Deep Thoughts From The Course

Okay, so this morning I got an e-mail from a guy in my ward and I just had to post the video it linked to. I hope you all enjoy it!

-Brody

Here is a video of Yes on Prop 8 sign stealers. Some members of my elders quorum have set up traps to catch the sign stealers. Please watch and vote YES on Prop 8.

I was already frustrated about this issue because earlier that day I heard on the radio (KSL radio, for those familiar with the station) that a local Mormon leader from Nebraska was coming to Salt Lake to meet with someone from the Church to talk to them about OUR stance on gay marriage. Not was this local leader coming to talk to them about it, but he was also bringing 300, yes that is right 300 letter to give to the church about OUR stance about gay marriage and how they disagree with OUR stance.

If anyone has an idea of what they think they meant by, "Live and let live," please leave your comments by clicking on the comments link below this post.

Thank you!

So school started again, and my first class took place on Tuesday. So I got to school early to puy my books and I got a book that was not needed. So yesterday I had to return that book at school, so I got in line and then got the cash register and explained that I wanted to return a book that I accidentally bought. When the cashier looked at the receipt she said that she couldn't. I then asked, "Why not? (politely)" She then stated that the book was never really purchased, she explained that the person who rang me up was in a mode that would let people return things. So the receipt showed everything as a negative. So to return the book, the cashier had to charge me for the books and the other supplies that I bought with my books, thus zeroing out the original return. From there she did the return for the book that I originally wanted to return, thus crediting my card back for the amount of the book. Then I told the cashier that I thought that the person in front of me was rung up as a return instead of a charge. So the cashier had me talk to the Book Store Manager about it and mentioned it, so for my trouble I got a $5 gift card from him. From I took the gift card and used it to help a handicapped in a convenience store pay for his drink, it really made him happy and he offered to pay me back and I told him that it was not needed. So it was a good day for me and I passed it on to others. I hope that the story makes sense.

Update:

So I checked my e-mail for school today and found an e-mail from the bookstore manager that stating what I stated above. So he asked me to come in and get it worked out so that their books are correct. So I will actually not get my books for free, unfortunately! But it was fun to think that while it lasted.

Okay, so every year for the past 5 years since I since I have been home from my mission my family has always gotten excited at this time of year. Why? Because the biggest cycling race takes place during this time of year, the Tour De France. It is the biggest Grand Tour that takes place in the cycling world. A lot of cycling fans get ready for this and all they can talk about is this when ever they see their friends that are cyclists. But still you might think, why is Brody so into cycling? Let's just say that growing up with parents that have been involved with cycling, so it kind of rubbed off on me, like golf has. I may not ride a lot, but I love to follow it because of the intenseness of each stage and the possibility of the major crash that may or may not happen. I was really excited during the time that Lance Armstrong won 7 straight, something that was never done before and probably won't be done again. I was really stoked when Alberto Contador won last years Tour, I was extremely disappointed that the ASO (the organizing group of the Tour) did not invite Team Astana (the team that Alberto Contador belongs to currently) to ride in the Tour. For those who would like to follow the Tour and like to read this blog below is a daily update of what happened in that day's stage. You can also follow in on www.versus.com or www.velonews.com.

Well after a few thousand miles of driving (see my wife's blog for the reason why) and a couple of weeks in Europe, I am now reacclimated to California time. I kind of liked it when I got back, because I would go to bed at 9 p.m. (I know that is early, but I liked it) and then I would wake up at 5:30 a.m. I like it because I was up and at'em and ready to take on the day! Ann and I got so much done the first day we got back because we were both up so early in the day, that we got almost everything we needed to get done before 12 (noon). I plan on being more diligent on blogging from now on, and I know that everyone says that and they don't; but I am going to try hard.

But anyways, if you would like to know how our trip went please my wife's blog (www.brodyandann.blogspot.com) and look at all the pictures she has posted, also our website (www.brodyandann.com).

For those who don't know how to sync your IPod with your computer as well as add new music to ITunes and then add it to your IPod, here is how you do it...

First syncing your IPod to ITunes...

1. Connect your IPod to your computer using the USB cable (PC), firewire cable (MAC) then connect your IPod that cable.
   
2. Then open ITunes, when the IPod is recognized by your computer it will show up on the left hand side of the your ITunes window below the Library "tab" and the "Store" tab.
   
3. If you would like to choose what music you would like to put on your IPod, select your IPod and then along the top of the window there will be tabs that show up saying; Summary, Music, Podcasts, Photos, and Contacts.
4. On the Summary tab there is an area called Options with check boxes where you can select "Manually manage music." By selecting that it allows you to choose what music you want on your IPod.
   
5. Select the Music tab. You then need to click the "Sync Music" box, thus selecting that option, and then click the "Selected playlists" option.
   
6. From there the box below will not be grayed out and you can then select the playlist you want on your IPod.
   

Adding Music to ITunes...

1. First open ITunes and then put the CD you want in ITunes in your CD-Rom Drive of your computer.
   
2. When a prompt comes up to import the music you can either say "yes" or "no". By selecting "no" you can pick and choose which songs you want to import by either placing or removing the check marks in the the box next to the song you want to import. When you select which songs you want, select them and drag them into the playlists you want the songs to go into.
   
3. From there follow the instruction on adding the music onto your IPod.
   

Adding Playlists...

1. While importing the music you can select the "90's Music" link under the "Playlist" tab and then go to File, then select "New Playlist". You can also use hot keys, Control+N and then name the new playlist.
   
2. Then select the "music" link under the "Library" tab and select the music from that window into the newly named playlist.
   
3. Then follow the instructions on adding music onto your IPod. This allows that music to be put into the playlist so that you can select that "CD" or playlist on your IPod.
   

Man it's been almost a month since my last post! Here is a little update...

• School's out! Some of you may have read my earlier post saying that I was excited for school, well that changed about half way through the semester, last semester. That is when things started to get tough, because I ended up doing most of a 30 pages paper for one of my classes and most of the project that went along with it.
  
• Once school got out it was time for Christmas and New Years! They both were fun and very exciting. For Christmas Ann and I went to Arizona to be with my family for Christmas. We both got very exciting things for me it was a new golf club (driver) from Ann, which came in very useful the day after Christmas, because my Dad, Brooks, Nikki (who drove Brooks' golf cart and played a couple of wholes), Ann (who drove my golf cart) and I went a played the golf course near my parents house. We played scramble, you take the best shot and score of the group and that is the group score, and we shot 1 or 2 under par (I really don't remember). When we got home from Arizona; Ann and I went to her parents house where the biggest surprise of Christmas came (for me that is). When we started to open our presents from them they (Ann, her mom and her sister) gave me these gifts that were very cool (I think to through me off about the big gift we were going to give me). Then Lauren (Ann's sister) handed me a box and I opened it and freaked out! I freaked out for two, one because it was something that I really wasn't expecting because Ann's mom and dad gave me something similar the year before, and I totally thought that they got a new laptop (because I have been talking about getting a new one for months) or a Sector Nine long board (skateboard) for the same reason as the laptop. So when I saw that the box was a Nintendo Wii I was totally excited. So like I said, Christmas was awesome!

Well that is basically the update. Now the big thing that is coming up, is my biannual business trip to Dallas, TX. This is because the industry I work in has a show there to show off the new product and to allow my customers to buy new items for their display and get some discounts or dating terms, etc. So that is the next big thing for me.

I hope that everyone has a Happy and Prosperous New Year this coming year.