Untitled (but not by default, so really titled as "Untitled")

I've been getting that itch to write lately.  In the past I've tended to have pretty specific themes that I centered each blog post around.  Full disclosure, at this point I got nothing!  We're just going to open the metaphorical floodgates and see what pours out of my mind and soul.  If you're lucky it will be something majestic and inspiring like a cascading waterfall, if not it may end up more resembling waste run-off.  Eewww...let's hope for the former or at least something in between.  

I guess the biggest news as of late is that I just finished my 3rd of 10 four-weeklong clinical rotations for pharmacy school.  That's kinda the fancy way of saying on-the-job training.  We get to work one-on-one with pharmacists in a number of settings.  I guess the only difference between rotations and on-the-job training is that payment is flowing (much like the run-off...er, waterfall I spoke of) in the opposite direction.  I'm pretty excited though to think that here in the next couple of weeks I will apply for my last student loan ever.  I hate being in debt and the sooner I can start moving the needle in the opposite direction the better.  Rotations have been good so far.  I still can't give a firm answer as to what type of pharmacy it is I want to end up practicing.  I mean safe and effective are obviously good, but in what field?  That is the question.  I'm not worried.  I've always been notoriously methodical in making up my mind about big, life-altering decisions.  What to major in, what type of grad school to apply to...I was so unsure that I took the PCAT and the LSAT just to be safe.  In hindsight I'm glad I'm not a lawyer.  No offense lawyer friends, it just was not for me and I know that now.  Not to brag, but I think as far as school and career moves I've nailed it so far.  Okay, okay, yes that is bragging.  Fair enough.  I haven't nailed the relationship stuff quite so much, but that's a different blog for a different time.  Or probably for no time, I think it would just come off sounding bitter and pessemistic and thats not what Gary's Indiana is about.  (See how well that new blog title works out!!!).  Point being, choosing a path within the realm of pharmacy falls squarely into the career-related choices category, so I think we're good.

I attended a young single adult conference this past weekend.  Okay, quick timeout for friends of other faiths besides Mormonism.  Young single adult (YSA) is for 18-30 year old members of our church who aren't married yet.  Since marriage and family get emphasized a lot in our church, I guess it's helpful to approach the teachings about it from the point of view specific to those being taught (how to strengthen your marriage as opposed to how to prepare for marriage and strengthen it once you're there, similar, but not quite identical right?).  You can basically think of this YSA conference as a big Frat/Sorority party minus the booze and with spiritually uplifting messages.  Kind of...if you're curious if I'm embellishing, I am, but you should come check it out with me sometime just to be sure.  Okay, game back on, welcome back to the converstaion everyone else.  So anyway, I went to the YSA conference.  It was great.  Highlightling the event for me was listening to the new mission president in our area (and former BYU and Fresno State basketball coach) Pres. Cleveland speak.  He talked about the iron rod (a great story in the Book of Mormon for those of you unaware) and related it to a sports analogy.  If you know me, you know why this worked.  If you don't, we obviously don't know each other, "Hi, my name is Gary, I LOVE sports."  He shared an experience about a particular practice in which his players didn't seem very engaged.  To "help the players regain focus" he decided to have them start running.  If you've played basketball you've probably run what I used to know as "suicides".  He had a different name for them, but the routine is the same.  Run from one baseline to the free-throw line and back, halfcourt and back, opposite free-throw line and back, opposite baseline and back.  A good coach will make sure players are touching each line and not pulling up short.  Apparently Coach Cleveland's players were not touching all the lines and he went on to tell the rest of the story about how he got them to see the importance of being deliberate and not cutting corners.  It is the same way spiritually.  We can't cut corners, we can't forego "touching all the lines" and expect the greatest results.  The message he shared impressed upon me certain things I should be doing to "touch all the lines" in my relationship with God.

Before I wrap things up, and completely unrelated to the rest of this post, I feel compelled to tell you I made "Merica Bean Dip for a 4th of July cookout.  It was met with great enthusiasm, and if you are wanting to know how to do that yourself, I will be happy to provide instruction.  No, I didn't find it on pinterest.  'Merica Bean Dip was a product of my own ingenuity and intellect.  This isn't quite like being there but it's close....You're welcome!                Til next time, everybody stay classy!

My Funny Valentine...Top 10 list.

So, it's Valentines Day.  At least for another 20 minutes here in the Eastern Time zone (and that will probably have elapsed by the time I'm done writing).  With that in mind I say, Happy Valentines Day!  

WAIT!  WAIT! WAIT!  If you are one of those bitter single people that isn't about to read another mushy lovey-dovey valentines post, fear not.  Take a deep breath and keep reading.  It's going to be okay, promise!  

