Everyone, I have a hamster.

I just thought that you all deserved to know that. Hamsters are pretty cool, and now I have one. Like all the other cool kids. Because all the cool kids have hamsters, right?
Anyhow, besides the absolute and undeniable awesome that my hamster makes me, I also wanted to mention how disgustingly simple it is to get distracted for hours on end in the abyss that is the internet, and subsequently not accomplish anything. I have been trying to pick up writing my book again, but it has been a frustrating experience mostly because of my own inability to remain focused and on-task whilst the video-game icon in the corner beckons to me.

The piano: A rather fascinating instrument

My good reader, I play the piano. It is an instrument capable of something very few others can do: the simultaneous playing of harmonies and melodies. Because of this specific quality, the piano exists as a unique example of instrumental music, because most anything may be played upon it. Anyways, I really would like to be better at the piano than I am...

Captain's log:

Everyone likes star trek, right? I like star trek. In fact, I have found myself slowly making my way through the 173 episodes of Star Trek: The Next Generation that I can access on netflix. It's fun, man. and that new star trek movie just came out, so, by the time I'm done watching Generation, it should be out on blu-ray dvd at a reasonable price.

General conference (specifically priesthood session)

As you may have heard, future forgetful self, from the previous post, I have been in Utah for the past few days, going to general conference. Today I went to priesthood session, and I must say it was a phenomenal time. Being able to see the general authorities and feel of their spirit was amazing. I don't really have much else to say.

In America

Well, through an interesting turn of events, I find myself writing from a desk in a second-story room in a fairly nice hotel in Utah, instead of at home. The consequences of this little vacation resound mostly in my school work; it will now be even harder than I had foreseen to keep afloat in math 31, what with band tour ripping me away from my studies for another three days next week. However, I am optimistic, perhaps because of the fine balcony view, or the balmy above zero weather, or the fact that I'm no longer in a car and won't be again for a few days. I will see the sights and not worry about school for a while, I think. Indeed, a touch of relaxation may be just what I need to bounce back into shape and really grasp school again.

an attempt at a dictation journal

I am beginning to wonder if it will be worthwhile to purchase a more advanced speaking tool such as dragon natural speaking even though such tools are frequently expensive.  I find myself be using the Microsoft in default speech recognition tool more and more; I find that it allows me to express myself with more premeditation and greater precision because I can hear myself reading the words on the page.  However the Microsoft speech recognition tool does not allow me to speak as fast as I would like.  It is also somewhat limited in any kind of third party software, although the built in wordpad is highly functional.

I believe that I could actually get used to using this tool to create a sort of journal of my life.  It's much simpler than typing on the keyboard since I can just talk to it.  It will allow me to record the events of my life was much less effort.  For example, today I went to church and learned about the atonement in both of my classes.  It was fast Sunday, so there were no set speakers.  That took me just a moment to speak to my computer and it had very few errors.  So from now on, I believe that I will be dictating to my computer as a sort would journal.

The last three days we had a winter camp as a scout troop.  We went to Cardston-Pegasus provincial park and stayed in a small shelter.  The snow at the park was surprisingly deep- it reached all the way up to my waist; about 2 1/2 feet.  10 of us in all went to the camp; six boys and four leaders.  We ate well even though we didn't catch any fish, and the cabin was very warm in part because of the fire.  On the Friday we held a biathlon  then went fishing.  Ice fishing with the younger boys was rather testing seeing as they were irritable after the first hour or so.