OK PEOPLE! I am realizing that I have not posted a new blog in...... probably close to a year. Its sad really.

I wanted to just put down a few thoughts rather quickly tonight, and then set a goal to update this blog with new stories, thoughts and ideas.

Because this one will be short I want to rant about two things. Firstly, I am sick and tired of the idiots on campus at BYU-I that have not grown out of the 4th Grade. You have probably had a similar experience as I have, your walking down the sidewalks, and out of no where some idiot person, with skinny jeans, and a bad hair cut comes blazing down the hill riding a damn razor scooter. Pardon the language, but these people could kill someone. UMMM hello.... those things were popular when I was like 10, my little siblings ride them. We used to try to ride them to Junior High school, and they got banned from the halls. You are in college for crying out loud. Really? Your mode of transportation is a razor scooter. Grow the freak up.

Secondly, and this will be even quicker then the first and its two fold. Foundations programs. President Clarke, you are a tool. Foundations is useless, and I don't see the need to have to take 8 credits of science foundations. I don't care. I don't need it, I won't use it, and I hate taking it. It is absolutely pointless, and I could have saved thousands of dollars not staying in school for 5 years to accomplish all the dumb objectives of the Foundations program. Thanks for trying, but go back to Harvard. The second part of this two fold rant, derivatives. Nuff said..... Can't stand them.

That's all for tonight, but stay tuned... there will be some serious stories coming soon!

WEDDING BLISS

Wedding bliss was in the air. We had surfed the morning, and we were now on track to arrive for the guys to get their tuxes and be fitted for everything. Austin met us there a bit late, which unfortunately wasn't the last time something or someone was late during the weekend. We got things done, and drove to the rehearsal. My favorite part of it was that I didn't have to do anything during the rehearsal! We next went to JoTo's, which was one of Austin's favorite places to eat, and we had a great meal. Morning came fast. I couldn't believe that Austin was getting married. Just like that we were in the Orlando temple with two of my favorite people in the whole world. It was so special. I felt bad for the family that couldn't come and couldn't be inside the temple, but I was so proud of Austin and Kenzie for making such a tough choice. The rest of the week was just fun. Bayba and Chris and I just hit the beach, surfed, swam, and played all Monday. I somehow didn't drink enough water, and the sunshine/humidity combo just ate me alive. Tuesday I was sick, I couldn't sleep, I was up all night, I was sick all day, I ached, and had a fever, and couldn't eat, and took pain meds and slept the whole day. By the end of the night things were ok, and I was able to play my last day which was Wednesday. We hit the beach for some waves, but there were none, and so we just swam and laid out on the beach. I couldn't believe that my week in paradise was almost already over. It was a sad fact for me, because it meant that not only was my vacation over, but it also meant I was over half way through the 7 week break that I had off from school. I flew into Salt Lake, and immediatly was in a rental car and on my way to Great Falls MT where Mom and Dad were waiting for me. I had been summoned home for my little sis' baptism and family pictures and things. I was so disappointed. I was going to miss the best concert ever. It was going to be Relient K, Something Corporate, Allred, Deathcab for Cutie, and Dashboard Confessionals in an acoustic show. It was crazy. It seemed like just as soon as I was home in Canada, I was back on the road to Utah taking Jessica to school. We moved her in and made a small vacation out of it. Just like that, my break was over. I waited around in Salt Lake for Austin and Kenzie to return from their honeymoon, and I picked them up from the airport, and just like that, we were on our way, but not without a stop at Moki's with Austin and my's son, Elder Echols. It was great fun, and then the drive was long and ready quiet!

7 Weeks

My thoughts are on a rampage right now. Where to begin? Its been so long since I put thoughts down on paper. I guess we should go back to where I left off.

