Anyone who knows me very well probably knows that I listen to all different kinds of music. Today, I wanted to try to explain what music I like, what music means to me, and hopefully convince people that I do, in fact, listen to what people tell me is "normal music", because many people tell me my music taste sucks.

First and foremost, music is a HUGE part of life for me, whether I am listening to it or making it. Music can cheer me up, music can pump me up, music can calm me down, music can help me through a hard time, music can draw me nearer to God, music can help me express myself, and so much more.

I don't think I really have a favorite genre of music. I grew up listening to the oldies, but there are many new songs I love just as much. I enjoy listening to pop songs as much as I do songs of the 50's, 60's, 70's, 80's, and 90's. One thing I have noticed in my musical taste is that almost always, I prefer songs with meaning, and usually I play more mellow songs. It just depends on my mood that day. Some days, I'll enjoy listening to a song, but the next day, I'll turn it off when it comes on. I can say that I dislike screamo punk music and the heavier the metal, the less listening time it gets. Rap is not music and therefore will not even be discussed. Country is complicated. There are several country songs I really like, but as a whole, most of it don't make no sense. I really don't care how big your truck is, you don't have to sing about it. Hip-hop is alright most of the time, but if you have to throw a cuss word out every other line, you are missing the point of music. I feel that music is for expression and if all you can express is negativity or crudeness, the world has little use for it. That brings up an interesting point actually. Profanity.

I admit that working in a kitchen for so long, I swear more than I should and more than I would like. It's something I work on. But, I find it kind of funny that we as a society have labeled profanity as a bad thing and we recognize it as unprofessional, yet we accept it as the normal everywhere in media. I mean, look at the root of the word, profane, which literally means vulgar. All these rap artists go out and speak rhythmically to a beat (hehe, that's a sophisticated way to say "rap") about all kinds of crude, vulgar, and essentially stupid things, then they talk about world peace and solving the problems in America. The core of the problems both here and around the world is that we have stopped living with values. I'm sorry, but you can't do both. You can't contribute to the downfall with the vulgar lifestyle and try to fix the problems in the world which are created by the very same lifestyles. Anyway...I got off track.

That is why I prefer mellow music and music with meaning. When you are singing about something good, people feel good. I don't recall a time ever listening to "Sunshine, Lollipops and Rainbows" while planning to go fight someone.

Anyway, the gist of what I am saying is that I love to listen to music. What I have on my iPod may be a lot of stuff most people don't have, but most of what I have either came from our old computer growing up or from friends, and I certainly don't only like the music I have, I love listening to other people's music, it is just too huge of a task trying to go through tens of thousands of songs and sort them out. It is far easier to just listen to them and hit skip when needed.

As for playing music, I am not a great pianist by any stretch of the imagination, but I cannot describe how soothing and relaxing playing can be sometimes. There is just something about it that calms me from the inside out. Those days when I feel like I have a knot inside me from all that's going on, I sit at my piano and I play it out of me.

I believe in the power of music. Life would be a dreary and depressing place without it.

And for our Songs of the Day, I have included a few different songs from different genres that I enjoy. The first is a great not stupid country song, "Love Me" by Collin Raye. Next is "The Climb" by Miley Cyrus. Third, "Father and Son" by Cat Stevens. And we'll top it off with the king, "Falling in Love With You" by Elvis.

I would like to acknowledge our Song of the Day first today and ask that if possible, you read today's post with sound on so that the spirit of my message might be better felt. Our songs are "Because I Have Been Given Much" played by Marvin Goldstein and "Each Life That Touches Ours for Good" sung by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir.

In church today we had a very good lesson and discussion about some things that I felt I should write down. I jotted down some notes and since this is something that applies to everyone, I wanted to share it and hopefully it will help inspire some of you as it did me.

Essentially, we were talking about getting the most out of our lives. Older people had been asked what they would have done better or more of in life and as we read the answers we got to talking about spending time with those we love. In these modern times, we have Facebook and YouTube and whatnot and we read a great quote that said that often we spend too much time sharing trivial things and linking things to friends and family. There is, of course, a time for those things, but doing them too often has its consequences. I think back to a Facebook post I wrote recently about how I am terrible at wasting my time. It said this:

"I wish I was better at using free time...I swear I cycle through the same 3 websites (Facebook, yahoo/email, and a news site) 10 times, then I get up, get a snack/drink, sit back down, cycle through them again...an hour or so later, the monotony gets to be too much, so I walk around my house...when I realize nothing in my house is of interest, it's back to the 3 websites once again...occasionally the routine is broken by me having to pee and sometimes I find a movie to watch, but I really think about 85% of my times is wasted in my cycle of websites and walking around..."

