Because Facebook Status' Sometimes Are Not Enough

Switching Classes: A Twin's Tale

2011-12-06T17:12:00.000-08:00

Being a twin brings about a lot of questions from people. The most famous questions being, "Hey, you're a twin? Did you ever switch classes?" For the longest time our answers were always a disappointing no. My twin brother Devin always wanted to switch classes, but being the shy and timid child that I was, I would always decline. I knew if I got caught, I would feel absolutely embarrassed. But finally, after many years of shameless begging and pleading from him and our friends, I relented and traded places our junior year.

Devin was our school's stand out bass player, and our high school band teacher loved him. At this point in the year he was in an orchestra class and really didn't enjoy it. Bowing a few notes on an old stand up bass in the early hours of the morning didn't really enthrall him quite like flying through bass riffs off of The Red Hot Chili Peppers' songs on his baby blue electric. Devin wanted a break from this mundane morning experience, so he came up with the "brilliant" idea of switching classes. Constantly I'd tell him no, as I had never played the stand up bass before in my entire life. But push came to shove, and I finally relented. I'm ashamed to say it, but I really gave in to peer pressure.

As my brother looked forward to that moment with glee, I looked downward with dread. I was absolutely terrified to go to his orchestra class that morning. The night before I couldn't even sleep. I kept waking up every hour, looking at the clock and counting down the time until 8:10 rolled around: the start of his class. Finally, when the alarm went off and I had to get up for seminary, a sickening feeling in my stomach began to rise. I knew as soon as I got out of bed and put my feet on the floor, the time would soon come where I would have to try and avoid detection and hide the fact that I was a complete bass playing fraud. For one of the few times in my life, I really didn't want seminary to end. It's those moments where you wish time could go slower, and better yet even go still. But of course when we least want it to time seems to speed up twice its rate, so before you know it your slammed right into the situation that you have been trying to avoid. I felt like King Louis facing the guillotine.

I showed up to class about five minutes early, clumsily fumbling around the room as I gathered my things together. Trying to act calm and confident on the outside, inside I was a stressed out wreck. I absolutely did not want to get caught, as I knew that I would have to get a complete tongue lashing in front of the whole class of students, while my brother would get it hours later in the social comfort of privacy (the band teacher was a feisty individual).

Soon 8:10 came, the teacher raised her baton, and the moment I had been dreading for the last few days finally dawned upon me. Trying to control myself, I decided to just make up notes. I told myself, how hard can it be? I just push on a string here, do a little bowing there. It shouldn't be too hard. You see, Devin was the ONLY bass player in the orchestra. I had no one else to rely on to drown me out, so I had to make this work. So I decided to play, making up notes as I rubbed the bow against the thick, low sounding strings. Hoping to at least make some semblance of a musical note, I realized in horror that not only was I not making anything close to a sound that should emanate from a bass, but the sounds I was producing were reminiscent of a screeching dying cat. I quickly realized that there is absolutely no way I can keep this up, as eventually I will most definitely get caught. So instead I decided to not produce any sounds whatsoever, and played instead what one would call the air bass. It's harder than you think to move the bow back and forth in a convincing manner over the strings without having the bow actually touch anything (I showed great skills in dexterity and balance that day). To my great relief and surprise, this actually worked! As the time clicked away, I could see light at the end of the tunnel. I actually realized that I was going to successfully pull this off. That is until the teacher stopped the class and decided we all needed to play our individual parts as sections...

Well, unluckily for me, I was my section. Me, and no one else. All of my hope of success quickly evaporated like rain under the desert sun. Now I was filled with complete fear. The sick feeling I had in my stomach grew about ten times its size. I looked around at my friends across the room, and their looks of fear as they all mouthed the words, "You are SO dead..." did not give me much confidence. Trying to think of anything that would help me stop producing a sound that not even a mother could love, and produce a sound of musical beauty, I realized that my friends were right: I was dead. I was soon to be caught, and there was no way out of it.

Section by section, the teacher went around the room. The ten minutes that lapsed as she did this seemed like ten hours. Until finally, FINALLY, the teacher stopped, raised her baton in front of the whole class and started a new piece of orchestra music. Never, in my short little high school life, had this orchestra sounded more beautiful. I was completely overtaken with relief!

Now, you can probably understand the emotional roller coaster that I was going through in the last hour, as I went from going down a steep slope of complete nervousness, to a high rise of hope, through a couple loops of extreme terror, to only end up at utter relief. I felt like I was going on a great ride. But if you know roller coasters, you will know that some like to have little surprises, or tricks rolled up their sleeves in order to add a little extra "umph" to the whole experience. And this coaster was that type; the type that had a startling surprise ending of a complete downward free fall.

About 5 seconds into our song the teacher abruptly stops everything, looks over at me, and with a bright smile on her face (and might I add both hands enthusiastically extended in my direction), she happily exclaims, "I can't believe I almost forgot about our favorite bass player!" I couldn't believe it. I felt like a sneaky little robber who stole all of the cash from the high end bank, successfully outran the cops with daring wit and cleverness, only to come home and see a policemen patiently waiting for him in his living room, twiddling his thumbs.

Accepting my fate, and with complete shame, I picked up my bow, laid it against the strings of the bass, and played a most terrible sounding tune. Seeing the bright smiling face of the teacher turn into a dark angry frown certainly didn't make me feel good. After about two or three unsuccessful attempts, I finally gave up and made up some silly excuse. I quietly mumbled, with downcast eyes, that I forgot my sheet music and had no idea what I was playing. With a very serious and stern tone my teacher said, "Class, I should be very mad at him, but I'm not going to be." She then looked straight ahead, stuck her nose in the air, and in very tense and jagged movements continued to conduct the music.

As my teacher brooded for the rest of class (she did a poor job hiding how upset she was), my friends and I couldn't help but smile to each other that I actually didn't get caught. Yes, my brother looked like a total slacker, but at least she didn't know it was me. Well, when my twin found out what happened he immediately told her the situation. Expecting her to laugh along at the joke, she instead hit us both on the tops of our heads with music folders, told us it wasn't very funny, and never spoke of it again.

It was totally worth it.

My September 11, 2001 Memory

2011-09-11T20:07:00.000-07:00

I just wanted to quick jot this down so I have it written. I was sixteen years old and a junior at La Canada High School in La Canada, CA. I remember showing up to early morning men's choir right after seminary. Men's choir was zero period, so it was before school. I walked in and saw that the few people who had arrived in class were very troubled (there were about 10-15 of us). The emotions in the room consisted of somberness, confusion, and complete shock. I asked what was going on and someone told me that a missile had hit the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. At this point I believe both towers had been hit. Other people said that it was two planes. Few of my classmates had heard some details from their ride to school of what had happened, so naturally rumors were flying around like crazy. We were all trying to gather truth from fiction based on the various news reports.

I'm sad to admit this, but at the time I had no idea what the World Trade Center was nor where it was located. Regardless, I thought to myself that there is no way a small private plane could do damage to a large building (as the thought of a commercial jet being used didn't even cross my mind). Naturally I believed that someone had fired missiles at our country. The event that was being described to me didn't seem real, and as a result I wondered why everyone was so worried. I assumed that people were over exaggerating and that the news reports were blowing up a story. The whole scene seemed like it was straight out of a summer action movie. These types of events only happen in movies or books; not in real life. After about two minutes of talking we heard that the band room had the TV on, so we all raced down the hall to see what was going on. What I experienced next I will never forget.

On the TV, we saw that both towers of the World Trade Center were smoke filled and burning. Students had told us as we entered the room that people were actually jumping out of the enormous and towering buildings to escape the fires, as they realized a death from impact was more tolerable than a death by burning flames. Hearing this caused us to immediately get sick to our stomachs, as we just realized that people were actually put into such a situation that they had to make a decision of how they would rather pass from this life. All us high school students were gazing in complete silence at the devastation that was being presented before us. Here and there in the classroom were whispers and murmurs of shock and bewilderment. When it was confirmed to us through video and images that it was in fact commercial jets that were used, we were all dumbfounded. How anyone could attack our country, and in such a way that seemed so imaginary and surreal, silenced us.

After the shock had somewhat subsided, there were sporadic and quiet comments of theories on who were behind the attacks, but of course none of us had a clue. The fact that is was a terrorist organization never crossed our minds. I think that someone darkly joked that it was probably Russia, but of course we knew that it wasn't true. After about twenty minutes of watching footage, hearing different TV personalities come up with theories and speculation, the unimaginable happened; one of the towers actually collapsed before our very eyes on live television.

It was like watching a climatic special effects heavy scene in an action movie. Personally, I love those scenes in cinema. It's why I go to the movies. The explosions are big and loud, I hope the magnitude of awe as the buildings fall will overpower me, and the intensity of the moment as I view people running away for the perseverance of their very lives pulls me in as an audience member. I empathize with the people on the silver screen as I put myself in their very shoes as they deal and grasp the horror of the situation presented before them. I never thought that I would see such a scene in real life.

The image was disturbing. We all watched in horror and disbelief as the seriousness of what happened presented itself before us. It's amazing how such a scene in a movie can present such different and extreme emotions when it takes place in real life. This moment ended the silence in the room. Some people were teary eyed with the shock of what happened, and with the knowledge and understanding that many people just lost there lives before our very eyes. The unknown number of casualties silently scared us in the room. It got even worse when the second tower fell. Later reports estimated that more than ten thousand people might have lost their lives. That is more than the famous Battle of Gettysburg. We also watched in horror as we saw footage of people running away from the collapsing towers, only to be helplessly engulfed by the rapidly pursuing thick and growing cloud of dark and gray smoke. We didn't know if those people had died as well.

Next reports came that firemen and policemen were also among the causalities, and we assumed, only to find out we were indeed correct, that they knew the tower was probably going to collapse. They gave their lives anyway. All of us in the room were humbled and emotional as we learned that such brave and selfless men knowingly gave up their lives to save strangers.

Later it was reported that it was believed that a middle eastern terrorist group may have been behind the attacks. Deep down all of us became a little frightened that LA might be their next target. We worriedly thought that if it New York and LA are major targets in movies, why wouldn't it happen in real life? I also remember my friend blaming President Bush for what happened and being kind of upset that he would make such a statement. The thing is, we were all trying to make sense of what chaotically unraveling before our eyes; and why. We all wanted someone to blame.

As the day wore on some of my teachers decided to have us watch any new news reports, while others decided to lecture. I am still a little upset that some teachers would turn the TVs off and decide to teach. None of the students were listening anyway, nor could we even concentrate on school. Eventually, I believe around a little after 1:00 PM, we found out that our school was cancelled, and that every student had to go home immediately. My high school was a mile away from JPL, a NASA jet propulsion laboratory, and intelligence believed that it might be a possible target.

Some students were selfishly cheering, which sickened me at the time, as they were happy to get a break from school. Others of us were scared and quiet. One student exiting the classroom next to me was singing "It's the End of the World As We Know it, And I Feel Fine." The tone of his voice and his cloudy and misty eyes made it very apparent that he definitely did not feel fine, as he was trying to grasp the sudden seriousness of the situation as it literally started to hit home.

My twin brother Devin and I immediately met up and raced home. We turned on the TV and discussed what had happened in shock with my parents as we tried to gain more and more info on what had occurred that infamous morning. Later that night, or even that week (I can't remember), images were displayed of possible deceased victims of the tragic events. This was done with the hope that someone had seen these people alive, and that they could be reunited with their families. It was also done as a tribute to those who had lost their lives. As images were shown of family members of the deceased, crying as they were clutching photographs and other items that represented their lost loved ones, no one could help but feel sorrow that a husband, wife, brother, sister, father, and mother were tragically and quickly taken from their loved ones, all because of a needless and hate-filled "cause."

It's been ten years, and I have to say that I believe that our country has quickly forgotten what had happened. It saddens me. Many people drew closer to God and gained a new sense of patriotism, only to quickly forget both. We as a country took on the pledge and motto that we will never forget September 11, 2001, but I hope we will never forget with our actions and faith in God as a nation, and not just our memories. It was our selfless actions of sacrifice and renewed faith in our divine creator that really showed how great of a nation the United States of America really is.

Here is a link to some videos. Play the John Schmidt video for the music while watching the 9/11 slide video at the same time. I accidentally did this and I found it quite moving. The images and the music match up really well.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AW8puRqE4Sc&feature=player_embedded

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5mJ08-pyDLg&feature=share

Media Matters

2011-07-24T18:14:00.001-07:00

A couple blog posts ago I wrote down how I had finally taken the plunge into totally embracing my geekieness (if I spelled that wrong I'm sorry, but spell-check doesn't have "geekieness" in its databank). I had started reading comic books and totally loved it. I loved the stories, the artwork, and the fact that I sometimes felt like a little kid again. This last part was important as school can sometimes make a person feel too grown up, and start to lose touch with their inner child. If I'm not careful I'm afraid this will result in me becoming more stiff and boring than a game of Monopoly at a retirement home; and we don't want that. In fact, my family might have noticed hints of me trying to counter this by trying to reclaim some of my inner "9 year old Darin" while we were at our last trip in the Outer Banks of North Carolina. I was on a three week break from school, and I had to store this up in preparation for the next trimester. I practically begged my family to go laser tagging, as I can't think of any better remedy to calm my "boring old man" fears. I mean really, you're in a dark room, with other team members, shooting lasers at each other for points. If that doesn't make you feel like a little kid again I don't know what will. Lucky for me my incessant begging like a sweet eyed puppy dog paid off as we went multiple times.

Anyway, enough of side tracking. At first reading comic books was great, but soon I found that it turned into a scenario that felt like I was dating an emotionally abusive girlfriend; it has it's pretty moments, but more often than not you drop her off and go home feeling like garbage. The thing is, almost every comic book has excessive violence; blood and gore in almost every fight scene. And what was worse, almost every girl's costume was sleazy. I tried to remedy this by blacking out those drawings with a thick black marker. The problem is I still had to see the drawings.

Honestly, the longer I had these types of immoral and violent materials in my apartment, the more and more I could feel the spirit leaving. I noticed a difference with how I felt. I was praying one night, asking what I needed to do to get my apartment to have a stronger spirit. Leading up to this prayer, I had been confused because the TV shows and movies I watched, as well as the music I listened to, are pretty clean. I also was reading my scriptures and saying my prayers on a regular basis. Regardless, I knew something was off. I had never connected what was happening to my apartment as the result of the comic books until I had a very strong answer to my prayer telling me to throw them out. This I immediately did, and I cannot tell you the difference it has made in the overall spirit and feel of my apartment.

The reason I wanted to write this down is so that I, and those who happen to randomly read my blog, will think more about what type of media we allow into our lives. Many times we justify the things we read, watch, play as video games, and listen to. We justify it by saying, "Violence doesn't bother me. I'm not going to go kill someone because of what I watch or play." Or we say, "I hear swearing all the time at school and work, so what does it matter if I hear it in the movies I watch, the games I play, or the music I listen to?" I am not saying that we need to throw everything out and only watch Disney movies and listen to classical music. What I am saying is that, from personal experience, we need to be aware of how the media we have in our home affects how we feel and the spirit of our home. If we know it affects us in a negative manner, we need to get rid of it and throw it out.

We'd be crazy to stay in an abusive relationship. We are just as crazy to entertain spiritually abusive media.

The Very Best Family Vacation

2011-07-18T15:40:00.000-07:00

Here is a link to a slide show of a photo shoot my family had professionally done while were were vacationing in the outer banks of North Carolina. I wanted to put this up here so I can always reference it. I have such an amazing and wonderful family who I love very much. I don't know what I did to be born to such wonderful parents and siblings (and to have such a great, kind, and thoughtful person as my twin brother), nor do I know what my siblings did to marry such amazing and uplifting people, who also helped give my family such adorable, talented, and sweet nieces and nephews. However it happened that we all ended up together as a family, I'm sure glad that it did. Enjoy the video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=Q8zbksCSkPw

Meow...

2011-07-10T19:29:00.000-07:00

These past three weeks I was on a much needed vacation. I only get three weeks off for a break from school in the summer (which in my professional opinion as a student, I think should be longer). During that time, I started and ended my vacation by staying with my brother Devin and his wife Deanna in Knoxville, Tennessee.

Now, before you all get visual images of podunk USA full of toothless rednecks who can't formulate a clear sentence, I must say that Knoxville is actually really nice. It's nothing like my ignorant mind imagined. There are great restaurants, it's a clean city, the people were friendly and great to talk to, and it is close to the Smoky Mountains (which happen to be absolutely beautiful). But no vacation can be perfect, and this vacation was no exception. The reason why? Leroy the cat.

If you were to describe, in general, how cats behave, what words would you use? I know what words I would choose. The words would be solitary, loners, quite, loners, self-maintaining, loners. Oh, did I mention that I think cats are loners, as in they usually like to be alone? I did? Three times you say? Well, that is because every single cat I have ever met has been a loner. They like to be alone. You get within twenty feet of a cat and they run away like Usain Bolt running the forty yard dash. Dogs, on the other hand, will gleefully run towards you while they simultaneously try to smash their stinky hairy body against you, with their tongue sloppily lopping around in a dopy grin in the hope to be petted before you even finish your first step of walking into the room. Dogs crave attention like a drug addict craves heroine. Dogs want us to love them, while cats think that they are too good for us. They make us earn their love (which boggles my mind why someone would want a cat for a pet, but that's a whole other blog entry by itself). It's what makes dogs great and cats silly as a pet. But Leroy? He is no typical cat. He's more like a cog; body of a cat, mind like a dog. It sounds great, and in most ways it is; but there are times it can be absolutely terrible. And the absolutely terrible is what I am writing about.

This morning at 6:00, my brother Devin left for meetings for church. This posed only a slight problem as I was sleeping on the couch in the front room after traveling the whole day before. I was extremely tired, so falling back asleep seemed inevitable. I of course forgot to calculate that there was a cog awake in the room. Leroy, who is very awake and active at this fine early hour of the day, decided to voice his sadness of Devin leaving. This would actually make for a really cute story if it were in a ABC Family children's movie, or if no one else where around. Unfortunately it wasn't a cute children's movie, and I happened to be around. Leroy, like a dog, sat by the door that Devin just exited. And, like a dog, Leroy was vocal about his displeasure of his owner leaving him. Leroy meowed, again, and again, and again. Not just for 5 minutes, for that would be tolerable. Nor for 30 minutes, which would cause only mild agitation. No, Leroy the cog meowed for a whole hour and a half. Non-stop, no break, of straight meows at 6:00 in the morning. I even got up and locked Leroy in the bathroom as an ill attempt to put him in some sort of a time out. It made sense since dogs get the cue that they are being punished. Leroy didn't quite understand that he was in trouble, which proves that he does possess some cat-like characteristics, so the vocalization of his displeasure only continued louder now that he was away from his coveted front door. Long story short, for the duration of the hour and a half, I slept for five. Leroy was let out of his time out after two minutes, and immediately went back to his position in front of the door. There he continued his lamentation of his departed owner.

I think it is sweet that Devin is loved by his cat. I even think it is kind of neat that Leroy acts more like a needy dog than a loner, self absorbed cat. But having a cat meow for an hour and a half in the crack of dawn doesn't cause you to think about the positives of a cat acting like a dog; it makes you want to throw the cat in the middle of the street and pray that a stray raccoon discovers its new toy.

The Reason You Don't Read Comic Books

2011-05-15T17:20:00.000-07:00

Now, I know what you're thinking when you read the title of this post. You're wondering why in the world would I try to attempt to enlighten you as to the reason why you don't read comic books. This will lead you to smirk, cock your eyebrow with exaggerated flair, and say, "Darin, I know why I don't read comic books. Comic books are for anti-social weirdo's who are either greasy-faced depressed teenagers, or old fat adults who can't get a date with a real person and still live with their parents." You're right, it's true. There are comic book readers out there who fit those descriptions. And really, hardly any of us would be caught dead with that type of crowd. And with that thought in mind, of course you don't read comic books.

Yet, to classify all comic book readers under those descriptions would be like saying all sports fans are a bunch of jersey wearing drunks who start fights and punch old grandpas at sporting events, or all musicians are a bunch of skinny melo-dramatic high school drop outs who can't go 60 seconds without getting high. Now, many of us will read those descriptions and say, "Yea Darin, only a select minority actually act that ridiculous at sporting events. I love sports and I never act like that. That's not even in my nature." Or we might say, "Well yeah, you might say that about musicians if you want to grossly stereotype! I know plenty of musicians who are educated and would never do drugs." Both reactions would be correct. Actions of a misguided few and general labeled stereotypes should never dictate how we view others. So then why all the tough love for comic book readers? Heres why: a six decade old observational study.