Last semester ended well. I did better then I expected on a few of my finals, and on the rest I just had a prayer that I would do ok. Things didn't quite work out perfect, I got an A- in my Economics class, and so I lost my wonderful 4.0 GPA, but I learned a lot, and I found a new calling in life. I love Economics. It relates to every part of life, including the gospel. It is one of the greatest things to have a knowledge of, and I feel that pursuing it is a smart life plan. I was one of the last in our apartment to move out, and bloody hell, did people leave a lot of stupid stuff behind. Sadly, I think after 12 hours straight of cleaning I threw out 200 dollars worth of opened food that wouldn't keep over the 7 week summer break. Austin and I finished up the last touches and we were off. We stopped at Cafe Rio, and then headed on our journey to Salt Lake. I had agreed to take my best friend to the airport. It was a joyous, and yet sad event. Austin would no longer be my roommate after this trip. We had our one last night as roommates at a families house in Salt Lake, and after staying up way too late, I dropped him off way to early at the SLC Airport. I drove back to this family's house I was staying at, and they were not home, so I let myself back inside. They came home, and found me, a guest they had only met a few times, sleeping on their couch. I was quick to put my things together and get out while they ran a few errands, and I was on my way for 7 weeks of adventure. I had planned to work during the break. I first intended to work on the farm for the harvest, but things got planted really slow, and harvest was going to be a bit late. Because of plans to go to harvest I purchased my plane ticket to Austin and Kenzie's wedding in Florida from Salt Lake, being as it was the closest major airport, and the closest to Rexburg. When harvest fell through, I still had a ticket for August from Salt Lake, and so I made arrangements to stay with a family I knew and work. I spent the first 3 weeks of my break doing concrete repairs at the new Herriman High School. I worked my butt off, knowing that the job needed to be done, and needed to be done right. It was hot. We spent almost as much time wiping sweat off as we did sweeping up broken concrete. I didn't think that job would ever end. It was honestly the largest concrete palace I had seen. There were more cracks, and shifts, and heaves than I had ever seen, and when we fixed one, someone else broke another. Finally my time to leave Utah had come. I climbed on board my flight to paradise and headed to the wedding. After spending a 6 hour layover in Denver, looking for the conspiracy paintings and trying to stay amused, I jumped on my final plane to Orlando. It was a longer flight, but it worked out well. My good friends and former roommates, Chris Peebles and Andrew Bayba picked me up at the airport. This is where the adventure begins. After we got back to Bayba's house in Cocoa Beach Florida we headed to the beach. I absolutely have to live near the ocean. I love the smell, the breeze, the sound of the waves crashing. It is the most surreal place to be. It was dark, and we had in hand, one tube sock each, a large 5 gallon bucket, and 3 flashlights. We all started up the beach, shining our lights, and trying to avoid sea turtles. I soon learned, as we saw one climbing up the beach, that sea turtles are protected, and shining lights at them can land one in prison. We weren't actually looking for turtles however. We were crab hunting. We would shine the light on them, and then desparately run after them, and try to pin them with our hand covered in a tube sock. We would quickly swoop them into the bucket, and watch as they all tried to gain an advantage against the other crabs in the bucket. We had great success doing this, and we found a half a pail full of crab. We took them home, and cooked them up and ate what we could. The next day was the day of Rehearsal for the wedding. We all got up early, however, and headed to the beach. The surf was up, and we were all going to bust out the boards. I had never surfed before, and hence was a bit nervous stepping onto a board, in open water, water that I couldn't see the bottom of. We kept trying to ride the waves, and after a few long hours of nearly standing, and falling, my chest had taken enough... Not only was my chest hair full of board wax, but I felt as though I had bruised each and every rib in my body, and my chest just ached. We hopped in the car, grabbed showers, and were on the way to Orlando for the weekend that Austin and Kenzie would never forget. My eyes are droopy as I write these words, I will continue my coastal adventure another night. Until then, TO BE CONTINUED!

