Everything I Am, I Owe to My Family

So it's been a long time since I've written a blog post. Someone asked me if I would write a blog post today, so in accordance with her request, I am now writing a blog post.

Last night, I think I was homesick for the first time since I've been here. My thoughts turned to my family back home and how they're doing without me. They've probably been partying it up since I've been gone. But that's ok.

I have probably the weirdest family in the world. Everything they do is just so weird. You may think your family is weird, but it can't even compete with my family.

My youngest brother has got to be the weirdest of them all. That says something, because he is the most like me. He's like a miniature version of me. Everything he does is exactly how I would do it at his age. Piano, basketball, school, friends. He does not like my best friend's sister, just like I did not like my best friend when we were their age. Heck, he even makes the same facial expressions as me and has the same sense of humor that I do. He's such a little punk. Every opportunity he has, he wants to pick a fight with me. He's always wanting to try and push me around. That's when I throw him to the ground and have a wrestling match with him. I always win (except for that one time he cheated by farting on me). I hope he becomes a much better basketball player and pianist than me. He has so much potential in both, and I'd do anything to help him out with either. And I hope he surpasses me in whatever he decides to do. But for now, I'll beat you down, punk.

Then there's my sister. I have to be careful what I say here because she's threatened me with total humiliation (video of me tap dancing) if I put anything that she doesn't like. For some reason, she is so easy to tease. From running like a velociraptor, to her free throws, to making fun of the random boys she likes, there is always something to tease her about. And there is something about missionaries that make her all weird too. And she's always asking me about the boys here at BYU. But she does a great voice impression of the lion in The Wizard of Oz when he sings "If I were the king of the forest." So all you guys looking for a girl that does a great Cowardly Lion voice impression, I would like to introduce you to my sister (ooh, I'm gonna get it so bad from her for all this humiliation). And yes, she really pretends to hate my stinkin' guts, she can't deny that she really loves me. She cried when I left for college (now I'm really gonna get it :p). I really wish I had been a better brother for her. I really wasn't a good brother until I turned 16. And even then, I wasn't too good of a brother. So I'm hoping she'll forgive me for that. And I hope she'll forgive me for interrogating and possibly shooting any guy that asks her on a date when she starts dating

Then my other brother. He's just a doofus haha. I remember when he had those dorky little Harry Potter glasses. Too funny! He's always been a band geek. He loves his clarinet and has loved marching band. He's also just a doofus with his voice impressions. He can pretty much do any voice impression you ask him to do. And he just does some of the weirdest dance moves I have seen from anyone. But I had the same problem with my brother as I had with my sister. I wasn't really a good brother to him until, I dunno, probably when he got into high school. But all those times that he may have felt that I was bossing him around or telling him what to do, it was me trying to help him out. I was really looking out for him especially when he got into high school. And I'm really proud of what he's accomplished. But you're still a doofus. 

Then my mother. Now I really have to tread lightly because where my sister threatens me with humiliation, my mom threatens me with death (not really, but still). My mom says some of the corniest things ever. She'll come up with the corniest jokes and we'll politely laugh, or sometimes just look at her like she's a freak. And then she'll put her hand on your shoulder and just laugh at her corny joke. And when she gets tired, there is no end to the ways we can make her laugh. And then she gets mad at us for making her laugh, which just makes us laugh. Every once in a while, she has a pretty good joke, but for the most part they're lame. And I'll try not to go into when she ate an entire box of Fiber One bars. And her video camera and her regular camera. I think every single moment of my life has been spent being recorded or photographed. But she's been there every step of the way in my life. She went to pretty much every piano recital or competition, went to every single basketball game she could make, and made me food (most important part). She's helped me through the hard parts of my life. And I haven't been a very good son, especially since I've been in college, but I am trying my best to make her proud. Thank you, mom, for all the corny jokes you have put me through all these years.

And then my dad. My dad has the best job in the world: Four-wheeling for the Army out in the desert. Just like my brother tries to wrestle me, I try to wrestle my dad, and I fail miserably every time (maybe I need to fart on him like my brother did to me). And he cheats whenever I play basketball against him (sure, no blood, no foul, but sometimes a bone sticking out constitutes a foul too). My dad has helped me through some hard times too. He wasn't able to be there for me all the time, with work and his tours overseas. But he's helped me through every concussion and broken bone. He's been there to talk to when I needed help. But one day I will beat you in wrestling.

My family is what has made me who I am today. Without them, I would probably be lost and alone. I have everything to thank them for. I hope I have reflected the name of my family well. Thanks mom, dad, and all my siblings. I love you guys.

My friends, God bless.

Immature vs. Playful

So I realize it has been like three weeks since I've posted something. Please forgive me.
So the past few days I've been thinking about my own "immaturity." It seems like over the past couple of months, I've been acting childish, and to some people I may come off as immature. I don't think I am immature. I think, rather, that I am playful.
For an expert source on what the difference between immature and playful is, allow us to turn to Urban Dictionary (please do not use this as a source in your next 10 page research paper).
Immature: A word utilized to describe someone who exhibits the behavioral patterns of a child. Such people tend to be impulsive; an example of which, is a tendency to use unwanted physical contact on another person, or making statements in complete ignorance and crudeness. Immature people also tend to make narrow associations of certain actions with certain effects, such as the association of biking with falling off.
Now for playful.
Playful: a playful one is one that always likes to have fun, often the center of ones attention.... they like to laugh and make others laugh. a playful one is a very special kind of friend. a playful one may also be a little on the frisky side.
If you were to ask most people that knew me a year or two ago, this does not describe me at all. Before my senior year, I was never very playful or immature except around my very closest friends (basketball teammate's or classmates in my smaller classes like Calculus or English [even though the Subia monster (my English teacher) never allowed me to unleash my full immature potential]). I was always a very composed, quiet, somewhat shy kind of guy. I never really acted out, never did anything that would describe me as immature, at least not very much. E, B, and 'Mando would say otherwise, that I was quite immature, but it was usually only around them. 
By my senior year, I had opened up quite a bit. I was more outgoing, a little more immature about things. Like the time I got kicked out of Chico's Tacos because we danced to "Get Your Head in the Game" from High School Musical. Or quoting Yes, I will admit, my senior year I was immature. I was having fun and making up for the lack of fun I had the previous three years.
By the time I got to college, I went back to my old ways. I was a mature guy that didn't really say much. Back to the shy, quiet kind of person I used to be. 
As college has gone on, I think people see me as an immature person, especially those that did not meet me before I became "immature." And that is not an appropriate characterization of me. 
I am a playful person. I enjoy giving hugs, I enjoy talking to people, I enjoy making people laugh. I would prefer going with a group of people and doing stuff like nothing else matters in life. I'm a very gregarious and often loquacious person. 
I am not immature, however. Immature would mean that in situations where maturity is called for, I do not act mature. Church, I'm a mature person. Competitive basketball, I'm a mature person. School, I'm a mature person (for the most part). Serious conversations with a friend, I'm a mature person. I do try to make these things as light-hearted as possible without being immature. But in the end, when a situation calls for maturity, I act mature.
For those of you that think I am immature, find me during a moment of seriousness, and you will get a serious me. 
Find me during a moment of non-seriousness, you will find a playful me.
My friends, God bless.