More transitional living

So life here at Jake and Lindsey's was good. Lindsey cooks way good, comparable nigh even unto mom! And the almost non-stop stream of crying babies helped me realize how much the little ones DOMINATE your life! I'm having second thoughts about the twelve tribes of Todd... ya right!
Today I taught a lesson at the MTC, the first step in an evaluation process that could land me a job close to the one I did this summer, but better pay. It felt good, but we won't know how good it was until they send the e-mail letting me know if I was recommended or not. If this and Fanzz and that other job doesn't work out, I can always go work at a pants factory or something. Sorry, I just had to get the word 'pants' in here.
By the way, the Olympic games are still awesome. I admit I watched the women's (or little girls') gymnastics, and I was happy when Shawn won gold on balance beam because she was flippin around like a ninja! And Shawn is not a girl's name! What were her parents thinking? It's ironic, actually, because one of my best buddies can't stand these unisex names, yet we thought of one for almost every letter in the alphabet: Andy (or Ashton), Bobby, Cory (actually both the last two can be distinguished by the name ending in either 'i' or 'y', wierd), Dana, Erin, Francis... etc. By the way, that good buddy's name is Shaun.
Anybody got one for G? or H? J has like infinity: Jaime, Jordan, Jan, Jessie...

Transitional Living

So my contract for Cinnamon Tree ended on the 16th. It's like the apartment I never knew... anyways, my next contract for Centennial starts on the 20th, so what do I do for the four days in-between?
Party at Jake and Lindsey's!! Hooowah!
As well, I am currently on the market for a new job. I've applied at Fanzz and the MTC, and if neither of these work out, I can always go with Justin's old job. They're always hiring. It's unfortunate that I won't be able to do Olive Garden this semester (or probably next one either), but there's always next summer. School comes first.
I'm really excited for school to start because in spite of having three math classes I get to learn to latin dance and I have two religion classes, including Intro to Seminary Teaching. I do need a new pair of pants to dance in... and go to church in... there goes Disneyland.
Huzzah! Later ON!

Games I'd like to see in the Olympics

1. Fire Dancing: Ok, if they do gymnastics, surely they could approve any form of dancing! And maybe with this event, we could see Tonga win a gold medal... is Tonga even in the olympics? Come to think of it, I haven't seen a single poly ever competing. And why is Rugby not an olympic sport?

2. 100 M Sack Race (with a twist): It's like field day, with the latest technology aero-dynamic sacks on your legs, but in this race you get one over your head too, so it's not only a race against your opponents, but also a race against time before you run out of oxygen and die! And the paradox is that you have to use oxygen to actually pump your legs... intense!

3. Awkward Relay: Ok, in this one you have a HUGE pair of pants, and in order to run in the relay you have to be wearing them (and pretty much holding them up as you run). When you get to your next teammate in the relay, you have to take off the pants, and he has to put them on. Some strategies may include getting larger racers that would fit the pants more comfortably.

4. Midget Toss: Instead of throwing boring old metal balls anymore like in shot-put, why not throw a tiny, screaming person? How much more fun would that be!! And if you're really attached to the metal ball, put it in the midget's hands, and then have him throw it while in mid-air! The combined distance is your score.

5. Crash Team Racing: Possibly my best chance at ever winning a gold medal.

6. Aquatic Equestrian: Instead of horses, people ride dolphins or whales or seals or sea turtles or manatees or giant squids... so much possibility!

7. Canoe Wars!: Which team will capsize first? Oh wow, the Spanish have boarded the American canoe and both teams are now caught in swash-buckling action! And the Native Americans win again... surprise, surprise.

You know, after writing this blog, I realize human beings have invented infinite types of competitions, and most any thing can be made into a competition. So even though under-water basket weaving is NOT an olympic sport (just for the record), I'm sure someone somewhere is the absolute best in the world at it. And I'm really glad Michael Phelps is an American.

EFY Finale

Again, a large gap between blogs. But this time I was working on something big... or at least for me.

So, the last week of EFY back here in Provo... If I could sum it up in one word, it would be: super awesome! You see, it's not even sum-uppable in one word, and I'm pretty sure I just invented another one! Anyways, I found that if you get a group of guys who are united and have a leader who is willing to do crazy things and everyone else will follow, the week is going to be super awesome no matter who the counselor is. This week, my boys wrote a song for their girls to the tune of "Hey There Delilah":

Hey efy girl
you're so pretty when you're modest
i've got to say goodbye soon
cause this session's almost over
yes it's true
temple square can't shine as bright as you
i swear it's true

Hey there lone zebra,
when the slow song starts to play
just make yourself available
and girl I won't delay
I'll make your day
The might hunter finds his prey
I'm on my way

Oh, won't you dance with me?
Oh, hold me steadfastly
Oh, won't you dance with me?
Oh, hold me steadfastly,
hold me steadfastly...

Hey C.O.W.
It's our last night together
but just add me on facebook
and then we'll be friends forever,
B.F.F.
It'll be just like I never left,
You're the best

Hey Efy girl,
Won't you write me on my mission,
I'll be servin for the Lord,
so other guys don't you be kissin
don't close your eyes,
when you are out with other guys,
my eternal prize...

Please, don't you dear john me!
Stand by me steadfastly,
Please, don't you dear john me!
Stand by me steadfastly,
by me steadfastly...

(Bridge) Two years may seem pretty long,
but you'll be true and I'll be strong
I'll think of you just every other day...

And then one day when I return,
we'll reunite, our hearts will burn,
The world will never ever be the same!
You'll take my name!

Oh, be mine eternally,
oh, be mine eternally,
oh, be mine eternally,
oh, be mine eternally,
mine eternally...