My Life as a Sitcom

I love drama.... on television that is. Anyone who knows me knows that I love to spend an almost obsessive amount of free time watching all my favorite dramas commercial free online or on my computer. The series just depends on the mood I am in, whether it be Grey's Anatomy, Friday Night Lights, One Tree Hill, The OC, Smallville, 24, Heroes, House, Prison Break, or my latest addiction Private Practice, I watch them, consecutively and relentlessly and find myself living vicariously through their hollywood experiences. Part of this I think comes to clever screen play and writing, and the other part, that they mimic things that happen in everyone's lives and we watch, and search, and hope that these fictitious characters have a solution to the difficult challenges of our lives. It caused me to think, why do I loves these shows so much, and who am I relating too. I think in my thoughts of this I realized a lot more about who I am, who I want to become, and why these characters can speak to me. If you haven't watched any of these shows, I would recommend them to anyone, but only if your going to watch them on DVD with pause, and stop and commercial free.

First, I started watching drama's on TV in my junior year in high school. This memory alone is enjoyable for me because I was with a dear friend whom I haven't seen in years. Juan Pablo Busso, my Argentinian exchange student. He had a love for American Television. One night as we sat talking, we discovered one of his favorite shows was on. Smallville, the WB show depicting the early years of Clark Kent. The show introduces the characters from the popular comic, and shows their relationships intertwine through high school and college. Now I know that this show is completely insane to start with, but I became so interested. I started watching one single episode, which is usually how it happens I guess, and I was hooked. Since the episode was in the middle of the 3rd or 4th season so many questions arose about character development, and history of the little town of Smallville Kansas. I immediately downloaded the first 2 seasons and I have so many memories of my sister, brother, Juan, and myself laying on the ground in our family office, heads under the piano, as we watched episode after episode on the computer screen. Season after season we were caught up to the episodes as they appeared on TV. The love story between Clark and Lana, it captures me. I could related, I had a girl, a crush, a love, someone I would have, at that time, done anything for, and yet it was a secret. Now I am not saying at all that I had super powers like Clark Kent, but I had to keep it a secret, my unprofessed love for this girl, because she didn't see me that way, and never would. Yet every move Clark made gave me hope, and being able to see what Lana wanted, and was searching for, she knew... she loved Clark, and just wanted him to be honest with him. For years (in the show, a mere matter of months in my life) I watched them and their relationship grow, and shrink, and end abruptly, and start again fresh. I longed for the guts and courage to tell the girl in my life all my secrets and propose to her like Clark did as he exposed all his abilities to Lana in the fortress, but wait, that episode was too good to be true, on her way home she was in an accident, and died and Clark rewound time, and got her back, only to not repeat the proposal, and to lose his father in the end. I couldn't let it out, my secret was buried, and would stay that way, forever. Yet I could relate myself to Clark, and to this day, in season 8 with another season approved by the CW (formerly the WB) I continue to watch, and hope, and pray that one day, the love story of Clark and Lana will work out, because if they can do it, perhaps one day I could do it to, but I won't, and it won't, because its simply changing history and you can't rewrite a classic comic book, nor will I rewrite the choices I made in high school.

Wow, that was cool, I am realizing a lot about myself in this little rant. I have again discovered that I have a fear of realizing my true emotions because somehow it never seems to work out. That is one of my character flaws, and when someone can figure out how to figure me out, both that person and I will be very happy together, I have a feeling.