Now obviously, if you are indeed single and you are indeed bitter then you might be saying to me (or really just to your computer screen) at this point, "how can you even acknowledge this holiday created by Hallmark?", or "and what's happy about it?!?", or "Valentines?  No!  Happy Singles Awareness Day aka S.A.D."  I get it.  I've heard them all.  Heck, I've said them all.  Other than one year of an ill-fated long-distance relationship, I have managed to find myself single each and every Valentine's day of my life.  To recap, that's 27 out of 28.  So know that I speak from a position of understanding.    But this year, rather than bemoaning my lot in life, I've compiled a list of reasons that you should feel happy and perhaps even lucky/relieved, even on this day that tends to highlight things that others may have that you don't.  

10.  You don't have to claw and scratch for a ritzy restaurant reservation on the exact same day and time as...well, you know, everyone else and their mom!  

9.  The internal struggle between that cliche, overdone gift of flowers and chocolate vs. the high risk/reward lingerie gift vs. the original gift of ??? that will absolutely be hit or miss because it's never been tried before is gone.  No struggle, no stress, and we all could use less stress right?  

8.  Speaking of flowers, you are one person who will not be a chump and get taken to the cleaners by your "friendly" neighborhood florist when they double the price of roses for the couple weeks leading up to today. True story, I drove past a flower shop this morning and A. the parking lot was as full as I've ever seen it, and B. I chuckled as I watched men timidly take the walk inside to meet their floral fate.

7.  As the song alludes to, you may have 99 problems but a b---- ain't one.  That's not to say all women are that way, in fact, I'd say far from it.  But, you have taken control of this situation to where it isn't even a possibility, kudos.  

6.  What's that new romantic comedy that everyone is going to be talking about?...Oh wait, you don't know, you don't care.  Your relationship status officially exempts you from the requirement of watching whatever it is.  Which is great, because there is basketball on tonight.  There are also other not-romantic-comedy movies that can be watched if basketball isn't your flavor.  

5.  Sweatpants!  You can wear them all day and all night today if you want to.  Dinner-sweatpants, movie-sweatpants, other places-sweatpants.......flower shop? Sweatpants!  Sweatpants are comfy, and won't be a fashion faux-pas for you my friend.  

4.  No awkward silences.  Awkward silence on a normal date=bad.  Awkward silence on a Valentines date=worse.  

3.  You can laugh at any and all love-themed commercials with no fear of retaliation.  Go ahead, do it!  Laughter is the best medicine-trust me, I'm almost a pharmacist.  

2.  The more single Valentines days you accrue, the more interest you can also accrue on that money sitting in the bank and not being spent on diamonds...

1.  You are a free agent in the dating game, and thus ready to pounce when girls break up with the guys they WERE dating who screwed up Valentines day, enjoy the day off, and happy hunting tomorrow!  

Resolutions 2013

My friend, Kaley, wrote down a bunch of 2013 resolutions on her blog.  She told me writing them down helps to solidify them, and that she will only write what she is serious about actually doing.  Seemed like a great idea to me, so naturally I'm stealing it!   Without further ado, Gary's 2013 resolutions!  

My first resolution is also stolen, albeit from a different friend.  A few weeks ago my friend, Taylor, posted on Facebook about turning off the video games and doing other things with that time.  He posted some of the things he did, and when I saw that, I said to myself, "Hey!  if you did that you could be a lot more productive than you currently are!"  With that, last Wednesday I unplugged the Playstation 3 and stashed it in the back corner of my closet, not to come out until Spring Break.  

Resolution #1:  No video games until the end of the semester!  (with an exception for Spring Break)

My second resolution comes from my age old struggle to maintain a good workout routine.  I've been feeling and (unfortunately) looking more sluggish and out of shape for a while.  Last year some of you may remember I was actively doing P90X and it was working great!...until I had some back issues, had to stop working out for a while, then just sort of continued not working out right through the Summer, Fall, and into this Winter.  No More!   

Resolution #2:  Complete P90X between 1-28-13 and 4-21-13!  This is precisely enough time to complete the 12 week course.  Additionally, I will begin again at the end of the cycle, unless I find another athletic pursuit that I can set a goal to complete at that time.  

The third resolution is something that, truth be told, I should be doing anyway.  But for some reason I have found myself struggling, so I have decided to set a goal to get back on track.  Scripture study is important.  I have always felt that way, at least post-mission days anyway.  With grad school and work and all the other stuff I find myself doing, I haven't been as consistent as I would like.  None of those should prohibit me from reading in the scriptures daily and yet that is where I find myself.  So...

Resolution #3:  20 minutes a day of scripture study, every day!  No exceptions!   

Lastly, I feel like I have been lagging in missionary efforts for a long time now.  In Utah, excuses were easy because opportunities were relatively scarce.  Here, the excuses are scarce, opportunities abound, yet I would be ashamed to admit just how little I have taken advantage of those opportunities.  

Resolution #4:  Invite at least 4 friends to attend church and/or church activities in the coming year.  

These, along with the ever present goals of doing well in school, finding a good job afterward, finding someone with whom to share it all, etc. should make for a fun and exciting and challenging 2013!  Additionally I reserve the right to add any goals to this list of resolutions as I see fit.  Just because New Years has come and gone, doesn't mean you can't continually resolve to improve!