A very merry unbirthday to ME!

It has been a while since I last blogged. I realized that I went a little bit overboard, like I do with anything new. I wish to return to the topic of birthdays. As was made very clear in the March 19th post "Thanks, but..." I don't like MY birthday. I love celebrating other people's birthday. This past week there was an incident that led some people to think that I contradicted myself. Let me be clear I am never wrong. I do not like my birthday because I feel awkward that people do stuff for me. On Tuesday, May 28, 2013 a group of friends invited me to go out to eat at an establishment known by their regulars as B-Dubs, to those of you who do not frequent this restaurant it is legally known as Buffalo Wild Wings.
It was a great time out with friends to enjoy one another's company and eat a variety of flavored chicken, with the exception of Melanie, who is morally opposed to the use of vegetable oil in the frying process of chicken. Also, just a heads up, don't call her Mel. (She apparently doesn't like it) While waiting for our food it was informed to me that it was my birthday. The guys (not quite sure who was the mastermind) told the waitress it was my birthday. I was a little irritated at first, but as I realized that it was Nikole's birthday, I decided that I would be her birthday proxy. The people at B-Dubs got me a crown that said 'Birthday Princess' I was thrilled, as well as beet red. They sang to me, it was not the best singing, everyone was a little out of tune and I believe the neighboring table was singing it in a different key. It's the thought that counts.
I told that I was okay with it being my birthday because I really wanted cake and ice cream. They then proceeded to tell me that they told the waitress to not bring me cake and ice cream. I was then really upset. What is a birthday without cake and ice cream? We got in a spat about how I didn't like my birthday, true, but it wasn't my birthday it was Nikole's and I was her proxy! I love other's birthdays, especially Nikole's, it's my favorite every year.
To make up for it Kristina brought over to my house red velvet cupcakes with cream cheese frosting. I was sung to again and blew out candles.
I love other people's birthdays, even my own as long as it's a fake, proxy, surprise birthday.
Next week we should go out to Trip-Dubs, Wild Whale Wings.

Just on for the ride

Breath in, breath out. Take a step back and look at how far you have come. This past semester has been quite the ride. As some of us head into these last few days of tests, it's important to recognize the growth of each one of us. I am going to be writing about my personal growth and activities this semester. This Thursday it will have been exactly 6 months since I have arrived home from my mission. It is impossible for me to fathom all that has happened in these last 6 months and what the next few years that lie ahead of me have in store. I am just so thankful for all the memories and friendships that have happened; another turkey bowl spanking at the hands of the Mantua Gang, crashing my car into an SUV, getting on Jumbotron at a USU basketball game, the having the opportunity to direct the ACYI musical, and so many other things. I have truly have been blessed with great friends and family. As I reflect today thinking that 6 months ago I was packing my backs to head home from a place I never thought I could love and miss so much. I wrote in my journal "I'm glad I came, it was a privilege,...I am so thankful I have learned so much on the mission. Now it's on to applying it." My hope and goal is to learn how to do just that, apply the gospel very literally to my life. Nott just go through the motions, but have it be a part of me. This past weekend has been so loaded with great things; the opening and closing of my show, Karly's sealing, Aubrie's farewell, and tonight I will be receiving a certificate of advancement from the institute. God has been good to me, he hasn't been easy on me but has been very good. This semester came with it's trials and obstacles that at the time seemed like impossible mountains, and now that they are in the rear view mirror are nothing but gentle hills. Life truly is about the journey, not the destination. Thank you to everyone who has ridden along.
It has been a whale of a ride.

For Good

So I just would like to acknowledge Sarah Nowell and her amazingly awesome blog.
http://livingforsweetsunshine.blogspot.com/
She speaks so honestly about falling into Spiritual Apathy. Everyone has done it; forgotten to pray or read scriptures, had no desire to go to church, lost sight of the eternal picture. When we fail to do the things we should we don't become bad people, we just don't live to our full potential. Thank you Sarah for that. It can be really hard to just put it out for all the world to see, the faults and shortcomings, but it helps others. Thanks for your bravery.

While reading Sarah's blog it reminded me what Al Fox said "Use the internet for good." For those who don't know who Al is, she is one of Paul's, my brother, convert from New York. She has You Tube videos and a blog about how to use the internet for good. And is now on the cover of LDS Living this month.
http://www.alfoxshead.blogspot.com/

Thus the reasoning for my lack of posts. Ever since I read some of her stuff I realized that I wasn't using the blog for good. It's not that my blog is bad, but not achieving what I think it can. Now I don't plan on bearing my entire testimony in each post, but I think I need to enhance my blog. Not just by merely entertaining someone but inspiring someone to achieve greatness. Whether you are a religious person or not we all have a potential that only we can reach.