Secondly... My next addiction started my senior year. I remember this one vividly. I was in my room doing homework, (something that never happened in high school, so that speaks of itself to me) and I turned on the TV. Now understand, in my little farm town at that time I only had 3 channels in my room. Peasant vision, as it is called. Two of the three channels had news, and I was not interested in the news at that point. The other channel, at 9:45 PM revealed 2 beautiful girls in swim suits breaking into what appeared to be someone else's backyard pool. I was intrigued for sure, due to the exposure of these two teenage beauties and as I watched, not having any idea what I was watching, I saw one of the girls drive away with a boy, and a few seconds later she was being carried away from a wreckage, and in the arms of her lover, died. I was heartbroken. I had no idea what had just happened, but I realized what show I was watching, and it was one I knew a good friend of mine watched. The OC. We went out for shakes so he could explain where I had just jumped in, turns out that was the season finale of season 3. Within a week I had finished downloading and watching season 1, the next week season 2 was finished, with a near 24 hour marathon. I loved it. Ryan, Marissa, Seth, and Summer. The escapades of those four were real to me. I grew up with 3 best friends in a similar way. The "quad" we called ourselves. 2 boys, 2 girls, and our endless adventures during our adolescence. Ryan loved Marissa, and Seth and Summer had nearly every curveball a relationship could take, and yet Marissa dies. I could relate myself to both Ryan and Seth. Parts of both of their characters was me. I related to Ryan in the fact that I always wanted to save everyone. I have a complex I think, I can't let anyone go without if its within my means. I pay for people who can't pay, and I never let a girl go without. I want to be a rescuer to all that I can touch, and yet I fail, and Ryan failed Marissa, after so many times where he had to save her, he failed, and he watched her die, and their love, die. I can feel that, yet I don't want love to end that way to me. Seth, funny, sarcastic Seth, is just so clueless. I relate to him in the fact that I am a nervous speaker sometimes. I do things, act on an impulse, and can get in trouble because I run my mouth, or I talk under my breath. I loved it, I loved them, the characters, and yet despite their high rolling lifestyle in Southern California, we had differences. But I was addicted. Season 4 ended, early, and it killed me, but I could always remember the first three seasons, and how I felt when Marissa died.

What I learned about myself. I always root for the underdog. Always. I want that underdog to succeed, and excel. Ryan came from the slums and with a little help and a few good friends succeeded. I want to succeed, or help someone else. I always root for the underdog.

I could keep going about every way I discover a new show, and how I relentlessly watch them, episode after episode commercial free, but I will wrap it up with a few more of my favorite characters. I love Derek from Grey's. He is almost always so straight and honest. Almost, because obviously cheating on a spouse is not honest, but he has pure desires, and he is the best at what he does. I love thinking that I can one day become the best. I love Jason Street from Friday Night Lights, a superstar quarterback, who had everything ripped away from him with an injury. Being paralyzed it not something I wish for myself, but I can relate to his strength in having a trial. Being hurt sucks, missing a game you love sucks, and yet he found something else to utilize his talents. I love Dr. House in House MD. He is so smart, and always right. Always. I may never achieve that feat, but I want to be good, great, at whatever I do. I don't want to always be an ass about it like perhaps he is, but I want to the the go to guy. The guy with the solution. I can live up to that. I feel its an admirable aspiration. I love Michael Scoffield from Prison Break. He went to Prison for his brother because of unfailing love and trust in his brother. I do not condone breaking out of prison in any way, but I do value the unwavering trust in his brother. Trust to the point that the last option was to break out, and in the end he died for his brother's freedom. I wish I had a mind like him, a perfect, genius mind, and yet I don't, but perhaps I can have his love, and trust in my family and friends. I would be willing to do a lot of things for them, but when you lose my trust, it takes ALOT to gain it back, and if your not willing to work for it... good luck. I love the broodiness of Lucas Scott, and the struggles of Nathan and Hayley. I love the relationships and follies of Brooke Davis, and I hope that one day I will find my Peyton Sawyer. Lastly, in my newest addiction, Private Practice, I want to say that I relate to all of the characters, but mostly because in all the episodes that I have watched the reoccurring theme is that they are all searching for something more than a physical relationship. I feel that most everyone in life has had those. Purely physical attraction, and while it is important, I am starting to realize more and more that it is not the most essential. I think I am finally at a point where I am searching for something deeper. Something, someone, that will make me a better person as a whole. Not a physical partnership, but a personal, intimate, loving relationship. Something deeper, and so I can relate to the struggle of Addison, Naomi, Sam, Violet, Cooper, and Pete as they search, and experiment, and make mistakes, and find... as they find that other.

Time will tell if they do, but I know with patience and with a little luck things will work out for me. I love these shows. I love how I get into them, and how I feel for them and with them for all their triumphs and sorrows. I love them because they are clever. I love them because they are fun. I love them because they intrigue me, and make me think. They make me feel, they make me search, and I want to find most all of the things they find.