By the way, our company name was "Steadfastly" this week. Clever, no?
So this blog is already pretty long, I'll just sum up the rest of the week by letting you know the fun stuff. My co-counselor was engaged to another counselor, which made things pretty awkward until Friday when they told me it was just a joke. I got punked. At the Friday night dance, I tore a hole in my pants, and promptly fixed it with duct tape. Yay for duct tape! Of course, people probably noticed the duct tape more than they would have noticed the hole... but hey, it's EFY. This week was all about acceptance. Brother Willcox did a stellar job as usual (he was the session director), and it was all capped off with a visit from Kenneth Cope and Sister Dalton, General President of Young Women's. Is that the right title?
And for the second time this summer, ALL the boys in my group bore their testimony on Thursday night. So here's to the summer that made me feel like a million bucks! No, two million!!... dare I say three?! No, I don't dare.

So here's the big thing, I hope it works:

If This Week Were Any More Special, We'd Name it Ed

You know, I really shouldn't compare weeks of EFY to one another. They're all so very different in their own different ways... but I still compare them.
After this week, every other week seems mild, and so will this one... probably. You never know...

Anyways, here are the chief contestants of the group "Looked Up/Mira Arriba" that made the week, well, let's say interesting for me: (Names have been changed out of courtesy for the individuals who will probably actually never read this blog)

Senyor Chihuahua (the ny is the n with a little squiggly above it, so you know. Someone computer savvy might be able to pull it off, not me): Anyways, this guy is pretty much straight from Mexico. It was people like this last week that had me scratching my head, wondering what in the world motivates this kid, what makes him tick? When I asked him what he liked to do, he would shrug his shoulders... a common response. Really, the only time I got him to smile was when I made fun of other kids' moms in Spanish. "Tu madre!" And that made me feel bad, so I didn't even do it very often. If I was fluent in Espanyol, instead of just partially there, things might have been different for him... and most of the other kids in my group (11 out of 14 spoke spanish as their primero idioma).

The Slap-Me-Upside-The-Head-Because-I'm-Gonna-Do-Something- Stupid Hermanos: One counselor didn't show up this week, so I landed two extra youth from what should have been his group. They were one of these hermanos, and another whom we will get to later. Did I use whom correctly? Maybe my English is suffering... anyways, this hermano and another in my group got together for most of the week. They refused to escort, claiming that the girls in our group were too ugly for them, and claiming so out loud where they could hear... (by the way, the girls of Looked Up were stellar! In an attempt to integrate, EFY high-ups had put 10 white girls in our group and 4 Hispanics, but the integration never really happened. Sorry girls, again...) An inappropriate picture landed these two boys in the site office, which was the second of my many visits with the session director and coordinators. After one of the BC's, notorious for being a hard word-I-can't-say, reamed them and their friends pretty thoroughly, I figured they learned their lesson and would behave better for the rest of the week. Next morning, one was missing from his room when I went to get him for morning devotional. Figures...

Crip Dawgy-Dawg: When asked what character he would be if he was a TV character, he said Snoop Dawg. Wonderful... I knew it would only be a matter of time before this guy got to know the session director well. He was a proclaimed LT Crip, complete with blue wardrobe, colorful vocabulary (which thankfully was incomprehensible the majority of the time with that slurred and lazy gangsta speak), threats to all who wear red, and knife and lighters for cigarettes. These last items were what fulfilled my expectations, considering if one is caught with weapons at EFY, one is sent home. He actually wasn't. The jury ruled on his simple ignorance of the rules. As such, he was kept under close supervision, invited to take a front-row seat for every fireside, and his weapons were confiscated and given to me. The shank, I mean knife, is now in the hands of Brother Brown (the session director) for use in future object lessons.

Mr. Depression: Note, this is Mr., not Senyor. This, my greatest test, was not Hispanic, but about as white as you can possibly get, and the other leftover from the counselor no-show. When I say Depression, understand that HE was not depressed, only me when I thought about his life. How to relate to someone who's greatest passion is glitching in a video game, "Gears of War"... and only passion, I might add. He very vocally refused to have a good time at EFY, and opted to go home on Tuesday, but understandably, his parents who forced him to come and payed for it, wouldn't have it. "So buddy, why don't we make the best of this..." Well, my advice was not taken, unless the "best of this" involves sticking to yourself, sleeping during all firesides and classes and study times, hiding during the dances, pretending to shoot things and people while everyone else is playing games on Wednesday night, spending free time reading and re-reading anime books, and wearing the same pair of pants, shirt, and socks for 72 hours straight (including sleeping in them) and never showering until Friday when the counselor made you. What a depressing life, really. I guess he's only 14, and still has plenty of time to realize there's more to reality than virtual reality. Where's the Umpa Lumpas, they could make up one heck of a riddle for this guy!

Despite my rantings, I was actually good friends with all these guys by the end of the week. I had to spend so much time baby-sitting them, I had no choice, and in turn, I got to understand why they are who they are, and why they do the things they do. This last week of EFY was definately special... in an odd, crazy, and character-building way. These boys were still my brothers, and I can do nothing but hope the best for them, even if it takes a LOT of hope. And there is so much more to each of their stories, but knowing you may never make it through this blog, we can talk in real life. People still do that, you know.

"Umpa Lumpa doopity doo
I have another riddle for you
Umpa Lumpa doopity dee
If you are wise you'll listen to me

What do you get from this colorful scene?
A geek and a thug and everything in-between
'No hablo espanol, lo siento'
'Ese, where can I get a tacoooo!?'
... que estupido gringo..."