Dr. Fredric Wertham was a psychiatrist who would interview violent child delinquents in the early 1950's. He started to notice a pattern: a majority of them read comic books. As a result, he started to hypothesize that the comic books were a strong tie to child delinquency; since murder mystery and horror comics were very popular at the time. He even claimed that the highly popular Batman and his famous side kick Robin were gay, and that reading Batman and Robin could cause children to subconsciously have homosexual fantasies. He wrote a book titled "Seduction of the Innocent," which further delved into this hypothesis. Obviously this lead to many scared parents and caused a concerned government to become involved and influence heavy censorship and mistrust in the comic book industry that put a stain on it for a long time. Most even argue that what happened as a result of Dr. Wertham still affects the industry today (count me in that camp). Comic book readers drastically dwindled as no one wanted to be viewed as a future bloodthirsty menace to society. And if you did still read comic books, it was at your own social peril. The ironic thing is that just ten years earlier, during WWII (called the "Golden Age" of comics), comic book readership was highly popular. People couldn't get enough of reading about the mighty Superman, the heroic Captain America, or the dynamic team of Batman and Robin pummeling Hitler and the leaders of Japan to a pulp. It was even standard for the military to send comic books to the American soldiers to help boost moral.

Now, hardly any one today thinks that comic book readers are going to become extremely violent killers. Still, highly unpopular social stigmas are attached to comic book readers. Even with the development of extremely popular and well loved comic book movies that showcase superheroes on the silver screen, the social stigma that if you actually read about these super heroes in comic book form one must be anti-social and backwards still strongly resonates to the minds of our society today like a swarm of flies to a fresh pile of cow dung. When you think about it, the notion that the change from enjoying seeing a super hero in a movie to enjoying seeing them in an illustration changes the stereotype of the viewer from normal to weirdo is rather ridiculous. Especially since many times comic book movies get their ideas from specific comic book stories themselves. This formula has actually lead to some of the most successful comic book movies, which include The Dark Knight, Iron Man, and the most recent Thor. The biggest movie flops were the comic book movies that strayed away from their source material.

I'm not trying to persuade people to read comic books. I know for many of you they are just not your thing; and that's okay. What I am trying to do is help people understand that when we picture comic book readers as what I described earlier, it is just as ridiculous as thinking that all sports fans are out of control drunks or all musicians are uneducated druggies. Yes, there are sports fans and musicians who fit these descriptions, but definitely they are not the majority. Just in my two short months of reading comic books I have met normal looking businessmen, dads, and sports fans who read comic books. Hardly anyone has fit the "comic book reader" stereotype.

Are comic books a little silly? Of course they are, but so is enthusiastically screaming at the TV for your favorite player to make the game winning shot, or singing along in your car all by yourself to your favorite song. Silly things like these are what make life great. And so do comic books.

This Commercial Rocks

2011-04-21T14:13:00.000-07:00

Enjoy this funny and great commercial

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EPNjWWQqWCA&feature=player_embedded

Thoughts About the Conference

2011-04-17T18:17:00.000-07:00

Well, I now have my very first professional conference under my belt. And to say it was an amazing experience would be an understatement.

I left feeling very encouraged that I can be successful. This wasn't because the speakers got up there and gave raw-raw lectures (they didn't). This is because I understood what the speakers were talking about. Now, could I spout off everything they said, or go analyze an x-ray? No, but I understood the big picture, and I know that with time I will be able to be successful.

The thing that really struck me was something a speaker said. He said every single one of us is a NUCCA athlete (of course this resonated with me). What made Kobe Bryant amazing at basketball? Was it his raw skills? No. It is the fact that he practices over and over again. The speaker mentioned that many people go to the conferences, go home, and don't practice what they learned. And they aren't as good as they could be as a result. I don't want to be that person. I have made goals to go over certain steps and practice regiments so I can start to develop the skills now. Yes, it will be annoying at times, but so is shooting a bunch of free throws for Kobe Bryant. Yet look how it has paid off for him. And for me I will be a much better doctor.

I walked away excited for my future career. I have the goal of working with other health practitioners (which NUCCA highly recommends so we don't confuse our patients, but build a healthy relationship with other medical professionals). I have the goal setting aside the time to practice how to analyze x-rays and performing the technique during week now and throughout my career. I also have the goal of taking meticulous notes and setting up some type of way of gathering information so I have a template of symptoms I have treated, how long it took to clear up, and what what were the lasting effects. I want to do this so when I have a patient come in for a certain symptom, I can give them honest advice about what their expectations should be. I also want to help contribute a lot of information to the research side of NUCCA, as it is very important for the growth of the profession.

I chose the right profession.

Some interesting side notes:

Recently there has been 4 case studies with the effects of NUCCA on cancer surviving patients and boosting their immune system. The American Cancer Institute was contacted to see what tests need to be done to accurately determine cause and effect. All four case studies showed vast improvement. So much so that the American Cancer Institute wants to work with NUCCA and do further studies. This is not as an alternative to cancer treatment, but more to help boost the immune system for patients in the post cancer treatment stage.

NUCCA has been working very closely with the National Institute of Health to see what NUCCA needs to do as an organization to have their research findings be accepted in more peer reviewed journals. The NIH stated that they need to verify through studies that their methods of assessment (leg check, hip check, and x-ray analysis) are accurate and show a positive correlation; then have the studies accepted in peer reviewed journals. Once NUCCA's methods of assessment are shown to be accurate, then the studies they produce after that for scoliosis, migraines, blood pressure, etc will have a lot more clout in the medical field and will more readily be accepted in peer reviewed journals. NUCCA has had some studies verify their methods of assessment are accurate and have a cause/effect relationship, but the studies were done in the 60's and were in a non-peered review journal. NUCCA is currently getting the new studies underway.

A head figure outside the chiropractic field (I wasn't able to write down the name/title of the individual) stated that NUCCA has the best infrastructure and technique/analyses of any of the chiropractic techniques to produce quality studies, which will help chiropractic care in general be more accepted and validated in the medical community.

The TIme Has Come...DUN DUN DUN!!

2011-04-13T20:28:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow I leave for my first professional conference. I honestly can't wait. It makes all of the intense studying and difficult classes worth it. Why? It will help further cement in my mind why I am going through this difficult schooling; light at the end of the tunnel if you will. And right now, that feeling is very welcomed.

Taking Upon Us the Cross of Christ

2011-04-10T14:35:00.001-07:00

So, those of you who follow my blog are probably catching on by now that almost every Sunday I am posting a new thought I had, or comment I heard in church earlier that day that I think is worth noting. If this gets annoying, I'm sorry. This blog is my public journal though, and I like to keep tabs of these sort of things for my own reference. I also hope maybe someone out there in the vast wide world of the internet might stumble upon it and like it as well.

Today in Sunday School in the local Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we were discussing the book of Matthew in the New Testament, chapters 15-17. In chapter 16 verse 24, Jesus Christ says, "If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me." In footnote d of that verse, it states that taking up our cross means to give up any ungodliness, every lust, and keep Christ's commandments. Basically we must give up our own will, and follow Christ's will.

I love the analogy Christ gave of taking up our own cross and following Christ, because Christ had to take up his own cross and follow the Father. Now obviously this analogy was stated before Christ was crucified, but I am guessing that Christ knew how we was going to leave this earth. In the night before Christ is taken by the Jews, he is in the garden of Gethsemane praying to Heavenly Father. Christ says, "Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine be done" (Luke 22:42). Christ, before he literally took up his cross, choose to succumb to the will of the Father. Was it easy? No. Nor is it easy for us to give up our will to Christ.

Lets face it, we all have, or have had, sins that we don't want to get rid of. Leaving some of these sins may even cause us to go through great spiritual pain and work. It isn't easy, and the road ahead looks daunting and difficult. Now, Christ never sinned, but reading the record of the last three days of His mortal existence lets us know that His tough road ahead was the most difficult anyone could bear. He knew what he was about to go through during the last three days of his mortal life. He knew how much pain, suffering, and ridicule he would face. Christ was probably scared and overwhelmed; and rightly so. Yet he took the leap of faith and followed the will of our loving Heavenly Father. After the experience, and everything was all said and done, I think it is safe to say that Christ (and all of God's children) is very grateful that he bore His cross and followed the will of the Father. So will we if we walk the hard road, shed ourselves of all ungodliness, follow the will of Christ, and take up our cross. It will be hard, and probably painful; but it will be worth it.

The version of the New Testament that was used was the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints King James version

It's Official: I'm a Geek

2011-04-03T19:26:00.000-07:00

Now, I know that many of you are thinking when you read the title to this blog post: "It's official? Umm, when has Darin not been a total geek? I thought his blog post on what Wii games to buy automatically enshrined him into the 'Geek Hall of Fame!' " Well, I am here to say that it wasn't official then. I was close, but not quite up to snuff to really get the honor of being classified as a true-blue, bona-fide geek. Heck, even my sister-in-law posting in the comments section of that blog post that I needed to go get a girlfriend didn't even do the trick. There was still some work that needed to be done.

(Editer's Note: I wrote the post reviewing the Wii games as an answer to a request from my brother-in-law Jeff. I didn't actually write that post just because I wanted to. That lost me some "geek" points that I am now just making up.)

Now, lets do just a quick synopsis of why I was almost a geek. Read multiple 800+ page fantasy novels with magic and dark, evil creatures involved? Check. Didn't stop playing with action figures until I was a teenager? Check. Watched super hero cartoons as an adult on multiple occasions? Double check. Fantasize about being the hero from multiple video games ? Check. Wikipedia the heck out of the video game I am playing just so I can spout off random useless facts? Check. Same goes for movies and comic book heroes? Triple check. Occasionally zone out in class and day dream about kung-fu kicking the snot out of bad guys? Check. Wish "Star Wars" was real? That I could fight crime with Batman? Or that I had an arch-nemesis who I could fight with super powers of my own? Check, check, and CHECK! You know, this is a pretty good list. I even think it would prove quite a convincing case in "Geek" court. But as my defense would be spouting off all of these facts, there would be one item that the "Geek" plaintiff would bring up that would totally unravel my case: I don't own any comic books.

Owning comic books are key and essential to being a geek. Until you actually own one, you are nothing more than just a poser. Deep down I knew this, and it killed me inside. But, given the fact that comic books have been around for decades, I didn't even know where to start. How on earth could I even keep up with all of the characters, their stories, and what is going on today?! I felt overwhelmed. So I would resort to cartoons, movies, and wikipedia; hoping to make up for this huge character flaw of mine. I thought I could go on through life like this and be okay. Yes, I would have some break-down moments, but then I'd watch my super hero movies and all would be well. That is, until last week.

This summer, there are three movies coming out that I am REALLY looking forward to. They are Thor, Captain America, and The Green Lantern. Since I can't wait until summer for these awesome movies to light up the silver screen, I have been trying to get my fix right now. The past few weeks I watched Superman I, II, and Superman Returns (which makes a lot more sense and is a lot more enjoyable if you have seen Superman I and II). I also watched Iron Man I and II, and The Incredible Hulk last week while I studied. I plan on continuing this trend as every person needs a break from studying just to be sane. Since I have already seen the Iron Man and The Incredible Hulk movies many times, I just put them on mute and had them playing in the background. I had to study, and since I know the movies by heart, just knowing they were on almost gave me my fix. Notice I said "almost."

Driving home from Institute on Thursday, and after having a long week of studying for a big test that I took earlier that day, I did something impulsive; something I thought I would never, ever do. I decided I want to buy a super hero comic book, and I want to buy it now. So I continued on driving straight to Borders. I walked into the book store, went straight into the graphic novel section, and started scanning the hundreds of comics. This was kind of daunting, and I have to admit I felt a little overwhelmed. I wanted my first comic book to be special. I am glad that I was very focused on the task at hand so my previous reservations didn't have time to talk me out of what I was doing. After scanning carefully for about fifteen minutes (not exaggerating), I finally saw what I wanted. It is called "Marvel: Civil War." Basically it has all of the Marvel super heroes fighting each other over a government super hero registration act. What's cooler than that?! Not much. So I scanned the pages, making sure there were no pictures of scantily clad female characters or overly bloody fight sequences. Seeing that it passed my standards, I bought it. I raced home, anxious to start my new hobby. And since I have only one class on Friday, and I wanted to treat myself after taking one of the hardest test of my life, I immediately dived in head first. I stayed up late reading all 200+ pages and finished the epic story of "Marvel:Civil War" that night.

I loved the experience so much that I have now made a "wish list" on Amazon of which comics I want to purchase in the future. I even purchased "Cowboys and Aliens", which will be coming in the mail this week and which the going-to-be awesome movie, coming out in the summer as well, is based off of. After that I will take it slower as these books cost money. My goal is to read at least one story per movie before Thor, Captain America, and the Green Lantern come out this summer. The great thing as well is that I can view the comic book pages online to get a grasp on whether the graphic novels are clean or not. If not, then I just scratch that book off my list.

So now, after many many years, and being ever so very close, I am a true a geek. And I'm okay with that.

May the Force be with me

Here are links to the movies coming out. Watch the trailers. You will be excited too.

Thor

http://thor.marvel.com/

Captain America: The First Avenger

http://captainamerica.marvel.com/

Green Lantern

http://trailers.apple.com/trailers/wb/greenlantern/

This one is especially great because it is four minutes of footage that is a lot better than the teaser trailer, which was kind of lame. After watching these four minutes I am MUCH more excited for this movie.

General Conference for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

2011-04-03T15:00:00.000-07:00

The following is a link to hear various leaders of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at the semi-annual general conference. The leaders range from the President of the Latter-day Saint Church, President Thomas S. Monson. President Monson is a modern day prophet, just like the prophets in the Old and New Testament in the Holy Bible, who is called by God to be His mouth piece for the people of the world. There are also 12 Apostles who speak, who are called of God just like the 12 Apostles in the New Testament. Other leaders who speak are from the Relief Society, which is the largest women's organization in the world, the General Primary organization, which is a worldwide children's organization, and from the Young Men and Young Women organizations, which are programs dedicated towards helping and guiding the youth of the world.

All speakers are leaders in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. All speakers are not paid. And all the speakers individually prayed and sought God's guidance on what topics they should speak on. I hope you enjoy their messages; they will greatly influence your life if you follow their council on marriage, family, living financially within our means, and who we are as children of God here on earth.

The singing by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir is amazing as well. The hymns "How Great the Wisdom and the Love," "The Spirit of God," and "More Holiness Give Me" where especially beautiful.

Enjoy the link.

http://lds.org/general-conference/watch?lang=eng

In Case You Struggle to Stay Awake During General Conference...

2011-04-02T11:00:00.000-07:00

I have a few things that have helped me out. My conference habits were that I would go to the living room in my pajamas, wrap myself in a blanket, and lie on the couch. I had every good intention of listening. But, to my surprise, I would end up falling asleep at least once during each session. (Gee, I wonder why...)

Well, I have found a solution. Actually, they are not my original ideas, actually a friend of mine did these things and after seeing how beneficial it was for her I wanted to try it out myself.

The first thing I do is that I make sure to have a pen and something to write notes on. For me I have a scripture journal I got for my birthday (which has been an amazing present) that I use to write notes on. It helps me stay attentive and alert the whole time. I have never gotten so much out of conference as I have now that I take notes.

The second thing I do, which I know will not be for everyone, and I only bring it up because it has helped me, is that I dress in my Sunday clothes for all the sessions. As I said, my friend did this last year so I decided to as well, and I cannot even describe how much of a difference it has made. I don't sleep during conference, I don't lie down on the couch and doze in and out of consciousness, nor do I zone out as much as I used to. I am a lot more attentive because I feel like I am actually in church instead of watching General Conference in my living room.

So if you have a hard time focusing, try these things out that my friend showed me. I think they will work.

Another Reason of Why I Love Coldplay

2011-04-01T19:39:00.000-07:00

As many of you know, and if you didn't know, you will now know, that I love Coldplay. I love Chris Martin's lyrics and voice. I love how Will Champion plays the drums, and I love how Coldplay composes their music. In fact I even love that Christ Martin is happily married to Gwenyth Paltrow, which is unique for me because I really could usually care less about celebrities' personal lives. So to say that Coldplay is playing on my ipod 25 hours a day and 8 days a week is quite the understatement.

Well, as I was driving home from class this morning, Coldplay "randomly" happened to be playing in my car. One of the songs that popped up was "Glass of Water." I love everything about this song, and it even so happens to be one of my favorites. This being said, I am about as clueless as a 3 year old toddler in a calculus class as to what the song is actually about. I always just happily and blindly sang along at the top of my lungs, never actually thinking what words I am actually singing. That is, until this morning.

The great thing is, I wasn't even consciously trying to dissect the song. The meaning, at least the meaning according to me, just clicked. And here is what I think the meaning of the song is: don't look for signs or wonders to tell us what to do. Move forward with your life and make things happen.

The first verse talks about a man who heard that a fortune teller can tell the future by looking in the water's ripples as it moves in a glass. He seeks out a fortune teller and asks, "Do you see heaven in mine?" The chorus responds to this event by saying to not look and live your life in the past, don't worry if the glass is half full or half empty, because if you do, you won't get anywhere. And it's true.

The character in the song probably has had a rough life. He feels beaten down and has no hope, so he is going to different means for some guidance in his life. And when finding it, he is hoping that it will tell him that his future will have happiness. He is basically giving up by letting a glass of water dictate how his life will turn out. He has given up accountability and personal choice.

How many times do we do this in our own lives? If we have done poorly in school, been a part of failed relationships, or feel beaten down by bad choices that we have made, we tend to think that it is just our lot in life. Or when a big decision is before us, such as what career choice to make or what school to go to, we hope that a sign will just appear before us of what path we should choose. We may not trust ourselves to make the right decision so we hope some higher being will make it for us. The truth is, and a beautiful truth it is I might add, is that no matter what has happened in our life, we can choose to do our best to make it better. And no matter what hard decision is before us, we must act and make some choice of which direction to take before a higher being, which I know to be our Heavenly Father, will start to guide us. We have the privilege to be able to make choices. As a result we are expected to make decisions and be accountable to them. That is what agency is all about.

The last line of the song, which has after this morning become one of my most favorite Coldplay lines, is Christ Martin asking the question, "What are we drinking when we're done?" To which he answers, "Glasses of Water." In the context of the song, water is nothing special. It's nothing magical or mystical. It's just a glass of water that the man in the song was hoping would give him a sign and direction. It can't give him anything but meaningless ripples and waves.

So according to Coldplay (at least my interpretation of Coldplay's meaning) we must live our lives and move forward with hope, even if we have had a rough past. We must also take control of our lives and make decisions, no matter how scary those decisions might be. For it is not until we take action that things will become more clear. And I happen to agree with them.

First Time for Everything

2011-03-27T18:59:00.000-07:00

Well, this will be a short post to let everyone know that I, Darin Wallace DeVore, will be attending...wait for it...my very first NUCCA conference next month in Newport, CA!!!!! Am I excited? You bet your sweet buns I am!!

I do admit, I am also a little nervous. Look, I have never been to a professional conference before. I have no idea what to expect. I don't know if I will walk out of there totally geared up and excited for the future, or amazingly overwhelmed and nervous. You know what though? Who cares! My excitement totally overpowers my nervousness. I have been telling my NUCCA friends at school that I am attending the conference over and over again, like an excited 5 year old who is getting ready for his first day of kindergarten. I know that I am acting this way too when I do it, but for some reason it still doesn't stop me.

So get excited!! And pray that I will walk away not totally overwhelmed...

Some Nice Comments in Church

2011-03-27T15:40:00.001-07:00

Today in church there were two comments that I really loved. I want to write them down so I will remember them, and so all of you can hear them as well.

The first comment was said by the first speaker today. He was talking about General Conference. He was recently baptized in September so the October session was his first Conference. He compared the guidance we receive from the inspired leaders of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints during General Conference to the answers we find to odd numbered math questions in our high school math book. We don't get all of the answers at the back of our math book, as we have to still figure out the solution to the even numbered questions. Despite this, we still use the odd question answers as guides to help us understand if we are heading in the right direction.

