Minnesota shenanigans

What does it take to make a real man? A Grande Challenge, of course--a ten-piece combination of Taco Bell's bean burritos and hard shell tacos. All in one sitting.

The Grande Challenge has been a favorite tradition since junior year. This is the year i was finally able to pound it all. And of course Ian and Danny came through. Props, brothas.

Until next Challenge, Taco Bell!

An overdue post

What a whirl. I'm home! DC has been incredible. Such an amazing and priceless experience. DC has changed me for sure. I'll post a really good reflective post later when I have time. Love you all!

These are real cherry blossoms. Imported straight from Japan! So cool. So many people to see them.

Thanks for this picture Mackenzie, I totally stole it from you. The DC temple is amazing by the way. Yay Barlow peeps!

Priceless

Every now and then you have one of those 'a ha' moments (not talking about the song, sorry) that just takes everything going on in your life--the good, the bad, the stressful, the nerve racking--and does something and it all makes sense to you in some abstract kind of way. Today in the temple that's what I got. God gave me peace today. I had been seeking it, but how much was I expecting it? By all means, I got it. God answers prayers. Atonement is real. Family is forever. Life is good.

Love you all. Until next post homies

my new camera rocks

Hey all,

I got a new camera and lots of pictures should be up on the Flickr site.

ps. I love my new camera.

For Mom

Mom,

It's 2 in the morning and I'm not going to flake out again. Here's a new post. Thank you for your infinite patience.

Spring is almost here in DC and I am getting excited for the cherry blossoms. We finished our papers that were due on Friday and it feels SO good to have them out the way.

Work is going very well. I love it. I'm set on going to law school. It is an exciting prospect for me.

Tomorrow is Sunday and I'm hoping for lots of 'me' time--time to think, evaluate, gather my bearings, and plan. The past two weekends have been spent out of town which has been quite enough traveling for me.

New York was ok. I keep telling people that the city was impressive but I remain unimpressed. Lots of hype for such a crowded, noisy, claustrophobic place. At the same time I would encourage everyone to go at least once in a lifetime. There is so much history in that city, and it certainly is a cultural experience.

We went to the freemason's George Washington memorial temple today in Alexandria. It was really cool. Freemasonry has a lot of interesting ideas and practices that reminded me of our temples and the endowment ceremony. So cool.

Anyway. No pictures for this post, sorry. I'll try to get them up tomorrow. DC is totally awesome.

Love you all

New York!

Let me tell you something interesting:
1. This will be the first time I've ever been to New York City.
2. This is the first time I've ever used a laptop on a bus.

Cool huh. Anyway, this past week was bizarre. "Snowmageddon" kept the whole city shut down and everyone cooped up inside. Most students had an entire week off because of the snow. Crazy.

Work didn't go so well this week. We only worked two days, but it was hard to focus and whatnot. I'm still loving it though. I got to call the intern applicants for spring/summer and tell them they'd be crazy to turn down the opportunity to work for Ken. It will be good to get back into the normal swing of things on Tuesday.

New York should be fun. Hopefully I won't spend too much money.

Love you all. Happy Presidents Day weekend!

An update...finally

OK. What a week, and what a shame that I haven't been posting. It's been crazy, that's for sure. since the last time I wrote,
-I've been to jail. To visit a client. Thank you lockers for robbing me of $1.50 and not feeling the least bit guilty. I will keep fighting the bureaucracy in the meantime.
-We went to Valley Forge, stayed at the Freedom Foundations Lodge, and met Thomas Jefferson.
-We got stuck in the biggest storm since 1909, or as the locals are calling it, "Snowmaggedon". Brittney and I are almost the only people in DC working, besides our boss. No snow days for us.
-I lost my camera.
-We ventured to the fourth floor to clean out the ancient files from 1980.
-I have been so busy I've had no time to write in my blog.
-I have been loving work. Today I ate two really big chocolate cupcakes and now I feel ill.

Life is great. I hope you're all doing well. Better posts are on their way. Tonight's post is suffering from the aftertaste of the ENG399 intern log assignment I just completed.

Let me end with this little gem of wisdom: "Beneath the clothes, you find a man. And beneath a man, you find...His...NUCLEUS."

Hello short update

So last night a group of us went to Kramer Books, a small little bookstore with a nice cafe in the back with live music. We departed around 11:30 pm and got back home about 2 in the morning. Walking back home was hilarious. We were all "high on the Thursday night weekend" and hopped up on lots of sugar from dessert. SO fun. I think everyone thought we were drunk, which is ironic, because I'm confident we are the most sober individuals in the DC area right now.

Tomorrow I'm going to help clean the chapel where we attend church, then take a nice nap. Or go to the zoo. Hope you're all doing well. I love and miss all of you.
By the way, I set up a Flickr account for those of you who aren't into the whole reading thing.

Hello heaping portions of gratitude

Interesting fact: when I was in the MTC anxiously awaiting a departure to Mexico, I was able to visit the Provo temple with my companions. The picture here in front of the Washington Monument is almost an exact duplicate of a picture taken three and a half years ago in front of the temple. Crazy huh.

Anyway. Matthew's mom came into DC yesterday and we all went to the top of the Monument. It was breathtaking. A fitting tribute to such an incredible man.

After that Sue treated us to Hard Times chili and in typical Sonic the Hedgehog fashion, I enjoyed a whopping pound or so of chili dog. Thank you Sue!
As for this little gem...what can I say? I told Gabel before taking this picture that it might be a little corny. Whatever. I love it.

Today I finished my round of the "Americans at War" exhibit in the Museum of National History. Such an Inspiration. Thank God for the countless Americans who gave "the last full measure" to purchase our freedom and well-being as a nation. We owe them more than we can imagine. I hope I can one day live up to that.

On that note, I'm realizing that DC has an effect on me that very few other places can elicit. I absolutely love it here. I love the history behind this place. I love learning more and more about what this country is built on.

I think the longer I'm here, the stronger my heart beats.

Hello monday, you bitter monday you

First of all: I love MLK Day. I love celebrating a man who devoted his life to a noble and inspiring cause. I love reading about the civil rights movement and learning about people who were brave enough to stand up to the ignorance and hatred that prevailed for so long in our own country. Thank goodness for people like MLK.

Second: I had to work for most of the day today. I am once again feeling overwhelmed and in over my head. I'm a little discouraged. I am doing my best to keep up with everything and learn. Slow and steady.

Third: I was going to go run this morning to the Lincoln Memorial. That place has become somewhat of a sanctuary, even a temple, to me. I can't describe just how it makes me feel, but I can tell you that the people and things that it stands for are exemplary, inspiring, and full of meaning. I love this country. Before coming here, I had begun to forget that I think.

Well, time for bed. I love you all and hope things are going fantastic.
ps. Quinn, call me back. Colts won on saturday.