I posted it jokingly, but also with the realization that I can and should be doing much more with my time. Facebook is a great tool to share things with friends and family who are far away, such as when I post my blog link on there. It has great use for certain things, but when all we do is cycle through and through and share rather pointless things, it really does become a bad habit. As someone remarked in our lesson, being on Facebook isn't a sin, but if it is preventing us from doing more important things, it is a problem.

The internet discussion led us to talking about interacting with friends. I can personally attest that the following statement is absolutely true: There is NO alternative to spending real time with someone. No matter how much you may message on facebook, or like someone's statuses, or share youtube videos, or even text message all day long, being with that person, spending actual time together, is irreplaceable. I have some personal examples. This Thanksgiving I spent time with my brother. We occasionally talk online and share funny videos from time to time, but actually spending time with him is a completely different experience. We never stop laughing, we go play sports. The quality of life for the time we hang out is 100% better. Another example occurred also over the break with Cami. Here is what I posted about it on Facebook:

"I am grateful for the tender mercies in this life. Tuesday night, my best friend lost the centerpiece of her world, her beloved dog. She and her dog shared the sweetest love I have ever seen between a dog and owner. So sweet and gentle was their love that tears filled my eyes upon hearing the tragic news. Today, I went to see her. I was heartbroken and thought that it would be many days before the deep feelings of sorrow began to lift. However, this morning, before I visited, she was introduced to a tiny pup in need of a loving home. It was mere hours since her loss, but, as if it were meant to be, the new pup crawled up onto her shoulder the same way her other dog had and she was moved to bring him home with her. I arrived and expressed my sympathies and was introduced to the pup. I very quickly realized that this dog was sent to her home to bless it with joy and happiness. Dealing with the recent loss will be a painful and difficult trial for them, but I find peace in knowing that although we cannot explain why such a loving dog had to be taken from this life, He is ever mindful of us. I was able to spend half of my day with my friend and her family and I saw that this trial has drawn them all a little closer together. This Thanksgiving, I am grateful for the experience I had in witnessing the growth of a family's bond in the midst of adversity."
That experience made a big impact in my life. I will always remember the way I felt that day. Had I not gone out to see her, I would have wasted an entire day cycling through my 3 websites, watching tv, and sleeping.


Our discussion in class moved on to how we can make real behavior changes. The bishop made a great comment about things he has done. He wanted to be better at going to the temple, so he put a temple bag in his car and a shirt and tie so if he was driving by and wanted to stop, he could. He wanted to hike more, so he put a hiking bag in his car with shoes and snacks and water so if someone called him up and wanted to go for a hike, he could. Reading scriptures each night was difficult for him, so he keeps his scriptures on his pillow so he physically has to move them before he can go to bed. If all we do is write down what we want to accomplish, chances are, we won't get very far. Making real behavior changes requires a lot of effort and I think if we put actual physical things in our way to force us to change, it will do a lot. Or, if we want to stop doing something, physically remove things, like if you want to watch less tv, you could move the tv or put a cover over it. Be creative in your methods because it makes a difference.

There are a few hymns that have stuck with me the past couple weeks as I have begun my quest to make the most of my time and to give more of myself. First, Hymn 219:


Second, Hymn 293-

Each life that touches ours for good
Reflects thine own great mercy, Lord;
Thou sendest blessings from above
Thru words and deeds of those who love.


For worthy friends whose lives proclaim
Devotion to the Savior’s name,
Who bless our days with peace and love,
We praise thy goodness, Lord, above.


I hope that we will all strive to spend less time with the trivial things in life and work harder on the important ones. I will leave you with a scripture found in Matthew 6:19-21.

Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:

Before things get a little busy with the holiday this week, I wanted to take some time to pause and share some things I am truly grateful for.