The second comment that struck me was given by a girl in my branch during Sunday School. We were studying in John chapters 5 and 6. Jesus Christ made the statement that in order to have eternal life, we need to partake of his flesh and drink of his blood. Now, obviously we don't literally eat the Savior's flesh or drink His blood, but we symbolically do when we partake of the sacrament in our church services on Sunday. The girl commented though that when we eat food and drink liquids, they nourish our bodies and they literally become a part of us. So when we symbolically eat Christ's flesh when we eat the sacrament bread, and symbolically drink Christ's blood when we drink the sacrament water, they are inside us, nourish our bodies, and symbolically become a part of us. This symbolically is showing that we are letting Christ into our lives; we are letting Christ nourish our souls. We try to act how he acts, love how he loves, and are obedient to God's commandments as he is obedient.

I hope these comments made you think about the blessings of General Conference and the sacrifice and life of Christ like they did for me. Happy Sunday everyone!

Inspirational Article That EVERYONE Should Read

2011-03-22T19:44:00.001-07:00

The following link is to an article that tells the amazing story of the grueling and difficult road to recovery for one of my favorite athletes, Charlie Davies. With March Madness going on (GO BYU!) and all the news about the NFL lockout, this amazing story got lost in all of the other sporting news; it shouldn't have. To give a quick background, the night before the USA played their last qualification game for the 2010 World Cup in Washington, D.C., US forward and goal scorer extraordinaire Charlie Davies was a passenger in a horrible car accident.

the car Charlie Davies was a passenger in

Davies almost died, and as a result woke up with many broken bones, a lacerated bladder, and other terrible ailments. Naturally it was logical to assume that he would never play soccer again, let alone live a fully normal life. The article goes into detail about his road to recovery, him overcoming the amazing odds against him, and his first game back to playing soccer after being absent from the game for 17 months. His team now is D.C. United, which is ironic since Washington, D.C. is where he almost lost his life. Oh, and he scored two goals.

Since Charlie is one of my favorite players, and I had been following his recovery the whole time, I watched him play his first game back Saturday night. I anticipated this game more than the BYU game. I wanted to see him play more than anything. In fact I was more nervous for him than I was for BYU. Why? I wanted to see him succeed. I had been following him for over a year. I was up to date with his recovery, and he was very open with his goals and aspirations. Going through this as a fan, you can't help but become emotionally attached.

This game was more important to me than BYU because I wanted to support him from far away (even though he doesn't know who I am, but that's not the point). Also, I know (okay, more like really really hope) that my kids will love soccer, and as a result they will know Charlie Davies' story. As a result of this I know my kids will ask if I saw Charlie Davies play his first game back. And I wanted to tell them that I did, and describe to them what it meant to me to witness first hand, and not through a movie or through a newspaper article, how his success, patience, and determination meant and affected me and millions of fans. In fact, despite how great BYU's historic win was, it doesn't even hold a candle to how the game of a niche European sport, that took place in Washington, D.C. in front of 18,000 fans in an old and rickety stadium, with minor media exposure, will forever impact my life.

So read the article and definitely watch the video at the top of the article that contains his emotional reaction after his first game back. You will be very grateful you did.

http://espn.go.com/sports/soccer/news/_/id/6243068/charlie-davies-long-journey-back

My Old Time Favorites

2011-02-28T18:53:00.000-08:00

Since it is now out in the open that I watch Disney cartoons online (a trend that only started yesterday but I am sure will continue for a long time), I figure it is safe to share what I discovered last night. First, we need a background story. When I was four years old there were three cartoons that I saw and immediately loved. Actually "loved" is not strong enough of a word. I idolized these cartoons. I would replay them again and again in my little four year old mind. The bear character would cause me to constantly laugh to myself outloud, while Mickey's character inspired many action sequences involving my G.I. Joe toys. If this confuses you, you will understand after you watch the cartoons; trust me. I only saw them once, and I can't recall how or where I saw them, but they have stuck in my memory ever since. So yes, the before statement was not an exaggeration. I knew one cartoon was Mickey Mouse, but the other two I had no idea. I didn't recognize the bear from Disney or from Loony Toons. Basically, I had no lead to guide me to the source of my childhood entertainment. Well, last night as I was watching some more cartoons, I stumbled across these Disney classics. I can't even begin to describe how happy I was. After more than two decades of trying to rack my brain for the titles and sources of these cartoons, I finally solved the puzzle that had been escaping me. I now have a better understanding of what Indiana Jones' dad must have felt like when Indy finally discovered the location of the Holy Grail. And I want you all to enjoy what I have found.

The first cartoon is titled "Brave Little Tailor." It is a Mickey Mouse cartoon. The next two deal with a Disney character named Humphrey that had some success with Donald Duck, and as a result starred in two short films. I have to say, now knowing that he is Disney, he is my second favorite Disney character (the first being Goofy). Here are the links. I hope you love them just as much as I do! Oh, and one other thing: the manager of the national park has the best cartoon voice imaginable.

Brave Little Tailor

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GT5ucWolPhw

In the Bag

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ol28kPTqa4&feature=related

Hooked Bear

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kcaQ4P7qn38&feature=related

An Explanation for "The Description of Teachers: The Goofy Way"

2011-02-27T21:18:00.001-08:00

It has come to my attention that my previous post may have come across as a political statement concerning the situation in Wisconsin. As a result, I want to clarify my earlier post. It is in fact not a political statement. The fact I have seen a grand total of 84 seconds on the subject matter makes me totally inept at even attempting to have a stance.

The real reason for the post is actually a long series of pathetic but time-well-enjoyed series of events. The first event was a video game for the Wii called "Epic Mickey." It of course deals with Mickey Mouse. The premise of the game is that you are in a place that is built a lot like Disneyland (this has resulted in me really wanting to visit this wonderful place on earth in real life). In order to go from one area of the game to the next, you travel through projector screens that take you to different places that are themed after famous Mickey Mouse cartoons. Some of these cartoons include "Steam Boat Willie," "Alpine Climbers," and "The Lonely Ghosts." Being the total geek that I am, I have since wanted to desperately watch these oldies but goodies. I didn't know how I could accomplish this since the cartoons are 70-90 years old. Fortunately for me, the moment finally came for my hopes to become reality. It happened this Sunday afternoon.

Since I am on vacation at home as a result of finishing my first trimester of school, my Sunday was a lot less busy than it usually is. Since both of my parents were passed out in their bedroom (one due to jet-lag from China and the other to unfortunately being ill) I realized I had to find a way to kill the time. I decided to investigate youtube for videos of the Disney classics I had been desperately trying to see. Chalk it up as a major success. Youtube is Disney cartoon heaven! I thought it would only take an hour of my time, at the most. Well, happy to say, it took between two and three: well spent and happy hours of total bliss.

Having had my fill of Mickey I decided I wanted to watch some Goofy cartoons. The cartoon that was on the link in my previous post was the first (and due to time the last) one I saw. The cartoon made me realize that teachers are very under-appreciated and deserve to be treated better by the students they teach. Included in that statement are the students' parents. Since I have current and former teachers as friends and family, I really wanted to show my support for all that they do and sacrifice. And to give them a good laugh as I am sure they can relate to Goofy's character in the cartoon clip.

So once again, it was not a political message, but a show of support and love for the great teachers of the world. We really do appreciate you. Kind of ironic to think that it took a video game and a whole bunch of cartoons to help lead me to again contemplate that...

A Description of Teachers: The Goofy Way

2011-02-27T15:58:00.000-08:00

Recently there has been a lot of support for teachers and all that they do for our children, which I think has been long overdue. Yes, there are some pretty bad teachers our there, but lost in all the noise are the stories of those inspirational teachers who have greatly influenced and positively changed our lives. These are the teachers who didn't give up on us when other teachers did. Who helped us in our early years gain confidence in our abilities. And to those teachers in college, who with their passion for the subject material helped us love it as well (and sometimes even decide to declare it as our major).

To become a great teacher, many things are sacrificed: personal comfort zones, family, and hours in the day that could be used for personal time, but are not. With all of this in mind, enjoy this video that was made by Disney almost 60 years ago. It gives great insight (and a good laugh) at all that teachers go through. Enjoy :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dMdTBep3W9c

Did I Just Lose My Man Card?

2011-02-20T16:50:00.000-08:00

Today while skimming through facebook, I happened to notice an ad that quickly caught my eye. The sentence in the ad contained the words "Hunger Games." It immediately, as it was intended to do, attained my quick attention. What transpired next made me wish it hadn't.

You see, the ad went something like this: "Darin, you like "Hunger Games" so you should check out a new book called "Angel." Now, on first read you might think, "Darin, what's the big deal?" Look below and you will see why.

I don't even have to open this book to know if I read it I would have to rip up my man card. Actually, that's not strong enough. I think I would have to actually shred it into a million itty-bitty little pieces. I mean, just look at the cover! It's a book written for teenage girls! (sound familiar?) All because I happened to like the "Hunger Games" trilogy. So this got me thinking.

I always assumed the "Hunger Games" series really were books that men could read with dignity, unlike "Twilight" where every time a guy is seen reading it, many men walk by laughing to themselves like gossiping teenagers. I know, I've done this. I'm not proud of myself, but it has happened. I never said I was mature... Then it hit me, oh so suddenly, and with great fear and shock: what if guys laughed at me when I read the "Hunger Games" like I laugh at guys who read "Twilight"? The thought alone made me feel terrible.

The thing is, it could be a book that is mostly meant for girls. Yes, there is action, but what is the main theme of the trilogy? The love triangle between Katniss, Peeta, and Gale. And what girl doesn't love a good old fashion love triangle. And it scares me to think that I love a trilogy focused on a love triangle. And yet, it's okay. Because really, who cares. My focus on the book was the action and strategy of the war game. And maybe, the men who read "Twilight" are not reading it for the love triangle between the depressed girl, the pale vampire, and the hunk of a werewolf. Maybe there is something else that grabs there attention.

Even if the men are reading these books for the "girly" reasons, why should I care or poke fun? From the experience I had today, I realized I don't want people making fun of me for the books I choose to read, so I won't do it either. So thank you facebook; you have shown me that being "manly" is more grey than it seems.

Everyone's A Coach

2011-02-20T09:04:00.000-08:00

Last Saturday, as in two Saturdays ago, I attended a youth indoor soccer game that the family I home teach participate in. The dad coaches and the son plays forward/midfielder. My goal is to actually support the people I home teach instead of just showing up once a month, and I figured going to their game would help that. Plus, with the Major League Soccer season just around the corner, I was just itching for a chance to wear my Real Salt Lake jersey to a real soccer game. Okay, so the second reason is not true; but I did wear my jersey since the son is an RSL fan. And when I got to the game the team's jerseys were red, so it worked out really well.

While I was there I it occurred to me how much I enjoyed watching the kids play. It made me wish I could watch my two nephews play their basketball games that are in season, and makes me very much look forward to the day when I get to watch my future kiddies in their various sporting, musical, and other endeavors. Unfortunately, a common theme kept ruining the mood of the event: coaching by the parents in the stands.

I understand that you want your child to be successful. I understand that you want your child to do well. What I don't understand is how yelling at them from the stands and embarrassing them in front of their friends and peers is going to accomplish this: especially when you get so out of hand that you are also "coaching" to the kids that aren't even yours!

The "coaching" was obnoxious. I couldn't help but think to myself, "Your child is 12 years old. I see pros make the mistakes they are making, so calm down. Plus, I really doubt you play perfectly as well, so quit yelling at your kid about his lack of effort and hustle."

I grew up in a family where my parents would come to my games and just watch. They would encourage me from the sidelines, but only in a positive way. I was never yelled at, ridiculed, or embarrassed by their actions. After seeing what I saw last Saturday, I cannot thank them enough!

There is one coach, and maybe an assistant. Let them do the job. If they lose every game, who cares; its kids and it's a rec league.

Valentine's Day Mail Surprise!!

2011-02-14T15:44:00.001-08:00

I just wanted to share this Valentine I got in the mail that totally made my day great and amazing. With big tests coming up for finals, I needed this pick-me-up. It's from my nephews Jacob, Brigham, and Caleb. It was great knowing I'm loved :)

Receiving this card in the mail made me think of a conversation I was having with some friends last week about this day. One of my friends had never been dating someone when Valentine's day rolled around, but he got married about 6 months ago. He was very nervous about what to get and plan for his wife (side note to women everywhere: Valentine's Day is one of the scariest days for men of the year. The fact my friends and I all swapped past horror stories, failed attempts, and our deepest fears of this holiday almost proves it. The sad thing is every story had good intentions). We all gave him advice and different ideas that ranged from crazy and over the top, to simple yet sincere. Yet, after getting this simple and nice card from my nephews, I further know which approach is best: the simple yet sincere. Nothing beats a gift, no matter what holiday, that is heart felt; no matter how small or simple the gift may be.

There could be dinner at a fancy restaurant, four dozen roses, and one six foot tall stuffed bear (which commercialism tells us are the workings of a "great" Valentine's Day present), yet if the gesture is empty, fake, and insincere it all means nothing. I'd rather have the heart felt paper card that surprised me in the mail from my amazing nephews than all the stuff commercialism tells me makes an "amazing" Valentine's Day. So thank you Jacob, Brigham, and Caleb; you all, like you have so many times, showed me what really counts.

But now to the reason of this blog post (and which the card in the mail inspired). I want to take this time to thank all of my family members for the surprise family photos, cards of encouragement, and letters I have received out here while I have been in Davenport. Know they do not go to waste, but actually are proudly hung in my apartment. School can be discouraging, but the surprise gifts (for that is how I view the pictures, letters, and children's drawings) received in the mail or right before I left for school have been very much appreciated and cherished. They are constant reminders of a loving family who supports their son/younger brother. It means the world to me. These simple gifts brighten up my days and nights more than anything else. I realized I haven't said thank you to most of you, so I wanted this blog post to rectify that.

So on this day that was probably invented by Hallmark and can be overrun with commercialism and stress (for the men), don't forget what it can be all about: expressing our sincere and heart felt (no pun intended) love and appreciation for our family and friends.

Happy Valentine's Day everyone.

Another Jimmer Spoof

2011-02-13T20:15:00.000-08:00

This is a great video I saw on a friend's facebook that I had to put up. It is a spoof of another youtube video that was a hit. The first link is the Jimmer video while the second link is the original video of the news story that the third video is spoofing. The third link is the song that was made from the second video that the Jimmer video is spoofing (confusing I know). Enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3E3rC8p2wq0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y54yESyq6Io&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ADiB-v_8sZw&feature=related

Casting Our Nets

2011-02-13T17:38:00.000-08:00

Today during Sunday School we were studying in the fifth chapter of Luke. There were a few verses in there that really stuck out to me. The context is that Christ has just taught the people while being in Peter's boat. After the sermon, Christ asks Peter to go further out into the sea to fish. Peter says, "Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net" (vs 5).

The principle that struck me very hard during class is the faith of Peter to follow the Savior, even though he was tired and his previous labor was fruitless. So many times with our callings, responsibilities to our families, and during our general experiences in life we experience what Peter experiences. We have worked and toiled to no avail. We have caught nothing in our nets. We study in school only to get average grades. We teach our children good habits only to have them repeatedly act like they are not listening. We work at our callings only to have things not go according to plan. Then, after we have spent almost all the energy that we can muster, the Lord asks us for just a little more.

It is at this moment that our faith is tried. Do we give up and say, "You know what Christ, I don't want to. I did what you asked me to do, and you know what happened? Nothing. I give up. I'm done." This approach leads us to walk away feeling discouraged. We are worse off now than we were before.

The better approach to take, and the approach that Peter took, is to say, "Nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net." We are tired, spent, and think that we have nothing left. Yet we, with faith in Christ, put down our nets only to have "a great multitude of fishes." So much in fact that our nets break (vs 6).

The bestowal of the blessings from our faith and the fruits of our labors to reveal themselves may take days, months, years, or even after this lifetime. Yet, with trusting in Christ, the time will come. The blessings will be so great and full that our nets will break. And just like Peter, all the trouble, the doubt, discouragement, and the heartache will have been worth it.

Institute Insight

2011-02-10T18:50:00.000-08:00

While living in Provo I took institute for granted. I thought it was too long, I had too many things to do, and basically any other lame excuse I could find that would justify me not going seemed to work for me. Well, absence makes the hart grow fonder. I never thought that I would admit that not having institute as an option would make me sad, but it did. Especially now that we do have it. I can definitely feel a difference in the weeks where I go to institute as opposed to when I didn't go, because institute didn't exist.

What makes institute even more meaningful to me is the fact that our teacher, Brother Evans, drives all of the way from Chicago to teach 5 students. That's a 2.5-3 hour drive one way. The sacrifice he makes for us means a lot to me, and causes me to never miss a week of institute. If a man, who has a family that I am sure he wants to see, can sacrifice basically a whole day of not seeing them so he can drive down to teach 5 people, then what excuse do I have to not show up? If I were to ever not show up without a legitimate reason I would feel like it would be a slap to his face. It would be disrespectful to the sacrifice he is making. The number one reason I go though is not out of guilt. I go because love the insights I receive when I attend his lessons, like the one I am about to share.

For some of you, this might of been obvious, but for me, hearing it tonight struck a cord. If the question was asked, "How do we worship Heavenly Father?" there would be many different answers from people of many different faiths. Some would say, "I go to church" while others "I partake of the sacrament." There are other good answers as well, but I won't mention them as they would take a long time for me to write. All of the answers would fall under a more overall category, which is this: acting like Heavenly Father. That is how we worship Him; we act like Him.

In Doctrine and Covenants 93 we are taught how to worship and what we are worshiping (19). We learn in this section as well that light is truth and truth is light, which come from the Savior (2,26, 28). We also read that the Father and the Savior are one in purpose and glory (3-5).

Now, what does light, truth, and the fact that the Father and the Savior are one in purpose and glory have to do with how we worship the Father? Everything. Jesus Christ mentions in verse 19 how and what we are worshipping after he explained that he is the truth, light, and is one with the Father in glory and purpose. Christ wants us to know that he is the source of light and truth so we will draw closer to him. By drawing closer to Christ we feel his light which results in us acting more like Him. With acting more like Christ we act more like the Father, and with acting more like the Father we are then worshipping the Father. Again, how this works is that the more we act like Christ the more light we receive, the more light we receive the more truth we gain, the more truth we gain the more we are able to act like Christ, which is acting like the Father. When we act like the Father we then are worshipping the Father.

The beautiful thing about this truth is that worshipping the Father is not something that we do for three hours a week. It is not something we do once a month when we home/visit teach the members of our ward. Worshipping God, our Heavenly Father, is a way of life. It is how we live our life, everyday.

By doing this we get rid of the narrow view of "check marking" the good things we do. This is hurtful to us because we look at the little things which causes us to miss the big picture. We all know people who go to church, home teach every month, do their calling, but are disrespectful and unkind to their spouse and children. Instead of focusing on the fact we went to church this week, taught our Sunday school lesson, and got our home teaching done for the month, we focus on being the best person we can be. We focus on improving our life every day. We focus on acting like our Heavenly Father, which then leads us to want to treat all of his children, which for better or for worse is everyone here on earth, as He would; with love, respect, and charity. We don't worry about "checking off" the good things we have done as they will naturally fall into place. If we don't know how to live and act like Heavenly Father, all we need to do is look to the Savior for an example, as He and the Father are one. Christ acts exactly how the Father acts. Christ is our example.

What is reassuring about this, and what gives me hope, is that Christ didn't receive the fullness of the Father at one, big moment while he was here on earth. Christ received it little by little, "grace by grace" (D&C 93:12). We know it is only because of Jesus Christ that we can be perfected through his Atonement, and not through anything that we do on our own (Mosiah 13:28). As a result we must look to Christ to show us the way, as Christ knows what it takes to get to our final destination. As we patiently do our best, try our best, and look and rely on the Savior through his grace, love, and mercy for help and guidance, we can eventually, probably not in this life, but eventually, be "perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect" (Matt. 5:48).

A Great Video About What REALLY is Important in Life

2011-02-09T14:00:00.000-08:00

This video is really great. A man gave up football after winning the Super Bowl so he could be with his family in a time of need. What excuse do we have when a big game is on that we are just watching (not even playing in) and our kids want to play with us or our spouse needs our attention/help and we don't even give it to them because we are so engrossed into what's on the TV? Obviously the family on the video is an extreme example, but still, so many times we let sports, video games, etc. get in the way of our family and giving them the time they need. Anyway, enjoy!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=48njTrFpUZM&feature=player_embedded

FHE Idea

2011-02-07T18:19:00.000-08:00

This will be a quick post, but I just got back from FHE. The person in charge of the activity had to work tonight so I took over the responsibility. I didn't quite know what to do as I didn't want to play card games. I remembered when I was at BYU I had a friend who had the group make cards for the bishopric and then mailed them to their houses. At the time I thought it was a great idea.

