Yes ladies and gentleman, It's time for another Good Idea, Bad Idea

Good Idea: rewarding yourself for a long eventful and productive day by eating a piece of pizza. Bad Idea: trying to make up for a long day of not eating and staying in bed because you felt sick to your stomach by eating a whole medium size pizza along with garlic bread and three spicy drumsticks. The End, at least I wished. I have realized that the more I stay in this country that has little to no meals based on anything dairy, the more I become intolerant to lactose. Eating all that food was definitely not the satisfying end to a hard day that I wanted. The happy ending is that I did actually get to sleep eventually and woke up feeling loads better.

I've gotten a lot better at staying on top of things and keeping myself busy with little projects this week. I'm getting really excited for Christmas not because I'm doing anything special for Christmas but for the observance of the holiday. Living in a country that doesn't have all the Christmas hullabaloo during this time of year, you really have to wait until Christmastime to see anybody getting into the holiday at all. I find myself going to American stores like Costco so I can see the tree and feel a little bit of it's magic. I remember Christmases when I was going to BYU. When I was coming home for Christmas during my first year at BYU I was driving on the cold and snowy road that I had driven down so many times before but there was a new excitement this time. I was listening to the radio to catch the Christmas tunes to put me in the Christmas mood and I remember one song came on that brought tears to my eyes. I know it's a kind of sappy memory but bear with me. It was Kenny Loggins "Celebrate me home." I've always loved soulful songs where you can make up your own melodies to sing in the background with a gospel choir to back you up and this just gave me an excuse to start singing at the top of my lungs. Ever since that Christmas it has been a tradition of mine to play that song whenever I am traveling home for Christmas and even though last Christmas and this Christmas I have not been able to get home I love listening to the music of this season because it inspires us and brings back the memories that make this season so magical. I feel that among the many lessons and principles that this season teaches there lies one that rings a special tune, and that one is of remembrance. Not only remembrance of Christmases past, of family togetherness and memories of dear friends and family who have left this world, but also of the way the first Christmas was passed and the incredible gift of love that was brought to this earth that night. I hope that everyone really does have a great Christmas this year and is able to spend it with the people that they love because it is the people in this life that make it sweet.

Ok, preachy sappy post is now over. I shall now get down from my proverbial soap box.