Getting Back to Business

It has been a long time since I posted on here. I think it’s time for a quick update: I graduated BYU-Idaho with my bachelor’s degree, got married, and had a baby girl who is now 3 weeks old. Pretty huge life events, so I’ve heard. This summer, I had a bone spur chiseled out of my ankle, which hurt pretty good, and took me off my foot for a while. Once I recovered enough to walk, I decided I wanted to take better care of my body, so I could bounce back from things like that little faster, and just to feel and perform better in every aspect of my life. My wife and I moved back to Idaho Falls from Massachusetts, and I got a gym membership at The Apple Athletic Club. Cool gym. They’re missing Olympic weights, which kills me, but they have a pool, and I love swimming. Anyway, since it had been a few years since I graced a gym for resistance training, I figured I better start by building a solid foundation, so naturally I began with foundational movements, like deadlift, bench, etc. After a week or two, I felt comfortable, and wanted to change things up. What I really wanted was to build a little mass, hypertrophy, bulk, get swole, whatever you want to call it. I could deadlift 315lbs with a trap bar at the time, and my goal was to hit 415lbs in a month, because my brother would return home in that time from a 2-year mission. I needed some gear to help me out. I already had good straps, so I was in need of a good, solid belt. The hunt was on. I read up on what makes a good belt, like dimensions, materials, and the type of clasp. There are tapered belts, straight belts, various widths and thicknesses, leather, synthetic, single prong, double prong, plastic snap clasps, Velcro, and some other factors to consider when choosing a good belt. Since I am shorter (66”), I wanted a belt that wasn’t so wide as to dig into my ribs, and I wanted it wide enough to provide proper support. From my studies, I found that the safest, most reliable, and longest lasting belts are non-tapered leather belts with a metal buckle. So there I was, searching the internet for the best belt I could possibly find with those specifications. After a while, I turned to Amazon, which actually has a good variety of belts from different manufacturers. They don’t discriminate between big companies and small businesses, so you get a fair representation of what’s available. After scouring that site, I came across a belt from a company called Dark Iron Fitness. It seemed like a good belt, had the best reviews on the internet, and it had a statistically significant number of reviews, so I decided I could trust what I saw. They have stellar reviews, actually – 99% of buyers love it, and there’s only one seriously critical review, but it is a joke. The guy soaked the belt in a sink full of dawn soap and baking soda (a powerful bleaching agent), and was disappointed when the color came out. Aside from that weirdo, virtually everybody seems to be very happy with it, and rate it at 5 stars. I certainly did. It’s a thick belt, which is really what you want, and it is built very well with what seems to be top-quality leather. A good belt has equal width all the way around, and this one does. Many of the 4-star reviewers said it’s too narrow to be safe for very heavy lifting, but it’s 4 inches wide! That’s the maximum width allowed in most, if not all, powerlifting federations. If, for some reason, 4 inches were too narrow to be safe, I think we’d see a lot more back injuries in powerlifting competitions. I digress. The belt is beautifully designed, and it is the most comfortable lifting belt I’ve ever worn. It’s easy to use, however, a single prong design may make it easier to secure the belt, as the double-prong design adds an extra step in the buckling process.

As for customer service, after I received the belt, I got an email from Alexis, a co-owner of Dark Iron fitness. Just as I would expect from any reputable company, she asked if I liked my belt, and if I had any issues. After I replied, I opted in for their “VIP” email list, which means I get an email update from Dark Iron Fitness every 10-or-so days. Now, I usually unsubscribe from the weekly crap companies so thoughtfully dump into my inbox, but the content in the emails from Alexis and Alan (the other co-owner) is personalized, unobtrusive, and not at all salesy. Usually, Alexis extends an offer to exchange either a product, a discount on a product, or money for helping the company get their name out! They are always fair offers. In fact, I usually feel as though I am getting the better end of the deal. Every time I have emailed Alan or Alexis, I always get a prompt reply that is friendly in tone, and professional in manner. I am thoroughly impressed by their customer service, the quality of their products, and it is with pride that I say I am a loyal customer of their brand. So, if you or anybody you know is looking for gear, or should be looking for gear, take a good hard look at Dark Iron Fitness. I’ve provided a link for you here: Dark Iron Fitness

P.S. – I reached my goal to deadlift 415lbs – a 100lb increase – in just 3 weeks!