So I took that idea as a foundation and come up with making cards for all of the recent converts in the ward for the past year. It was great writing letters of encouragement and letting them know that we understand that changing their lifestyles can sometimes be hard and discouraging. We also wrote about the Lord's love for them and that He is always with them. Someone also came up with the idea of having a lot of the ward members sign the cards before they are delivered so it is more than just four signatures (the total number of people at FHE tonight). I think it will help the ward members feel more connected to the recent converts and will hopefully let the recent converts know that we think of them and are glad that they are now in our ward.

If you are struggling with ideas for FHE, I recommend doing this. It was a spiritual experience for me when I wrote the messages for the families I was assigned to write for, and I know that it will strengthen your love for the Savior and the recent converts if you choose to do this activity as well.

Souper Bowl

2011-02-07T15:00:00.000-08:00

So as everyone knows last night was the "world" famous Super Bowl. It could be argued that yesterday is the biggest day on almost every American's calendar. Probably even bigger than birthdays, anniversaries, or even Christmas.

As a young lad in my pre-teen years I used to get geared up for this game with all of the basic essentials: pizza (a frozen store bought of course since it was Sunday), root beer, Doritoes, Pringles, and lots of candy. I remember yelling at the TV when a big play happened, chugging down root beer with no care in the world for my health, and eating a whole bag of chips all by myself (and what was the best part about all of this? The next day I woke up feeling totally fine). At the time, nothing seemed better.

Now lets fast forward a decade or so. The last few Super Bowls I haven't watched as other things always came up. I slowly grew to where I didn't even care anymore. Recognizing my past love and habit for this festive day, I realized that I was in shock that I could let myself be this way! How could I, Darin Wallace DeVore, not care about the biggest sporting event in America? More people tune into this game then for the election of our future president! So last night I did a test. My theory was that, in fact, I really don't care about the Super Bowl anymore. Since I was bored in my apartment and, knowing that the game was on which provided the perfect opportunity for me to test my theory, I decided to watch it. The whole thing.

What were the results? I realize that I really, really, REALLY could care less about football and especially the Super Bowl. My theory is now cemented in fact. When all was said in done I had wasted 4 hours of my evening. 4 hours!!! The game didn't hold my attention at all either. The game last night is talked about with excitement, as there was huge plays, big comebacks, and a close nail biter finish to end the end. For me it just passed the time.

So in the future what will I do instead? Well, here is an idea: a soup bowl party in place of a super bowl party. Last year some friends of mine and I actually did this for people who didn't care to watch the "big" game. We made home made soup bowls and soups. I have to say it was a major success. It was great as friends gathered around and talked, enjoyed one another's company, and ate delicious food. And the best part? No one left our party upset, unlike many of my classmates left their super bowl parties who happened to be Steelers fans; they didn't even show up to class today....

Super Bowl Sunday presents times when people gather together and create traditions. I think I will throw away my old one and continue the new one: hosting a Souper Bowl party. And if any of you come and enjoy this wonderful tradition, I wouldn't be surprised if any of you actually started your own Souper Bowl party tradition as well.

The Force is Strong With This One

2011-02-03T13:36:00.000-08:00

So I saw this video on a friend's Facebook page (who I guess saw it on my brother Devin's Facebook page) and I had to post it! The reasons are as follows:

1) The kid totally reminds me of my brother Devin and my nephew Brigham because I can picture both of them doing this. And yes Devin, I know you're 26 now but you know deep down you still fantasize and day dream about having force powers; some things just never die with age. I also love the kid's reaction at the end and makes me hope I have a child of my own who loves "Star Wars" as much as the kid in the commercial.

2) The commercial has a dog. And really, who doesn't love dogs?

3) My realistic dream car is a Passat. Yes, we all fantasize about various sports cars and the like, but I really want a Passat. It is affordable, nice, and German (which means it is reliable).

4) I love how the dad reacts to his son. I want to be a dad like that.

Now, enjoy this amazing commercial that is a truly a combustion of all that is good in the world.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R55e-uHQna0&feature=player_embedded

Classical and Pop: The Sting Way

2011-01-30T18:20:00.000-08:00

So, most of the people that read this blog consists of my family members, and since a majority of my family members love Sting, I wanted to promote his amazing new albums for all of you (and non family readers out there as well). These two albums are Symphonicities and Sting: Live in Berlin. Both have Sting and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. In other words an explosion of musical goodness unfolds in your ears. In fact one might say these two things go as well together as an Oreo cookie and its accompanying cream.

I want to start out saying that a lot of the songs on these two albums sound like Sting's other versions so if you're tight on cash I want to make just a few suggestions. I'll start out with Symphonicities.

Everything Thing She Does is Magic: This version is, quite simply, amazing. I always loved this song by Police, but this version makes me smile really big every time I hear it. The strings are beautiful and played in a way that leaves you feeling extremely happy. I would say that this song should be one of the first songs you buy.

She's Too Good For Me: This song has always been, lyrically, one of my all time favorite Sting songs. The composition in this version leaves you in awe at the skill of the string players. Their intensity and quick pace is fun to listen to.

Roxanne: Sting always does great Roxanne versions and this one is no different. The music's many ascending and descending dynamics create a very sad, but beautiful tone to this classic song.

Now for the second album, Sting: Live in Berlin

End of the Game: This is a great song where the music sounds like it could belong in a movie set in old England. The song is about two foxes who are old. They are dreaming of the time where they will no longer be running from the hunt, but together in peace (you can look at is as a beautiful message of death, peace in the next life, and eternal families). It really is quite a beautiful message. This is a must buy.

Why Should I Cry for You?: This sad song about Sting dealing with the death of his father is a great listen. The composition really sets the tone. It doesn't have a lot of orchestra in it (they mostly play a subtle background role) but I would still highly recommend this song.

Englishmen in New York: This song is more of a jazz feel with a classical background. The saxophone player sounds incredible and is basically doing subtle soloing throughout the song that doesn't detract from the song but only greatly adds to it. It's a great song.

Moon Over Bourbon Street: For all you vampire lovers out there, this is the song for you. The song was inspired by the book "Interview With a Vampire" and the music follows that theme in a very interesting way. The chilling melody and creepy middle section make you feel like you are in a classic horror movie. This is Sting at his composition best. I highly recommend this song.

I hope this review was helpful for all of you. In conclusion, if you have the money, buy most, if not all of these songs. You won't regret it.

Missionary Story

2011-01-30T18:05:00.001-08:00

I wanted to post just a quick experience I had this week as a result of Jimmer tearing it up for BYU basketball. I have a friend who saw the highlights on sports center. He asked me about Jimmer and as a result I was able to talk about the church.

Yesterday I took him grocery shopping since he doesn't have a car and has to walk 3 miles round trip in order to go shopping. While we were shopping he asked more questions about the church and I was able to basically give a first missionary lesson. He is just curious about the church. I wouldn't say he is interested.

Well, last night he invited me to go to his place to watch the Celtics-Lakers game that was happening this afternoon. He is from Boston and Rhode Island so naturally he loves everything New England. I don't like to watch sports on Sunday, but as the game was at 3:30 and I have church until 4, and I had to leave at 5:40 to go home teach a family I figured by the time I got there the game would be almost over and we would probably just sit around and talk, not even things religious. I was right. We just relaxed and shot the breeze. The neat experience was that I was able to give him a Book of Mormon during this time. As I said, I don't think he's interested right now but he is curious about what we believe and why. He grew up Catholic but thinks Jesus was more of a good guy than our Savior. I don't know what will happen but it felt really good to have a positive missionary experience. I also wasn't too nervous giving him a Book of Mormon, which was a relief.

So the moral of the story is that BYU has athletics to spread the gospel. Yes, sometimes the athletes make poor choices and it would drive me nuts when I would see the athletes get away with things as students at BYU. Yet, there are those that play well and draw national attention. And BYU being a church school this brings attention to our church. So even though I get really annoyed with how the sports teams act or play, they do provide missionary opportunities. And for that, all can be forgiven.

Time to Settle the Debate

2011-01-29T15:13:00.000-08:00

Since the dawn of milk men, there has been a raging debate that has encompassed our everyday lives. This debate isn't to be taken lightly either. Family relationships have been known to be strained, sometimes even ruined. The debate: what type of milk to drink, which means what type of milk to purchase. In some houses this can get pretty touchy. Do we go with the delicious, creamy, and delectable smoothness of whole milk/2% even though it is a little on the fatty side, or the wimpy and flavorless skim/1% milk to have "good" health? Well, I have an answer, and I think most of you are going to like it.

The big reason we even debate this issue is because we are worried about the fat content of whole/2% milk. If we aren't careful, it can get pretty high. For this very reason many people (myself included) switch to skim/1%. We look at it as being safer and healthier to consume. Under certain circumstances, this actually isn't the case.

There are two key ingredients that milk is famous for: calcium and vitamin D. They are essential to bone health and for some people can be very highly under-consumed. Women especially should be consuming good amounts of calcium and vitamin D as the stores in their body greatly decrease after menopause, resulting in osteoporosis and other bone problems. Side note: some studies have shown that caffeine depletes calcium stores as well, so hold off on the soda.

The problem is, calcium and vitamin D need to be with fat in order to be absorbed by our body. No fat, no absorption. The only milk percentages that have the proper amount of fat is whole and 2%. So unless you drink skim or 1% with a meal that has at least 5 grams of fat, you won't be getting any of that precious calcium or vitamin D, which is why most of us drink milk in the first place.

So 2%/whole milk lovers rejoice! Or at least be happy that in the great milk debate, you now have some pretty good ammunition.

Jimmer Fever

2011-01-27T19:57:00.000-08:00

Okay, so let's face it, if you haven't heard of Jimmer Fredett by now you are 1) a bitter Utah fan who ignores him with the hope that he will just go away or 2) you live in Pakistan. Since no one from Pakistan has ever checked out my blog (I know because I periodically check my stats), I know that all of you readers out here have heard of him. He, and rightfully so, has taken the nation by storm. In fact I think even my dad is developing a small man-crush on him. The tone of his voice as he excitedly talked about Jimmer's amazing game like President Obama used to talk about his health care reform plan basically proves this. It's okay Dad, you are not alone. In fact every BYU fan, ESPN writer, and simple basketball fan from our western to eastern borders as a nation is catching the Jimmer fever. It's epidemic.

And what does this mean for me? Well, for the moment I can't be upset at BYU athletics. You see, I really don't like BYU athletics, and here's why: they mess with your emotions. They are like a verbally abusive girlfriend who at first says nice and sweet things to you, emotionally luring you in, but then eventually shows their true colors and out of nowhere goes on a verbal tirade that leaves you feeling dazed and confused. Like any sane person would who was in a relationship like this, I decided to leave them for good. Yes, I hope they do well and I wish them the best, but I am fine never speaking to them again.

You don't have to be a BYU fan for life to know what I am talking about. It happens almost every year. Early success causes your hopes to rise higher than Sears Tower, then there is a game that will dash those hopes to oblivion. Reality sets in, and it hurts so bad that you are left in the corner of the room in the fetal position, hoping the pain isn't real. For example, when BYU beat Oklahoma in Dallas, we were bound for a BCS bowl. How could we not? It was Oklahoma! But what did we get? A whooping of drastic proportions at home against the thugsters of Florida State the very next game (I left at half time). A few years ago in basketball we were playing in the MWC tournament and if we won, we would get a really good seed into the national tournament. It was supposed to be our year to actually get past the first two rounds. In the final game we were up 20 in the first half against Las Vegas. Victory was sweet. Dreams were being formed of watch parties and cheering far into the tournament. Life was great. Yet, we fell apart in the second half and ended up losing. It was like being kicked in the gut. Except the pain took a few days to go away. To make matters worse we got the 9th seed and lost, badly, in the first round. These are just a couple of the many examples, but I won't go on as painful memories are meant to be hidden deep within the mind.

And of course this year the expectations are rising again. Jimmer is on fire. We are ranked in the top 10. We could get a 2 or 3 seed into the tournament. We could go far, farther than we ever have before. Of course I was guarded (deep down I can't stop caring). I kept my emotions in check. After last night, I think I am wrong. I do think we will live up to our expectations. Honestly, I thought we'd lose last night. We always lose big games. It's just as much in BYU's DNA as growing thick facial hair is in mine. Instead, Jimmer scored at will and we won by double digits. This alone gives me the confidence that Jimmer will get us far. Instead of folding under the national spotlight he shone brighter than me in my bathing suit, and trust me, with my white skin that is pretty bright. So BYU fans let those hopes rise, because for once, I don't think they will dash to pieces in heart ache.

PS: to celebrate Jimmer's performance, and after the great suggestion from a friend, I decided to play basketball tonight. It was great. It has been WAY too long. So thank you Jimmer, but more importantly thank you friend. I needed to revisit my old love.

Cat's Out of The Bag...

2011-01-26T18:43:00.000-08:00

So earlier this week I received the suggestion that I should change my profile picture for facebook. I wanted to heed this suggestion, as sometimes it is good to keep things fresh and new. In fact, it had been so long since I had put a new picture as my profile pic that I forgot how much thought and work actually goes into such a small task. What we don't realize is that all of our friends, which in my case is 559, may look at this picture every day! Sometimes multiple times a day! What if I look like a total goof? Then every time they go on facebook, see my sporadic wall posts, or just glance at any of my numerous comments, they will look at my picture and think, "Wow, what a total goof." It would be terrible for my self esteem. Now I know you're thinking, "Darin, how could having people say this about your picture hurt your self esteem when you don't even know that these people are thinking 'Wow, Darin looks like a total goof' when they look at your photo? You're not Professor X from X-men: you can't read minds." Valid point, but you're wrong. Just trust me on this; I know what I'm talking about.

So after much thought, meditation, and self counsel I decided to choose the picture that is now currently my facebook profile picture. After receiving many facebook comments on how handsome I looked in the photo, which in all seriousness (and I really do mean this) made me feel very flattered and loved. It really made my day. I even got a GQ/J Crew reference from my brother Devin. In essence I have not regretted my decision to choose the below photo. But I have a confession to make. This picture really isn't mine. Well, I mean, it is mine, technically speaking, but this is not how I actually look in real life. With the pressure mounting to have a great picture (for previous stated reasons) I decided no picture I currently had of me would do. I decided to alter myself just a wee bit... Needless to say, I got a little carried away.

The Picture that is Currently on Facebook

I altered my picture quite a bit. I have to say photoshop is amazing. I altered shadows on my face to make it look like I have a full beard of scruff. I also made my hair look darker so I would come across as more manly and wiser. My skin complexion was made lighter as well so I would come across as someone who sits indoors all day studying. I thought this would help my academic credentials and street cred as a chiropractic student. Also note the hair on the back of my hands. Is this fake? Yes. In real life that area of my hands are as bald as a newborn rat. I'm quite self conscious of it actually. Even if this wasn't the case, it's amazing how that little extra fine detail totally made the picture. In fact I think subconsciously it's this added stroke of photoshop genius that made Devin think the picture had a GQ element. Without it, it would have probably fallen under Old Navy. This is fine as Old Navy is a great store, but I like the GQ look better. It definitely fits with what I was going for in my editing process.

I know you're wondering why I went through all of this trouble, even if a facebook profile picture is quite a bid deal. Is it really that important? Well, after I show you what I really look like, I think that you will agree with me and say YES. My real picture is below:

All you have to do is look at this photo for half a second to know some major editing needed to be done. I could go on and on about why this picture of me is so bad, but I'll save you some time and just point out the basics. First the lack of facial hair. Yes, I have some, but it's all splotchy and not even full. I shave to hide my apparent lack of testosterone (which I apparently forgot to do in this photo). Also note my hair color. I know the sandy blond hair is so not in right now. It makes me look too plain. No movie star would be caught dead with hair like mine. And lastly my skin tone. With my current super tan skin no one will take me seriously as a chiropractic student. My secret of laying out in the sunny and beautiful January Iowa sun instead of staying indoors and studying is fully revealed for all to see.

Regardless, I couldn't live this lie any longer. I just had to write down and expose my cheating ways. I haven't seen a lot of you since I have been in Iowa. I knew I could get away with some "minor" tweaking. And I was right. But know I'll never break your trust again. Instead I will gain the physical features I manipulated in my photo. So say hello to fuller facial hair through testosterone injections. Wave goodbye to sandy blond hair and welcome brown hair dye. And Embrace my new white skin as being tan just won't cut it anymore.

I think I'll be happy and content with the way I'm going to look.

One With the Bears

2011-01-25T18:20:00.000-08:00

Chiropractic school has been very enlightening. Sometimes I walk away from class with a new diagnosis as to what is wrong with mine or someone else's body (a more in depth post will be coming later that explains why my left arm is as big as a 6 year olds). Well, today was no different.

This morning in my Central Nervous System class we talked about seasonal depression. The cold air and lack of sun light can cause 1 out of every 20 people to develop the blues. I don't think I suffer from seasonal depression, but after today, I have to wonder if I suffer from seasonal laziness.

The day started by me getting up at 7:00 am. Now, in absolute terms this is early and one would think that this is an amazing feat. Unfortunately we are talking in relative terms here. I have class at 7:30 and I need to leave by 7:15. Did I sleep in because I was really tired? Nope. I slept in for the simple fact that I just loved being in my comfy warm bed. I mean really, do we always need a complicated reason for just wanting to stay in bed? All we have to do is listen to the song "Banana Pancakes" by Jack Johnson to know I have a legitimate case.

Once I survived getting through my school day, I arrived home. Did I come home, crack open my books, and study my brains out like I should have done? No... I immediately plopped on my couch and curled up in a blanket. I felt so warm and cozy. It was if heaven had descended upon my little apartment. I lied there for not 1, or even 2, but almost 3 hours while I alternated between reading a book and watching old sitcoms on TV. When 6:00 came around, I figured it was about time to get up and make some dinner.

Since I strongly believe in consistency, I wanted to continue with my theme of the day. I opened up my fridge, and to my dismay I found that everything in there would cause me to actually work. This just wouldn't do. So instead I went to my cupboard, found some canned baked beans, fired up my electric stove, whipped out a can opener (the fact I had to actually twist a lever more than three times was a little too much for my liking but I figured it was a worthy cause to break the set pattern of the day), and plopped those delicious little BBQ soaked goodies in a pot. Since I'm a little health conscious I added chocolate soy milk to this fine meal. After dinner I became a little more productive and studied my school work, but the blanket and couch still very dominantly factored into the equation.

Do I feel bad about all of this? Nope, and here's why. What do bears do in the winter? They hibernate. They literally sleep all day and do absolutely nothing. Nothing! The most activity they do is roll over from their stomach onto their backside. Now, in the physical build department I am as close to a bear as a chipmunk is, but when it comes to hair I have on many occasions been told that my leg hair fits the bill. So, maybe, just maybe, I subconsciously embraced this notion so much that I decided to actually further act like my distant mammalian cousin. Lets just hope it stops there. I don't really like raw fish...

Mail!

2011-01-23T18:39:00.001-08:00

Friday I got a surprise package in the mail. It was from my sister-in-law Laura. During the Christmas break she took a picture of me and a not-so-smiley Macy and put it in a beautiful picture frame. I love it! It proudly rests on my lamp stand next to my couch. So thank you Laura. It was definitely very thoughtful and kind of you!

Wisdom

2011-01-23T17:30:00.000-08:00

Probably one of the most famous scriptures in the Book of Mormon is found in 1 Nephi 2:15 which reads, "And my father dwelt in a tent." Why is it famous? Because it is so unbelievably short. Yet, there is another scripture that has the exact amount of words and also, like the one mentioned before, occupies just one line. Unfortunately this scripture is often times overlooked, but actually has spiritual significance that we all can apply instead of historical significance that mostly only F.A.R.M.S members are concerned with. It is found in Jacob 6:12. It reads, "O be wise; what can I say more?" Ponder that phrase for a few minutes. You'll be glad you did. I know I was.

The Wheel of Time, Stop Taking My Time!

2011-01-22T15:25:00.000-08:00

A few weeks ago I was finally able to put my movies off of the book shelf and into my media center. This was great as I could now put my old school books on my bookshelf for easy reference instead of their original place being packed in my closet. The problem was, there wasn't enough room. This posed a very unfortunate scenario. The possibility of getting rid of any of my beloved books sounded horrible! Somberly analyzing my bookshelf, I realized I have 13 books that almost took up a whole row for themselves. These books are part of a series called The Wheel of Time. They are so amazing and great that they are often times called the new Lord of The Rings.

