CHESTS - Communication, Hospitals, Events, Support, Typing, Stories

Hello there! Isn't it just a fabulous day today?!? I know it has been for me, because as a few friends of mine have recently taken to saying (due to someone's talk in sacrament meeting a few Sunday ago) "Make it a good day."

In other news, it's been the better part of a week since I last wrote on here, and what a week it has been!
The craziness involving my friend has never ceased, and yet this week seems to have flown by as I've struggled to keep up with all the things I wish to do. Her status hasn't changed that much overall, but there have been random back and forth events affecting her. A few scares later, and we're still here praying. The highlight so far was definitely not being at the hospital, but that has been an experience for sure as it's my first time spending significant chunks of time at a hospital. The best highlight was definitely getting my mission papers finished and turned in, so hopefully I'll be getting my call pretty soon (before my birthday if I'm lucky!) and know what all is going to happen with that. After that highlight though, they're kind of muddled. I've noticed as we've been in the same place day after day for almost a week now, the days start really blending together. Anyway I've had a few thoughts whilest here that I would like to throw on here regarding a wide range of topics. Sadly, our discussions have definitely not been as entertaining as Monday's were largely because now it's usually just Friend 2 and I here as Friends 1 and 3 have a harder class load and that's where they need to be.

Foremost on my mind has been the concept of support. One of my main reasons for being up here everyday since this started, is to help support my roommate and his girlfriend's family. Some people don't seem to understand how big a deal it is, but whenever I've had to struggle with things like this (first examples that come to mind regard my experience with my great grandmother and my grandpa) it's always been super helpful for me to know that I have family (or friends) around that are willing to help me whenever it's needed. Especially when my grandpa was in the hospital for a week or so before he passed away while I was up here, and unable to go home because it was right before and during finals week, I was really grateful for friends that were willing to help me and comfort me through that entire process. So personally, I find it super important to have a system of people willing to help and comfort you at a moment's notice. Since my friend's status has been kind of iffy most of the week, and because I feel that this is more important a thing to be at than my classes in most cases, I've spent a lot of time up here trying to help out in whatever way I can. I totally understand that there isn't always something that those going directly through a trial will need, but it's nice to have been able to be present whenever they did need something. The example that best comes to my mind was recently shared by one of my friends in his blog (shameless advertising!) titled "the Benefit of the Doubt" in his most recent post located here. I really like the post he wrote, and echo a lot of those same opinions/concerns. So go check it out. But wait until you finish reading this one. I'll post the link again at the bottom of the post :P

In other news, I've thought about the importance of communication. As I worked to fix my schedule to get up here I've certainly made a few mistakes whilest communicating with those around me. An example of this was when I was trying to figure out my work schedule. Whilest I was talking with one of my co-workers about this weekend, I realized that I didn't know yet what the plan was and when it would be best for me to work. I told him I'd get back to him the next day (we were talking on Tuesday), but I totally forgot about it until Thursday, when he texted me to figure out what had happened with that. While some might try to excuse this oversight in the midst of all the other things going on, I took it personally and decided to make a more direct effort to communicate with people when I tell them I'm going to and not forget about it or put it off. Another thing I've noticed is how caring people generally are when you take a moment to explain the situation to them. Pretty much all of my professors understand that it really doesn't benefit me all that much to attend class right now with my friend in the hospital. The times I have gone to class this week, I've noticed my mind continually wandering back up to the hospital and me reaching for my phone to try and get a status update out of somebody who is still up here. As the week has worn on, I've noticed that there's less and less people up here as they have to get back to their work and family responsibilities in other states. So, I find the concept of being there to support even more important as time goes on.

