a privilege to have gotten to know so many amazing people.

Just Something New

So first off if you haven't noticed I changed my Blogspot Title from "The Experience We Call Life" to "On a Wing and a Prayer" and I did that just because I was bored and I think it sounds better.


Swim lessons have started at my work and I'm teaching this session, although I had not planned on it.
What I mean by that is I was some how convinced to do them. I was at work one day and needed to talk to my boss Colin ( coolest guy i know) about something that was completely unrelated to swim lessons and I left his office teaching morning swim lessons. As soon as I walked out I went "Wait....what the heck just happened?" That man im convinced has a silver tongue or something, because I was very adamant i was not going to teach, but apparently no man or women is immuned to his charm.


Also for the past two Sundays after I am done with church, I have been hanging with a group of friends down at Liberty Park and playing Volleyball and Ultimate Frisbee. I don't generally play Volleyball or Ultimate Frisbee, but I have learned something new about myself....I am all about Ultimate Frisbee! It has been ridiculously fun and the company is great!  If you want to join the group we have going on please just let me know! we can always use more people.

This sunday I also had a really good friend from high school get back from his mission in London. I haven't seen him in two years and I was really overjoyed. He gave one of the better talks I have heard in church in a long time. I was able to talk to him before sacrament meeting and asked about his mission, mostly the general stuff, but I had a question that I didn't ask. that question was have things changed drastically? My biggest fear is while I am on my mission that all the good friends I have made, the bonds I have forged, the people how have touched my heart, will simply just become people that once knew. Later that night I received a text from someone I haven't talked to in while, so long in fact that she heard through a mutual friend that I was leaving on a mission. She obviously had a lot of questions about my mission and what not. Then she asked if I was scared about leaving? I told her that I wasn't scared about leaving but more so of my concern as I stated earlier. What she said really hit home for me. She said "It seems like when you leave and come back most things are the same when you return. Things always change, but always for the better." I needed to hear those words. Yes I am still nervous, but I know things will work out one way or another.


Here is some of the cool stuff I got for my mission so far.

This is a Crome backpack. this is seriously the backpack I have ever had.

O and did I mention that it is completely water proof?












Here I have a book called the message, my passport, wallet, journal, scriptures, and other such documentation that I will surely need.

Counting Down

Let me start off saying life at the moment is amazing. I have been really lucky to have made so many friends these last few months and I am so glad I have met them. But I am also sad because I am leaving very soon.

My friends have been completely supportive of my decision to go and I am so grateful for that, But not a lot of them are LDS and I don't think they completely relate to the magnitude of this for me. I am severely stressed but I don't really have any one to talk to about this kind of stuff because as I said before most of my friends are  LDS or have served missions and don't completely understand why I am leaving in the first place.

Preparing for this mission has been stressing me out. a perfect example of how it has affected me, It is 1:30 am and I can't seem to sleep. But it has been like this for a while (about 5 days now). As the clock is ticking away I am starting to realize more and more that I will be leaving in 8 weeks. I am not just nervous or anxious, but...well I hate to admit it but im scared. I am afraid that I will get in over my head, that I wont be do a good job, that I will fail. I am not a quitter nor have I ever been, but I am afraid that if I go and find out this is more then I can bare I would still not come home even if I hated my mission, because I see thing till the end. Maybe I am making a bigger deal of this then it really is, but this Mission has all but consumed me.

Bucket List

Ok I never actually sat down and made a list of things I want to do before I die. I have things i do want to do however so I think its long over due =) I am sure there will be more things to this list later on but for now 50 should do it.

1. Back pack Europe

2. Scuba Dive off the Great Barrier Reef

3. Visit The Vatican ( i love history and especially Roman History )

4. Drive Cost to Cost in a car

5. Participate in a Zombie Chase Marathon

6. Own one of these

7. Meet the creators of South Park

8. Go see the Broadway Musical "The Book of Mormon"

9. Go back to New York City and Go the 9/11 Memorial

10. Get into the Playboy Mansion

11. Drive on the Autobahn

12. Sail on the Mediterranean sea

13. Go surfing off the coast of South Africa

14. Go to live showing of the Colbert Report

15. Meet Stan Lee

16. Get Robert Downey Jr. Autograph

17. Have my portrait painted

18. Grow a beard

19. Learn to ballroom dance

20. see a full Solar Eclipse

21. spend Christmas on a beach

22. Go up in a hot air balloon

23. go into a crowded Elevator and say "I imagine you are all wondering why i gathered you here."

