Goodbye, over, [ore]gone and lost [forever?]

College, at least my freshman year, is over. It is kinda sad. Actually, it is really sad. However, while I have to leave the wonders of BYU and all my friends there, I actually will get to see most every male friend of mine in the MTC. What is most sad is that when I return most of my female friends will no longer be my friends because they will be married. Oh well. I guess it will be shiny new friends? We shall see.

I am rather pleased with how things turned out grade wise this semester. In no way was it ideal, however, all things considered, I'm fine with how it all ended up. I kicked major butt on my BoM final (93) and my humanities final and journals (97 and 98, respectively) (yes, this is me bragging. I have to brag to someone, so I thought I would just put it here so I don't have to say it to anyone's face).

Leaving the dorms was actually kinda sad. I was able to say goodbye to everyone except SM and SH I think. I hopefully get to see NT on Monday.

I am currently in Oregon and it is rather entertaining. I like it here. It is good to see C. I would only have gotten to see him for a few days if that before I left if I went straight home. We watched Across the Universe last night, I liked it. I liked the music a lot more than the actual movie though. Today we went to the coast, it was beautiful. Took some great pictures if I do say so myself. I am happy to have my camera back safe and sound after its unintended vacation in RC's glove compartment. Lightroom makes photos infinitely better. Thank you, BS.

Photos: My empty room, then various photo highlights from the coast. More to come with those.

Déjà vu, I hate you.

Goodbyes suck. I had to do the whole goodbye thing last year. But I was ready for that. With this goodbye...I'm not so sure I'm ready to move on. There are so many people that I was just starting to get to know well. I could list all the amazing people I met this year and that I don't want to leave...but the list would be too long. Suffice to to say that I have met some great people this year and can't wait to see them all when I come home, although most will be married or engaged. MM did point out that I don't have to say goodbye to most of the guys because I will see them over the summer in the MTC. I could even be companions with MM! Or Veggie spice! Or CS...but you never know.

I look back at where I was and who I was when I got here last August. I have grown so much and been able to figure out who I really am. I feel like I grew as much in this one year as I did in all of high school. It has been amazing. Full of ups and downs and everything in between. And I know my mission is going to be an even greater growing experience. I will come back a completely different person, but still James. I hope. Regardless, I still think about it every day and every time I do I get so excited. It's almost here. Almost. 44 days 11 hours and 37 minutes from now I will be in the MTC. Scary. But so exciting.

Life in Provo draws to a close. And really, I do love it here. As much as it is the bubble and it's omnipresent psychotic social norms are foreign and frightening (example: girl in my religion class, age 19, is getting married in three days. She sent out invites to the reception via facebook) I still love it. The mountains are so amazing. My friends here are so fun. Never have I been happier.

I was reading an article written by the Prophet, Thomas S. Monson, and he was talking about how we need to live our lives. He said we need to "Learn from the past. Prepare for the future. Live in the present." and I love that. So true. I feel I focus too much on the past and the future and not enough on the present. So I think my new goal is to live in the present. Seize the day. Don't put things off for a special occasion. As President Monson (the Prophet...that is how we refer to him) also said, "Every day in your life is a special occasion." Taking time to literally stop and smell the roses, look at the clouds, the buds on the trees - see the beauty all around you. Life is so full of wonder if we simply stop for a moment and look around us, really look around. Take more notice of the world, take more joy in each day. Sorry to be on my soapbox. I just really liked the article.

Picture: foggy mountains. I love when the clouds cover up parts of the mountains, this isn't the best example but you get the idea.

IDENTIFY YOURSELF!

So.....after looking at Google Analytics....there are apparently a lot of people that look at this that I'm not aware of. Just curious...who is actually reading this? If you are, please post a comment on this note. I am rather interested to see who spends (arguably wastes) their time here. Don't be shy!
thanks

james

As the buds begin to open life draws itself closed.

Sunday was beautiful. As was yesterday. And the first half of today. Then it started snowing. April is behaving itself. I think April just wanted me to feel like I was home - thus the crazy changes - from 77 yesterday to snowing today. It was warmer in Sapporo today than it was here in Provo I think.

Classes are over. Wow. It went fast. I loved the way Dr. Tate tied up our humanities class, it was fun to have him for the whole year. Kearl and Pauline both tied their classes up nicely as well. I will really miss my classes to be honest. I loved them. Modern was great today - our final was crazy. We used Bjork's Earth Intruders as our song and our piece was CRAZY. No one knew what to say...they all just looked puzzled. It was a weird dance but so much fun. It is so much easier to move when it's your own choreography, and you move so much better. So basically I kicked butt at this one.