Standing Still

I've been doing it for what seems like forever. Every once in a while in my life I become content with where I am - everything seems to be exactly how I want it to be. I decide I want nothing to change, because what I don't see is the beautiful new opportunity just around the corner. I admit it - I am afraid of change. I've never admitted that before, and I'm willing to bet that very few people would have guessed it. I'm afraid that the next stage of life will not be as good as the last, and I'm usually wrong. I'm actually very good at adapting to change, and rolling with it, but it scares me. Now, in the thick of change as everyone graduates, goes home for the summer break, leaves on a mission, or what have you, I might shy away from saying more than just "bye," or, "see ya!" Don't take it personally. I'm really bad a goodbyes, so I'm sorry to anyone who I make or have made feel less important with my short, almost careless goodbye. I do care. Plus, if we really are friends, we'll run into each other again at some point. Anyway, good luck to everybody who is currently making a change in their life, whether big or small.

This Week

This week has been interesting, to say the least. First, Aleesa broke up with me for some other guy. She said that I'm too hairy, and that she is crazy, and that his cheeks are more pink than mine. haha I was just kidding. But seriously:) We made a mutual decision, and that decision is that it is in our best interest to break up. Sad, but we are both ok with it, and it was great while it lasted. After that, I woke up one morning, and there was poop and other sewage floating in our dorm hall. Shnasty, right? I guess the pipes got clogged up and flowed backward. The smell was horrible, but they cleaned it up pretty quickly, and for that I am grateful. I should have taken pictures. When I say there was poop floating around the halls, I do not exaggerate. Today I took the first of 3 Chemistry final exams - 3!!! It was our lab final, and we have a final exam, and a nationally standardized exam left to take. That's just for chem, and I have 5 other class finals to take. haha The picture of the chalkboard is not a far cry from what some of our chemistry problems look like on paper. Well, I know I recently said I couldn't wait for Thanksgiving break, but that wasn't really a break, because homework infected every day of it, and now I can't wait for Christmas break. I get to go home to my family for a couple of weeks, shoot some guns, and maybe hit the beach. Tonight for FHE we went caroling. It was interesting, because some of us (me) didn't know all of the words, and I sort of just belted out random words that I thought sounded right. At any rate, that's my week. Now I'm starting the the last week of classes. Then it's finals, and finally home. Oh, and I get to spend the first 10 days of Christmas with my good friend Chelsea. That's all for now :)

Follow the Leader

What, exactly, is a leader? A leader is a person who holds office, and has rank, and who makes decisions on behalf of another person, or people, right? Right! But that type of leadership may only be temporary. We define a leader as someone who is sensible, responsible, trustworthy, brave, etc. I'm sure we can all think of a leader in our lives. I know a leader who won't be told what to do. He won't be pushed around, or swayed, and he doesn't waste his time playing footsies with drama, or gossip. He tells people when they are acting dumb, and he solves problems. I look up to him even though I am older, and I am supposed to be the example. My brother is a leader, and he always has been. His peers look up to him, and value his opinion, because nine times out of ten, he will give you a sound solution that will get results. One out of ten times he will be wrong, but that's ok, because he is not insecure, and he can take responsibility for his decisions. I can't adequately define what a leader is, so here are some things that I think outline the character of a leader. (from the internet)

Solve problems. The first step towards becoming a leader is to look around and find ways to make the world a better place. Observe your surroundings and listen to people. How can you help? Discover what your talents are, develop them, and focus on applying them towards making a difference. Think of problems in the broader sense - they're not always easy to define. Look for needs, niches, conflicts, gaps that need to be filled, and inefficiencies. The solutions won't always be creative or cutting edge; sometimes they're the simplest things.