24. Get a shirt that says "life" and hand out lemons.

25. Learn a foreign language

26.  make a float for a parade

27. Travel to Japan

28. Create a website (about what is yet to be determined)

29. Travel to Brazil

30. Get in the car and get completely lost

31. Get Married in a LDS Temple (but one out of the country like Spain, England, or Italy)

32. Go to and auction and bid on something (and of course win)

33. Volunteer at a Brest Cancer Awareness Marathon

34. Raise a Puppy that is less then one month old

35. Go to an actual Mardi Gras party in Atlanta

36. Go to a night club in New York, Los Angeles, Los Vegas, and Mimi

37. Go out of cage diving with sharks

38. climb and trek a glacier

39. Go to Hawaiian islands and tour the active Volcanos

40. Plant a garden and prepare my own meal

41. Attend an Opera

42. Attend the Olympics

43. Run with the bulls in Spain

44. Sky dive

45. Ride a horse again

46. Live off the land for 1 week

47. Write a book

48. Go to Alaska

49. Learn how do ride a Motor Cycle

50. Plant a tree.

It Only Gets Better!

Ok so it has been a while since I have blogged. Well lets get started by telling how I rocked my finals! I did a lot better then I expected. I got all A's with the exception of one B grade. But I still think I did really well for myself.

Now that school is all over for the next couple of years I have just been concentrating on my final days before I leave for my mission. I have been going out with many friends and dates.
One such evening in particular I want to talk about happened just this weekend. It started out at one of my favorite restaurants called "Robintinoes". After having some interesting, funny, and honest conversations we walked across the street to "Nielsens Frozen Custard" and had some amazing concreate shakes. After that we went back to her house and waited to go see "The Avengers" but before that I was convinced to do the "Napoleon Dynamite" dance which I  have not done in years! But I have to say it was pretty fun =)
After hang out there for a while, we went to The Avengers and the movie was nothing short but amazing. I am kind of a comic book nerd and find that kind of stuff really interesting and cool. That movie was one of the best movies I have seen in a long time. It made more money its opening week then any other movie in history. I normally don't brag about how my dates go but that was quite literally a PERFECT night. I am just really glad to have met so many amazing and awesome people before I leave for my mission. I can only imagine it gets better from here on out =)

But now lets do an update on the Fish Tank!!!!!

                                                      this is a sponge. I call it spongebob =)

                             this is a Tuxedo Urchin, he wears shells and other things on him he finds in the tank.

Some More Details

Ok so like I said on my last update I am going on a mission, but iv been getting a number of questions and think Ill answer some of them here for every one to see.

I am going to Minnesota, Minneapolis. I will be leaving July 25th But I will have my farewell July 15th (so mark your calendars) I will be sending out an Invite via facebook some time in the near future.

One question I have been asked "am i still going to school." the answer is yes. I am and its very....challenging going to school and trying to prepare to go on my mission. Another question I've been asked is "did i get the EKG Tech job?" The answer is also yes. I could have had the job but i turned it down because I knew I was leaving in the near future (Horrible timing).

Once I find out were my mission home is in Minnesota I will post the address here and on facebook. If any one has any questions please don't be shy to ask =)

My Big Surprise

I have for some time now have had a big secret I'v been keeping. I am leaving to go to Minnesota, Minneapolis for 2 years for my LDS Mission.

I have known that I was leaving and were I was going for a long time but kept it close to the vest because...well I don't do very well with goodbyes. I am very anxious and excited about my mission but I also am leaving behind a lot of friends I have made, possible relations and many other opportunities which makes me sad. Although I am saddened, I am even more so excited to "get out of my four walls". I will be leaving for the provo MTC July 25th, 2012. My Mission is very large and actually extends into Canada so im waiting on my passport. It should be arriving in about 2 more weeks (fingers crossed).

 I will be updating more about my mission and if you have any questions your more then welcome to ask.

Just for fun

So this is what I have been dealing with as of late...

School is kicking my butt right now. I just have a lot to do in a short amount of time. O and my first math test of the year I bombed way bad. im talking like 68%. I luckily will be able to do extra credit to get but the remaining 32% I missed. I was just really shocked i got such a bad grade considering i studied like crazy. But Ill just have to do better next time.

Besides school my social life is been all right. I am just going out with women, friends, ext. I really do like my life but i keep feeling as if I am missing something in my life. I cant really figure what it is but its been making me feel really...well empty. Its a hard thing to try to explain but I hope to find what im missing soon. I don't like feeling like this.

