Birth Days Are The Best!

I am a big fan of birthdays, I think everyone should have one, and I wish I had one more often.  

I had the privilege of having a birthday this last week on Wednesday.  All in all this last week was a blast!  I was partying it up like a rock star.  Toni came over Tuesday night with a BIG box all wrapped up nice a pretty like.   But she made me suffer and wait till midnight to open it so it would be on my birthday.  And what a prize awaited inside that box!  I opened it and found two canisters of Pringles and a box of Cinnamon Toast Crunch, and another gift box.  and inside that box was another box, and in it another and so on a so forth.  Finally I got to the last box, just a cute little guy.  And in that box was a little note, and I quote, "Just Kidding,  ps. i need these boxes back." And that alone would have been gift enough for me, but then she busted out another two small presents that really made my day.

Wednesday we had cake and ice cream with the family.  Kelsey and Sam and Toni came over.  We had baked potatoes and meat loaf and upside down pineapple cake.  Then I opened some sweet gifts from my parents (Star Wars Legos,) Rachel (a bunch of little toys and what not,) and Kelsey (beach toys, like to make a castle with.)  And then it was off to institute and home to watch LOST.

Thursday night Toni took me up to San Francisco to see Wicked at the Orpheum Theater.   It was AMAZING!!!  (toss toss)

Friday morning Jeff took me surfing for my first time, and it too was AMAZING...too bad Toni couldn't come.  And that night we had a little get together at Liz's house for mine and Rachel's birthdays.  It was a blast and a whole bunch of cool kids came.  

Saturday I went to the beach for MacKenzie's birthday get together, also a blast.  I got hecka sun burnt!  And that night we went to Amber's house for another little social gathering of sorts. 

All in all this week was just a top notch BLAST.

Read All About It!

When I was younger (as if I am old) I used to read a lot.  I love a good fantasy, science fiction, and what not.  I found that reading helped me in my writing assignments at school and improved my vocabulary.  But unfortunately, I have gotten out of the habit.  I have decided I am going to do something to fix this.  With the help of some friends I have been developing a mental list of books that I would like to read.  

Some of the books I have read and enjoyed in the past have been:

Enders Game (Orson Scott Card) 

Alvin Maker (Orson Scott Card)

Harry Potter

The 5 People You Meet in Heaven

The Alchemist 

and much, much more!

Since I have been home from my mission there has been much talk about Twilight.   I watched the movie the other night with my sister Rachel and Toni.  They made sure to point out the differences between the movie and the book.  I am kinda interested in reading the book for myself.  I am in the process of rereading the Harry Potter books (I am about 15 pages from finishing the 1st book now.)  My mom handed me a book that my grandma just told her I would enjoy, The Enoch Letters, by Neal A. Maxwell.  It will be a quick read I will tackle that in the next few days.   I have added a list of books that I am planning on reading to the left.  

I am hopping to get back in good reading habits.  Please feel free to suggest good books to add to my list, ask me about how my reading is going or what not.

Maupay Nga Kulop!

In the Philippines (I love starting stories out this way) it is very common to be greeted, or to great random strangers in passing with one or more of the following:

Good morning/noon/afternoon/evening.

Where are you coming from?

Where are you going?

How are you?

It's hot out/raining.  Whey are you out?

Oy! Friend (followed by an above question)

My favorite: Hey Joe, kaon ka tae!

It's not that they really care how you are, or where you are going.  It's just a greeting.  A friendly aspect to their culture that I loved.

Coming home it felt so odd to walk down the street and have someone walk by with out even looking at me.  Now I have a teacher that is Armenian.  She said that she loves how friendly everyone is her in America, how we all greet each other as we pass on the street with a "hi" or "good morning" or what not.  This confused me.  Now I realize that America is not as friendly as some places, but more so than a lot of places.  

Today, as I was walking home for lunch, I passed a house just as an older women was walking out the door.  She immediately struck up a conversation with me as we walked a few house lengths to where her car was parked and I continued home.  I felt so uplifted from this encounter.  It was so nice to have a complete stranger greet me and care about me for that two minutes.  

I am not sure what the moral of the story is.  But I just thought it was a neat experience and who knows, maybe one of the few people who read my blog will think so to.