Tuesday, April 19, 2011

Secrets to Research Papers

Here are a few secrets I've found to writing long research papers.


  1. Have a super long introduction.
  2. Research before you write anything.  That way you have something to write about.
  3. Discuss your topic with other people and have a discussion about it.  It'll show you what you've learned from your research and also other points you may want to explore further.
  4. Take breaks so as to not overload your brain.
  5. Get your friends to give you suggestions.
  6. Don't give up.

Monday, April 11, 2011

Stress

So I was chatting with someone in my English class about our paper and during the course of the conversation I learned that our 10 page research paper that I thought was due on the 24th is actually due on the 19th.  That still gives me plenty of time, right?

WRONG!

Work has been so busy lately and tomorrow evening I'm leaving for a 5 day trip to California.  So when I get back from that trip I'll only have about two days left to do the paper.  I CAN'T DO THAT IN TWO DAYS!  I will have my laptop so I'll work on it as much as I can down there in California, but to be honest, I doubt that much will get done.

As soon as all of this sunk into my brain the stress factor totally kicked in.  But what's interesting about it is the way it manifests itself in me.  It shows as ANGER.  Just like someone flipped a switch, I went from being content with the world to being angry at just about anything.  In fact, my cat is sitting on my bed and it's making me so mad just thinking that that stupid cat has no responsibility except to eat, sleep, poop, and be cute and cuddly. I'm just angry about. . .life!

I haven't felt this way since high school, back when life was very stressful for me.  I never realized that stress makes me feel this way.  My life is virtually stress-free.  (At least free of major stresses, like I am now experiencing)

The only good thing about this whole frickin' situation is that I just learned what my reaction to stress is.

ARRRRGHHH!

Sunday, April 10, 2011

Hot Springs and Wrecking Cars

A most interesting Friday evening.

So Rachel decided to have a little birthday shin dig at the hot springs.  We met at her place at 5 and headed down.  I asked her once where they were (i'd never been there), and she said "oh, it's just a little south of Spanish Fork."    Good deal.  So Todd and I pile in the car with Nate and follow Rachel (and some of her friends) down there.  So we pass Spanish Fork.  Then Nephi.  The Scipio.  A LITTLE PAST SPANISH FORK MY BUTT!!!!  Turns out that these hot springs are a bit south of Fillmore.

So we get there and chill in the springs for a while.  That was actually pretty fun, even though it was freeeeezing cold.

On the way home we stopped at Carl's Jr.  Yum.

Then Nate, Todd, me, and Megan ( a girl from Rachel's car) head on back and Rachel is following.  So about 15 minutes past Scipio we get a call from Rachel saying that she's crashed because of a snow bank.  (By the way, it was starting to snow pretty bad).   So we turn around a go make sure they are all ok, and they are.  But the car is totaled.  The sucky part about it is that Rachel had just gotten that car a few weeks ago because she was in a car accident and her car got totaled.  So we just chill and wait for the tow truck to show up and tow her back to Scipio.

Then we head on back up to Springville.  Disney music was the theme and we spent most of the trip home singing Disney songs.  It was a blast.

Definitely should do it again...but minus the car crunching episode.

Saturday, April 2, 2011

Lessons from General Conference

This will be a continued update over the weekend as General Conference continues to go on.

Elder Quentin L. Cook talked about the value of women.  I found this to be an excellent talk.  It's not that he taught us any new and amazing doctrine.  It was just a reiteration of the things we've already been hearing for years.  What I found amazing was my own thoughts and impressions.  How amazing it is to be in the company of well-rounded, intelligent, grounded woman.  It just makes you feel good.  There is a particular girl I'm interested in right now and I like her for these reasons.   I can't really articulate a lot of how I felt, but I just know how I felt about it.

President Henry B. Erying
I don't exactly recall the entire subject matter of his talk, but what stuck out to me is when he was talking about the Priesthood quorum trying to help a brother find employment. Members of the quorum volunteered names of people that they thought this brother could find employment with.  Unemployment strikes home for me.  My dad has been unemployed quite a bit in the past 5 years.  There is a sense of dignity that comes with work and providing for ones self and family.  To have that taken away from you is devastating, especially when you have others to support.  I thought about my business that I want to open, and FBO (Basically it's an aviation service station).  I had the thought that I should always have one or two positions available at my business which I can offer to those who need help.  I will train them in a new skill if they don't have it already.  And if they only stay for a month or so until they find employment in their field, so be it.  I don't consider the funds spent to train a man  in a new skill a waste.  Sure, financially it may not make the most sense.  But was does make sense is saving a man's dignity and ability to feed his family, and hopefully help to save his soul.  President Erying talked about how to Lord blesses those who give as well as those who receive. I'm sure that the Lord will bless my business to make up for the financial losses incurred to preserve the well being of one of his children.

Elder Ballard
Service is the best missionary work.  If we are going to bring our friends to the gospel, we have to do meaningful service for them.  Sorry, cookies isn't going to cut it.  We need to be there and serve them in their potentially life changing situations.