As time goes by, I've realized how much more fun it is if you are comfortable sharing stories. This might seem like a random thought, but it is pertinent in some way - not sure how many people will understand it, but whatever. Anyway, as I've started going to college, and when I went home for Christmas break, I discovered a lot of people really enjoy stories, and nothing's better than stories that actually happened. I realized I honestly didn't have that many crazy stories to share, as the vast majority of fall was spent studying until it switched over to being eaten by video games. Sadly for me, this resulted in a few awkward situations whilest at home that I had no solution for as I just didn't have any stories. It turns out winter is a much easier time to get good stories, such as totally eating it on the ice when it's freezing rain, or spending the better part of a week at the hospital whilest not being admitted to the hospital but to see a friend and support her family. Anyway, I think by the end of this semester I'll have better stories to share upon returning home, though you might get them on here first - if only so that I can remember them by the time I actually get home.

In other news, sleeping in a hospital is kind of difficult, if only because there's pretty constant activity throughout the night, but I've somehow managed to get a bit of sleep in this night where I happen to be awake at 3am lying on the floor of a hospital hallway after a brief period of time being asleep. I think I'e gotten all the sleep I'm going to get tonight, so it looks like it might be time to break out netflix or my computer and catch up on movies or something. Anyway, I hope you like my blog, and my friend's blog that he started writing the first day we were here in this glorious place. If you have any questions for me throw them up as comments and I'll more than likely answer them :D

'Til Next Time,
Jordan Nielson

Here's the link again, as I promised!
http://runklesbay.blogspot.com/2013/02/little-things.html

The Comfort Zone Assignment My thinking whilest at the hospital

The Comfort Zone Assignment: Part 1

           

            One of the biggest enemies of the skilled artist is fear. Courageously attacking the complex tasks related to the “habits” and acting expressively on the music being rehearsed is not a casual activity. If something is “normal,” it is not art. If the music is “nice,” it is not art. To be classified as art, something has to be special, unique, deeply meaningful. Art can be created only by those who are willing to put something personal “out there” for others to observe and scrutinize. This creative act can be frightening but also liberating.

In order to expand personal comfort zones and enhance the ability to adopt the identity of “skilled choral artist,” each student will complete 3 comfort zone assignments in the course of the term. For each assignment, do the following:

1. Humbly identify an action that you tend to avoid because of fear, but that would be meaningful to you it some positive way.

2. Do it!

3. Write a 2-paragraph (or more) report. In the first paragraph, describe what you did and anything that happened as a result. Tell the story. In the second paragraph explain why your action was meaningful.

Alright, if you just took the time to read through all that, I commend you. It's the assignment I have for my Choir class to help us expand our comfort zones which in turn will help make us better singers by being more bold, confident, and courageous. Anyway, below is going to be my first one of these, since I have to write three. I had to begin this assignment by picking one of the various things that aren't usually in my comfort zone that I have done recently as the voice of Dr. Broomhead reminded me of my assignment. So, here we go! 

As I was sitting on my bed pondering what on earth I could possibly do for my comfort zone assignment, a thought came to my head! I could do something related to my grave fear of giving or having blood taken! No wait... he read us something about that in class... Perhaps I could do something like singing in public... No... he read one of those as well. I think I'll write about that time that I went to a hospital and talked to my friend who was in a coma... Yeah I think I'll write about that. Then again, I'm not going to write about that on here... So guess that's all about that assignment on here.

Anyway, it seems that today has been entirely too long of a day. 

I honestly don't even know what else to write about on this post... I kinda feel like I posted too much today, but it's been an interesting, long, and random day so this has kept me entertained and semi-lucid.

For those of you who read my post earlier with quotes from today... you might want to read it again now that I've posted this, because I've been steadily adding to it today.

If you have questions about one of the quotes... you could try commenting but I'm not sure if I'll be able to explain it anymore... it's been a long day.

Edit/Update: On another random note, I ended up working tonight - probably not the best idea since I lost pretty much all my sanity in the first few hours at the hospital, and the rest obviously left before I got to work. I'm just super glad nobody has videoed me today, that would be rather embarrassing. In relation to this, I've realized that I have a really, really small comfort zone as I wrote that assignment. Honestly, I think it's grown a tiny bit since I got out here... but there's definitely been some walls thrown up since I got out here as well. Oh well, we'll see what happens with that.


