Against All Odds

This past september, I was nominated to represent Murray High as the Business and Marketing Sterling Scholar. You can't imagine the shock this was for me! Honestly, I only applied because I heard there was only one other (much more qualified) guy applying, and I couldnt just let him walk away with it! I have a decent GPA and an average ACT, but I am aware I am no genius! But sure enough, while on vacation in California I receive a call telling me I made it! I was ecstatic! But not ambitious. I would spend the time, and put together a frighteningly detailed 20 page portfolio, and go be interviewed by the region judges. But as my cousin, the Math Sterling Scholar calculated, my odds were not so good to advance to the next round.

So this last Wednesday the 12 of us walked into Kearns High School (looking like a million bucks I might add, I love dressing businessy) to be weighed and measured against the other 15 nominees in each of our categories. Strangely enough, adults have never really intimidated me. And this seems to have been my strongest tool while in these interviews. I walked in calm, walked out calm, and was just glad it was over!

Around 11:30 that night I was doing some homework when I got a text from one of the fellow sterling scholars telling me the results were up. I just told her to tell me. Not willing to get my hopes up. And sure enough! She told me I was 1 of 5 region winners and I was going to advance to state!

I just about fell out of my chair! And I have been so excited since! This opens up all kinds of crazy opportunities for me! I just qualified for a bunch of new scholarships so I am looking into some different options before my mission. If anyone has any advice on good business programs in Utah please let me know! I would love to hear what you have to say!

I'm Starting to Rethink That "Bring it on" Thing

So, I feel it’s time for a formal update on my last post. Good news, I have found the perfect program that will push me and build endurance. It is also free! Can you beat that? I think not. however, it is the Marines and it hurts like nothing else!

How did I get the wonderful opportunity to go to a Marine training workout 3 times a week you ask? Well a month ago I was seriously researching the Marines but I decided to wait out on that commitment till after my mission. Then, 2 days before state swim got over, my Marine recruiter sent me a text asking if I wanted to start their PT training with them 3 times a week. What perfect timing! I told him I would start that next week. It sounded great! Jogs with a drill instructor shouting out, “left! Right! Left! Right!”, supervision of weight lifting to insure I was trying my hardest or a punishment would follow. It sounded just like a movie, where I could enter an average scruffy Joe, and leave confident, poised, and ready for the world.

Well, that whole discipline thing looks real clean, sharp, and structured on TV. But when you’re living it, it is not nearly as romantic. We did the entire workout in a deserted Albertsons parking lot. We started out by sprinting a set of ladders with an entire column of parking stalls (gradually sprinting the entire parking lot back and forth about 30 times). And I felt like a real hot shot, just cooking along, but after one time of that I wanted to die. And sure enough, there was the drill instructor telling me, “Hurry up, too slow, all the way to the line” etc. Our breaks consisted of 2 minutes of either max out push-ups, crunchers, or mountain climbers. After 4 cycles of that (and several people puking and me just about passing out), we were done.

Boy, am I excited. I get to do this 3 times a week! I guess it’s easy to say “Bring it on” when you really have no idea what “it” is. Wish me luck, I am going to do this.

Bring it On

Am I going to do it? I think so! A few posts ago I discussed my random idea of completing a long course Triathlon before I leave on my mission. I am looking into an Olympic Triathlon (.93 mile swim, 24.8 mile bike, 6.2 mile run). The training will definitely test my self-discipline and inner strength… Bring it on.

The Reasons:

I don’t want to be fat: I have this fear of becoming fat. I have seen some of the strongest athletes I know get out of high school with 6 months before their mission and blow up like a balloon… not to mention any names… but I don’t want to be that guy. A triathlon would definitely help keep me in shape.

The Horizon to look to: I don’t like working out without a purpose. Swim has always been my drive, but in one week swim will be over forever. A triathlon with give me a goal to work towards.

Self discipline rite of passage: As a member of a team I have always had a coach there telling me what do to and being sure I do it. But when I swim on my own, I find myself cutting my sets in half because I’m bored. Training for a triathlon will help build my drive to do what I need to do.

No better time: A triathlon is one of those things everyone wants to do, but always has a reason not to. I am not in a career, my work schedule is very flexible, and I am in the best shape of my life. The self discipline I learn would no doubt help me with the rigorous schedules of missionaries!


There are still unknowns in this little equation. I don’t know what equipment I will need or how exactly to train. But I’ll figure it out! If anyone knows of any good bike shops or places I can get information, I’d love the help!

Sliding Into Home Base!

Eagle Scout… Done… Feel free to applaud at your computer. Man alive, I thought it would never end. Thanks to my Mom and the Sterling Scholar program, I finally got it done. The Sterling Scholar gave me the reason, and my mom dragged me across the valley of sandpaper till I finally got it done. I turned in my last papers today and I will get a call in about 2 weeks for my final board of review. Hope I pass. But even if I don’t, for all intensive purposes I think right now I can consider myself an eagle scout. Woot Woot!

Update

It seems to me as though the “most wonderful time of the year” is kind of the “most pitiful time of the year” when it comes to blogging. I know I haven’t blogged in a while but it seems as though no one else really has either! So I thought I’d just publish an update so I am not completely guilty as well.

Well… Tis’ the season to be a Swimmer. And all the wonderful things that come with it. Namely: 3 hours of practice a day, painful grunts as I tackle stairs, begging relatives for money for our fundraisers (thanks Jer and Barbs and Kerry!), and my personal favorite, hair slowly losing all color till it gradually resembles straw. You know you spend too much time in the pool when your hair is likely to burst into flame at any sign of fire. But alas, I somehow manage. The team got the opportunity to go down to St. George a few weeks ago and swim against our rivals, Snow Canyon. And I was surprise to be met by my own fan club! It was really great to have Barbs, Kerry, Grandma, and even Allie there! That still has been the best meet I’ve had all year. I have high hopes for the team this year. We look very competitive for state. So cross your fingers! It's also great to have family on the team! that's a picture of my cousin Ryan and I. Can't you see the resemblence?
I have this bad habit of taking mediocre-at-best ideas and capitalizing on their supidity. However, I got this idea a few days ago that I think would be awesome! As an athlete, I have always had this dream of competing in a Triathlon. However I don’t know much about it. If anybody has any information about how to train, or someone I could contact, it would be very much appreciated! Also, information on where I can purchase a decent road bike would be wonderful too! I really am going into this stone cold, but competing in an Olympic or Half-Ironman triathlon would be an awesome rite of passage to complete before my mission. And usually after stewing over these ideas for a few days I lose all interest, So who knows, I may be on to something with this! If anyone has any info that’d be great!

New Blog!

It seems I commonly misuse the word Blog. A blog is the page; a post is what is on the page. But just to set things straight, I have started a new Blog. It seems as though my spiritual posts (or blogs as I commonly misname them) were taking over my personal blog. So I have decided to let that corner of my head branch off and stop crowding my personal life. The new blog is called www.withexactness.blogspot.com. I’d love it if you became a follower of it! I am going to try to update it every Sunday as my Sunday activity. Thanks!

Dont Buy Stuff You Cannot Afford!

This skit speaks for itself.