Every man has his own destiny; the only imperative is to follow it, to accept it, no matter where it leads him.
Henry Miller

You can and Whale do it.

Thanks, but...

So as everyone knows that Monday March 18th was my birthday. Now I am glad to know I have great friends who are thoughtful, but...I hate my birthday, I hate Christmas day and I hate presents. Now that we all think that I am a cotton-headed ninny-puffer, I will clarify.
1- To start off I am a TERRIBLE  gift getter. If I didn't ask for it or need it, I get upset that you went out of your way to get me a present. So heads up friends, if I didn't specifically say 'I want that...' DON'T get me anything. Because then I feel guilty that you spent money on something I won't use or even like. Sorry It sounds really harsh but it's how I feel.
2- Christmas Day, has been so unsatisfying for about 10 years or so. I love the Christmas Season. Music, candy, snow, GIVING gifts to people, and all that jazz; but I hate GETTING things. I do, I really do. Mostly because it feels so unsatisfying (like the morning after a one night stand, it's just not worth it). I love the 4 weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas, but truth be told I coulkd go without the 25th. Now this is only because every once in a while I get a gift from grandma that I don't like and won't ever wear, mostly becasue it looks like a mountain man would wear it. (And we all know how rugged and outdoorsy I am) Or when mom gets me a $50 video game that I didn't want but doesn't get you the $15 book I wanted. One year my mother asked me to write a christmas list, I put 3 things totally a very small amount. What do I get? about 9 things that I didn't want or need that was woth more than 3x my small wish list. (In case you were wondering I got none of the 3 items and I put very specifically that I did not want socks...I got socks)
3- My birthday. Everyone is shocked when I tell them how much I hate MY birthday. I love other peoples birthdays but I could do without mine. Every year my birhtday party was the best ones because I would plan this spectacle of games and events. One year I wrote a murder mystery, I did a clue game, a scanvenger hunt etc. For Kristina's 17th bithday I wrote a Disney themed murder mystery surprise. Everyone loved it! But when people get me things and throw surprise parties I really don't like it. This is how I think it "You went to all this effort to get me something, you spent time, money and thought into getting me something or doing something for me. Now I have to do something bigger or better for you. Thanks for that!" I feel guilty if someone gives me a nice gift and then I get them something cheap. Now I did love the coloring book, cookies, baloons, cakes and picture I got. Just what would I say to you if I didn't like it? This does not mean to not give me things but...be fairly sure that I would love it and use it.
So on Sunday night I stayed up until 1:30 talking with Ben about how much I hate my birthday and I specifically request no surptise party and no cake. Mostly because I would not get home from school, driving to Brigham for 2 shows and back until 10:30 and all I would want to do is sleep. On Monday in my last class I find out I have an assignment due at midnight. So I plan in my head to, after coming back to Logan, head to the Library to do the grammar homework. As we were driving up, we as in Hillery, Kade and I, I was telling them about everything you have previously read. Hillery says "oh, shoot!" She felt so awkward because they had planned a party and cake for me. I was under the assumption that the party on Saturday was my party and I loved it. Needless to say we were both feeling really awkward because birthday's are a big deal for hil. As I arrived a bunch of my friends were there with cakes and singing and festivities. After about 10 minutes I headed back to my room to do my homework. And this why I do not like my birthday. My friends went out of their way to do something for me that hadn't planned on. So I felt bad that I was a terrible birthday boy but I had planned other things.
The Whale's out but I really don't like presents.