And there is no need additions as far as fish or coral go to the tank as of right now.

Tonight I went to see a my best friend (iv known him for 10 years). His name is Devin Quinn and we as people are polar opposites. I mean you would think such two extreme different people would hate each other let alone be friends but he seriously is like one of my favorite people on earth. We just spent the day chillin and hot tubbing in his kick ass apartment! We just talked about life and really deep things. Not what i planned on doing today but it was nice. Had a lot of things to get off my chest.


BEFORE I FORGET!!!!! You should keep reading this blog when I have posted links on Facebook and Twitter. In a couple of months im going to have a little....surprise in the next up coming month.

insert clever title here

Picture unrelated.

Well its been a while since iv done one of these. But I have been dealing with a lot of things including but not limited to school, work, social life, women, fish tank, ext. and one other thing that will surely surprise many people in the next few months =)

So to start off I really like this semester because I have little to distract me and I feel like I'm really making great strides in my education. I would however like this semester to be done with because I'm tired of doing math. Its not that I hate it, I'm just tired of it.

along with doing well in school i am also doing well in other aspects of life. I'v ben putting myself out there when it comes to women and there have been some successes and some failures. I also have been taking a very deep inner look at myself and found things that I'm strong in and other things I'm weak in. Like I use to have a poor self image. I thought I looked very unattractive and unfit, but instead of sitting there and sulking I did something about it. Iv been going to the gym a lot and have been running, swimming, lifting weights the whole nine yards. I have been find out who and what I really am. Even if you have made mistakes and you constantly look at what you have done wrong, remember it is those mistakes that make you into the person you are now. It is said that strongest steel is forged in the hottest of fires. Don't look at what you were but what you are now and what you can be. Dont let your mistakes hinder you instead use them to be better.


In addition to working out more I have also been much better about my diet. I have cut out a big chunk of processed sugars and calories. I am eating more fruit and less sweets. Drinking more water and less soda. I have been feeling really good because of doing that...well not until recently.

On Thursday I woke up with a horrible head ache and I was very confused were I was and I was complaining of my back and neck hurting. Well I went to the doctor and He told me i need to go to the E.R. because I my have Meningitis (which is a infection in the spinal cord that can kill you if left untreated) So I went to the E.R. at saint marks and they preformed a plethora of test the last one being a spinal tap...... For those who don't know what that is they take a fluid that is around your spinal cord. and how they do this is by getting a needle about 3 1/2 inches long and go in-between your disk in your back to suck some out...if this sounds really painful guess what it is! for those who know me really well you know I'm terrified of needles, and this particular test was my biggest fear. so ya for the past several days iv been feeling very not myself.  O and no Meningitis was found. WOOT!

But since iv been unable to leave my house I have developed a few dirty secrets...I really am starting to like "how i met your mother", "30 rock", and even starting to like "the big bang theory". I know I shouldn't but being cooped up for two days has given me a lot of time on my hands.


OK so here is a few pictures of my Fish tank as its been developing slowly. we have a few new additions to it that have very interesting personalities. (that is if you haven't been fallowing my facebook)

 Above are Lux and his new friend Felix. These names are Latin so if your wondering why they are weird names that's why.

This is by far my favorite fish. Its a fire fish goby. I love how it goes from white to bright red/orange. I am kind of torn between the name. Its either going to be Tessa and Kara.

This guys name is Axel, he is an Emerald Crab. He has quite the attitude and pinched me when I picked him out of the bag. But over all kind of a cool little dude.

But ya that has been the past week for me. its been really interesting and not at all what I planned on doing but I take it as it comes. 

No More

Ok first off I need to say sorry for not posting any thing for a while. I can not even begin to explain how busy iv been with work,  friends, family, and now this fish tank.
First I want to talk about my adventures on new years eve. I went with a good friend, who is a bit of an odd ball, to a new years party that was hosted by lovely girl I went to high school with. When going to this party with my friend it didn't occur to me that he has social anxiety disorder so I figured he would get a little drunk and maybe have a good time....but there was no alcohol. I felt so bad fir him. If he could im pretty sure he would have crawled right out of his skin. But threw out the party I worked the room and talked to old faces and new ones. Over all I had fun...but not my friend lol.


So after new years I finally got my damn tank in my room and as of today its running and fully operational.

I have been hanging out with a lot of friends lately too. I have been hiking and had so much fun, but kinda hurt my ankel. 