Think of the big picture. As you're solving problems, you might notice patterns, and wonder if many of those problems are symptoms of a deeper, bigger problem. Thoreau once said, "For every thousand hacking at the leaves of evil, one is hacking at the root." Take a step back and try to find the root. The thing about the deeper problem is that it's not something anybody can solve alone; it'll require a group effort, which is where your role as a leader comes into play.

Be proactive. If you've got these ideas in your mind about what the deeper issues are, you can probably predict the problems that'll crop up as a result. Instead of waiting for those problems to appear, take steps to prevent them. If you can't prevent them, then you can at least prepare. That's the core difference between a leader and a manager. A good manager responds well to a variety of situations; a good leader takes effective action to prevent and create situations before they actually happen.

Make decisions, and take responsibility for the consequences. In order to exert influence and tackle bigger problems, you're going to need decision-making power, and those decisions will affect the people who grant you that power. This is as much a responsibility as it is an honor. Not only do you need to be able to make sound decisions, but you also need to be willing to be held accountable to them. If things go wrong, people will assume it's your fault (whether it is or not). Think of yourself as the captain of a ship; the fate of the ship is essentially in your hands, and it's up to you to steer everyone in the right direction. So exercise wisdom when calling the shots; hope for the best and prepare for the worst. If you're not prepared to take responsibility for your decisions - if you struggle with hesitation and self-doubt - it might be a good idea to step down. An insecure leader often becomes a tyrant.

Share your vision. As a leader, you can see the bigger issues at hand, but you can also see how things could be so much better if we could just remove those obstacles. To get people to help you in changing things, you need to share that positive vision with them. Inspire them. Motivate them. Guide them. Show them how their actions are bringing everyone closer to that dream. "Most important, leaders can conceive and articulate goals that lift people out of their petty preoccupations and unite them in pursuit of objectives worthy of their best efforts."^[1]

Remember that it's not all about you. The greatest leaders saw their role as a means to an end, and themselves as an instrument of a deeper purpose; any glory, prestige, or wealth was a side effect rather than a motivation. If you want to realize a vision, the most effective way to do it is not with an army of drones; that army will only last as long as you do. For the most long-lasting results, share your vision and let people adopt it as their own, and let it spread like wildfire. Think of yourself as the beginning of a chain reaction--once it's begun, you can step away and it'll continue to happen without any effort on your part. "A leader is best when people barely know he exists, when his work is done, his aim fulfilled, they will say: we did it ourselves."^[2]

That's all I have to say about that.

Anyway, lots of things have happened since I posted my last blog. I am back in school! And, I can't wait for the semester to be over. This has been a tough one. I got a mac - great purchase! I recommend the macbook pro to anybody, unless excel is the only reason you have a computer. Excel for mac has some weird things about it. Most importantly... after months of her asking, I finally gave in and decided to date Aleesa Young. Ok, fine - I was the one asking her to date me. It only took a year to win her over - a long year - and, it was frustrating sometimes. Sometimes I was about ready to give up. She would tell me about dates she went on, and the guys she liked, and twice she even told me we would never be together. It was hard, but I wasn't about to let go - not that easily. So, I was patient, and I did everything I knew to be her best friend. I moved back to Idaho, and we grew closer. I was so confused! My head and my heart were at war (like the picture above), and it was so hard to think clearly. So, one night I decided to make my move, but then I chickened out. I think Aleesa knew this, but she was nice, and she made it clear the next night, and took me to a private place. She made it so easy for me, but somehow I almost screwed it up again! I waited so freaking long that she got up to leave, and I almost missed my opportunity again, but I pulled her back to me and we sorted things out:) Long story short, we made our relationship official on September 25th, so it has been about 2 months! She's sensible, and safe, and I never thought I would ever date a girl like her, but she is simply amazing, and I could never ask for anything better. I am so lucky to have her. the end.