I have been reading these books for 12 years. I loved them in jr. high and high school. I loved them so much I even bought a hardcover guide to all of the countries, history, and characters of the series with colored maps and pictures. The first six novels were action packed, suspenseful, and really just amazing reads. Really, it was a literary experience up there with the likes of Harry Potter. The next 5? Truly awful. So awful in fact that if I ever was tortured for information all they would have to do is make me read these books from beginning to end. Knowing what I know now, I'd just go in the fetal position and give in before I even crack open the cover. To make it worse, the series will eventually end after a totla 15 books. 15!!!

This would have been fine if every book was 300 pages and full of interesting characters and stories. Side Note: To be fair the the prequel was 300 pages, thank goodness, as it too was an eye gauging experience to read. Instead each book is 800-1000 pages and has now turned from an interesting and exciting read in the first 6 books to a bunch of long winded novels that are full of girls talking about how stupid men are while the men talk about how confusing the girls are, with some truly lame action sequences and boring political maneuvering thrown here and there. To make it worse there so many characters now that the author just takes a name he already has and changes a letter in it to make up a new character. I can't even keep anyone straight anymore! It's an excruciating read! In fact the last book I read, book 11, has taken me two years to get through 500 pages out of a 800 page book.

And why did I keep reading these books? Because I have put so much time into them (we are talking about over a decade here people!) that I felt obligated to finish the series. Even though I could care less about ANY of the characters or how the series ended, I felt like I just had to keep pressing forward. Maybe, just maybe, it would get better. It never did. Actually it got worse, and worse, and worse...

So, staring at these books, I couldn't help but realize that here, in front of my eyes, is the perfect chance to get rid of my literary curse and walk away forever. There are so many other books I want to read for myself that I can't afford to waste my time with The Wheel of Time. I also need bookshelf space as I want to continue to add to my collection so I have interesting books for my future children to read (like Sherlock Holmes and the Ender's Game series). Why clog my space on my bookshelf with books I have grown to view with very strong disdain? All because of the time I spent with them? That makes no sense! I even determined a few years ago to discourage letting my kids read these books so they don't waste their time like I did! So the solution to my problem became obvious: get rid of them, and get rid of them now. So I did. I gave them away to a friend who (for some odd reason) loves the books. I know he does because ironically the weekend before we had a very good discussion about them: me as to why I can't stand them and he stating how amazing they are.

I cannot enough describe how invigorating it was to finally let them go. There is hardly anything better than the feeling of walking away knowing I have put that book series to rest forever, no longer feeling like I have to dedicate my time to them. I know it is a small thing, and probably sounds silly, but for me, it was like saying goodbye to a friend who kept mooching like a leach off of me for years and years and years. Well, I finally squashed that leach, and it felt great. Now, on to more amazing reads.

Learning The Hard Way...

2011-01-21T14:48:00.001-08:00

So, everything that comes up must come down, right? Right. Last week, by all accounts, was amazing. I had two really hard tests that I did extremely well on. Confidence was running high and I was feeling on top of the world. Of course, it's always great to have reality hit us like a pile of bricks. And I mean that, because after last week, I needed to come back to earth. Not that I was becoming cocky, because I wasn't, but we all need experiences to keep us grounded so we still work hard for our accomplishments and don't take things for granted.

This week I had three tests, one of which is notorious for being the hardest test of the first trimester at college. And of course that test was the last one of the week. And this test, my friends, would be CNS. We had to know the pons, midbrain, medulla oblongata, cerebellum, and the descending and ascending tracts of the brain and spinal cord. It was A LOT of info.

To prepare for this week I had been studying for the past couple weeks, and really dug in deep last weekend. Monday wasn't a day off; it was just a school day that I spent at home. I studied more last weekend then I have any weekend in my entire life. And unfortunately, it showed.

By the time Tuesday afternoon came my brain was gone. I took a test that morning and did okay. I immediately had to start studying again for a gross anatomy exam that was going to be on Wednesday morning. All Tuesday afternoon and evening I studied, and the whole time my brain couldn't soak anything in. By test time Wednesday I was in a daze and it showed on my test. I don't remember the last time I made so many mistakes. I still passed, but I definitely could have done better if I was in a different state of mind.

After that experience I realized I needed to give my brain a break. So Wednesday night I relaxed, read some books, and lightly studied for my big CNS test on Friday. This was okay as I said previously I had been studying for a couple weeks for this test. And this strategy worked wonders. Yesterday I was focused, driven, and disciplined with my studying. I even went to bed early and got up early to just go over a few things. Feeling good about the monumental task that was waiting for me this morning, I got into my car ready to face the challenge. Unfortunately, my car wasn't up to the task. My car was frozen in park.

Last night it was -27 degrees. Me, never experiencing this kind of frigid cold before ever in my life, I was a little naive. I knew my car would take a while to start and warm up, but I never knew my car would actually freeze in position!! For ten minutes I frantically tried, pulled, yanked, and strained my gear shift to go into reverse to no avail. I felt so helpless! Long story short, I missed my test and now have to take a make up test next week. So, another three test week awaits me!

Why did this week happen after such a fantastic experience last week? I don't know, but I am grateful that it did. Honestly, there is nothing I can do about it so I'll just look at it as a time to further study for my CNS test. The test will be harder as the make up test is all short answer, but that's okay.

I learned a lot of lessons this week. I was humbled as I now know that despite my earlier accomplishments, I still need to work hard for them to continue. I need to still tweak my study habits so I can do well but not burn myself out. And I am learning that sometimes, things are just out of our control, and it's okay. Would it have been nice to learn these lessons the easy way instead of the hard way? No, because it's learning things the hard way that makes the lesson sticks.

Some Guidance for All You P90Xers Out There

2011-01-16T17:07:00.000-08:00

This is a post mostly aimed at my family since a lot of us are trying to get back into shape by starting P90X again. Some of you have asked me about some tips and preferences, especially concerning after work out drinks and shakes. We know we need protein as it is very beneficial for helping our muscles heal after a hard workout. So the question often is, what is the best source of protein? The answer is chocolate milk.

I know this probably sounds to good to be true as 1) chocolate milk tastes so dang good and 2) it is cheeper than those $5 a day protein shakes. Now, before I start I just want to say that the sources I am getting this from is from Dr. Allsen (my Problems With Exercise Prescription professor at BYU) and Dr. Nightingale (my biochem professor at Palmer College of Chiropractic).

A lot of times protein supplements are pushed as a great after workout drink because it has so much protein that our body "needs" after we workout. The problem is, our body only needs .8 grams of protein per kg of body weight a day for a normal person. If we are working out that number raises to 1.2-1.6 g/kg a day. Anything more than this our body will either get rid of or it turns to glycogen for sugar storage or fat for fat storage; neither of which we really want. So these shakes that contain mega amounts of protein are actually not beneficial.

Side Note: multiply your body weight by .454 to see how much you weigh in kg.

Now, lets address the protein supplements that have the right amount of protein and why chocolate milk is still more preferable. Protein comes in two molecular forms. One is a L protein while the other is a D protein. What makes it L or D is the position of the amino group (NH3) and the carboxyl group (COO) around the Carbon that they share. Our body prefers L proteins. In our natural protein sources, such as milk and meat, protein is made up of 99% of the L type, where supplements are around 50% L and 50% D proteins. So yes, the supplements may have a good, healthy amount of protein, but it is the wrong type of protein. It's like putting 89 grade gas in our Audi; it works but, not really well. Also supplements are not always regulated by the FDA, so even though they may say they have certain healthy ingredients, we really don't know for sure. Supplements are not regulated.

Chocolate milk is a natural source of protein so we know we are getting L proteins (the type of protein our body uses). It also has sugar in it. Now, you may be thinking this is a bad thing. It is not. Our muscles store their own glycogen, which is sugar, for their own energy use. Once their glycogen stores run out, they tell the liver to break down other stores of glycogen in the body and send it to them asap. This is why drinks like Gatorade can be so important for long work out periods because it has sugar that our body can use for energy. So, with chocolate milk, we are getting a replenishment of sugar and protein to help our body recover from the workout.

If you are drinking Gatorade you may not need the extra sugar from the chocolate milk. In this case just drink the milk by itself. Make sure it is skim milk as it has fewer calories and fat content. Also, I like to use Ovaltine as it is a healthier solution than Hersheys or Nesquik.

So, you now know a healthier, cheaper, and more effective way of helping your body recover from a great workout. Enjoy!!

Sunday Dinner

2011-01-16T17:00:00.000-08:00

I made this tonight. Just looking at the picture I realized it looks kind of gross... It was great I promise! It is sweet and sour pork with upton noodles, pineapple, and red and green peppers. The reason why I am so proud of this is because I have always had trouble making asian dishes. Finally, after months of random experimenting I was finally able to do it. I also had hymns played on an accoustic guitar in the background while I was cooking which may have made me focus and relaxed (which was key to the success). It was really relaxing but also made me feel like I was on a cooking show for PBS.

Last Time, I Promise...

2011-01-14T12:32:00.000-08:00

This will be the last time I post about this topic, but I am just so happy right now with how school went this week. Today I took an anatomy practical exam. This is the type of exam where you have bones and cadavers in front of you, they poke at it, and you have to say what it is and sometimes where it originates, inserts to, what action the muscle does, and what nerve innervates it. It is A LOT of info. I have been studying for the last couple of weeks and even studied for MANY hours yesterday for this test. I felt really confident going into the exam, but you never know what will happen once you look at what is in front of you. During the exam I felt really confident and at ease. I even felt great walking out of it. Just like after my BioChem test I didn't want to let my emotions run away from me and get my hopes up only to find that I didn't do that well.

Well, when I saw my score, I had every reason to be happy. I earned a 38 out of 40 on my exam!! This is a huge accomplishment for me. I can't even express how happy I am that I did well on two tests that are known for really being difficult. It really motivates me to continue the trend. I am sure that there will be tests where I feel great and then realized I did okay, but today was not that day.

Okay, now time for a random thought. We did palpation today (where we feel bones and muscles on the living human body). One of the features was the transverse process of the C1 vertebrae. Come to find out I have a REALLY big transverse process. I knew it was large, but after feeling other transverse processes, I now really know how big it is in compared to other peoples. Since the transverse process is what is adjusted with the NUCCA technique, does this mean that I was born to be a NUCCA doctor? Yes ;)

It's Been A Great Day

2011-01-12T16:46:00.000-08:00

So, this is mostly a random post that serves more like a journal than anything else, but what the heck. Today, I took my second Bio-Chem test. It was on proteins (a post about protein facts and myths is coming later) and it was a lot of memorization. There are twenty different Amino Acids that can make up a protein, all with different structures, purposes, and properties. I was a little worried. So after studying the last couple of weeks for this exam, then really focusing on my studies Monday and yesterday, today at 12:05 pm Central Time was the arrival of the big moment. I was pretty nervous as I didn't take organic or general chemistry in my undergrad or in high school and if I do poorly my guess is Palmer will make me take them. Yeah, I don't really want to do that. But wait, I must clarify. I took Introduction to Chemistry at BYU and read Chemistry and Organic Chemistry for Dummies. Anyway, that doesn't spark much confidence in my chemistry abilities.

As I received my test I took a breath, calmed myself down, said a prayer, and jumped right in. After I was finished I not only felt good about it, I felt confident that I earned an A. Of course, I didn't let my feel-good emotions run too long as I didn't want to have reality hit me hard on the face if I in fact earned a B or a C. Thank goodness my great feeling proved accurate, as I received a 90% on my exam!!! And since Palmer only has A, B, C, or Fail as a grade, it doesn't matter that it was a low A, because it is still an A! I really cannot express how relieved and happy I am. It gives me the confidence I need that despite my lack of chemistry experience, I can still do well in this class.

The second best thing is that as a celebration I finished my reading of "The Complete Sherlock Holmes: Volume I" tonight. It ended with "The Hound of the Baskervilles", which was a fantastic book. It has the same tone, wit, and suspense as the recent movie. I thought the previous Sherlock Holmes novels did, but not quite like "the Hound of the Baskervilles." By far it was the best Sherlock Holmes novel yet. What's even better is now I get to start on Volume II! In fact for celebration of this grand prize, I think I'll put the movie on right now and have it play in the background while I study. I know this sounds counterproductive, but if I have feint noise in the background I focus a lot better. Call me a product of the technology generation. And I really can't get enough of that movie...

Late At Night And Wide Awake...

2011-01-11T20:26:00.000-08:00

It was a little after midnight on a very cold Monday morning and I was about as successful at falling asleep as a parent is trying to get their seven year old boy to take a bath. It was a struggle. Lying in bed as alert as ever, I started eyeing my room. I kept staring at my closet thinking, "Man, I really don't like how my dresser is blocking half of my closet. It feels like I'm an uncoordinated little kid again who can't get anything from the top kitchen shelfs. That's a feeling I can really do without." Of course, I have my dresser in this really terrible position as I want somewhere to put my piano. The piano wont fit in the front room so it must be in my bedroom. Yet I have actually never measured anything out. Since I had nothing to do and I wasn't go to go to sleep anytime soon, I decided to actually grab the keyboard and measure it out. I am so glad I did!

I realized that if I moved my media console towards my desk that the piano fits perfectly. So I moved it that night. It was a pain in the rear end and I think I strained some back muscles, but it was worth it! I love having the piano in the front room now as well because guests can play it and I know I will play it more often as well.

Here is the new way compared to the old way

I know that in the picture it may not look like it works, but trust me, it does. I have even had a few people tell me they like having the piano in the front room (both were guys, so it must be true since guys usually don't care about that stuff).

Since I now didn't I have to have the piano in my bedroom, and I was still very wide awake, I decided to empty out and move my dresser across the room as well. This was a little tougher, but around 12:45 A.M. the mission was accomplished. I can easily reach my closet, my dresser is out of the way, I can now play my piano, and I even have room in my bedroom for another bookshelf if I ever get to the point where I need one. It's funny that a few little tweaks can greatly affect things, but after that night I have to say that my apartment feels more like home. Did my back hurt afterwards? Yes, but it was worth it.

Some Guidance for Wii Owners

2011-01-09T19:39:00.000-08:00

Recently my brother-in-law Jeff received a great birthday present from his amazing and beautiful wife (my sister). It happened to be a new Wii. Now, making such a purchase caused them to feel a little like Donkey Kong here: lost and confused. This seems to be a common symptom when one first purchases a Wii. With so many great Wii games, how could it not? Well, at the request of Jeff, I am here to help. Now of course any of you (especially my family members since almost all of you own a Wii) can use this post as a guide as well.

First let me state why a Wii is so great. No other system can get my mom and dad, their kids, and their grandkids, to play with each other at the same exact time. Really, this is a family system. I know that usually the terms "video games" and "family" go along together as well as Glenn Beck and President Obama, but for the Wii this is not the case. It's a party system. Or in other words it's a board game for your TV. I will soon explain why. The second reason is that there are games for anyone of varying interest or skill levels to enjoy. Those things being said, let's get started.

When you first purchase a Wii I would recommend buying a controller as well. The Wii comes with one already but really, the Wii is not mean t o be played alone. Make sure it is a controller with a Wii Motion Plus as the game Wii Sports Resort (it comes with the Wii) only supports this type of controller. You don't have to, but I would highly recommend eventually having four controllers total as the more the merrier.

Now the issue of what game to buy can be really tricky as many people who don't play video games still buy a Wii. To make things easier, I will break this down into categories.

The first category is for those of you who never play video games, but bought the Wii because it just looked so cool! All you want to do is have something to play when you have a party at your house or want something fun to do as a family. Here is what I recommend:

Mii Party:

This is a great game for everyone. People who have never played a video game in their entire life can quickly pick up the controller and play along. I really mean that. My sister-in-laws mom played and won. It was also her first time playing. It's basically a virtual board game with tons of great mini-games that can bring kids, parents, and grandparents playing together at once. One last thing, there is a game called Mario Party 7 and Mario Party 8 that are a lot like Mii Party. Both these games received horrible reviews so DO NOT purchase them!

Just Dance:

Read my blog post from earlier this month. Amazing game that will get people laughing and will make sure everyone will have a great time. Older people and young kids might have a hard time playing it though.

Wii Sports and Wii Sports Resort:

These fall under the category of Mii party where anyone of all ages can play and is a blast to have at a small get together. Lucky for you both are included in the Wii if you purchase it now. If you purchased a Wii a while ago and don't have Wii Sports Resort I wouldn't say it is a must buy. Some people really love it, others are very content with just having Wii Sports. I would recommend playing Wii Sports Resort first so you know if you really want to purchase it or not. Just know, if you do plan on buying Wii Sports Resport you HAVE to buy a Motion Plus for the Wii controller. The store clerk will tell you what that is.

Now, for people who are a little familiar with video games but are not serious about gaming. They just want something to play with their kids and/or spouses who play games.

Mario Kart Wii:

This game is amazing. For people who like to accomplish things with their games, there are plenty of races and time tracks to beat to get more race tracks, drivers, and cars. For those who just want a good time, nothing beats having a good ole race with some friends and family. You can get with a friend and race people online. I would also recommend buying a steering wheel. It's not necessary, but it sure makes it more fun as it feels like you are in the arcade. I have found that people who aren't into video games really struggle with having a fun timing playing this game as they get frustrated with losing all the time and running into walls. Little kids don't really care but just have a blast driving a steering wheel and being their favorite Nintendo character. It just depends.

Super Mario Brothers WII:

This game is great as experienced players can have a blast beating evil Bowser, collecting 3 big golden metals on each level, and gathering different power up items while inexperienced gamers can have fun just playing along. The beauty is if you die you can keep playing until you run out of lives. When this happens you can start right again with hardly any wait time. If your friend, child, or spouse isn't very experienced it's okay; you both can have fun. You are only held back by the most experienced gamer. It is very player friendly. The controls are very simple as it is just two buttons and periodically shaking your remote. Yet the best thing of all? You can play with four people at the same time. I HIGHLY recommend this game.

Kirby's Epic Yarn:

This is a game that can be played with two people who have hardly any experience. It is easy, fun, and I must add really cute. I say that because the whole game takes place in a world of yarn. It is very aesthetically appealing. All you scrapbook people out there, this game is for you. Two people an play this game at the same time and you cannot die. It's impossible. So if you are looking for a game to play with your young child or spouse, this is the game. Another great thing is throughout the game you turn into many different vehicles, such as a race car, space ship, under sea boat, and snowboarder. For the experienced gamer there are items to collect and medals to gain by collecting jewels (you lose the jewels when you die). Once again, I highly recommend this game.

NBA JAM:

All I can say is if you liked the classic in the 90's, you'll like this. You can use the Wii motion controls and actually shoot, rebound, dunk, etc but for some it might get annoying. For those people you need to buy the Wii Classic Controller Pro, which is a down side. Four people can play at a time.

Now for the experienced gamers.

Donkey Kong Country Returns:

This is tough, but a real blast. It has up to two players, but unlike Mario if someone dies they are out until the board is beaten or the other person dies. Inexperienced gamers might not like how challenging it is. But for experienced gamers, I highly recommend this game. If you liked the classic Donkey Kong Country you'll like this.

Super Smash Brothers Wii:

This game is a four player all out brawl of your favorite Nintendo characters. For experienced gamers, it is a real great time. For inexperienced players, it is a nightmare. Their frustration level will quickly rise as it is kind of complicating with the controls and losing your character on screen. It is mostly a multiplayer game but it has a great single player story mode as well as different accomplishments to complete. It uses the Wii motion controls but I would recommend buying a Wii Classic Controller Pro as it is a lot easier to play.

Wii Punch Out:

If you loved the classic Punch Out you will love this. It has easy two-button controls with great characters (half of which are from the original Nintendo version). Their sayings and cutscenes will make you laugh out loud. The single player mode is fun and challenging. If you have a balance board you can use the Wii motion controllers to dodge, duck, and punch your opponent. If you don't have the balance board, I'm not sure how it works. It also has a two player mode but I heard it is not that amazing.

Super Mario Galaxy and Super Mario Galaxy 2:

These games are the crowning jewels of the Wii. They are Mario 64 on steroids. They have amazing graphics, amazing puzzles, and you will definitely have used up your money when you complete these game as there are 120 stars to find each. Mario Galaxy 2 is better than 1 as the controls, graphics, and levels are better, but not by much. If you only get one, get Mario Galaxy 2. If you are an experienced gamer and bought the Wii to play video games along as have it as a party system then plan on getting both. They will be well worth your money.