To some this seems insane, but to me its part of my life. I love my sitcom life. I love the character that I am becoming, and I can just see, in a slightly humorous way, God sitting there, watching me, and feeling with me, and loving with me, and hoping for my triumphs in my journey. This is not meant to be sac-religious in any way. I am a son of God, a creation of him. I am his character, and he, the co author of my screenplay called LIFE. As I make choices, good or bad, I know he feels with me. I know he loves me. You may not make this same connection, but hey, this is who I am. The more I realize about myself, the more comfortable I become with who I am.

Top 10

Today Austin and I were at Craigo's and we were talking about how we hate/love certain things. We talked about insecurities, feelings of doubt, the future, friendships, love, and many other things. I was pondering upon it when I decided that I have a lot... A LOT of top 10's. I just wanted to share a few of them.... or put them in concrete terms.

Top 10 Favorite Foods

1. Pizza at Craigo's

2. Ramirez Burritos

3. Apples 2 for 20

4. Chile's Chips and Salsa

5. Texas Road house steak (if I was only allowed to eat one food the rest of my life it would be steak)

6. Mamma S's desserts

7. Mandi Storer'r homemade anything

8. Chris and Austin's Enchilada's

9. My chicken Alfredo

10. Pork Salad from Cafe Rio

Favorite Movies

1. Transformers

2. Transformers 2

3. Iron Man

4. Iron Man 2

5. Remember the Titans

6. Friday Night Lights

7. Moster's Inc.

8. Cars

9. Walk the Line

10. Pirates of the Caribbean

Top 10 Favorite Places

1. Draper Utah

2. Herriman Utah

3. Waterton Lakes Nation Park

4. My Apartment

5. The Gym

6. Outside.... anywhere outside, doing any outside activity

7. Grand Targee

8. California Beaches

9. Temple

10. The Farm

Top 10 Favorite Things to do: (in no particular order)

1. Swimming

2. Soccer

3. Snowboarding

4. Driving Tractors

5. Lifting Weights

6. Eating

7. Watching movies

8. Cuddling

9. Eating... did I say that already.... well eating out then...

10. Random Road trips just for fun!

Top 10 Qualities I think I possess:

1. Honesty

2. Reliability

3. Dependability

4. Loyalty

5. Respect

6. Work Ethic

7. Desire

8. Motivation

9. Lovability

10. Protectiveness

Top 10 Negative Qualities

1. I complain when I don't know what else to do

2. I sometimes just get frustrated and so I clean... clean clean clean.... its annoying

3. I have to pay for girls (its a complex thing... so don't go places with me if you plan on not getting something for the "no money" reason.. because I will force you to let me pay)

4. I try to be too many things to too many people

5. I sometimes cuss (thanks for teaching me those words dad!)

6. I sometimes don't do things until last minute

7. If you tell me I can't do something... it drives me even more to do it...

8. I am Canadian (that can be good and bad, right now its bad... because I can't work in the US)

9. I can be really shy

10. I sometimes listen to bad music!

Top 10 Career Options:

1. Medical Doctor

2. Chiropractor

3. Custom Orthotics and Prosthetics

4. Business Law

5. Patent Law

6. Health Care Administrator

7. Farmer

8. Financial Planner

9. Entrepreneur

10. Teacher (religion, education... whatever)

Top 10 Favorite Bands

1. The Rocket Summer

2. Coldplay

3. Relient K

4. Hawk Nelson

5. Keane

6. My Chemical Romance

7. Billy Talent

8. Rascal Flatts

9. Garth Brooks

10. Eminem? yup.. this week for sure!

Top 10 Clothing Brands

1. Hurley

2. Quicksilver

3. Old Navy

4. Gap

5. Bluenotes

6. Vans

7. Nike

8. Jordan

9. Raymond Comet gear!

10. Burton

Top 10 Qualities I look for in a Girl:

1. Smile - It has to be perfect... if its not, and I can't get lost looking at it... your out... no offense.. its just critical

2. Eyes - same goes with the smile.. you have to be willing to look me in the eyes and just not blink.

3. Personality - do you like sports? outdoors? can you hang with the guys and still get dolled up? are you hard working? can you cook? clean? love? be a good mom? snowboard? swim? run? work out? do you like movies? music? random conversations? random road trips? can you hardly wait for me to get home from work? will you text me messages all day saying you miss me? If not.. sorry... thats important for me!