First, my family. Every single day something happens that makes me grateful for having such a large and fun family. I have been blessed beyond measure with my family. They have taught me, been examples to me, inspired me, and encouraged me to live a life of honesty, integrity, trustworthiness, passion, and so many important values, and those traits have led me to so many successes in my life. When I look at all the great things I have done, I know that I never would have accomplished so much without them. I absolutely love being around them, I can't wait to visit home again, and yes, mom, dad, Lance, Amelia (and Max and Lydia), Michael, Annie, Camilla, Angela, and even little dog Shilo, I love you all.

Second, my friends. I have lived in many areas, met many people, and seen many friends come and go. Although they may not be involved in my life now, they have been important to me throughout my life and during the times that each friend came into my life, they also have done so much to help me find joy and happiness and success. Some have helped me through hard times, some have added brightness to good times, but all are remembered and appreciated deeply.

Third,  my best friend in life, Miss Cami Bodily. I absolutely could not let this Thanksgiving pass without publicly expressing my sincere love, appreciation, and gratitude for this wonderful friend. I don't want to embarrass her too much, and I do not want to sound so boastful that I sound exaggerative, but words just seem to fall short of fully articulating how I feel. Thank you Cami. Thank you for always smiling and always making me smile. Thank you for listening to me, even when I talk about the dumbest things that are of no interest to anyone but me. Thank you for sharing so much in your life with me. Thank you for making my birthday so special. Thank you for my bleach trays and toothbrushes. Thank you for my prized presidential pooper. Thank you for trusting me, for respecting me, for understanding me. Thank you for being you. You are so beautiful. Heart-stopping. Stunning. You shine. You make everyone around you shine. My life has been forever changed for good because of you. It is such a privilege to see you that each time you come, I am as nervous as when I first met you. Thank you for all that you are.

I am grateful for so many other things in life, from electricity and technology to even the simplest of things. I do my best to be mindful of all that I have and look for times when I can give all that I can as well and each night I give thanks for these things. I hope that you all remain mindful throughout your lives of the things you have been so graciously granted in this life. May peace find you this Thanksgiving and keep you well.

First things first, I am officially a first-time uncle!!! Over the weekend, on Saturday, my sister Amelia and her hubby Max brought little Lydia Elizabeth Warnock into the world. She was 6 pounds, 13 ounces and was 19 inches long.




I realized today that we are in a bit of a boring phase. Halloween and the exciting fall colors are past, but Christmas is not yet in full swing. I decorated my house for winter though, which adds a little excitement and this Sunday is our 3rd Annual Pie Night and we expect over 30 people to descend on our humble little townhome to satisfy their sweet teeth.

Also today, I stumbled across a news article about people renting their cars out. I was intrigued and checked it out. Turns out, it is pretty cool! You basically just list your car for rental and they take care of the scheduling and money and everything. The car is fully insured by them, they do a little background check on renters, the renter covers gas, I can put limits on how far they can drive, and they even have 24/7 roadside assistance for the renter. No one in the valley here had their cars for rent, so I thought, what the heck, I'll be the first and maybe make a couple bucks some day. I'm going to try to promote it relentlessly and see if I can get the ball rolling. You should all check it out HERE. You can search Logan, Utah and find me! If you want to sign up to rent your vehicle, use this link (https://relayrides.com/?code=51450rMQduj) and I get credit for signing you up! Even if you don't sign up, it's a cool system you should read about.

As a bonus today, I think everyone should watch these two commercials from Duluth Trading. I linked them to Facebook as well if you want to share them!





Song of the Day is: "The Cello Song" by: The Piano Guys (Steven Sharp Nelson!!)

I would be lying to you if I said the election did not affect me. It did. A lot. But I would also be lying to you if I said I was bitter about the results. I went into election night feeling as confident as could be. I expected a big victory and I was excited for America's real comeback. That did not happen. Around the time I expected everything to start breaking our way, things turned the other way. Live results sway back and forth, but signs began to point to a re-election victory. I held out hope as long as I could, but soon every projection hurt and each time they said "we have another projection for you" my heart raced. When they made big projections such as the GOP keeping the House and the Dems keeping the Senate, they would say "we have a huge projection for you"...on those, my whole body stopped. Then it came. I knew this one was it. I knew that over a year of believing and fighting and donating and talking and reading and waiting was all about to come to the wrong end. The announcement was made. I closed my laptop. My eyes gently closed, my head fell slightly, I took a deep breath and released it slowly. I stood up, walked across the room, my lips pursed. I put my forehead against the wall. I took in the moment, felt the disappointment and tried to understand it.