'Til Next Time,
Jordan Nielson

Pinterest, and other Crazy random hospital discussions and thoughts

Alright, I'm going to preface this with the fact that I've been pretty much in the same room for the last four hours and have only left the room to go visit my friend who is critically ill. Anyway, it turns out that when you're in a hospital for a lengthy amount of time the crazy discussions start to begin, especially when the preson you're there for isn't getting much better - like she is in some aspects but getting worse in others. So basically, we've discussed things from different water fountains possibly having different water, different cookies from the same dough perhaps tasting different, guys being on pinterest and random other things. Anyway, my friends and I who are here have had some interesting conversations. 

As we've chilled here, and had these intense conversations, there have been some pretty interesting quote lines, in order to convey these better, we'll call them Friend 1 (a female), Friend 2 (a male), Friend 3(a female), and me. Some of them are as follows:

Friend 1: You're not going to put this on your blog are you?
Me: I make no promises...

Friend 1: What is this?
Friend 3: Yes, what is this?
Me: Hot, Hot, Hot
Friend 1: Oh I've heard this before!
Me: It would seem I have an album on my iTunes called "Good tunes for Good times"...
Friend 1: Well turn it off!

Friend 1: Is your computer dead?
Friend 2: Almost, if I close it it will be.
Friend 3: How long does it have?
Friend 2: about 9 minutes.
Friend 3: Does that mean you'll actually do homework?
Friend 1: Yeah, does it?
Friend 2: No. It means absolutely nothing.

Friend 1: Did you skip it again?
Friend 3: It's on shuffle?
Me: There's order with shuffle?
Friend 1: Yes... wait..

Friend 1: You have a pinterest?!?
Me: Do you have a problem with Pinterest?
Friend 1: No...
Me (Looking through my pinterest feed which consists entirely of food and things to make): Oh good.
Friend 1: Oh, it only has food... that's a little more respectable.
Friend 2: I once went on pinterest to find something and it was just a picture from the internet.
Me: Well usually it is a link to a blog or somewhere you can actually find the full recipe...
Friend 2: There's no recipe for shoes.

Friend 2: What room are we in?
Friend 3: The waiting room...
Friend 2: To do what?
Me: to wait?
Friend 3: To blog!

Friend 2: Don't tell X that I'm eating her cookies, she'd probably kill me.
Friend 1: I won't.
Me: Why would she kill you...?
Friend 1: You haven't heard?
Friend 2: Basically, we dated at one point.
Friend 3: She's kinda crazy
Friend 1: Like 75% crazy.

Friend 2: Like why are we here?
Friend 1: I dunno, my tailbone hurts though.
Friend 3: Then lay on the floor.
Me: yeah, it helps.
Friend 1: Maybe we can dedicate this room...
Friend 1: Like we could say: "The floor, it was therapeutic."

Me: Well traffic in Utah doesn't seem to be as bad as i could be...
Friend 2: Well yeah, Human trafficking isn't that bad here.
Friend 1: Wait what?
Me: I meant car traffic...

Friend 1 Drinking her apples juice from a cup that looks like a pudding cup
Friend 1 Spills
Friend 1: Oh crap, that looks like drool ...
Me: Not really...
Friend 1 zips up her jacket: There all better.
(20 minutes later)
Friend 1 unzips her jacket: Ah it doesn't look like drool anymore!
Me: What's wrong with drool?
Friend 1: It's not comfortable enough to nap, so there's no reason I would have drooled
Me: I dunno... I could go find a corner and fall asleep there, it can't be that bad.

Me: Just lay on the floor, it's therapeutic.
Friend 1: Maybe I could just lay over there (points towards a double seat in a row)
Me: Nah. that's not as good, it's uncomfortable.
Friend 1: But I'm shorter!
Me: So? It's still less therapeutic than the floor.

