This YouTube video will make you cry

When I volunteered at the Utah County half Ironman last week, a guy mentioned this video from "Ukraine's Got Talent." I can't get enough of it: incredibly powerful and emotional. Plus, she's doing all this art with sand! Enjoy and leave a comment of how you like it.

De-Centralized Learning

With the advent of this new semester, I find all my classes away from the Joseph F. Smith Building. This may not seem like much to most of you, but the JFSB is the home of the College of Humanities. It is my educational home at BYU, and without classes there, I'm just a little lost.

Or I can look at this experience as a journey to discover new parts of campus. We'll see; stay tuned.

Friends

I found myself in another one of those "That just happened" moments last night: singing Elton John with friends as I drove to Smith's to pick up orange juice for my developing cold. Thanks to Amanda and Danielle for sharing in that moment. Also, thanks to Anna and everyone else who didn't show disappointment in the cancellation of the outdoor movie (The Sting) for an indoor movie (The Empire Strikes Back). You're good people, no matter what others think or say.

Blackberry Picking

It must have been twelve, that transitory time when Tuesday night concedes to Wednesday morning, and where was I? In the thick of a thorny bush and attired in shorts and a pair of slip on Vans, I found myself and Joey Majdali picking blackberries.

We picked five to six cups, which we used in a homemade cobbler. Plan for next week: pick some more.

Running

For the fifteenth or twentieth time in my life, I started running again. I ran three and a half miles the other night and aim to repeat tonight after work. And every time I run, the same thought runs with me:

Why do I run?

I hate it, running. I don't mind if there is a purpose to the running; soccer and football give me a reason. But running for runnings sake seems like torture to me. Friends of mine say they run "to clear their minds," or "to sort things out." Perhaps I am not a deep think or am extremely organized, for I can only focus one thing: how much I hate running. There must be something which motivates me to run x amount of miles.

And there is.

As most of you know, my father past away at the tender age of 49 from a sudden and massive heart attack. Reason: he didn't take care of himself like he should have. That reason scares me to run. I wish there were a more superficial or selfless factor behind running: enjoyment, personal goals, marathons, etc. But those goals aren't the reason. I run for fear, scared that if I don't, I will rob children and grandchildren of their dad or Grampa. Selfish, I know, but that's the gist of the post.

Disclaimer: I do apologize for the inconsistency in thought process. Writing down personal thoughts is not easy, nor should the task be easy. That, or I am looking for an excuse for my sloppy writing. (I would choose the former excuse, but I know the latter to be correct.)

A Brief Return from a Long Sabbatical

I know; I haven't spent time on my blog in a good while. Let me recap, ever so briefly, some events of the past few months:

Playing "poolball" three times a week

Campfires nightly

Spontaneous camping trips, without planning

Canada

Found new music

Signed up for the Dirty Dash

Reconnected with Family

Other Things

There it is. Plus, I'm writing another blog post, Today! Consider yourselves lucky.

Thoughts on U.S. Soccer

I just finished watching the US/ Ghana game, and as we bowed out of this World Cup, I cannot help but feel adoration for the Yanks. We battled past early concede goals and phantom calls to make it to the round of 16. The team showed a fighting spirit that is lacking in most other teams. As others rile on the ground from knicks or constantly complain to the ref, our team bounced up from adversity. They, nor the country, should feel disappointed in our performance. Rather, we collectively can look to the future to something brighter.

Being a soccer fan, I know how most US sports fans view soccer: It's a sorry excuse for a sport. I even read someone naming it "the lowest common denominator in sports." However, the US team's performance in the World Cup in South Africa drastically altered the country's view point. Yes, there were teams that acted more than played, but the US team's approach to the game is very American. There were no instances where a United States player took a dive, or pretended injury. Andy pointed out the reason for this revolves around the American concept of toughness. When a player is taken to the ground, he or she pops right back up. It's a form of intimidation. While the United States wasn't always the best team on the pitch, they certainly were the more psychologically fit. I believe novice American fans picked up on this, and it spread across the nation.

I'm looking forward to the future of the US soccer programs. I see more of our players becoming exposed in European leagues, as well as the establishment of better youth academies here in the States. I say the future looks bright for American soccer. What are your thoughts on the Yanks' performance in South Africa?