Gifted Hands

The most inspiring movie I have ever seen is Gifted Hands. It's a movie about a skilled neurosurgeon who got to where he is from unlikely circumstances. I have seen it many times, and I like it more and more every time I see it. When I need some motivation for anything at all, I watch this movie. Basically, Ben Carson grew up in an underprivileged home without a father. He was behind in his first few years of schooling, but his mother was hopeful, supportive, and so positive about the future of her two boys. After some encouragement, He excels through school, attends Yale University on scholarship, and finally gets to Johns Hopkins Medical School. It expresses some of the obstacles he had to overcome, mostly because of discrimination, and a hot temper. Ends up, Ben Carson is now the Director of Pediatric Neurosurgery at Johns Hopkins Medical Center (real life), and has performed successful surgeries that are still considered miracles. Ben Carson is a very religious man, and is dedicated to his work, and to his family. I hope I can be half the scholar, surgeon, and man he is. Lately I've been thinking about joining an organization for a few weeks in Ughanda, South Africa, Ecuador, or somewhere like that to do some volunteer health care. I'm just doing my homework to find a reputable organization to join. :)

Arg. Grrr. Roar.

I've been thinking about a few things lately, namely: what I can do better as a priesthood holder to avoid any situation that could possibly break the heart of my future wife, or cost me the confidence of my future children, and anger, and about how it makes people feel and act. I'm gonna talk about anger a little. Anger can ruin relationships, and if entertained, can become a monster that is almost uncontrollable. Harmful, caustic words can be said, and things are sometimes done that are regretted. I, for one, do not like the way I feel when I am angry. Apologizing is not easy. I'm sorry. Those two words are the hardest ones to say with sincerity. Making other people feel bad, or angry, or like any less of a person kills me, and I hate it when I do. So, I made a promise to myself, and to the Lord, that from this point on I will not act on anger. If at some point frustration is clouding my judgement, I will leave the situation and come back to it later when my mind is clear. There ya go. Hold me to it, and I'll do my best.

Work that updoo!

So, I had my first modelling gig this past Monday for the BYU-I art department's advanced figure drawing class. It was interesting. Believe it or not, art modelling is hard work! Maintaining one position in perfect stillness for 20 minutes is more difficult than I imagined. Those 3 hours were rough, but it was fun. There are some older ladies in the class that cracked jokes, and made comments about my physique. haha, when I put on the first thing - a thick robe-like costume - for the first pose, the neckline of the king's gown was very low, so my chest was pretty bare. The oldest woman(probably around 50) called out, "mmmmmm! Bare chested men!" haha Then, during a later pose, I was wearing super short bunchy, knicker pant things that must have been daisy dukes of the mid-1300's. Some girl whistled at my bare man-legs. Basically, it was a blast. I was hesitant to take the job, but I really liked it, and I'll probably keep this for a while.

Mutual Benefits

This is gonna be short, but hopefully good. On Sunday, I was feeling alright, and I had been playfully teasing people all day. That evening, I decided to give my amazing friend Chanel a hard time for not posting a blog in almost a week(kind of calling the kettle black). Recently I have been struggling with what seems like everything, and I was wondering what the heck I am doing here, and if I ever even make a difference to anybody. Well, my comments to Chanel got her thinking about some things that have been keeping her down, and just when I felt like I make no difference to anybody, Chan posts this inspirational post about patience. My point of all this that we don't know what lies ahead. It ties in perfectly with her post about patience, because I was getting frustrated with myself. I'm not sure, exactly, what God is trying to teach me this semester, but this lesson just showed me that patience pays off. And, if you feel like you don't make a difference, think again. You do. I'm just lucky enough to have a friend who posted a blog, and vocalized my influence.

Bears

Heart Lake and the valley from Sheridan Peak

We saw none. That might be a good thing, but it's not a good thing, because I wanted to see one. Not a violent encounter, but a normal one where I see a bear and it sees me, then we go on our way. Anyways, I was pretty ticked when I saw no yellow stones either, but the trip was still one I won't forget.

Heart Lake Valley

Day 1 - We hiked in late, so it was dark and cold for half of our 8 mile hike. By cold I mean it was something like 25 or 30 degrees, and hiking in the dark is not fun, because you can't see any of the stuff you came to see. As we strolled into camp, we were greeted by some crazy old dudes from the camp over that decided they liked our fire pit more than their own. They were all smart, affluent old men from Texas. Among their posse were doctors, dentists, engineers, and one very successful bank owner. They called their group the BOOTS, an acronym i don't remember. They were fun, full of life, and we didn't mind sharing our site with them. We hiked the Heart lake Trail to Heart Lake.

