Today seemed to blow by really fast. One minute I was at the store picking up some donuts on the way to work, the next I was eating take out pasta for lunch. A blink of the eye later and I was depositing my $775.83 paycheck. I was a little disappointed in that actually. My net pay was $900 and a few cents. While I haven't been taxed before due to my number of exemptions, as I should have known: the more I make, the more they take (hehehe, catchy phrase!). Anyway, $60ish went to social security and medicare, two programs I will never benefit from...heck, I'm not convinced anyone is benefiting from them. Anyway, another $60ish went to federal and state taxes. Hopefully I'll get that part back next April. Regardless, I'll take $775 any day. Still waiting on that Phantom Fireworks check, but, really, who actually expected that to be on time!? Please...knowledge is knowing a tomato is a fruit; wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.

Well, I might as well put out some real news. I admit that recently I have had a mighty good little struggle with the idea of a mission. Reading the Book of Mormon gave me some confidence and being around people who are helping me prepare has also helped. But, real help came in an email the other day from dad. I'll keep the contents of the email private, but essentially it gave me a lot of insight on things I was having difficulty thinking about. When I meet with my bishop again on Sunday, I'll share with him the email and I will inform him of my decision to forgo the service mission prospect and begin filling out mission papers for a full time mission. As dad said in the email and as I have felt as well recently, if I'm not supposed to serve a full time mission, my application will be rejected. Considering this new path, I'm not sure what to do about school. I don't know what the time line will be...I'll find that out before I make any more decisions.

Don't worry guys, this whole roller coaster ride will soon be over and you won't have to worry about my future too much.