I've decided...

I'll keep this blog, but wont be posting here much.  If you want to look at my real one, just go to the below posted blog address!  Cheers!

So...

Now that I've had at least a little response from the poll, here comes the bigger question.  If you voted for a novel, any ideas? If you voted for something else, besides the mission memoirs thing, what should it be about?  I just want the suggestions now. Thanks!

Where I'll be for the next few months

Here's my new blog address.  I probably wont post anything more here, so just keep checking here to see what's going on in my life.

http://livingthedream-08.blogspot.com/

Family is the only thing that matters

I complain about cruel people who enjoy teasing and mocking me, my family and friends.  I claim that I am a ‘starving student’ who is poor.  I tell others of the hard times I have by working more than 8 hours a day and then studying full-time.  But yet, who am I to complain?

I live in one of the richest nations on earth.  I can practice my freedoms of religion, speech and the right to assemble.  I have been blessed with the opportunity to attend one of the best universities in the world and have wonderful parents who help me do so.  I have never had to go to bed hungry, nor have I ever had to watch my friends starve.  I am one of the most blessed people on this earth.

Across this world there is suffering.  Much of it is caused by greed, selfishness and hatred.  People die every day for lack of water, food and shelter simply because those who can help, don’t.  Gangs and armies sweep across entire nations killing the innocent because of their race, ideas or even for no reason at all.  Governments restrict access to necessary, and available medical help because they enjoy having that type of control over other people.  Who are we?  What type of world is this?

This world is full of hatred, and every day, as we watch the news, we can see outbreaks of this hatred.  Millions of people die unnecessarily every year.  What can we do to stop this insanity?

Honestly, there isn’t much we can do.  Here, in our own homes, we have little power.  But, what little power we have, we can still influence our families and friends.  If we overlook the petty differences and imperfections in others, we will see, deep in every persons soul, their potential.  We are all children of the same God.  He is the supreme being, not us.  He is allowed judgment, not us.  He can decide to give and take, not us.

Why can’t we all love as He loves?  Though we aren’t perfect, He allows us more time on this earth so as to become better people.  Though we pass judgment, He has delayed our judgment so that we can prove ourselves once more.  Charity, the pure love of Christ, is more that being nice to others.  It is looking for the good in others, and helping them achieve their full potential.  Because the worth of souls is great in the sight of the Lord, we must become as great as we are worth.  When we do that, we help those around us become great as well.  That greatness spreads until we all, as a human family, return to live with our common father.  He loves us.  All He wants is for us to be worthy to return to live with Him.  Let us forget our differences and look for the good in people.  If you look for it, you will find it.

Maybe that is how we can make a difference.

Please forgive me

Loud, blaring laughter turns me off.  I sit in the corner, listening to an ear-splitting conversation that really isn’t as funny as the participants make it out to be and wonder if it is all worth it.  Why would a person overly desensitize themselves for the simple ability to show just how truly irrational and arrogant they really are?  I prefer the quiet, serenity of simple conversation.

I have decided that my anti-sociality is because of this “problem” as one might call it.  It isn’t that I don’t enjoy the company of others; I simply don’t enjoy the boisterous and many times child-like joviality that many people so tend to participate in as college students.  I even find that many older adults are the same way so as to appear “cool”.  It can be depressing for me at times, but I’m not about to change my ways simple to please others.

I’m sorry if I don’t participate in your stories.  I just don’t find much joy or humor in a story that is told in 5 minutes, even though the actual occurrence took less than 2.  Some may say that I’m rude or even uncaring, which is also false.  I just don’t care for too much injudiciousness.

I don’t know, though. 

Maybe my way is completely wrong, and I should change my attitude.  For now, however, please don’t be offended.

My shared love

I am now the proud owner of a MacBook.  It took me a total of about 1 year of agonizing and debating and researching and reading to fnally make the plunge.

I will never go back!  This is the best, most amazing computer I’ve ever used in my life.  It is sleek, slim, and so user-friendly that I don’t know how I ever got along without one.  I can honestly do everything my heart desires, without worrying about it crashing, slowing down, or getting a virus.  I’m hooked!

Two days ago the anti-virus software on my computer started popping up these little messages about how I need to stop sending spam.  I wasn’t.  Or at least I thought I wasn’t.  I guess the virus was so elusive that even the BYU approved, and updated, anti-virus stuff didn’t even detect it until it was too late.  The result?  I needed to completely erase and re-install everything on it.  That was the third time I’ve had to do this in a year.  I decided enough was enough, went out and bought this sleek little beauty.  I’m truly in love (can my heart have enough room for two? I submit that it CAN).  If you are ever considering the Mac, stop worrying and buy it.  You’ll never regret it.

Clarification

To clarify what that last post was about… I will clarify. There is currently residing somewhere in Utah (location undisclosed for protection of the guilty) what can be called a person previously named. He decided to date a girl who is related to someone very near and dear to me. She wanted to become his friend, seeing as his future marriage to un-named girl will inculcate him to the family. Even after differences, family is family. He however, decided to insult her in ways that even a good friend would never dream of. His low and demeaning remarks were so hurting, that it can be said he hates the poor girl, though they have never even met. I image his hatred comes from stories of his fiancé, however she was an immature child when the above-mentioned stories occurred, and has harbored a soul-destroying rancor in her heart for years. Sadly, she has transferred this hatred to her fiancé. He decided to take it out on above mentioned girl (the sweet and dear one) by calling her low and demeaning names that even a 7^th grader sees as childish. Sadly, when she attempted to clarify her attempts, he continued the rant with even more demeaning remarks.

All I can say is… if you are going to marry someone, this would be a good indicator as to how pure and holy said fiancé really is. I can only imagine how sad and deprived their home will be. The poor children who will be raised by these insecure and unforgiving people. It just makes me sad.

Andrew Blackwell

Pray you never meet me, because when you do, you WILL cry! Learn to be a bit nicer with others, and you might be happier with your life, but until then, your own self-absorbed, insignificant life will be nothing more than a waste! Enjoy the wedding.

Everything's going to be alright...

Have you looked outside today? If you're anywhere near Provo, UT, you'll see what I see; blue skies, chirping birds, trees that are budding, among a plethora of stressing students. It's a beautiful sight. I'm surprised at how stressed out a person can get. With one thing piling on top of another thing, which all are piled on a huge pulsating desire to get it all done soon, it's no wonder why some people go crazy. I'm lucky enough to have a wonderful group of friends and family who have helped me ease my stress, stop, and look at what really should matter in my life. I cannot complain, nor even be upset, because my life is truly amazing. Life is beautiful.

Another encoded expression of my inner feelings

If you can't get how I feel by the picture, you've got problems.

The wait is killing me! It’s been a long time since I’ve actually been able to express my opinions, and I’m sorry I had to do so in such a way. It’s eating me up inside. I don’t want to completely alienate myself, though the thought has crossed my mind on several occasions (including today). Why is it that something that should be so natural and easy to do is so dad-gum difficult?! I just wish they would listen to me for once! Is there any sense of personal pride in them of what I’ve been able to do so far? I’ve known people for less than a week and they seem to be happier for me than those who should be happiest! I can’t even focus because I’m so worried that my self-expressing message will shove them farther away, as opposed to nearer like I would like. Finals? Out the window! Who cares about some stupid Arabic junk when there are problems on the home front? Why study for a Linguistics final if I can still pass without taking the test? What is the point of programming some dumb quote thingy if I’ll never use the program again? I am literally being eaten up inside, and I hate it. If I could allow for my screaming soul to express itself for one second… but I think I’ll just hold it until I explode, like any self-respecting adult would do.

ياحبر!!!!