Le me looking at a facebook status: Facepalm.
"I met a normal man today"
Friend 2: Am I abnormal?
Friends 1 and 3 in unison: Yes.
Friend 2: How am I abnormal?
Friend 1: Because...
Friend 3: Because...

Friend 1: See I can use the door properly!
Me: Wait. Was anyone paying attention when she left?
Friends 2 and 3: No...
Friend 1: I used the door properly then as well!
Me: I don't believe you. Pics or it didn't happen!
Friend 2: You could step into the office over there and ask to see the surveillance tape...
Friend 1: Nah..
Friend 2: Like just the last five minutes of it.
Friend 1: Oh well, it's not going to happen.

Friend 2: Good thing this is a good book.
Friend 3: You've read how many pages...?
Friend 2: Fine. I'll go sit in the hallway. As soon as I figure out how to get out that door.
Friend 2: Ah nevermind. The hands-free waterfountain is in here.
Me: Stunned silence.

Friend 2: Have you ever wanted to swim in a pool full of jello?
Me: yes.
Friend 2: What if you get stuck?
Me: You could eat yourself out!
Friend 3: Would you even get stuck?
Me: Not if you dice it up!
Friend 2: What the record on that?
Le Me Googles it: 7700 gallons of Jello!
Friend 2: We can beat that. BYU is all about beating records!

Me: While you listen to the backstreet boys?
Friend 1: Well it all started on the RA retreat when I heard it on XM Radio and an RA made a big deal about me not knowing this song. Now I've listened to it about 30 times to educate myself.
Me: Alright... I still don't understand why there's something wrong with the backstreet boys.

Me looking at a photo from facebook...
Friend 1: Save the dates?
Me: Save the date.
Friend 1: Oh, "Mawwiage is what brings us here together this day."

Friend 3: Peas, Peas, Peas (Looks at friend 2) Like the vegetable! Peas, Peas.
Friend 2: I KNOW! (not shouting, just firm.)

Le me on youtube watching a video.
Friend 1: If you put that as public I'm never coming back into the front office again.
Me: Yeah right.
Friend 1: Good point... I have to go back there for work.

Friend 2: Quote: "It will be hard to discover who it was since the cat does not speak?"
Friend 1: What was that? I got distracted by the blog.
Me with a smug smile.
Friend 2: They found a cat sneaking into a prision with a cell phone and drill bits attached to it.

Me: Does she even know I'm here?
Friend 2: Did she know I have been here, and was here last night?
Friend 1: No...?
Friend 2: Well if she does find out I'm eating her cookies, tell her they're pretty dang good.

And that my readers, is a few snippets from our random conversations.

Anyway, I really did want to discuss Pinterest a little bit, so if you have any comments related to guys using pinterest for various reasons please feel free to post them :D

Some reasons I've heard for guys using it are as follows:
- DIY Stuff
- Looking up his girlfriend/fiance's marriage plans
- Food

I think this might be the last time I'm blogging today... but don't quote me on that.

'Til Next Time,
Jordan Nielson

Programs, Hospitals, Teaching, and Class. Oh Joy!

Well the circumstances I'm writing this post in could be better, but I guess this is a reasonably productive use of my time. My thoughts today will probably be super random, but I'll try to make some sense of it for y'all. It might not help that I'm listening to a movie I first watched with my good friend who is in the hospital for various reasons and not doing all that well. Anyway, on a lighter note I taught my first Gospel Doctrine lesson yesterday. I feel like it went pretty well, though I probably seemed a bit distracted to my class even though I really did try to focus. The lesson was about how to receive personal revelation, and like most teachers usually feel I think I learned a lot more than my class did. This was partially due to the fact that I only had about 35 minutes to teach, which was a little shorter than I would have liked. It was a fairly long lesson in the manual, at least I thought so, but it was only the first time I had a reason to go through and actually read everything in the manual and teach from it.