Iv also have been doing many other things with friends, But even if I was with good company ( and don't read this if you don't want to get bummed out ) I still felt lonely. For the past month or so iv felt like that. Even if I was surrounded by people I like I felt isolated. You see I have a many weaknesses but my greatest weakness of all is loneliness. It is the one feeling that just crushes my spirit and will. But I had no idea why I felt like that, and after reflecting I realized I was ashamed of who I once was and couldn't get over it. I was so caught up in the past I couldn't see what was happening now. It took an amazing women ( who I need to thank tomorrow ) to make me realize that I am so much better then I use to be. I am not even a shadow of my former self. And since I had this realization I no longer feel alone.
So this blog post is a special one. Because there are people who have brought me back from despair, misery, and loneliness. And I  dedicate it to those very special people.

BEST present i could ever receive

Well Christmas was just yesterday and let me tell you, this was one for the books! First of my mom came down stairs at ( no joke) 3:30 A.M.

Don't i look so pretty at 3:30 in the morning?...NOT!

But I still loved seeing my sister, parents and my dog open there gifts. I got my sister a very nice jewelry box, my mother a perse and season tickets to the Deseret Star and she loved those tickets. I got my dad his favorite colone and workout shirts.

My parents got me an AMAZING!!!! chess set ( I am a skilled chess player for those who didn't know) I know they got it from "Pier 1" and I know they spent over 100$ for it. I felt kinda bad...but it looks so cool!

The pieces of the chess set look like ancient Chines warriors ( I know thats not P.C. but what ever)
I am so excited to play my first game on it!

I also got a few other cool things on christmas like and i-Touch

A new book (suppose to be really good)

An awesome leather jacket, but I don't know if i look good in it.

and the best thing I have gotten this year......

Money towards a fish tank! Yap my dad finely is going to let me have a fish tank. I already know what tank I am going to buy with the money that was given to me. When I finely have it set up ill take pictures and make a post a new blog about it.

But my favorite part about christmas is still seeing my family and seeing them open my gifts I got them. I love seeing my grandparents and cousins and playing with the young kids, one of there favorite things to do is trying to pin me in a wrestling match. This year has had some good highs and some bad lows. But all in all I was so happy this Christmas I hope the next year will be even better =)

Just A Reminder

Well today is December 21, 2011. And a Year from now will be the Mayan Calendar ending. This has some people riled up and thinking the world will end. Well I don't know about that but I do know that it has made me think about some things and people I should make amends with. If you have wronged some one weather they were and acquaintance or a past lover that you have wronged or if they think you wronged them you should try to make things right between you and them. Because some times people wrong us and we think less of them. And even if they have done some good to us, it is over shadowed by all they wrong they ever did to us. Don't become a regret of some ones past. Take the time to make things right. Admit your fault and move on. Because there is not greater harm to ones self then being a regret to some one else.

Recommendations

Its been a few days since I have blogged but I have a few fun things to tell you.

First off I went to go see Sherlock Holmes: A Game Of Shadows. The movie was absolutely amazing!!!!!!!! I will go see it again because I love the acting in the movie and the plot itself. If you didn't see the first one its ok, the second movie doesn't really play into the first. But I highly recommend it seeing both because they are amazing movies!

But before I went to the movie I went to a place called "happy Sumo". I went to eat with friends (Annie, Ian, and Sean) and They have the best food I have every had in downtown Salt Lake. They have ribs that have a chocolate ginger BBQ sauce on them and they are to die for. And if you drink they also have many recommended drinks unique to them. 

I might have to take pictures next time of the amazing food and drinks. But until next time I hope you all have a h=Happy Christmas, and a Merry New Year

Amicus-Friend

So today was a pretty nice day =) I got my dad, sister, and some other friends gifts for xmas. I love shopping for gifts and wrapping them. I don't know why but I really enjoy it, but it be about the surprise some one will get when they open it.

I also hung out with my good friend sean, he is a nice guy and about 100 times more nerdy then I am. I love like a brother though. We went to this cool park behind Holliday lions. We were going to scare any joggers with this mask I have

But thinking about it I realized that might not be so funny to the joggers and causes problems.

After are adventure in that place we went to wheeler farm and walked around there and just talked about...well every thing. we don't just talk nerd we talk about life, love, religion, ext. Not meny people are as good of friends to me as he is.

I am very lucky to have people like him and my other friends in my life.

DONE!!!