 Trevor, Stan, and me at Sheridan Peak. That little clump of trees just over my right shoulder is our camp, 3000 feet below us.

Ladies and Gentlemen... Mt. Sheridan

Day 2 - Mt. Sheridan didn't stand a chance against us. We conquered Sheridan, took a nap on her, and then ran all the way back down her 4 mile trail back to camp. Some people may say that running 4 miles downhill is bad for your joints, and I am hesitant to disagree, but that's the only way to go down a mountain. There was no other option. It was the only way. There was snow at the top of her 10,300 ft peak. Not a lot, but enough to make snow angels. Those angels were painful. The snow was old and hard, and felt like sandpaper. The half-hour nap we took at her peak was much deserved as the trail was 4 miles, with a 3000 foot elevation gain... so we basically climbed a wall. mhmmm, git some. All of us took a beating though. my left LCL is not in good shape, and our knees and feet were sore after, but it was totally worth it.

Us... leaving Yellowstone behind.

Day 3 - A bear visited the camp we were originally going to stay at. It tore up the fire pit, threw some trees around, and made a mess. It could have at least cleaned up its footprints or something. The hike out was bitter sweet, and we crossed paths with a tiny garter snake, hot pools, hell's river, a few geysers, elk, and a couple deer. The hot pools were HOT. Stan knows... he touched one. I mean, the steam wasn't enough for him, he just had to know. I say hell's river because it flowed from a hot pool, and at dusk there was a steam trail from where it started in the pass all the way into the valley. As far as geysers go, we may have stepped off the trail a little bit... a quarter mile little bit... to see them up close. It was like the earth had something caught in it's throat and was hacking it up. Really a spectacular sight. I'd encourage anybody to go see it, except that if you happen to fall through the marshy ground that surrounds a geyser, you may just find yourself neck deep in literally boiling water.

Stan and a hot pool.

Overall, the trip was a blast. We were camped just over 100 feet from a lake, and there were no bugs bothering us. There was a cool stream that passed by our camp as well. The total distance we hiked was about 25 miles, 8 of those miles were on a ridiculous incline. If you are at school here in Idaho, i say take advantage of your proximity to Yellowstone. GO THERE. It's really an incredible experience, and the scenery is beautiful. There you have it, and I have posted more pics below. Enjoy.

 That used to be a neatly made fire pit. Mr. Bear did not approve.

 Crazy old dudes. They were chanting.

 That baby snake was tasty.

 Ranger station at Sheridan Peak... Almost there!

 Grizzly track... it was a big boy.

 Steam on Heart lake in the morning

 See those white things at the bottom of that hot pool? Those are animal bones. Apparently they were thirsty enough to die for a drink of hot water.

 That water burned Stan. It's hot.

 Halfway up Sheridan. The bunch of trees on the shore at the top right is our camp.

 Beautiful woods

 Stan likes aluminum... and Sheridan

 Sheridan valley... heart lake in the distance.

 Standing around waiting for a geyser to blow up.

 Hell's river, afternoonish.

 Beware of bears where forest meets meadow

Our tents... mine's on the left, Stan's on the right.

Told you so.

