Single

As planned, yes I know the fact that we planned it is a little weird; Emily and I have broken up. Four months is to long for a long distance relationship and it'll be four months before Emily comes up to BYU Idaho as well, so we decided to break up or at least put things on hold… A good friend of mine told me that I need to "taste" the "31 flavors" and I'm taking that advice.

I've learned a lot from my first relationship with Emily… I still Love Emily but this isn't what's in the cards of life for now. It's time to focus on having some fun (not that being with Emily wasn't enjoyable), lots of college study, and tons of mission preparation.

Packed

I've only got a couple of days left and I'm leaving hot, humid Texas. Due to my future lack of Texas, and my Texan friends, Jarom, Paula, Emily and I played Conspiracy at Emily's house as a last little hurrah. I'm really glad Jarom told me to try and set up something to do together. I'm going to miss all three of them very much.

Afterwards took all of my close and personal items and dumped them all in the middle of the living room. Devin had packed the day before so I decided to pack as well. It took a lot of shifting and weighing, but I finally got every thing together.

So I'm all packed and ready to go! woot!

Alumni

There is a tradition in the Connally Band to allow the band seniors to go up to the roof and watch the band perform that years show for them despite all the holes the senior members leave. Two years ago a senior’s kneecap popped out while up there, so the tradition was crush for my senior year. We got to watch them from the stadium, which isn’t the same. =/

But today I went and watched the band learn new charts and near the end some techs and I were allowed on the roof and watch the band perform the first movement. The band sounded really good for what stage they’re at and I can tell that their show is going to be awesome. I even enjoyed the color guard’s contribution to the show. Which honestly is always a little questionable to me.

Picture Collecting

For a while now I’ve wanted to have a picture of me at various locations around Austin. Places I’ve seen all my life and am going to be without for a while. The problem though was that I don’t have my camera because it’s in the shop getting fixed. So I just gave up on the whole idea. Then Emily and I made a day available to go out on a date and it feel on me as the guy to come up with a date idea. After a couple of days of thinking I came up with a date that involve all those pictures I wanted.

Since I’m basically stuck at home until work or just plain stuck on non-work days Emily picked me up and did all the driving. It was a nice change to have her as the driver, because I got to experience her driving habits like she’s gotten to experience mine.



Our plan was to drive into down town Austin and drop her car off at the institute, but when we got there the code for the parking lot didn’t work. I called Devin and asked him to repeat the code again just to make sure I hadn’t heard wrong. Still no go, so I went inside the institute and got them to help me open the parking lot. After that exciting beginning we walked all the way to the UT clock tower. Once there we kind of timidly waited till I finally stopped an officer and asked him if he’d take a picture of Emily and I in front of the tower. He kindly took the picture and it turn out right with just one try.



From the UT tower we walked to the Texas State History Museum. At the museum I went inside and asked an old man if he’d take a picture of Emily and I in front of the Star that’s in front of the building. Both pictures the man took turned out just fine. Then we continued walking in the hot, humid, horrible Texas summer heat.



Our next destination was the statue of the UT Longhorn in front of the Erwin Center. I was a little worried that there wouldn’t be anyone around to take our picture, but we lucked out and a man happened to be passing by right as we got to the longhorn. He kindly acted upon our request and took a picture of the two of us. This ended the picture taking in down town Austin, but it wasn’t the end of the picture taking. It was in fact the beginning of a long walk back to the car at the institute.



Once in the car I gave poor directions that eventually got us to Zilker Park. Emily and I had had a canoeing date there once so we went down to the little rent-a-canoe place and had the man there take a picture of the two of us. He was kind of into taking the picture and wanted to have the right lighting. Rather humorous really. On the way back to the car Emily wasn’t paying attention to where she was going and happened to be a bodies length in front of me. Some bikes were passing by and she just kept walking. I reached out to grab her, but she was to far away and just barely got missed. It scared me for a second there.



From Zilker Park we took Mopac all the way down to an Amy’s ice cream we’ve gone to as part of other dates. Emily wanted have pictures taken in one of those picture booth things and there just happens to be one in that Amy’s ice cream. The first picture took us by surprise but the last three were good… Behind the Amy’s ice cream there is a bunch of trees and some stone cow’s that people like to sit on and take picture. I asked some teenage girls to take our picture and the picture turned out alright enough.



From Amy’s we drove down to the pond by the church and took a few pictures by the pond using the timed feature on the camera. Then from the pond we drove to the church and took some picture inside the building and some outside by the trees in the back. Thus ended the picture taking part of the date. ;)

From the church we started our way back to my house. Along the way we stopped at a Whataburger and went through the drive through. Once home we ate, chatted, and then parted ways as Emily drove on home.

Good date, good pictures, good memories.

scramble

As this summer comes to a close I keep getting busier and busier as the time clicks down.  Speaking of busier, my hours went up this we for work as well, which makes me happy.  I mean who doesn’t want more money? What makes me so busy is my  work, of course, dates with Emily, a movie with the Fam, and a trip to Main Event with  a lot of school friends this week.  Following this week I’ll need to make sure I’ve gotten together all the little things for school and spend time with Emily… got to be with her as long as I can =)

I’m stoked for college though. I’m ready for this next transition in my life. That and I’m sick of this dang Texas heat. 

Long Hours of Church

I went and got his patriarchal blessing this afternoon from Patriarch Dwayne P Wright. It was a good experience and a lot was given in his blessing. It will be nice to get a copy to read. Then at the stake Priesthood meeting this evening I was sustained as an Elder and will set apart next Sunday.

That's all I got to say on the matter.