Metroid Prime Trilogy:

I haven't played all of them myself but they received great reviews. I played the first one a long time ago so I don't remember much. They are first person shooters that use the Wii motion controls. The first two games are from the Gamecube while the third one was made for the Wii. They have all been adapted for the Wii and I believe that they are on one disc. I will warn you, they will take a long time to beat. I would recommend this only for the real gamer.

That is all. I hope this was helpful. I just want to add a few last remarks. All of these games are clean, nonviolent games. I believe Metroid has alien blood, but I really don't know. It may have none at all. If it does it is in small amounts. There is no swearing or anything that is on the screen that would cause you to feel uncomfortable. Also, sometimes when we play we worry about losing or dying. Don't. The Wii was made for the average consumer who doesn't play video games. All of the games in the first two categories were made with non-gamers in mind. So just relax, have fun, and don't worry about the outcome. Just enjoy the ride, or dance, or whatever it is you may be doing.

Why Nephi Included Isaiah

2011-01-09T18:44:00.000-08:00

Each new year most members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints make the resolution to once again read, study, and finish (finish being the key word) the Book of Mormon. In the beginning we do pretty well. Rereading 1 Nephi brings us great insights, many stories of miracles, and true examples of real obedience to the Lord and keeping his commandments. We feel really good about ourselves and really believe that this is a new year resolution that may actually be accomplished (unlike the resolution to eat right and exercise).

Then the inevitable happens: we reach 2 Nephi. There's a familiar scene of reading about Assyria and all those other funny sounding ancient middle eastern countries while trying to trudge through Isaiah's rainforest dense metaphors that cause us to think, chapter after chapter, "Nephi, I don't get! Why is this here?!" Eventually the words become a blur. By the end we feel like we have been reading a book in German; we recognize that there are familiar letters and symbols, but we didn't understand a lick of what they meant. The scripture in 2 Nephi 25:4 where Nephi states that Isaiah will be understood by those filled with the spirit of prophecy doesn't make us feel better about ourselves either.

Now, I am not saying I am filled with prophecy, nor that what I am about to write is doctrine. Notice that the intent of this post is to state, according to what I have come to understand, as to why Nephi included Isaiah in the Book of Mormon, no what Isaiah means. I have been told that in order to really understand something we need to understand it's context and it's purpose. I believe this principle to be correct.

A few night's ago I was reading in 2 Nephi chapter 25. Nephi had finished his inclusions of the writing of Isaiah in his personal record. I was wondering to myself why he had included Isaiah. What was Nephi's purpose? Some scriptures in chapter 25 helped me understand. In verse 5 Nephi states, "My soul delighteth in the words of Isaiah, for I came out from Jerusalem." This makes perfect sense. Isaiah, along with his many metaphors about Christ, also brings us a political commentary about Judah and the countries that surround it (Assyria, Babylon, Syria, Israel, etc.). The main theme of Isaiah is how the Jews, who inhabited Judah, should trust in God despite the threatenings of its surrounding neighbors. There are also many promises that if the people were righteous, they would be saved; if they were wicked, they would be destroyed. Nephi had lived in Jerusalem around the time that the warnings and prophecies of Isaiah were coming to fruition. Nephi and his family left Jerusalem to avoid the prophecy of Isaiah coming to pass about Jerusalem being overrun.

For Nephi, the prophecies of Isaiah are just like the prophecies of the Prophet Joseph Smith for us. Why do we constantly quote the Prophet Joseph Smith? Because he was very recent. We still rely on his teachings as they are for our time. For Nephi, Isaiah's prophecies were for his time. He understood what was being described politically by Isaiah because he lived it. He saw what Isaiah was describing either first hand or knew it from very recent historical accounts.

Yet his children were no longer in Jerusalem. By the time Nephi wrote 2 Nephi he and his family were very well established in the Americas. So why teach his children (and us) about his old home where the people were wicked and, as he found out through revelation, destroyed and overtaken? Because the main theme of Isaiah is the redemption of the tribes of Israel through Jesus Christ. Despite Israel's wickedness the Lord will still redeem his people; and he did through his atonement. In fact the Lord is still redeeming them by the restoration of his church through the Prophet Joseph Smith and the coming forth of the Book of Mormon. Nephi wanted his children to know that if they sin, the Lord will still redeem them and love them. That he will still stretch out his hands towards them. In fact the Lord guiding them out of Jerusalem to the Americas was an example of the Lord proving this.

So what can we take from Isaiah? Exactly what Nephi and his family did. We, just like Nephi, are waiting for the coming of Christ. We, just like Nephi, need to know that despite our sins the Lord loves us and his followers. That if we follow him, he will protect us. Though we are living in different times, the principles are the same.

Why The Ocean Freaks Me Out

2011-01-05T21:33:00.000-08:00

It's words of the reporter at the end of this video that really freaks me out.

http://news.yahoo.com/video/odd-15749658/caught-on-tape-great-white-vs-boat-23739572

Just Dance!!

2011-01-05T21:01:00.000-08:00

Okay, so those of you who know me know I can't dance. In fact, in almost every dance situation I choose not to dance. Is it because of lame reasons like I'm self conscious and worried what I look like? Yup! In fact, since October 2005, there has only been one person who has made me feel comfortable enough to actually let myself go on the dance floor. Did I feel silly? Yeah, but only for the first five minutes. Once I realized she didn't care (in a good way) how I danced then I totally let myself go (and admit had a great time doing it). But that's it! Until I experienced "Just Dance" for the Wii.

I had heard rave reviews about this game from my family, and decided that I wanted to try it out. I figured it would be pretty simple stuff. Oh how wrong I was. Beyonce totally kicked my butt. And I don't know how MC Hammer got his name, but my guess is because his dance moves "hammered" his opponents to the ground. MC Hammer, you're right, I can't touch this.

Surprisingly, I didn't mind totally looking like a fool. In fact, I had a blast doing it! Being in the confines and social security of my own home knowing that the only person in the room was so focused on dancing themselves that there was no way on earth they could possibly see what I was doing made me feel relaxed and at ease. I soon found myself actually attempting all of the dance moves. From doing 70's disco with my arms and hips, attempting Beyonce's sexy dance moves (I attempting one in the photo above), and even shimmying to some 80's classic made me feel a little more cultured and in tune with my fellow dance-loving generation. When all was said and done, I had an amazing time looking like a fool. In fact, I feel a lot better when the next dance opportunity comes along. Will I automatically walk onto the dance floor? Who knows, but if I do, at least I have some new moves I can bust out. So thank you "Just Dance": you've given this white boy hope.

If you own a Wii, get this game. If you don't own a Wii, buy one, then get this game...then also get Super Mario Brothers just for kicks.

In The Blink of an Eye

2011-01-04T20:29:00.000-08:00

A couple weeks ago I finished the book "Blink" by Malcolm Gladwell. It was a great book that provided many insights into what I believe will really help me in my future as a NUCCA doctor.

The main premise (or at least what I came to understand) is that we have an unconscious part of our brain that can assess and analyze situations in the blink of an eye. Mostly, I like to think of it as our "gut" feeling. For instance, the Getty museum bought a statue that was very old but in great condition; rare for it's kind. Many tests were done that proved it was not a replica nor a fake. Yet every expert in the style of the statue looked at it and immediately knew it was a fake. They couldn't describe why. It just felt wrong. The Getty decided to go with the facts and not the gut feeling of the experts. Conclusion? The statue was a fake. Too bad the Getty already purchased the statue for millions of dollars.

It would be easy to conclude that our "gut" feeling (better word is quick intuition) is always right. That is actually wrong. If we are inexperienced, our intuition can lead us astray. It is only after much experience and study in the field that our intuition can help us.

So what does this mean for me in my future as a NUCCA doctor? First off, I need to study and know the technique, the anatomy, and physiology of the the body. I also need to be an expert with the assessment portion of NUCCA (taking and the analyzation of x-rays). Of course, this will take time and will not happen over night. Yet, it provides a great goal to reach. To be an expert so when I see something with a patient and my gut is telling me to do something that goes against the facts that I can be confident with my intuition.

Now, how to know when I have reached the level that I can confidently listen to my intuition without hurting my patients...

(Side note: I also read "Outliers" by Malcolm Gladwell. It was an interesting book but I found "Blink" to be more interesting and more applicable. Also, I read "Blink" in its digital format on my iPhone. I now know nothing beats the real feel of a book. I hope books in their original paper format never become obsolete in the digital age.)

It's The End of R.E.M As We Know It, And I Feel Fine.

2010-12-31T15:00:00.001-08:00

It is pretty common for things to flow in and out of our lives. There are certain fads, hobbies, etc that when we initially get involved with we know that they just won't last very long. They will be a fleeting moment in our life, and we're okay with that. Others though, well, we can't even imagine going on with life without them! R.E.M. was such a thing.

The 80's and 90's rock band shaped my teenage years. I don't just say this loosely. The desire to play the drums at the age of fourteen was because of the simple, yet beautiful, drumming of the famously unibrowed Bill Berry. The fact that in 1998 he quit the multi-million dollar band so he could live a more peaceful life as a farmer in Georgia only added to his awesomeness. Many times drummers try to be flashy, adding fills and beats that show off their incredible talent, but take away from the music that they are participating in. It comes off as an inferiority complex: they are uncomfortable being in the back of the stage behind the guitar and singer. As a result an outburst of complex, rapid and obnoxious drumming comes forth. (Side note: Jimmy Chamberlain of Smashing Pumpkins could effectively pull off the flashy drumming that never detracted to the music; It added to it). Bill Berry did not fall under this category. He was famous for playing beats and fills that were simplistic, but not because he didn't have the skill. He intentionally played simple because that is what the music called for. To more clearly show this, but with the guitar, is the song "Every Body Hurts." It's arguably it's R.E.M.'s most popular song. If you listen to the music, you'll recognize that the chords are in a simple progression with an arpeggios. Nothing flashy, complicated, or difficult. Who wrote the music? Bill Berry.

I liked to think that he thought of the drums as another melodic component to the song, not just as an instrument to keep time. As a result, he was fine with the simple beat. Bill Berry was the biggest reason why I loved R.E.M. I loved constantly experiencing the simple yet beautiful example of the melodic interpretation of how the drums should be played. His view (or at least my interpretation of his view) on drumming shaped my philosophy on drums, which then caused that instrument to be so much more to me than it would have been otherwise. And to say that the drums didn't greatly influence my teenage experience would be a gross error. Drumming was my teenage experience.

As a result I thought I would never stop listening to R.E.M. I had so many fond memories and emotions associated with them that the thought seemed highly unlikely. Yet, every album since Bill Berry left in 1998 has been lacking. I could never put my finger on it. Was it the lyrics, or the new direction that R.E.M. was taking? No, it was the absence of Bill Berry and, however cheesy it may sound, lack of his constant reminder of how important melodic drumming can be to the musical experience.

As R.E.M. is coming out with a new CD this March I will, for the first time in my life, not buy their CD. R.E.M., it was fun, but no matter how hard I try, your magic is gone for me. Nostalgia will only go so far.

Coldplay has replaced R.E.M. I never really knew why until very recently when I discovered why I didn't care for R.E.M. like I used to. It is because Coldplay's drummer, Will Champion, is in my mind the new Bill Berry. Melodic drumming, simple beats, and a constant reminder of why I loved playing the drums. But thank you R.E.M. (but really Bill Berry) for providing me with a great teenage experience. Even though your purpose is complete, it is very much remembered in fondness.

General Conference

2010-12-26T20:33:00.000-08:00

The following is a letter I wrote to my mom for her Christmas present. She asked all of her children to write her a letter containing a spiritual experience they had this past year. The following is my letter:

The experience I am about to share actually happened very recently. I would be lying if I said that moving to Davenport has been the best part of my life. My new situation has been very difficult to adjust to. For starters Palmer, despite it’s reputation for being a great chiropractic school, has not quite lived up to it’s reputation. Living by myself has been very lonely at times and the ward does absolutely nothing for the young single adults. Gradually these factors started to take their toll and I found myself becoming very discouraged and frustrated.

I started to develop a very bad attitude towards everything and would complain to myself and anyone who would listen. This venting process didn’t make me feel better; I felt worse. I was wondering what I could do to be happy as I really did not want to continue my three years in Davenport with such a poor attitude. I prayed for help, and the Lord answered my prayers with a series of very fortunate events.

The first started with a phone call with my brother Devin. We were just talking and I didn’t even bring up my situation. Yet, before the conversation ended, Devin mentioned how he likes to listen to General Conference on his way to school as it helps him stay focused for the day. I decided to take this to heart as I thought maybe it would help me focus. This practice did more than that. It was a stepping stone to helping me change my attitude.

On my way to school I would choose different talks from the October, 2010 General Conference. I would listen to talks during my drive to school, and even though I usually couldn’t listen to a talk all the way through, I did notice it would help me start my day with a good attitude. It was Elder Eyring’s talk during the priesthood session that not only helped to have a proper attitude during the day, it gave me guidance on how to change my attitude towards my current life situation. His words of guidance gave me the hope that I could get out of my current rut.

Elder Eyring was giving a talk about priesthood duty and responsibility. He mentioned how sometimes we can be scared to reach out to others, or be in circumstances in life that cause us to want to shirk our duties as priesthood holders. It was his advice to these individuals that struck me with great impact. He said that no matter what our situation in life is, we can be happy and have the spirit in our lives. How do we do this? By reading, studying, and pondering the scriptures; pondering being the key.

These words had great impact on me. I immediately did some self reflection while I was driving to school and walking to my class at 7:30 in the cold December morning. I realized that I read my scriptures, but late at night and in a speed-reading way. I was not studying and definitely not pondering my scriptures. I decided from then on every time I read my scriptures to read very slowly and to think about what I am reading.

As I did this I immediately saw a difference in my scripture study. It also affected my life as well. I noticed my ill feelings towards my school, ward, and just life in general started to change. I no longer was upset or bitter. I became a lot more happier as hope started to fill me. I felt very at peace with everything, which I had not fully felt since I had arrived in Davenport. I also saw, through first hand experience, that the counsel that President Eyring gave was true. I have, for the first time in my life, seen the power of what the scriptures can do for me personally. I have seen it affect other peoples lives, but not always my own in a very real and personal manner.

I know that the words we hear our leaders say are very inspired. Their guidance can bring us true happiness in our lives if we choose to follow them. I know that the Book of Mormon is the word of God and is scripture. It is not just a good book, but an important book, just as much as the Bible is, to bring us closer to God and understanding what we need to do in order to have joy in our life and to live with Him and Jesus Christ again.

Ward Christmas Progam

2010-12-20T19:37:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was the ward Christmas program in La Canada. It was a beautiful program with wonderful music and a fantastic speaker. The speaker gave a great insight into that nativity story that I really wanted to share.

The speaker was Christie Frandsen, who was Ja, Devin, and my seminary teacher. She is a known scholar in church, new, and old testament history. I wish I would have paid a lot more attention during Seminary and not slept as much. Anyway, Sister Frandsen focused her talk on describing the shepherds, the wise men, and the angels and how we can be like them today.

The main part of her talk that I wanted to focus on is the part of the shepherds. In reality, being a shepherd was not as great as we tend to believe. In fact shepherds were outcasts. To be a shepherd was the lowliest position in society. Shepherds were often times left to themselves for long periods of time and put in dangerous circumstances as they had to fend off bandits and dangerous animals.

The beautiful message of the nativity story is that some lowly shepherds, outcasts of society, were chosen to see the newborn Savior of the world. It wasn't a jewish scholar, a king, or anyone else from high society and social class. In todays context Sister Frandsen compared how the shepherds were viewed in earlier times to how we view today a homeless person off of the street. In fact she brought up a homeless person who is well known in the La Canada community. His name to the locals is Wild Bill. He is dirty, mangy, and has a mental illness. Knowing this context makes this part of the nativity story even more humbling and amazing.

It shows that no matter what our perceived worth is to the world, our worth is great and eternal to Jesus Christ and Heavenly Father. I hope that if you or anyone you know is struggling with self worth, let the nativity story be a great reminder that God loves us and views us in greater esteem than we can even fathom. I hope you all have a Merry Christmas!

Bed Frame and Nightstand

2010-11-17T16:23:00.000-08:00

This is my new bed frame and nightstand (the one to the left of the bed). I really like how the chocolate and blue colors work together. It feels elegant. There are two problems though. One is that the bed frame is a little low. This normally would be fine but since I have been relying on putting plastic bins full of blankets and towels under the frame for storage I now need to be a little creative and improvise. Also I was planning on having the bed closer to the right wall. The movers put the frame in the middle of the room and I didn't check where the frame was until after they left. I don't want to move the frame because I don't want to risk breaking it as the mattress is heavy. I can't imagine that moving the frame by myself is not going to be risky. Yes, I could take off the mattress but that will be a hassle that I don't feel like dealing with. I actually like it in the middle of the room. The only potential problem is that I still am waiting for a dresser. I think the dresser should fit, but I won't know for another two weeks. If it doesn't I'll take care of it then. Lets hope it does.

Only in Iowa

2010-11-17T16:11:00.000-08:00

This is car advertising at its finest. This car is advertising their company "Kustom Kreations" which is a detail car company. To persuade us consumers to hire them to detail and spiff up our cars, they've decided to save the "best" for themselves. Now, this isn't the best picture, so I will describe some things for you so I don't do them any injustice. First notice the flamingo pink rims that remind us all of what was wrong with the 80's. Second is that the car is raised. This makes sense, if you own a truck. And lastly, it's not even a sports car. It's a ten year old car that reminds me of the ones that get used up by our parents. Then when it is on its last wheel the car is given us. This is totally fine as I am going to do this exact same thing with my kids, except if you're going for "cool" this is not the way to do it.

I support small businesses, but not all of them.

The Holy Ghost

2010-11-14T12:00:00.000-08:00

Today during Elder's Quorum we were learning from lesson 21: "The Gift of the Holy Ghost" from the Gospel Principles manual. Towards the end we were discussing as a class how we need to help people recognize when they are feeling the Holy Ghost. One class member brought up Galations 5:22-23, where the Holy Ghost is described as emotions of love, joy, peace, long suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and temperance. He mentioned how when we feel the Holy Ghost it is a large combination of those emotions. This is what separates the feeling of joy when we eat a great tasting Oreo Mcflurry from the joy that we feel when the Holy Ghost is present. It is not just joy, it is a combination of many of the feelings that are described by the Apostle Paul in Galations.

This caused me to think and contemplate one of the emotions listed. I know this post is long but really the thought process was only twenty seconds. The emotion described in Galations that I was dwelling on was peace. There is often times where I think I feel the Holy Ghost, but I don't feel peace. I feel anxious, fear, and doubt. What of those moments? Was I wrong in thinking that I felt the Holy Ghost? Was it my imagination? Then a thought occurred to me. The experience of Nephi and Laban.

In 1 Nephi 4:6-18 Nephi has a unique spiritual experience. In verse 6 he was, as he describes, "led by the Spirit, not knowing beforehand the things which I should do." Nephi probably felt feelings of peace, joy, love, gentleness, good faith, etc. at this moment. Having these emotions presently with him probably caused him to suffer from extreme shock when he realized what he was being led to do: slay Laban.

As we can read in verses 10-18 Nephi immediately felt doubt and fear. Why did this happen? If Nephi was being led and guided by the Holy Ghost (which we know he was), why didn't he feel immediate confidence and certainty that he knew he was doing the right thing? It is because he is human, and as humans we can think.

Nephi immediately starts to reason to himself why he shouldn't slay Laban. Killing a human is a sin. He had never killed a human before and I am sure the realization that he would have to carry that with him the rest of his life was depressing and daunting. Why would God command him to do such a trying act? What happens next is key. The Holy Ghost tells Nephi, and I am sure that it was a quiet, soft voice just like when he speaks to us, that it is necessary that Laban is slain. Laban had the brass records, which as we know consists of the teachings and commandments of Jehovah (as Christ wasn't born yet) as well as the writings of the modern (for them) and ancient prophets. Nephi and his family needed the brass plates in order to continue to worship Jehovah correctly and accurately. In essence, they needed the records so they wouldn't accidentally fall into apostasy. The Holy Ghost explains this to Nephi, which again I am sure happened the same way it happens for us; through feelings and impressions. It is now that Nephi obeys the Lord.