Who's Whale Watching

It has been a very long time since I blogged. I have been under a lot of stress to blog and like any artist I determine my own schedule. Also life has gone from a kind of busy 5 to a super extreme very little free time 10. I just took a 5 minute break to clean my toenails. So the reason I blogged today is because I have been subbing again this week and I wanted to give some of my favorite quotes.
"Mr. Erwin are you married?"- Girl in 3rd hour
"No."- Me
(Everyone saying ooohhh!)
"He's not cute I was just asking!"- Girl
"Thanks." -Me
It was great. The awkward tension that exist at the beginning of every class was snapped and absolutely nothing else fazed me that day. In that same hour I overheard some boys talking about  how there is a party they were going to have. A boy said my mom won't let me go. The other said YOLO! There is a fine line between YOLO and straight up stupidity. As I was subbing these classes they kept asking me for help. I attempted to help them, attempted was the key word "I believe the line of symmetry is the line you draw on something to cut it in half." -Me. "How do you find that?" -Boy. "Don't ask me I'm a theatre major!" One kid said wow your useless.
Today I was a Spanish teacher and I had 3 Mexican girls in my first hour. They have parents from Mexico and they don't know some basic conjugations. "How do you say 'I hear you'?"- Me "I don't know that's why I'm in school to learn this." -Mexican Girl (It was Spanish 5)
In AP Spanish we were talking about several different things as I was trying to quiet everyone down this is what happened.
"Okay guys we need to be quiet so we can do our work." -Me
"No it's okay Senor Hugie usually teaches us in a loud, semi-hostile environment." -Boy in 4th Hour.
Needless to say I had a very enjoyable day. I am teaching Spanish again tomorrow.
I hope that it will be a Whale of a day!

That parked car came out of nowhere

Black ice. I will now go into an overly descriptive blog of how I hit a parked car. First I must preface the story by saying today was a busy day. I had my BFA interview (Bachelor of Fine Arts in Theatre Education) at ten and had a matinee show and in-between I had to go shopping and get dinner then jiffy on back to the closing night show of Violet, which is a beautiful show. So after dropping Ben from Carl's Jr. (where I discovered that when you substitute Sweet Potato fries they charge you extra, never knew) I was off to the show. After less than 2 blocks I was beginning to slow up for the intersection when I noticed cars stopped there so halfway down the block I start to press my break and I hear them skidding and I could feel shifting underneath me so I begin to move the steering wheel to gain traction, nothing. I start to slid to the right where there are parked cars and despite all my best efforts, I bumped quite forcefully into a parked SUV. It surprisingly was not as scary as I thought it would be, which is odd because I get scared super easy. I got out and assessed the damages, it was kind of bad for the SUV the whole driver door was bent in with my car. I awkwardly went over to the nearest house and knocked on the door and asked the man if that was his car, pointing at the SUV. He told me it was his friends and that literally 20 minutes ago someone else hit his car. He asked how big I lied and said a small dent. When his friends came out he asked how bad and I said it was pretty bad. We both struggled to walk on the road because of the ice. He asked if I was in a hurry and I told him that I had a show and he was concerned about me getting there on time. Eventually I moved the car and the police came over to do the paperwork. When the cop told me that I would not be receiving a citation the man who I hit acted way more relieved than me. He was a champ. I wish to nominate him as the Julie Andrews Kind Stranger of the Year. I show up to the show late and because I called and left a message they understood that I was in a pretty bad accident, they were all a little let down by that fact that the other car was parked. I prayed and was thankful that nothing bad happened. I felt a peace during the whole ordeal, the accident, confessing and police work part, it amazed me just as much as the sincerity as that man. People who are understanding are great and we need more of them in the world.

No worries everyone I am whale and healthy.

Went to PO Hi for some overpriced eggs

As well ALL know by know, via the many messages on facebook, yesterday was free pancake day at IHOP. It was quite the event, I mean even Ms. Cache Valley was there. Our waitress, Jaquelyn, knew exactly what we wanted. FLAPJACKS! When I say we I say Ben, Hillery, Coulton and Garrett, who arrived just in time for those celestial edible frisbees. I must inform that we attended the Logan IHOP rather than the Tremonton one, which oddly enough is not named IHOP but rather Denny's; who knew? We made many failed attempts to get in contact with Nathan Rapp, our friend who many call Charles. He was busy doing homework in the library. We see outside a car full of hooligans who pull up for the free pancakes as well. Coulton said that one was a girl. He was disproved by the fact that one with long hair who had a girlish face, changed shirts in plain view of everyone. Anatomically speaking, it's a boy. As I am finishing off my circular puffy crepe I receive a text message from my favorite sista, Mary Ann not the other ugly sister who we hide under the staircase until she turned 12 then she randomly disappears for 10 months at a time and carries that dumb twig in her hand and has that annoying snowy white screech owl who delivers postage to her other school friends. Not that one but Mary Ann. She informed me that my bro-in-law, Todd, her husband, got a marketing job in Salt Lake City, and they will be moving by the end of the month. This day just got much, much better. So I rather liked yesterday, a lot.









The egg on that pancake looks Whale done.