4. Tall - I am 6'4'' so I need to have someone that I don't have to look down to TOOO much!

5. Athletic - its a must, I love playing sports

6. Loving - I need to have it... not a lot of it.. but I need some loving

7. Independent - as much as I want you to always need me, or want me in your life at all times... you also need to stand on your own. I need to be able to go out with the guys... and or work a late night, or take a golf trip, and you can be on your own.. and be content!

8. Gospel Strength - I want you to be better than me. I know its true, I served 2 years. I need you to make me better... if you can make me better we are good to go.

9. Family Oriented - I came from a big family, I want kids. If your wanting to go small and simple... not my style.

10. Growth - I am searching for constant growth. I don't settle, I never will, so lets keep working, keep stretching, keep growing. There is no growth in your comfort zone and no comfort in your growing zone.

Top 10 Fears

1. Being Alone

2. Being underappreciated

3. Being buried alive

4. Dying by bee sting

5. Afraid of open water

6. Afraid of losing my family early

7. Sharks, I have never seen one, nor do I want to

8. Heights, sometimes.... I love climbing mountains, but I would hate to fall off a cliff or bridge without choosing to jump

9. Being broke - its a huge fear. Growing up with no money was a challenge that we made fun, but I wouldn't ever choose it again.

10. Losing my faith - I hope to never experience this, but I don't want to chance it. I will stay strong.. keep on me!

Top 10 Important things: (random or whatever)

1. Friendships - I depend on them

2. Family - I love them

3. Exercise

4. Service

5. Food/Cooking/Sushi! (yum)

6. Being Outside

7. Love

8. Summer/Sun

9. Chevy Trucks

10. Bigger Chevy Trucks than the next guy!

Hope you like at least a few of the same things as me! I love life, life is great. Music is awesome, sports are a part of me. I love being.... just being is enough. Make the best of it. Make a friend, ask someone out. What do you have to lose? Find something you like, stick with it.. cherish it.. share it.. teach it.. and most importantly LOVE IT!

Name, Identity, Duality?

At the time of my birth, February 6, 1988, smack dab during the opening ceremonies of the Calgary Olympic games, my dearest parents named me, Justin (just so happened to be the most popular name of 1988, trust me, there were 4 in my graduating class of 68) Rex (after my grandfather, Rex Fuller Baker) and Baker, being my father's surname. Their intentions were never to call me Justin, or Rex, but rather JR. Unfortunately, the name never stuck for anyone more than my father, and his mother. Every now and again a cousin, or sometimes my mother calls me by J, or JR but not as it was supposed to be. I dreamed as a kid of having that be my name, I had friends that were JD's and CJ's and JJ's and I wanted to be an initial name. I decided in the 8th grade that I could not ever have that identity until I was on my own, and I would force myself to start introducing myself as what I wanted to be called, but my friends beat me to it. I did try though, looking through my old CD collections I realized that not only did I have an extreme fetish with making a new mix every day, I called them all by the same name. JR Tunes followed by a number. I was not sure what it would become, but one day, when I am rich and famous, I want my industry to be JR (fill in the blank)... But why is naming, and identity so important?

For me it came down to was I was not sure who I wanted to be, until I was assumed to be someone else. Ok, let me explain. I always went by Justin, up until my mission. I was given a new name then, Elder Baker. It was an honor, and a privilege to have that title. During my service I made a friend, and he found out my full birth name. I don't blame him for this, but he stripped me of my title. He started to call me Rex. He, not knowing that that bothered me, stopped for a while, and then it spilled out amongst all the others, and it was too late. They knew that it bothered me, and they also knew that I couldn't do anything about it. I was humiliated to a point, and then I stopped letting it bother me. With some council from a dear friend, and some insight into the word Rex, I realized that Rex in Latin means King. I can deal with people calling me a king. I somehow became roommates with most of these missionaries that assumed me the identity of Rex, and now, half of the campus that knows me, knows me by Rex, because I was introduced by someone else. But, I just couldn't have that... the people that I meet, the ones I want to become my true friends know me as Justin, because that is where I was most comfortable with my life. I introduce myself as Justin, and I have that identity. I want to be him, fun, exciting, musical, athletic, charming, witty, sarcastic, loving Justin. I don't want to be Rex anymore. I could live with JR. Perhaps that page has yet to be turned.