Another thing that happened was my first program as part of the Residence Halls Association, we ended up calling it Love-view as it was a wyview only activity so they seem to be pretty set on making sure the name involves -view of some sort. It was pretty awesome, and seemed to turn out well as there were plenty of people there. We ran out of the food about three quarters of the way through the activity, which had a variety of activities. Foremost, and most fun, was the "Dating Game" which is a pretty common game to play here at BYU. Basically how it goes is everyone fills out a survey handout that has like ten questions on it, then a bachelor/bachelorette is selected either from the crowd or pre-selected and the game begins. To start out, the first part of the game involves the bachelor/bachelorette sitting on one side of the stage wiith a curtain separating them from seeing the other side of the stage. Then, anyone of the gender opposite the bachelor/bachelorette who wants to participate going up on the stand and ending up on the other side of the curtain will be contestants to win a date with the bachelor/bachelorette. The game officially starts once the announcer begins reading off the bachelor's answers to the survey questions and whenever the contestants end up on the wrong side of the question they get a strike, and with two strikes they're out. Once the field of contestants is narrowed down to about 4 of them, the next round begins where the bachelor asks deeper questions than the survey ones and each contestant gives an answer. Once they've all answered the bachelor picks the one he likes least - remember he hasn't seen what they look like - to eliminate from the game. Anyway, that was pretty entertaining, and I think you get the jist of it.

Moving on, I've come to a realization recently that class isn't as important to me as it could be. For one, I care more for my friends than I do about making sure that I attend all my classes - take today for example. Another thing is that sometimes I feel class is a waste - not all the time, or even most of the time, just randomly when I happen to already know the material we're discussing in greater detail than we're even talking about in class. This doesn't happen all that often, but when it does happen, it's not all that fun. Anyway, I've decided to fix that ya know, after this ordeal is over.

I think that's all I'm going to write about today, but make sure to check out my other post beneath this one that I published this morning before heading to the hospital.

'Til Next Time,
Jordan Nielson

Tunnel Singing, Comfort Zones, and Random Stuff

Hello there! I've recently been informed that I've made a huge mistake a couple times now, namely referring to something very few people know about as if it's a worldwide affair. What I'm referring to is a mystical activity here at Brigham Young University known as "Tunnel Singing". The basic idea is that for an hour a week, usually on Sunday nights, a bunch of random people from BYU gather together in a tunnel - specifically the one by the Marriott Center for those who have been here - and sing hymns together for an hour. The second best part (because the singing is always super awesome to be a part of) is that half-way through those who have recently gotten mission calls are given a chance to announce where they've been called to serve to all those present in the tunnel. I actually didn't start going until this semester, and I've been like three times so far. Honestly, I have no idea how it started, who came up with it, who runs it, who picks the hymns, or anything. I usually just show up and sing, and will generally only go if I have people I know going as well, and I'll almost always go if somebody I know is planning to announce their mission call there. It's usually pretty late on sundays with the English one starting at 10pm and going until 11pm with various smaller meetings that sing in other languages meeting earlier. Anyway, it's super awesome, and if you want more details about that... well ask me, because honestly I have no idea what else to write about it.

In other news, for my choir class my professor has us do these things called "Comfort Zone Assignments", where basically we have to find something outside of our usual comfort zone and write at least a two paragraph paper on it. The first paragraph (or portion, since most of them are longer than a paragraph) is about the actual event or thing you did to get out of your comfort zone. Then there's the second part which is all about you explaining how that was meaningful to you in helping to expand your comfort zone. Anyway, I mention that because the write-up for it is due tuesday, and I'm figuring I'll probably post it on here if I feel comfortable with that, it will probably be a bit edited though.