So what can I learn from Nephi's experience concerning the Holy Ghost and it's promptings? A few things. The first is that when I am led and guided by the spirit, not knowing beforehand what I am being guided to, if it is not what I am expecting it doesn't mean I misread the impression. Nephi didn't think in his wildest dreams that he would be led to kill Laban. The second is that if I receive an impression and then feel fear, doubt, or reservation, that does not mean I didn't actually feel the Holy Ghost. Most of the time, I, like all of us, is asked to take a leap of faith; to stretch myselves in ways that I'd rather not do. As a result I feel fear and self-doubt. This is because I am still human, I can think for myself, and I often times let my emotions get the best of me. This is normal. In fact I am sure Heavenly Father expects it. It is what I do afterward that is key. When the spirit tries to speak to me again do I run away, or do I act like Nephi, listen to what he is saying, and take the leap of faith and trust His guidance? Nephi listened, and as a result he received the impression and revelation as to why he was commanded to slay Laban. And that is what I (and all of us) must do.

Just because I feel fear and doubt doesn't mean something is wrong. It just means I am afraid, and that is okay. It is what I do after that counts.

NUCCA

2010-11-12T16:48:00.001-08:00

Yesterday was the beginning of the reason why I came to Palmer: NUCCA. The first club meeting was yesterday and for me, it did not disappoint.

A NUCCA doctor named Dr. Robert Brooks spoke to Palmer students at the meeting for forty-five minutes. Dr. Brooks graduated from Palmer around forty years ago. In his practice he would perform segmentation, which I gathered from his description consists of techniques that adjust and work on the whole spine. Basically the techniques that are done when we think of chiropractics. He noticed that his patients kept coming back again and again with really no progress. Their symptoms would be alleviated but only for a short amount of time. The patients were consistently coming back with no long term progress. He became frustrated by this as he felt he was not helping his patients in a way that was satisfying for them or him. He decided to go to seminar after seminar in search of an objective technique that he felt treated his patients on a consistent and effective basis. Forty or so seminars later, he found NUCCA.

He decided to test it out because he didn't believe the claim of NUCCA that their technique could result in consistent results and patients needing less treatment because their corrections held. After three years of putting NUCCA to the test and coming away with the results he was initially yearning and looking for (objectivity, consistency, and effective treatment) he decided that NUCCA was all the it was cracked up to be (no pun intended).

During the meeting there were two points that he made as to why NUCCA is effective. The first reason is that the NUCCA technique is not a segmented technique. What he meant by this is that the majority of techniques in chiropractics the doctor will adjust the area of the spine where he/she thinks the pain is and/or where the area of the spine is causing problems for the patient. The problem with this method of adjusting is that the spine is not made of separate, individual pieces. What I mean by this is that yes, there are individual vertebrae, discs, and tendons, but they are all connected and as a result move, interact, and influence one another. In essence, you may have pain in your lower back which means that you probably have a lumbar vertebrae that is out its normal alignment. This does not mean that it is the only vertebrae that is out of alignment. Since the vertebrae are all connected through discs, tendons, and ligaments, if one vertebrae is out others are as well, even if it is not manifested through symptoms. The lower back pain may reside, but the relief will only be temporary and will not last as long as it could. What do we do then? We adjust at the spot of the spine that will affect all of the vertebrae in the spine. This is because we need to think of the spine as one unit that has many parts that interact and affect one another.

With NUCCA doctors are able to look at and treat the spine as one unit as they only adjust the C1, which is the top vertebrae of the spine that rests just below our skull. It is also known as the atlas. Once the C1 vertebrae is straight the rest of the spine will follow. This, once again, is a result of the relationship the spine has through discs, tendons, and ligaments. With this approach the problem is being treated at the source, as it is the head of the spinal column, and the body is able to stay in alignment for a much longer period of time.

A problem that arises is that the body has muscle memory. Our body likes to create homeostasis, which is another word for balance. As a result our muscles will get used to their new position that is an outcome of the spine being misaligned. The doctors need to break this pattern and create a new muscle memory, one with the spine being in it's natural and correct position. The body fights this just as our teeth fight their new position as a result of braces. That is why in NUCCA x-rays, measurements, and finding the vector are so important.

A vector is a line in an angle that provides direction and magnitude. The x-rays allow the doctor to take precise measurements of the spine and plug those measurements into a formula that results in a vector. Taking x-rays is key to finding the vector, and the vector is vital. The vector provides the doctor with the right direction and location of where to adjust the C1 on the patient that will effectively break the forces of resistance that have been built up by the muscles of the patient's body. Once the resistance that is caused by the patient's muscles are able to be broken the spine will fall into perfect alignment. Follow up adjustments are needed to help the body form it's new and appropriate muscle memory, as it likes to revert back into it's old spinal and musculature formation.

What makes NUCCA objective is the preand post x-rays, measurements, and vector. The doctor can know exactly if the patient's spine is aligned.

Now, I have only been in school for two weeks and only one NUCCA club, so there might be some areas in this post that may be slightly inaccurate. I am definitely open to corrections from those who are knowledgeable in the subject. That being said, the club helped me further realize why it is imporant to adjust just the C1 and why finding a vector for the adjustment is important. Adjusting the C1 is the most effective way to align the spine. Finding a vector is the most effective way to break down the forces of the body that are holding the spine in its unnatural and damaging position.

It's A Me, Mario!!!!

2010-11-10T13:51:00.000-08:00

So, sometimes there's comes a time in our lives where we act impulsively. One of those times was today. At the end of the day I was in class and decided to go over my class load. This resulted in me thinking to myself:

Darin, even though you are in class all day you still have some free time to kill. Yes, you have books to read, and a great instrument of time killing they have been! But what about those times when you just don't want to use any more brain energy? When you feel so fried from studying that all you want to do is use enough energy that requires sitting in a chair like a half-functioning zombie? What then? Will a movie work? Eh, they are getting dull and require to much time in one sitting. What about TV? I have no desire to get into a new TV series, so no. So what can I possibly do that will satisfy my need for a brainless, time wasting activity to relieve some stress from myself? Then it hit me: Video Games. And I knew exactly which one.

Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 2 would be the perfect thing for this task. Basically you pick 4 awesome super heroes from a cast of 30, choose to use three of their super-fantastic powers, and kick bad guy booty (did I mention that this game is perfect?!). Now, you are probably confused because picking four awesome characters from a cast of 30 takes brain power, as does choosing their bad guy butt-kicking powers. This is true; for your average person. But with nerds like me who have a great supply of nerdy super hero knowledge, it's all instinct. And instinct doesn't require conscious brain activity. You don't think; you do. And the crowning jewel? Three other people can join the super hero action with you at the same time!

After school and in excited anticipation I quickly raced to Best Buy. I went immediately to the Wii section and searched earnestly, like a blood hound on the hunt for the fox, for my new necessary time waster. But I searched in vain. Alas, I couldn't find it. The fox had eluded the hound. What was I going to do?! My brilliant plan had failed me. Rejected, I accepted the loss. But then, as if by fate, something had caught my eye.

A little Italian plumber, with a black bushy mustache and a bright Christmas red hat grinned at me from a clear plastic case like an old friend. And old friends we are. In my younger years we spent so many Saturday morning together. Jumping on koopas, kicking turtle shells, shooting fire, eating mushrooms...yes, those were the days. Why didn't I see this earlier? I mean really, is there an awesome super hero better than Mario? No. Do I really have to think when I participate in this activity when all I do is jump on people and run forward? Double no. And here is the kicker: four people can play Mario on the Wii...at the same time! I mean really, who doesn't want to conquer Bowser with your other good friend Luigi as your on-screen ally? I declare no one!

Was me going to a store that didn't have Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 2 so I'd purchase Mario instead a coincidence? No. Was it fate? Yes. Mario, game on.

Thai Chicken Curry

2010-11-07T16:40:00.001-08:00

So I found this recipe from a cook book I received as a gift titled "Cooking" by James Peterson. It was really easy to make and very delicious :) First you cook the chicken in half a stick of butter on medium heat. It is not fatty as the butter liquefies the fat in the chicken and only a portion of the butter goes into the chicken. In fact there is less fat in the chicken after you cook it in butter because if the fat's process of being liquefied. It was very moist, tender, and delicious.

To make the curry all you first melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a sauce pan. Once it is melted you put in 1 tablespoon of curry powder and 2 teaspoons of flour and whisk for about a minute. One the consistency is just right you pour in a can of Thai coconut milk, stir, and let simmer for 5 minutes. I used brown rice as well and put the curry and chicken over it. The dish is incredible.

In the picture I also added a fruit salad of grapes, cut up strawberries, and pineapple. Unfortunately the asparagus was way over cooked as my can opener doesn't work so I had to be creative with the coconut milk can. The asparagus got neglected in the process.

Anyway, this is a great tasting, healthy, and easy meal to make.

Funny Happenings of the Week

2010-11-07T14:36:00.000-08:00

So, I've realized that my blog has evolved from when I first started it a few years ago as a sad attempt to be a funny writer to now an actual journal of my life. Now obviously I would never post things that were personal, but actual experiences that happen in my life that I don't care at all are public. As a result some of my posts can be very long. I applaud those of you who actually read them. Basically, I want to do a disclaimer to those of you who wonder why I post so much or why they are so long. This is my public journal. Anyway, to the topic at hand.

As this was my first week at Chiropractic college you all where probably thinking that I was going to write about my first week experience in this post. Not true. All that has happened there is that I am busy, busy, and even more busy. It's a good busy though. I really enjoy school and the people I am meeting. But there was three experiences that happened to me this week that, when you read this, will cause you to think, "Of course that would happen to Darin. Typical."

The first was something that I imagine happening in a comedy movie. I decided that I wanted to get to know more people in my ward so I decided to play basketball at the church on Thursday night. I was pretty happy with my performance as I haven't played basketball on a consistent basis since I broke my leg. After tripping over my feet and shooting a couple air balls I got my feet settled and played well (it is amazing how not worrying about how you look can affect your overall performance). Anyway, during the game I ran into a member of the other Davenport ward. Side note: when playing basketball in a state outside of Utah, Idaho, or Arizona it is best to ask, "Do you go to this church?" because if you ask, "What ward are you in?" you may get a very confused look. It took me a little bit to realize this. I introduced myself and he asked if I was married (he is single himself and going to Palmer). I said no, to which he replied, "Oh! So you're the new guy. I heard about you. We had a welcoming party for you." I immediately replied that I was not that new guy as I never got wind of a welcoming party for my arrival in the area.

I felt bad because he probably felt a little awkward and probably wondered if my feelings were hurt as there was no party held for me. I didn't think anything of it. An hour later when we had finished playing he approached me and asked me what my name was again. I told him, to which he told me that I was the new guy that the singles in the area had had a welcoming party for, to which I never got invited. I couldn't help but laugh as I have never been a part of a party where the person it is for doesn't know about it! I was not offended in the slightest but strongly wanted to clear my name that I am not the new jerk from California. I am not "too cool for school" and ignored their invitation. I can imagine how weird it must of been though for the people who went when they arrived and the new guy never showed up. Come to find out that they didn't have my number so they weren't able to contact me. I was flattered that they would plan something where I could have met the singles in Davenport. It shows how great the church is at acclimating new people to the area. I want to make that effort when others are in the same situation because it did mean a lot to me.

The second experience was with putting on my license plate. In summary, something that should of taken me 3 minutes took me 15. After misplacing the plates, periodically losing screws, and having to go back and forth into my apartment 4 or 5 times (no exaggeration) because I would forget or lose tools, it dawned on me that I need to really sharpen my handy-man skills. A lot. And that crawling on the pavement on all fours in the freezing cold looking for tiny pieces of metal is not fun.

The last is not so much the retelling of an experience but more a bit of advice. Unbeknown to me you can't show your teeth when you have your driver's license photo taken. So what did I decide to do? Well, I didn't want to have a straight face in case I looked angry (which I very much do in my last photo) but since I couldn't use my teeth I still decided to smile. Bad decision. Very, very bad decision. I would of rather kept the "I'm an angry, teenage, white-trash street thug" image from my last photo the rest of my life than temporarily have the, "I'm a happy creeper who probably scares parents, children, and single ladies with my disturbing half-smile" photo. So the advice? The next time you have your driver's license picture taken, just don't smile.

Darth Google

2010-11-03T08:12:00.000-07:00

If even half of this video is true it is scary to think about.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R7yfV6RzE30&feature=player_embedded

The Frist Day!

2010-11-02T17:40:00.001-07:00

Well, today was my first day as an official student at Palmer. I did have an orientation yesterday that was so long and tedious that I felt like I was performing a 100 mile jog on a treadmill in a dull white room, so technically this is my second day, but who really cares about technicalities. Today I was in classes. Today I was a real student. Today I realized how busy I am going to be for the next four months of my life. And I have to say, I feel ready for this. Will it be tough? Yes. Will I have break down moments? Probably. Will there be times where I think to myself, "Darin, what are you doing here? What have you really gotten yourself into?" I guarantee it. Despite all of this will it be worth it? Yes!! Yesterday I wasn't so sure...

At the crack of dawn (7:30 exactly) I had to be at Palmer for orientation. Since I am a night owl and usually fall asleep around 1 am I knew that I would be more tired than a Boston marathon runner at the end of their rigorous race. What I was not expecting though was the gathering of the perfect storm of events that would cause sleep to evade me like Glenn Beck evades the Left; no matter how hard they try to conquer him he just keeps winning.

It all started with the fact that I fall asleep at 1. Obviously I won't be able to change this pattern in one day. I realize and accepted that. I decided I was not going to take a nap on Sunday so just in case I am tired early Sunday night I can fall asleep faster. Alas, my intentions where thwarted. At around 4 pm my body was tired, my eyes felt like they were being pulled down by boulders, and I was weak willed. I thought if I just closed my eyes for ten minutes I'd be okay. Well, ten innocent minutes turned into two viscous hours. I knew I was a goner. And I was.

Midnight rolled around and I was wide awake. I tried everything to fall asleep. I read, breathed slowly, and even tried to make my mind go blank. Nothing worked. So I gave up and looked at Facebook. It wasn't until 3:30 that I think I fell asleep. And yes, waking up was brutal. I woke up at 6, had no idea what was going on, and kept falling asleep for five minutes only to wake up thinking I was a dragon who had to hatch out of my own egg and to do that I had to go back asleep (I went to bed reading Fablehaven). It was bizarre.

Finally at 6:30 I got my bearings straight, got up and made it through 6 hours of orientation. I met some nice people but I knew that things probably wouldn't go anywhere substantial as every time they saw I was from California their eyes would perk up and they would get excited and talk about drinking. I think they've seen Lagoona Beach and The OC too much and assumed that I was a party animal. I told them that I don't drink and had to smile to myself when the light in their eyes would immediately dim, they'd mumble "Okay" and then stop talking to me. I was fine with this as I don't want to be around a party atmosphere, but I was getting a little worried as I want at least some friends in my classes. Today, that prayer was answered.

On my way to school I ran into someone I met walking to my car yesterday and we seemed to get along. We were joking and talking on our way to class but I brought up how I don't drink. He got a little quite but I didn't think anything of it. We walked into class and I asked if he wanted to sit towards the back. He said, "No because I have contacts" and hurried away towards the front. I didn't think anything of it so I followed him. Well, he sat next to someone else and talked to them the whole time and ignored me. I then realized what had happened. He was trying to sit somewhere else and away from me! I wasn't hurt by this but mostly thought it was comical. I have been in the Provo scene way to long to be so ignorant that this type of thing would happen. I was wondering how I was going to get out of this awkward situation. Thank goodness class ended early so I got up to "get a drink of water" and sat in the back as I reentered class. And I am so glad I did.

I knew when I initially walked into class I should of sat in the back. In fact when I was sitting next to the kid who was ignoring me I had the feeling I needed to sit in the back. When I did it immediately became apparent as to why. In the back there were three other LDS students. I noticed one from my ward and he introduced me to the other two. The rest of the day we were together, saw other LDS students and where introduced to them, and helped me realized that I will be fine with making friends in my classes. The student in my ward one time during the day leaned towards me and said, "Isn't it great being LDS? You automatically have friends." It's true. We don't really know each other but we are LDS. We have the same standards, the same beliefs, and have a very important thing in common. The rest just falls into place.

I also met an LDS student who is very involved with NUCCA here. He told me about the influence of NUCCA in the school. I can practice NUCCA on patients when I am in doing my clinicals so family and friends, when that moment comes there is another incentive for you to visit. He also took me out to lunch and was just very friendly and nice.

I realized once again today how the LDS church can be our family. It can be a great way to make friends, meet people, and survive potentially lonely situations. Of course, we have to go out of our way to make this happen. Sometimes we get shy but if the student in my ward hadn't said hi to me and introduced me to others today would of been a very different day.

Monster Dinner!!

2010-10-31T18:55:00.000-07:00

In the spirit of Halloween I decided to go out and be proactive. We all know Halloween is the night that goblins, ghouls, and the like come out to hunt us humans and scare the heck out of us. I would rather not be vampire, werewolf, or Goblin food myself as I feel like I still have things to achieve and a life to live. I decided to turn the tables. I have to say I was quite successful and I was able to create quite a fine meal from my hunt. What you see before you is the fingers from a whitch, the brains from a troll, the blood of a goblin, and part of the thigh of a werewolf. Now I know it looks like mashed sweet potatoes, steak, asparagus, and grape juice, but know that you are mistaken. I mean c'mon, I have never made mashed potatoes from scratch before in my life! And I am sure they mashing potatoes by hand is a lot harder than hunting creatures of the night! In essence, don't let your eyes deceive you. Now, was this meal-o-monster tasty? Yes, yes it was. So much so that I'll do it again next year. Enjoy!

Nauvoo Temple

2010-10-31T18:21:00.001-07:00

Yesterday I went for the first time to Nauvoo. My initial plan was to do a session in the temple then drive through Historic Nauvoo and do a quick drive by of some of the historic buildings. One intention was successful, the other? Not so much...

Now, what I am about to say may sound sacrilegious, but if you were to go through this temple/have gone through this temple then you will understand. This temple has officially moved up as my favorite. I guess theoretically we are probably not supposed to have favorites since they all serve the same purpose (that is where I guess the potential sacrilege comes in) but wow, the Nauvoo temple is beautiful! In some of the endowment rooms I was fortunate enough to sit next to the walls where I could actually see the details of the oil paintings that are beautifully done across all four sides of the room to create a very large and magnificent mural. You can see the details and even where some spots have more oil than others. It was very humbling to witness the skill, time, and I am sure patience of the artist(s).

The other thought that I had as I walked away from the temple is how rare an opportunity I will have for the next four years to visit a temple with such a close link to the history of our church. Every time I go I will be reminded of the diligence, hard work, and sacrifice of the Prophet Joseph Smith, Jr and the pioneers. That is all I could think about when driving home after visiting this amazing and marvelous structure. And there's history inside the temple as well! Inside they have the sword of Joseph Smith when he was the General of the Nauvoo Legion. There are old temple clothes on display who's owners were part of the first endowment sessions that took place in the old Nauvoo Temple. The architecture inside was all wood as well, which gave it an 1800's feel. Really, the whole experience was truly amazing. If any of you have an opportunity to go to Nauvoo (I guess that could give some of you an incentive to visit me :) ) go do a session. I am so grateful that this temple is my temple for the next 3 1/2-4 years.

I am also very grateful that the temple is two hours away from where I live. During the drive I was able to call friends and family who I have not talked to for a while and listen to great music. There is a CD titled "Joseph: A Tribute to the Prophet" (or something similar to that) that I highly recommend as it is a very great musical album by itself that also carries a very strong spirit with it. I listened to it a couple of times on the way home as the music is all about the Prophet Joseph Smith and since I was close to where his life mission ended, I wanted to still think about the work he accomplished. It was all a very humbling and spiritual experience.

Now to the other intention I had: to visit historic Nauvoo. Now, as I have never been to Nauvoo before I did not know that there is a Historic Nauvoo and a modern Nauvoo. I thought there was just Nauvoo. So imagine my surprise when I drive into town and see modern stores, families of modern residents, and a couple of religious institutions that were not LDS. I felt like Harry from the movie "Dumb and Dumber" when he and his friend Lloyd accidentally miss the turn off for Colorado and end up in Nebraska. Harry is driving into the vast flatness of Nebraska's winter shorned corn fields and exclaims, "I expected the Rockies to be a little bit more rocky..." And I expected Nauvoo to be a little bit more LDS and old. The whole time I was thinking, "This is it?! This is what the big hoopla is about?! There's nothing here! I think I'll just go to the temple and drive home thank you very much!" It wasn't until my drive home where I voiced my thoughts to my brother Devin that he informed me that you have to go down the hill after the temple to reach Historic Nauvoo. Whoops... Who wants to see Historic Nauvoo close to winter anyway? Not me! Okay, actually I did...