I reopened my computer and remained in front of my tv to watch the brief concession speech. I wrote a message to my little sister and also to my best friend that I was proud of them for getting involved. I truly am proud of them. Now, a week later, my resolve has not changed. The man I wanted to lead will not, but I still have goals to achieve. I have a future to prepare for. I have hopes and dreams to follow. The path may have more bumps in it now, but I will never stop fighting for what I believe in, both in my personal and this nation's future.

 With the elections done, I have a lot to do. Register for school, keep working, host two holiday parties, make it home for Christmas. The world keeps spinning.

Song of the Day is "May it Be" by Enya.

The sun has set on the final day of the 2012 campaign season. For over a year now, we have watched candidates battle through a brutal Republican primary season that saw more frontrunners than even the wildest Kentucky Derby could see. While the Republicans fought their battles, President Obama sat in his corner, building his armada for the pending war.

From state to state across the nation, Mitt Romney rallied his warriors time and time again and beat what were at times great odds to emerge the victor of the Republicans. He immediately shifted focus to November and began putting his war machine together. His challenge was immense. The nation still reeling from economic troubles. He had to persuade the still bitter members of his own party, as well as the skeptical others across the country to trust him.

Many fell in line behind him with anti-Obama attitudes more than pro-Romney ones. The selection of Paul Ryan as his running mate, others began to see the commitment to something greater than self. Once the "i"s were dotted and the "t"s crossed at the nominating convention, things really picked up, but the incumbent maintained a healthy lead.

Enter the first debate.

For many, including our beloved media, the debates are "meaningless". They so rarely make a difference, some wonder why they continue to have them. Mitt Romney reminded us why. I have seen athletic teams crush completely helpless opponents, I have seen cars crumpled and destroyed in accidents, I have seen forces of nature annihilate structures, but I will never forget the blistering lambasting The Governor delivered to The Great Orator. Never before have I seen a man who supposedly cares so much about a cause have so little to say. He was limp. Inanimate. Empty. As politicians do, they tried to spin it. The president's campaign blamed the moderator for giving Romney control. They suggested all sorts of outlandish and outrageous excuses for the president's lack of..well...everything. Americans were smarter than that.

The entire race changed overnight.

Enthusiasm skyrocketed. Money poured in. The polls stopped and turned around. Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan were knocking on the door at 1600 Pennsylvania. Suddenly, we did not have to settle for another four years of monotony. Suddenly, people saw a light.

Expectations for the remaining debates were high for the president. He had to stop his slip and slide; he had to right his ship. He came out feisty, but Romney was cool and relaxed and repudiated the president. Romney looked like the president and Obama the challenger. Romney moved through his plans for the future and Obama attacked and attacked, offering little policy of his own. It was too late. The nation had seen what they feared; a weak president with nothing to say, no new ideas to try.

Since the debates the momentum has carried and carried. States once securely blue turned gray, then shifted red. No amount of attack barrages could stop The Governor. It took a literal act of mother nature to slow him for a few days, but when the storms of Sandy had passed, the enthusiasm was still there. The media and the leftists have thrown all they could to help the president, but they just can't stop the movement.

November 6th, 2012: The day we, the people, the leaders of the free world, take charge of our future.

We believe in America, and we believe that Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan will lead us back to greatness.

I have a lot of more serious things I've wanted to say on here, but with it being election week, I want to have a little fun first and I will post the more serious stuff after the dust settles.

This evening, somewhat out of the blue, I sat up from where I was laying and announced to my roommates and a couple other folks who were present that if Mitt Romney was elected president, I would let my sideburns grow until the inauguration. For those who are unaware, I have had sideburns since Kentucky. In all of my pre-Kentucky pictures, my hair is all the way above the ear. Then, all of a sudden, *bam*, sideburns. I think there was something in the water that became permanent. Either way, after I was commissioned a Kentucky Colonel, I decided that the sideburns would go along with the title. At times I have trimmed them up to the bottom of the ear lobe, but they always remain as a reminder of the honor I received and the responsibility I feel comes with it. With winter coming on, I have regrown them down and in, with the idea of going for civil war mutton chops (I LOVE the movie Gettysburg). They grow rather quickly, so I can only imagine how huge they will be if Romney is the victor.

As for election predictions...I have Romney winning it. 

Just for kicks, here are images of how they look as of this writing.
























Song of the Day: "My Old Kentucky Home"