Anyway, now that you're aware that is coming up - time for the random stuff! Foremost on my mind is physicals - like from a doctor - since I recently got one for my mission papers. They've always been kind of uncomfortable for me, largely because the doctors are always pretty secretive about the results - I honestly don't think I've ever been given a chance to peruse the results from one of my physical exams or any tests that have been done on me, I don't even know my blood type. (I should get that fixed soon...).

Anyway, I've been working on this post for the better part of a week... but stuff just seems to keep coming up that makes me put off finishing it for another day. So I think at this point I'm just going to publish is, and try to write a new one regarding some thoughts about what all has been happening for the last week or so.

'Til Next Time,
Jordan Nielson

Food should smell tasty to be tasty and singing rocks!

Alright, so I've been sitting here thinking about what on Earth to post about for a while now, and I'm still not entirely sure. But I've got a couple rough ideas, and I hope something good comes from them that makes y'all better people. Anyway, so today my thoughts revolved generally around two things - food and singing. There were random other things thrown in throughout the day, such as girls, testimonies, churchy stuff, naps, teaching, and various other random things, but those were the two mainstays of today.

So my thoughts about food today were constantly there, largely because it was fast Sunday and I don't have church until 2pm (thank the Lord!), but that means I don't get home until sometime after 5pm, so that's usually about when my fast ends. Anyway, I didn't want to make this post about complaining but about my thoughts, this part specifically revolving around food. So recently, I've been pretty lazy about what I eat - I usually just end up eating cereal for breakfast and dinner and finding something on campus to eat for lunch which usually ends up being pizza in the Cougareat. I think this might eventually become a problem... except for the fact that I really, really like cereal, and it's super quick to eat. But alas, I think I should eat better food.... but at least I still haven't eaten Ramen. That stuff just smells gross, I can't even imagine putting it in my mouth. Moving on... I used to be pretty good about making a couple things a week, but making enough to last a few days. But recently I've been feeling super lazy, as stated earlier, so today my thoughts about food (yes I did just spend quite a few sentences before getting to my actual thoughts) are as follows. Foremost, food should smell good. If it doesn't smell good, I find it usually doesn't taste good, but that's inductive reasoning - which is usually incorrect - but I still like the thought so I'm going with it. Another thought I had today regarding food is that most of it is pretty easy to make, especially with the magic of Google allowing you to find recipes super quickly for just about anything. Pinterest I've found is also a great place to find cool ideas of things to make, but generally those are a tad more elaborate than say tacos or lasagna. So I've been working on finding food that smells good, while is also easy to make, and I'm planning on making a section of my recipes page (check it out if you haven't yet, there's a link close to the top of the blog!) dedicated to the quick and good smelling foods that I'm going to be learning to make.

Anyway, my other thoughts today were about singing. Largely because that's what I did for the vast majority of today... I think I got a good 3.5 hours of singing or so in today, which is quite a bit. It was super fun as well! I joined the ward choir - and we're singing some pretty sweet arrangements of stuff, so that was super awesome. I also joined an a cappella group (which might end up being my comfort zone assignment, as it took a lot of talking to myself to convince me to join it) with some people who live in Heritage. Yes, I do have a legitimate reason to have found out about it - my roommates twin brother is in it and he threw out the offer for me to join. Anyway, they really like doing mash-ups of songs, which I'm totally cool with because those are super fun to sing. One they're singing is "The Man Who Can't Be Moved" mashed with another song (which name escapes me now... If I remember it I'll edit the post.). It's super fun, and I'm pretty glad I joined, only downside is walking over to heritage whenever we have rehearsals, but that isn't too bad. After rehearsing with them for an hour and a half, I went over to Tunnel Singing. I can't recall if I've discussed that on here before... so if I haven't someone throw a comment about it and I'll write about it in my next post. But, that was super awesome and my friend announced her mission call which was pretty cool to be there for (she's going to Kentucky by the way). And that's basically all my thoughts for now... I'll write more thoughts eventually (possibly later tonight if I find time while working).

'Til Next Time,
Jordan Nielson