Special Delivery!

2010-10-29T19:48:00.001-07:00

This is my new living room! As you can see I did the black-red-white theme which I really like. The media center hasn't come yet but I'll take a picture of that when it comes. My living room feels so much more like home now!

This is my new dining table. It looks cramped but it isn't. I can still access the kitchen, hallway, and black dresser table behind it with ease. I also have red place mates for dinner. I love how it looks!

Mother Knows Best

2010-10-29T18:47:00.001-07:00

Tonight half of my furniture came and my internet is finally fixed! Believe it or not this was quite an ordeal. First the furniture. When I left the store last Thursday I was told that half my furniture would be delivered on Monday. I would only have to wait three days which was totally fine and reasonable. But to my surprise I got a call Saturday night informing me that I wouldn't be receiving my furniture until Thursday... At this point my butt was already sore from some stiff and uncomfortable camper chairs. The scary thing is that after sitting in them for roughly 5 minutes you feel like they are going to snap themselves closed like a Venus fly trap with you still in them. Doesn't sound (and I doubt feel) very pleasant. I also had a blow up mattress which was surprisingly comfortable.

I survived the weekend fine with my furniture situation until about Monday. My back and butt had had enough from the camper seats that must of been designed by Satan and my heater tends to take it's work ethic from President Obama and go on family vacations during critical moments of his job, like night time when it's 30 F outside. This wouldn't be the end of the world except my blow up mattress is made from rubber, and from my brief experience with this material I've concluded that rubber attracts the cold like Justin Beiber attracts women: i.e. too well and I have yet to figure out why. I had no idea how I was going to survive this!

But I patiently waited for Thursday to be upon me. I waited expectantly like a parent about to give birth, hoping for the call telling me the time of the special delivery. But Tuesday came and went with no call. Then Wednesday with the same results. The silence made me very nervous. So I decided to be proactive and called them myself. I found out dreadful news. Some of my furniture came but as my sales person was out for two days no one decided to call me. Since I have school the only time that would work for a delivery time was next Saturday. I couldn't believe it! I had no idea how much longer my back and butt could survive what must be Satan's idea of torture-by-chair, and sleeping in what felt like Siberia. So I called my mom to vent, and what I am continuing to realize is that Mother's know best.

She told me to complain. I was scared at first as I don't like getting into confrontation, but I did. I called the furniture store yesterday and talked to the manager. I didn't yell, raise my voice, or insult them by calling them names. I told them I was upset and frustrated in a calm voice and why. I had expectations to have a delivery this week which had now been changed three times. I asked if there was anything they could do. The result? The furniture I was told that was going to be delivered next week Saturday was delivered today, PLUS my bed!

The same thing happened with my internet. It went down two days after I had it set up. I called and had a scheduled maintenance. Unfortunately the repair guy called the wrong number when he was coming so I "missed" my appointment. They didn't say he called the wrong number but I don't know what else could of happened since he called me three times and left a message and I received none of it. The Internet company could not reschedule me until a week from Friday. Once again, Mom knows best and told me to complain. So I did. What was the result? They came today and fixed my internet.

I have learned a couple of things from this experience. The first is that sometimes companies are very inefficient. This is very frustrating. The second though is very important. If we feel companies have wrong used we have the right to complain. But if we yell, curse, demean, or call them names we usually won't be helped as best as we could, because 90% of the time we are yelling at the wrong person who had nothing to do with why we are upset. Let's not also forget we look like fools and can greatly hurt people's feelings who don't deserve to feel or be treated that way. Yes, they may resolve the matter but will be it. But if we are nice, respectful, and calm the companies will go out of their way to help us (bring mattress sooner than expected and move your appointment up a week to fix your internet). Of course, I learned this second and very important bit of life knowledge from my mother, and once again Mother knows best.

You Know You'reTired When...

2010-10-25T12:50:00.000-07:00

You start dumping your honey nut cheerios in your Ovaltine cup... This was yesterday morning after a LONG weekend.

Bathroom 2

2010-10-25T12:22:00.000-07:00

So since I am new a this blog thing I messed up with the pictures and didn't feel like messing around with it so I decided to do Kitchen 2.0. Here is another picture of the sink (you can see me in my RSL jersey reflecting off the mirror). The other picture is another example of why I now love Target. As you can see on the bottom picture on the left of the screen the towel rack is really quite small. I didn't want people using my towel that I use to clean my head, arms, legs, armpits... What to do, what to do. This posed quite the conundrum. Once again thought Target had the answer! There, at this magical store, I found a towel rack that fits on the door! It is amazing how simple but ingenious this contraction is! I put my used towel on the door. The fact that is that the loose hanging and unkempt towel displays a subliminal message to the bathroom user that they do not want to use this towel. Instead they're eyes are immediately drawn to the nicely kept towels on their left. Thus my towel doesn't get wet from people drying their hands on it all day while they in return don't accidentally rub their hands in a spot that has been contaminated that morning. So all you future visitors out there, you have been warned!

My Bathroom

2010-10-25T12:15:00.001-07:00

Here are some pictures of my bathroom! Like the kitchen I went with the red and black theme. I wanted to keep the color scheme consistent since the bathroom is so close connected with the living room. I think it looks classy :) Unfortunately there is only one tiny light in the bathroom and I could only see half my face in he mirror! This could potentially pose problems when shaving as I don't want to go to the school bathroom and realize only then that I half a bearded face. Who knows though, maybe I would fit in better here in good ole Davenport. Mullets still seem to be the rage so maybe half beards are as well. I decided I didn't want to find out though. So I went to target today (I made sure to buy it in the electronics section so I wouldn't run into the same cashier who I have been helped by now a total of three times) and got this cool lamp. You can see the bulb from the top but that's okay. It adds character to the room. I also like the basket on the top of the toilet (also from Target) because I didn't know what to do with all the extra towels. Problem solved!

My Kitchen

2010-10-24T20:32:00.000-07:00

Since my kitchen is the only room that is completed I will post pictures of this first. The other room will just have to wait until they are done. As you can see the kitchen has little counter and cabinet space. This posed quite a problem. Solution? Awesome little cabinet thingy majigory that adds counter space and storage! It also helps that it is so cool looking!

Here is another view of my sink. There are cabinets all along the top that you can't see in the picture.

Here are the dishes I chose. I love how they are white which will look great with the table I will have (you will see how in future posts). I really love the square look of the plates as well.

Here is my stove. Once again I really love the red and black color scheme.

Chicken Cordon Bleu

2010-10-24T20:03:00.000-07:00

This is my first meal I have ever made in my new apartment! It is is the chicken cordon. I made it in the amazing ceramic casserole dish that my old boss Joyce gave me. Basically it is amazing! This was an easy dish to make. Just get a chicken breast and roll it flat with a rolling pin, put some ham and cheese on one side and then fold it over. You can also put some pepper and salt on the chicken if you like (I don't). Then roll the chicken in bread crumbs and put it in the oven at 400 degrees for 30-35 min, maybe even 40. I found that the 30-35 min makes it really juicy. I also found an amazing honey mustard sauce that tastes great with the chicken and can even be used as a dressing for a salad. All you do is mix 3/4 cup of honey and mustard each and a 1/4 cup of corn syrup and mayonnaise each. Then whisk and once it is blended in just let the sauce sit so it can thicken itself up. I would recommend being picky with your bread crumbs. The ones I used this time where not great whereas I used fantastic ones last week. They probably make the biggest difference that I can think. Funny I know.

I also like how the greens, fruit, and sauce make the dish aesthetically pleasing. Basically this is a very tasty meal that is easy to make.

Oh Moving

2010-10-24T18:40:00.000-07:00

So already the hardest part about this blog thing is thinking of a creative title. I mean really, why do I even feel the need to come up with one?! I'm not writing a school paper! I am writing for people I know! Anyway, coming up with that title took way too much effort and it isn't even clever. Anyway, this past week was my first move and I have to say, I never want to do that again... From Tuesday until Friday I felt like I was going nonstop. I drove Tuesday and Wednesday, immediately went furniture shopping (which I have to say was kind of a fun little adventure), and then shopping, shopping, shopping! You know it's is bad when you have lived in a place for two days and the people at Target already recognize and know you...

I have to admit that there were times when I looked at what I have to accomplish and I got a little overwhelmed. I had a small window to accomplish unpacking, setting things up, and getting situated as I knew my mom was leaving Saturday and I wanted to get as much done as I could while she was here in case there was anything that needed to be done that required two people. The fact I was getting sick didn't help either.

The biggest problem was Friday night. My mom was leaving Saturday morning so the pressure was on! We had to still purchase things for the apartment, clean everything we had purchased, set up desk, chair, book case, and organize all of my stuff that I had brought with me from CA and had in storage here in IA. I knew it was going to be a long day but if you would of told me that my Mom and I would of be going nonstop from 11 AM to 3 AM with only a 20 minute lunch break I would probably would of gone into the fetal position and started blubbering. Ignorance is so blissful sometimes.

The thing is I learned a few things that I feel will always stick with me. One is that when you are building furniture from Target ALWAYS have a power screw driver! I probably screwed in 50 of those annoying little screws that had no groove in the wood. My arm totally gave out and my mom had to finish the last 8 or so. It was a pretty bad blow to the self-esteem... And I might add my fingers are still swollen, raw and ultra sensitive to heat as a result. Why more sensitive to heat I am still trying to deduce. The second thing I learned is that our bodies have an amazing adrenaline reserve that only God can activate during extreme emergencies. At about 9 PM we had finally gotten back to the apartment with our book case and desk. Let me make this clear: they were HEAVY. It took two workers to get them in my car. As it was only my mom and me to carry them up the stairs and into my apartment, I thought to myself, "How on earth am I going to do this? I'm sick, tired, whinny, and even if this weren't the case my left arm is the size of a prepubescent boy!" But alas with the grace of God (I really mean that) I was able to lift those heavy sucker up the stairs. It consisted of the unusual and improvised technique of putting the desk and book shelf on my right fight and wobbling to the stairs. Once at the stairs I would kick my foot up, causing me to be able to get the boxes up. The third thing I learned is that I have an amazing mother. There were many times when she would have an idea and I could just not even imagine how it would work. Of course she was right EVERY time. Lesson learned. But really, she was so patient and helpful. I could not of done this without her. Her emotional support and help were so key. Mom, you are amazing!

In conclusion, moving was physically and emotionally draining (and to think it was only an apartment!) but now that it is almost done the work was worth the time to relax and enjoy what my mom and I have accomplished. Hard work is always worth the result.

My living room in it's pure and newborn form

My living room during it's rebellious teenager Stage

Then he progressed to his young adult stage. Next week he will get couches, a media center, and a coffee table and progress to his mature stage in his life. I am very much looking forward to him fully growing up.

Well...

2010-10-24T18:07:00.000-07:00

Well, it has been over a year and a half since I last wrote. Since then I have graduated from BYU, moved to Davenport, IA and I will start Chiropractic school next week at Palmer. As my life has changed I have decided (much to the prodding of a very close and dear friend) to start my blog up again. Only this time it will be different. Back in the day I tried to think of funny things that would happen in my life and write a satyr or pun about it. Obviously that didn't work out so well as I only wrote three of them. So instead this new blog will be about anything and everything that I feel like writing about and when, like the title says, a Facebook status is just not enough. I hope you enjoy.

Death of a Salesman

2009-05-26T11:16:00.000-07:00

Okay, so really, there isn't an actual death (but I bet you all were wishing that there was since, well, it is a salesman and we all know how much we love them!) but I thought that it might peak your interest and get you to look and bask into my totally interesting life for five minutes.

Yes, I know it has been a while and some of you have harped on me for not writing (which makes me feel loved and wanted) and I had good intentions, I really did, but life got busy. But, after an hour of totally fun and amazing experiences that just literally wrapped up quicker than you an say "potato" (why I chose potato I don't know, so don't ask) I had to write it down. I, Darin Wallace DeVore, just finished being a salesman (Dun dun dun!).

Yes, I was one of those annoying people who call you up, hunt you down, and won't shut his mouth until you say yes! Who incessantly verbally poke and prod you like your a dumb cow until you give in to their demands or that causes you to lay into them with such a verbal onslaught of obscenities that it leaves you thinking, "Did I really just say that? That isn't me! What just happened!" Yes, for a brief hour I was the scum of the earth, the dirt between your toes, the bile in your throat, the, well, you get the point.

In my Basic Skills Entrepreneur (I want you all to know that I need spell check every time I write that word) class we talked about salespeople and what we think when we picture them in our minds. I decided to space out like a 15 year old in 8:00 a.m. math class and to let the words just slowly come to my mind as if they were floating on by at a lazy river's pace. Mind you, I didn't want to be judgmental. But what happened was a stark contrast, like pitting LeBron James' skills against an uncoordinated 16 year old. The words came at me faster than a 5 year old ADD child's attention span. The words like "cheat", "selfish scum bag" and "persistent little (insert any word you would like here)" came racing through my mind. I knew I didn't like salespeople, but it was at this moment that I realized how much.

"I mustn't be alone in this." I thought to myself. "Surely there must be a mass amount of others in the classroom who feel the same way as I do so when I say what I think, I won't look like such a 'negative Nancy' (if there is a male version name for this saying, please let me know so I don't have to call myself by a female name)." But as we went around the room and my fellow peers shared their thoughts, I realized I was a minority. "Approachable" spouts one student. "Sweet" shouts another. "Knowledgeable" says a girl in the back. And as more and more students compliment these crooks (at least in my eyes) I become more and more flabbergasted (I guessed I didn't realize that I am in a entrepreneur class). You see, why this is so important is because I have to sell. I have to be one of "those" people. I don't want to be. Summer-sales guys are the butt of so many of my jokes! How can I possibly become one?

I put off doing this for long time, but I decided today would be the day I would actually sell. Today I would shed my old ideas about salespeople like a snake, getting rid of the old skin only to become refreshed with new. Maybe it would be enlightening. Maybe I would discover a new hidden talent in myself that is only waiting to be burst open like a bag of chips. I will be resilient! I will be pushy! I will be the best dang salesman there ever was!

Well, things were realized and lessons were learned. For one, when I get nervous I talk faster than a grown man on 15 cups of coffee. I probably sound like the guy on those old micro-machines commercials. You know, the one with the thick brown mustache who always wore that goofy looking mechanic suit, only I'm nowhere close to being intelligible. Also I am not pushy. I am not resilient. I am by far NOT the best salesperson there ever was. And I'm okay with that. Today, there was a salesperson born. An hour later, he died, and what a wonderful death it was.

The Ultimate Break-Up

2009-03-04T21:27:00.000-08:00

Okay, so I just have to get this out of my system. Those of you who know me know that I am a venter. And if I don't write my feelings down and expose myself emotionally for the whole world to see, well, as you and I both know, I just won't ever get over her. This is my desperate and dire reach out for therapeutic relief. For you see, this post is about the love of my life. She and I go way back. In fact, I can remember her being a part of my life since before I can remember (the fuzzy memories of her at my side have been materialized into reality because of the numerous home videos of when I was 2) and I can't even fathom life without her. We were, and fortunately still are, joined at the hip (but I desperately ask, "For how much longer?"). Oh how I fondly reminisce of the days where we would run through the grassy fields, go on bike rides together, and heck, we would even wear matching clothes just to be cute. Yes, we were that type of couple. But a few months ago, she tried to leave me, and our relationship has been a bit rocky ever since. We have tried to mend the past and move on with our lives like any respectable couple does in these types of situations, but our relationship is still broken. Trust me, I can feel it in my bones. We are not on the same step stride for stride like we used to be, and I can still feel a tinge of a fracture that is causing constant and dire pain in our relationship. My darling's name is Sheila, and I am proud to say she is still the love of my life. Sheila also happens to be my right leg.

You see, the trouble started on a very tragic November 1st morning. To me everything seemed fine and peachy. Our relationship seemed to be running smoothly and life could not of been more grand. We were playing soccer together that morning and even though my two best friends Bill and Jerry (my right and left hands) were about as effective at stopping the soccer ball from flying into the goal as the french were at stopping Germany in WWII, Sheila and I were amazing together. Oh how she seldom let me down. But then something unexpected happened that I could of never foreseen. A big, strong, no good-for-nothing meat head of a soccer player came out of now where from the impending darkness and tried desperately to rip her apart from me! And and in her moment of faithlessness she almost gave in. Oh how I screamed at the realization and pain that was afflicted and thrust upon me in her moment of pure weakness! Oh, how this reality hurt me so! I couldn't believe what had transpired. How could I? I could not bear to look at her with my physical eyes, for I knew the ghastly sight would just sicken me so! I continued to scream my heart out, hoping that mental shock would over take me. But shock would never come, only cruel fate, as I had to live through this frightening and merciless experience. Yes, later morphine would dull the pain, but never the memory.

Oh Sheila, where did I go wrong? Was it the time I unexpectedly shaved only half of you bald and made you a laughing stock? I was weak, and I am sorry. But at least I gave you covering so no one could see your frightful appearance. And I was a bored 20 year old with nothing to do at 10:30 at night in Pennsylvania. Can you blame me? Or is it how I always point out how much hair you have and frequently compare you to a gorilla? Come now Sheila, it is only in jest. And I only jest those I love.

We can only rely on therapy now to mend us back together. Pray this pain you have caused me will go away like a feather in the wind, never to be seen from again. I will forgive you, in time...

Getting Up to Par

2009-03-03T21:13:00.000-08:00

So, since Devin and Deanna's engagement, I have had a couple of people get Devin and I confused and congratulate me for their most recent and wonderful news. Now of course, I am used to people becoming confused with Devin and I and in the past have not felt bad about it. This time it is different. I can actually physically feel the embarrassment on their faces like I have never before, as if I had said to them, "Sorry, I am not Devin, and you are a stupid moron for thinking so. How dare you?!" in a rather nasty and bitter tone. Oh, how it cuts me like a knife inside! And to make matters worse, people are actually now coming up to me and asking in a rather annoying (and might I add smug) sort of way, "So Darin, when are YOU going to get engaged?" to which I have no reply. This statement makes me feel like I just got kicked emotionally in the groin followed by another swift and powerful no-mercy kick to the face repeatedly immediately after I have quickly crumpled to the ground. Oh, how it hurts! As a result of these new enquiries and predicaments forced upon me in my life, I have come up with a rather ingenious solution: a mail ordered Russian bride.

"Why?" you may ask. "Well, why not?" I shall counter. In fact, doing the research online (www.nowisthetimetobuyarussianbride.com is a great source in my opinion) I have found many reasons to buy right now. I stumbled upon many credible web sites with testimonials of past purchasers themselves who are claiming they are so happy with their Russian bride, that we as future consumers should not even think twice about what we are doing and to just go on our emotions (or hormones) and go for it! For you see, if I (the purchaser) sit on the idea for a while and actually think about what I am actually doing, I might miss out on this golden opportunity. And I believe them. How could I not? Every time I have listened to reason, it only got me into trouble. Plus, there is a 7 year guarantee!

I tell you this because I want you all to get an idea of who my new bride will be. She should arrive in a month or so (we are still waiting for her visa) and I want all of you to welcome her with open arms as your new family member or friend, whichever category you may fall under. Her name is Vera Andreev Fedoseez-Egorof. Long, I know, but she said for an additional $20.37 she would trim her name down to three. It's a fair price if you ask my professional opinion (I am in Financial Management this semester, so I DO know a few things about the subject). And speaking of a fair price on a great investment, the reason why this is such an opportune time to buy is because of how the economy is tanking down the toilet quicker than President George W's popularity polls. My lovely Vera will only cost $147.62! That is roughly $10,000.21 in Russian currency! She also said in her online bio that all she wants to do is cook, clean, change diapers, vacuum, and rub her husbands back and feet (Dad, you jealous yet?). Seriously, what else could I ask for? And the flow of her words and the delightful phrases she used to describe how lovely she is were so beautiful, so majestic, I just couldn't say no. Plus, it just, well, it just feels so right.

She is 6'2 though, but I'm sure I'll get over it.