Failures and Second Chances

*Note of Caution: I'm well aware that many may find this post a little cheesy or too sappy. Just fair warning...

As I was reading this morning, my mind began to wander to other areas of my life, as is usual for me while I read.  One of the thoughts that popped into my mind as I noticed my roommate's (and good friend) textbook and notepad on the table next to me, was how excited I am for him to be back in school after 12 years away due to difficulties with health and finances, and many other things.  He's mentioned before the fear of failing, and so as I thought about him stepping back out into areas of life where there are plenty of chances for failure, I felt very elated for him to be taking those chances in hopes of gaining greater rewards.

I reflect back on my own life up to this point, and I always am grateful for the tender mercies of the Lord in my life.  I am quite familiar with the experience of "failing", and the Lord has blessed me abundantly with second chances in my life.  In fact, I remember thinking to myself how my entire life seemed to be composed of second chances in different areas.  Fortunately, although not having perfected any of the areas of my life, I feel that I have tried very hard to utilize those chances rather than take them for granted...at least most of them.  How grateful I am for mercy in my life whether it be from a loving God, my colleagues, my peers, my professors (many, many times from them!), my family, whomever.

So, I would suggest that life is about mercy and about failing, but even more so life is about second chances.  I love the line that the dad of a young Bruce Wayne, in the movie Batman Begins, speaks to him where he tells Bruce, "We fall so that we can get back up again."  So if you're like me, and I suspect that many others really are, and you find yourself getting frustrated at times with the fact that you feel like you're failing or falling short in different areas of your life, I'd encourage you to stop and think about what you can be proud of in way of the fact that at least you're attempting; and that as long as you're willing to keep trying, it doesn't matter how often you fall.  Just take a moment, if need be, dust yourself off, and get back up again.  Great accomplishments are on the horizon.

Create

There is not one thing about this video that I do not absolutely love!  President Uchtdorf (Second Counselor in First Presidency of LDS Church) testifies that we are all inherently creative creatures as we are spiritual sons and daughters of our Heavenly Father.

My Current Countdown

18 - Credits to complete this semester
15 - Length of two papers due this semester
10- Days that I have left to complete one of my online courses
5- Research articles to read through so I can write a 5 page lit review by Friday
2 - Tests to take for previously mentioned online course
1 - Research paper for online class

...All in all, it's really not too bad, but right now the countdown doesn't seem like it'll ever end.

Oh, let's not forget "0" in the countdown, which indicates how much motivation I feel to complete the list above.

Excerpts from my day...

Two of my favorite moments from the day were:

1) When I went to use the restroom and one of the waterless urinals had a graphic of a bee buzzing around right where an individual might aim for...I still haven't been able to make the connection as to why the bee is in the urinal. Last I checked I was not pumping out honey...if you know what I mean.

2) As I was waiting for one of my classes to start, most of the students were prepping for a grammar quiz that we were going to be required to complete.  One of the students I overheard said something to the effect of, "Apparently we're supposed to be English majors."...the thought that came to mind was, "Nope, but you should be expected to answer basic questions about your native language. Especially when you'll be writing your capstone paper in this class!"

Perhaps that is close-minded of me (the second item, not the first) however, I'm okay with that.

That is all...

Coming to you live from Walmart!

I'm quite giddy at the moment as I type this short entry.  Why, you may ask?  Well because I'm typing this blog entry on my laptop while I sit in the waiting room at Walmart as the oil is being changed in my car.  Yes, that is correct, as the opening menu for a child's DVD continuously repeats the 4 measures of music again and again and again and again...I'm typing nonsense.

I just jailbroke my iphone 4 last night at the constant encouragement of my brother Jesse who swore by the benefits and freedom of doing so.  There's a lovely app called MyWi that will turn an iphone into a wireless router that multiple, yes, multiple devices can connect to for internet access.  Isn't that awesome?! I submit that the answer is a resounding YES!

The only sad thing about this glorious discovery is the realization that the internet speed I'm experiencing right now is about 5 times better than the internet that I had at my apartment for the past year. Yeah, I'm not bitter...

Anyway, an update on my life consists of the same ol' same ol'. Still single, regrettably so.  Just started a new, and my last, semester of my undergrad career in school and am looking to pound out 18 credits worth of school by the time good ol' St. Nicholas comes to visit. Santa, bring me freedom!

Power vs Protection

I was just watching E:60 on ESPN and they did a piece on girls lacrosse in high schools across the nation.  I didn't use to know much about lacrosse, but in the last few months I've come to find out that it is a really cool sport! However, with that being said, part of what makes it so cool is that there is A LOT of contact with players hitting other players with their sticks,  and the balls are solid. One conk on the noggin with that ball, especially when it's being thrown as hard as possible, and you're at risk for some major brain damage! 

Unfortunately, the segment focused on a couple of girls who actually did have the unfortunate experience of being nailed in the head, and dealing with the consequences of brain damage from concussions.  It pointed out that the girl lacrosse players aren't allowed to wear helmets in their sports, because the people over the sport have decided that they can limit the amount of head injuries with better trained coaches and better refereeing...is it just me or does seem absolutely asinine?! Why would you not allow someone to take precautions and put a helmet on their head rather than be at the mercy of the coaching abilities and refereeing abilities of other individuals?! This just blows my mind and seems incredibly irresponsible of those who make the rules and regulations for girls high school lacrosse.  Especially because of the fact that guys DO wear helmets in lacrosse.  I understand the thought process that if no one has a helmet everyone will be more cautious not to hit people in the face, however anyone who has played sports knows that there are times when a person's aim is off, and WHACK another player gets nailed in the head, and let's not count out the fact that you can ALWAYS depend on one hot head who can't control themselves or think rationally and THUD goes the ball against another player's head.  I mean come on!  People's desire to have power and control things makes me mad, but much more so when life long, or even life threatening consequences are involved.  

Watanabe is Japanese for Amazing Friend

Billy's Graduation from UVU April 2010

I had the pleasure of going to Bombay House tonight with three of my favorite people: Lynne, Laura and Annie.  Lynners is leaving us tomorrow night to head out to Michigan State University to become a scholastic doctor of sorts...as it were.  Now I have a sentimental attachment to good ol' Michigan, especially MSU campus since I served on that campus as an LDS missionary a few years back, but I have an even bigger attachment to my dear friend Lynne and I will miss her tremendously!

I've had the pleasure of becoming great friends with Lynne over the past three years, and as I read her "goodbye" note, that she wrote to me, after I got home tonight, I couldn't help but look back on the great memories we've had over the past two years.  From our fantastic trip to California in Spring of 2009 to just hanging out on Sundays over at her apartment with the rest of our friends doing nothing, Lynne's friendship and the memories as the result thereof will always be a highlight in this chapter of my life. Lynne has always been someone who I could just be myself with and not worry about being judged.  She's always built me up, at times far more than deserved, and has always been supportive of me in whatever I've chosen to do.

Lynne, I'm excited for you and for what lies ahead of you out at MSU! I know that you'll be amazing as always,  and just want you to know that you have A LOT of friends back here who love you and believe in you.  Always keep that in mind, and I look forward to hearing about your adventures!