I knew this blog was gonna be hard to keep up with. haha My lovely friend Chanel reminded me to make an update. I don't really know what to put on here this time. If I hadn't met a few great people, I would say this summer has been completely uneventful. I've been working, getting back in shape, reading... The book I'm reading is David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens. It's widely known as a literary masterpiece, and I have to agree, though sometimes it's hard for me to understand the grandiose mid-18th century language. Charles Dickens' vocabulary is impressive, to say the least. OH, I've started to create my own collection of outdoors stuff. So far I have a 65L backpack, a 3.5lb tent, a tarp, a +15 degree sleeping bag(mummy style), a 2 liter hydration bladder, and a cool water bottle. It's expensive. Some buddies and I have planned a 3 day backpacking trip for the end of September. Hopefully the summer holds out until then. The hike is up near Stanley, Idaho. It's 20miles round trip, and the first 8 miles of the hike is a 2,000 foot elevation gain(yikes!) but the last couple of miles is a mellow descent to a beautiful lake, loaded with trout or something. We can(and will) fish. The trail is located in prime grizzly country:) Can't wait to wrastle me a bar. haha or just hope it doesn't eat me. It is also in a gorgeous alpine setting, and throughout the hike we will pass granite cliffs, waterfalls, hot pools, maybe a geyser, and the wildlife is abundant. I am so stoked to be out there and away of civilization. On another note, Jenessa is an amazing good friend of mine, and she will be serving her mission in Edmonton, Canada, starting on October 26th.

Soon to come...

a post about my trip home to Anaheim, California... the happiest place on earth. And for those of you who don't know, that is a picture of something called the beach... Huntington Beach, to be exact. I got to see my lovely Pacific coast again. It's the best. :)

It doesn't cost one cent to be polite

Medicine

I've decided to include a quote in each of my posts, preferably a positive one that will lift those who read it. They won't always have to do with my blog topic. So, here's the first: "The more mindful we become, the more we increase our capacity for action that is stripped of pretense and duplicity." - Some Blogger

Healthcare in the U.S. is flawed. Obvious enough. Is universal healthcare the answer? I don't really know, but I would venture to say that it is not the ideal option. Regardless of the reform, healthcare still has countless problems. When you can't get the treatment that you need, or doctors seem to beat around the bush, it isn't always the doctor's fault. Doctors must practice defensive medicine to avoid getting sued, and they are often restricted by insurance practices, such as what tests can be ordered. So, as I said, doctors aren't always to blame. But, sometimes they are. Sometimes, when a matter has been brought to their attention, and they assume and form conjectures about what is likely to be, fail to take preventative action, and are dead wrong, the blame is entirely theirs to carry. I'm not saying there aren't mistakes. I dislocated my ankle over 3 years ago. During physical therapy I experienced sharp pains I knew were not natural to healing. When I brought my concerns to the doc, he simply told me the pain was caused by tissues that were rigid because of their lack of use, and that they would soon be back to normal. I seriously doubted his diagnosis. Fast-forward about a year and a half, and I'm on the operating table, due for a bone transplant that I believe could have been avoided had the doctor addressed my concern. Following surgery and therapy, I began to experience a pain identical to the pain I felt before the surgery. Again, when I voiced my concern, I was doubted, corrected(incorrectly), and sent on my way. Fast forward another year, and that brings us to now. My ankle is in the same condition it was before the surgery: always hurting, and sometimes debilitating. I left work early today because I couldn't walk. I don't have the time or money to get surgery if need be. I'm supposed to start classes in 2 and a half months(which I'm really looking forward to), I am finally exercising and getting back into shape, and now walking is becoming a struggle. Thanks Doc. I feel like my life is finally starting to move again, and I'm faced with the possibility of more complications. The medical world is severely lacking the altruism that once was at it's core. My roommate Kirk and I are motivated by these misfortunes and we are hoping that when we join the medical field we can put our complex aside and show people some consideration and truly appreciate their opinion. Enough rant for one blog. Having to leave work early really irked me. I do have hope, though. We'll see what the Lord has in mind for me.

First things first.

I love fruit. I think I ate my weight in strawberries this morning. how's that for in intro? I decided I'm not going to formally introduce myself. I'll let my psyche, nature, character, or whatever you want to call it form in your mind from what you gather from my posts. As a side note, this is my first time blogging. I think I took the challenge doing a blog(it may not be a challenge for everyone, but it definitely is and will prove to be one for me) to explore myself and really think about my life. Maybe I need more time for introspection, or to examine the world and really understand what matters most. Who knows... perhaps it'll prove beneficial. As my title suggests I like to try to keep things simple(but not excessively so) and hopefully it stays that way. Hello world of blog.