I was a social butterfly today. I was hanging out with people from 5:40 until midnight thirty. And I did no homework....hehe. Oh well. I needed a break.

49 days left until I am a missionary. I got a letter from the mission president in Sapporo today, but it went to my home. My dad read it to me and it was cool - it just made the fact that I'm going all the more real.

All in all, Cliff bars are my primary and desired source of energy, orange juice is my favorite drink of the moment, and I have work in 7 hours and 8 minutes. I need some sleep. I've gotten less than 10 hours between the last two nights. Not good.

Pictures: Me, playing in the fountain at the JFSB, and the beautiful magnolia blossoms in front of the ASB.

I want spring.

Why hello, April 2008. Welcome to the world. I'm sorry I'm late in greeting you, please do not be offended. You seem to have been upset lately, with all the wind, rain, hail, and the few bits of snow we've gotten...people are starting to think you don't like anyone here in Provo. If you don't that's fine, but really, it is your job to send us off on a good note. We want to remember this as a happy place with sunshine and warmth. Please don't send us off with snow. It will just reinforce already negative feelings associated with finals, the canon center, and visiting hours. The bad weather isn't doing anything, so please, could we get a little sunshine? Your friend March was far better behaved than you were. We even had a few days where it was in the 60's!!! I hope that you are doing ok and will survive finals and everyone leaving Provo. It isn't fun to say goodbye after knowing us for only a few weeks but I know you can do it. You really only have two and a half weeks left, so could you try and make them good? It would be greatly appreciated. THANKS!

love,
James, who did not enjoy freezing his butt off at the lax game tonight.

Picture: A reminder of the wonders of March.

10 9 8 I'm breaking away, I'm all dressed up and I'm ready to play.

Shiny Toy Guns' song Don't Cry Out is my newest addiction. Retro never was this fun.

I love my friends.

I feel for once that I am on top of things school wise and that I'm going to be ok with everything.

I am going to be studying my butt off when I get home so that I can only be in the MTC for 6 weeks as opposed to 12. But, like everything else, plan for the worst and hope for the best.

Today was a great day. I got a lot done. I was good about what I ate. I stayed awake in most all of my classes. Work was good, Obaasan came again. I love her. Also I talked to a friend of a friend who went to Sapporo on their mission and that was good. I can't really even begin to express how excited I am.

I am sad that my freshman year is coming to a close. I will miss everyone here a lot. I really do love it here. Even though I never get Starbucks, boba, Panera or Pita Inn. I just feel like for once, everything is falling into place more perfectly than I could have planned. I don't really know what I've done to deserve it but I'll take it. Although, it might just be that I have a better attitude towards things. I'm not sure. Either way, things are good.

Picture: more of Holi.

Purple Haze

Holi is a festival of colors at the Hare Krishna Temple in Spanish Fork. And it was rather amazing. I'm not sure the religious reason they hold the festival, but regardless, I had some delicious saag aloo and other Indian vittles, bought a sweet shirt with ohms on it, and saw many friends. There was this effigy of a demon on a pile of wood, and they lit it on fire. When they did, everyone started to throw their colors. The colors are flour dyed different colors. They had two kinds - the ones they made and ones from India. Note to self, and anyone else wanting to go to Holi: get the Indian colors. They are infinitely more vibrant and they stay longer. Regardless, I looked like a rainbow threw up on me. When everyone first threw their colors, the aroma of the Indian colors hit you (they smelled really strong, not bad, but just odd) and you could barely see ten feet in front of you. It was like a rainbow cloud (mostly purple though) surrounded you. It was harder to breathe until it mostly settled, and it got all in your mouth and nose and eyes...everywhere. I can still feel it in my throat. But wow...it was a crazy sight to see. Everyone looked tie-dyed. They played some sweet Indian music and everyone just went crazy.

I decided when I get home I will go to my old houses, schools, parks I used to play in, places I used to go, and paths I used to walk, and take pictures of them all and make a book. Not sure what to call it yet, or the format. I'm thinking of photoshopping them to make them a bit out of focus, oversaturated, and add vignetting on them as well. Ideally, I would be using slide film and a Holga. However, seeing as that would run me at least 250 for film and printing, we are going digital. I am really excited for them, it should keep me busy while I'm home before everyone else.

I get home on April 29th. Crazy.

Life is beautiful. I wish I had more time to stop and smell the roses so to speak. Don't we all?

Pictures: from Holi.