I want to point out how cool this picture is! No it hold no relevant meaning to me or life...it just looks cool or as some one put it as "shweet" haha but that person is pretty cool =)

Well first and formost I am done with school!!!!!!! (for the semester) I am so happy about that. I did pretty good on all my finals so good grade are sure to await. But now that finals are done what will i do with all my free time? Try to get dates (which I am a little rusty at when it comes to meeting women) and hang with friends. Yap thats the story of my life right now.

But kind of crazy things have i done since my first day of school being done! I went to the gym...and thats it lol. Watch out world Tyler Averett has some crazy adventures hahaha not! But seriously The gym was a wonderful time today.

Also I have basically cut my soda intake by half and I actually feel a lot better. even if the smog is causing me to get head aches is still feel pretty good =)

Life = Awesomeness!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So I have basically have had an amazing week! Even tho it was filled to the brim with homework and studying, I still had few good things happen which just made me week.

First and formost I got a very cute girls number from class and later I find out she's from Vancouver Canada! How awesome is that? Second I have been hanging out with good friends, I mean you can never go wrong with that, And third I watched an amazing movie this week called "The Boondocks Saints".

This movies plot is just amazing and has some of the most amazing lines ever. The movie itself is religiously themed because well the characters kill the wicked and corrupt but they do it for God. I highly recommend it but be warned there is a lot of cussing..I mean A LOT! and only part of brief nudity. But over all an amazing movie.

O and before I forget I want to take the time and give my best wishes to my Friend Elder: William Anderson Who will be going on an LDS Mission to Russia. I know he will do great things there and all of his friends and family are proud of him.

The Unexpected and Unpredictable.

Just the other day I had something happen to me that was something I did not plan for. You see closure is something that is desired but not always attainable. I once desired that so much but didn't get it. But in a twist of ironic fate when I no longer cared to get closure I ended up getting it any way.

So upon thinking about it, I realized that I did good in that relationship. I have no regrets and I would do it all over again. They were the 3 best years of my life, and even tho they are done I hope I will have more great experiences in My life and im sure they are not to far off. Because every one deserves happiness and peace of mind.

But a little good news =)
I am looking forward to laser tagging tonight with a wonderful group of friends and hopefully a certain person as well (my friends are trying to hook me up with some one). I have a good life and I should be happy for it.

Thank you for those good memories, and im sorry for the bad ones.

Finding New Happiness

Ya know at the end of the day, does it really matter if I am mad, sad, jealous, or what ever. I mean why do I care this much? I know its done and over with and even if I left over feeling it doesn't matter. I just need to care about my owen well being. Iv gone through such extremes of anxiety and depression its caused me to loose weight and sleep. I mean my parents have thought about me going to see a psychiatrist to get help so i can regulate my stress. But I honestly am starting to just not care about it any more. sure ill probably still feel weird but it really doesn't matter. I should just try to find a few dates (once I have a social life again) and just be the best I can be. Because in the end does it really matter if I have left over feeling?  Sure i held some importance once but now i need to find some one who will find me to be importante. Sure i had a nice 3 year run but its over and done with. Now i just need to try to find my own happiness, because all I am doing is making myself depressed.

Remember to Forget

as the days are passing It is sad to see that my memories of her are starting to fade. they all are starting to seem like a dream that I can't completely remember. I don't know if this is good or bad. But eventually i won't have to much left but a few good memories a few bad ones and left over feelings of love and longing. 

But even if i have those things I still know that I am strong enough to keep moving. I just have to realize that I am no longer important to that person and they don't want me in there life any more. That person told me "I wish you the best." I replied "I had the best and lost it" Then they said "I wish you better." But I don't think I will be able to do better. I want to so just see and talk and spill my heart out, with a hope that things will work out.

But as much as I would love to have what i had before i know it would be a lie, because i know that they would have just wanted to be with other people, specifically one other person. It hurts to know that you were inadequate and that you weren't enough for some one and thats why you lost the single most important person in you life who you loved unconditionally, But one of the hardest things to get over is how much of what they said to me was a lie? Did they really care for me? What made them fall away form me? What was I lacking? What are their regrets? do they still love me? do they wish they could take it back and how will i know they are telling the truth when i know they already lied to me once before?

Time and just ticks away.

I have been thinking a lot about my potential and my future. I am at my prime and I have so much to live for and I am so happy about that. Every thing happens for a reason even if you don't understand it yet. I am sure there are people who don't believe in fate or god but I do. I know that things can get hard, but with patients and time things will unfold right infront of you and you will know what to do when that happens. I am just happy to have the chance for new experiences and a new life =)