Next semester, nearly everyone who knows me as Rex will be gone... both those who introduce me as Rex, and those who assume me to be him. Perhaps I can change their thinking, and my identity can remain unscathed, but perhaps not. I guess the question comes down to myself. Can I, being myself, have the same identity, despite what I am called? Or will there always be a duality that exists? I guess only time will tell.

1,3,4 ,5

I know it seems like I can't count from the title, but I promise, the events of the 2nd are not nearly as important as the events of the 1,3,4 or 5. I can't even begin to explain how much I miss going home for July 1. Anyone who does not understand this, can ask any American who is living abroad how it feels for them to not be in the US on July 4. It is a very big deal for my town, especially because not only is it Canada's birthday, it is also Raymond's birthday as well. I missed it, 3 years in a row now, and I just wanted to go home, not be in class, and taking tests all weekend. Some professors have no mercy over long weekends. We almost got my D&C teacher to drop our quiz for the Canadians in our class, but we ended up still taking it, which I aced so it was no big deal, but then a miracle happened. For the first time ever in economics Chris and I did well! We played jeopardy for test prep. and we never answer, and the one time we did in previous games we went into the negatives. We, however, this time got 700 points, and no one else was even close. We won jeopardy by a landslide, and got bonus credit for our exam. It was a beautiful thing. I studied all afternoon for that test, and ended up doing pretty well. Psychology on Friday however.. was not as good. I studied all morning as well, but no matter how much studying I did, I can blame my knee for this EPIC failure. I was out of class 2 times, where the majority of the class we video lectures, which I missed, and which test questions I also missed. I do not like psychology, and I dislike my professor even more. He is the kind of person who wants you to KNOW that he is smarter than you at all costs.. including have tests that are INSANELY hard and then just flaunting all his smarts in class during lectures. Whoopty freaking doo.. you are a psychology professor at a church school were you have to take that class.. couldn't you find a real job? Man I just get so frustrated, why can't he be a little more vague in the test questions that happen to cover nearly 600 pages of a text book.... Do I need to just memorize the names index..... APPARENTLY so. But oh well... such is life...

Austin and I bucked hay today for several hours, and I am beat up. I told you that today's events just weren't that special. I did come home and clean a little bit, but less than I wanted to. I watched a great musical. "Chicago" was the title, and I loved it. It was all about deceit and lies, and presentation. It was amazing, and the cinematography was fantastic. I thought a lot about the correlation to my life, and that I am sure others have made. Haven't we at one point been in a situation where we in that moment, imagine ourselves doings something opposite, or doing what we are doing only we are famous and on stage and people love us while we do whatever we were doing. I often dream about being a performer, and would love that idea, and as I watched this film that was precisely what happened. Roxie would see herself doing things that weren't real, and I loved it.

Tomorrow brings excitement to me, its the "not" 4th of July day. My family is going to be coming to Rexburg! I am so excited for them to visit me, they haven't been here in since I have been to school, and know nothing about my new town. I am excited to see the fireworks with them, and to eat birthday cake with my almost 8 year old lil sis! They are here for the 3, 4, 5.. hence why the dates! I love them, and am excited to play hooky from church and have a picnic, and just spend some time with them. I hope I get all my cleaning done today, and we can just PARTAE and weekend long! No school Monday means either a hike or a 4 wheeling adventure... anybody have 6 four wheelers I can borrow? Please and thanks!? Well, I guess in short, my life is awesome, full of adventure, and hopefully having many more in store!