Google Math Equations!

Just to show you how rad Google search is, go ahead and search this math equation. I'm pretty sure the answer will be mutual from you as well.

(sqrt(cos(x))*cos(400*x)+sqrt(abs(x))-0.4)*(4-x*x)^0.1

Or just click here.

Less Texting

New goal in life. Less texting.

Texting is totally awesome!

Honestly, when is texting ever considered good?

It is considered tacky if you ask a girl out via texting.

Texting while driving is deadly.

Texting while with friends is just rude.

Looking at your phone on a date is a sign of disinterest, usually people are checking for texts.
It takes so much longer to text than just call someone up.

Texting removes all forms of human interaction, period.

People don't really pay that much attention to your texts.

How easy is it to avoid a text message and not respond to it?

I have come to the conclusion that texting in general is just a bother. I know this because I text a lot, and I have noticed how little it actually does for me.

So that is why I am putting in to place my new goal, less texting all together. I can only think of a few rare situations I'm going to text:

1. When I need a quick answer.
2. Tell someone to call me if my previous call did not get through.
3. Make funny comments about mustaches with my friend while we walk around campus. Seriously guys, why do you have mustaches?

For now on, I'm calling, how else should a social butterfly like myself roll?

10-Day Facebook Fast

Today, this very night, I determined to go on a much needed, 10-day facebook fast. Why you ask? Because that website takes up so much of my time dangit!

Why should I spend so much time reading about all my 800 friends' statuses when I can just call up a really good friend and see how they are doing? Why should I, whenever I think about a cute girl, go look at their profile, rather than text them or call them up? (You know me guys, that has the potential to happen, a lot.) Why should I allow the tyrannical grip of facebook take my precious time when I should be studying for important school projects and the GMAT?

No sir, I will I not be using that website any more for ten days!

Honestly though, it is quite ingenious what I have discovered someone should do if they want to do a Facebook fast.

It's simple:

1) Have the will power to not touch that website for however long you wish.

And that's it . . . or, if you are weak like me and don't have any willpower, at all, you can do this:

1) Turn off any email notifications from facebook.
2) Go to PCTools and automatically generate a password, now don't read the password, just copy it.
3) Go to http://emailfuture.com/ and send yourself an email for however long in the future you plan to be on your facebook fast. Make sure you include the new password in the email and follow the directions in the email to make sure you get that future email.
4) Change your password on facebook with the new one by pasting it in without knowing it.
5) Logout of Facebook, you are now not able to get onto your profile until the future email gets to you.


And there you go, may your facebook fast be full of joy and abundant new discoveries in yourself. I already feel the desire to see how that one girl is doing . . . darn it.


Note: Thanks to http://www.wikihow.com/Block-Access-to-Your-Facebook-Account-Temporarily for the links and the idea on how to execute this plan.

Making Goals into Habits

Give me a stock clerk with a goal and I'll give you a man who will make history. Give me a man with no goals and I'll give you a stock clerk."

- J.C. Penny

I like this quote, it not only shows that in order to become a great person, you must have goals, but also people with goals are the ones who become people who make history. And that is what I want for me, to become a person who makes history, well that requires making goals, and those goals must become our habits. Well here are my goals for 2011 that I want to turn into my habits . . . mostly, a lot of them are also just goals that will happen to change my life for the better, helping me to become what I want in the process. Just enjoy what I have written down!

Fitness Goals

• Finish the complete P90X exercise program one more time.
• Start a new workout program after P90X. (Possibly intensity)
• The idea behind all this is to just to continue as I have been at having a great fitness habit for my life.

Nutrition Goals

• Read at least two books on basics on nutrition.
• Learn to cook at least one new meal a week.
• Develop a favorite recipes book.
• Limit eating out to special occasions (yes ladies, that includes dates).
• Plan out my meals throughout the day to avoid eating out.

Financial Goals

• Reach designated amount in my savings account and keep it there (I'm not telling you how little money I have!).
• Contribute set amount to my retirement fund each month.

Social Goals

• Remember names much better than I currently do.
• Write them down.
• Say person's name three times in a short conversation that I have with the person.
• Remember at least one thing about the person that is unique to them that I can bring up next time I see them (hobbies, current personal events, etc).
• Rather than jump around a room like I usually do, stick to longer conversations with people.
• Certain dating goals - Those are a little more personal for me :)

Career Goals (This year I am getting much closer to setting life-altering career decisions, so they must be some pretty good goals for this year).

• Do everything possible to get a summer internship of my choice.
• Study for the GMAT to get in the 700+ range.
• Saturday is study day!
• Plus 2 hours per day until I take the test.
• Discover what would be great positions for me in my career
• List hard and weak skills to develop and focus on one at a time until I am fairly good at it, then move on to the next skill on the list.

Spanish Goals

• Practice with friends daily
• Perfect Spanish pronunciation.
• Learn one word a day.

Church/Spiritual Goals

• Weekly temple attendance.
• Memorize all scripture mastery scriptures.
• Reread entire Standard Works.
• Gratitude journal.

Studying Goals

• Review notes soon after lectures.
• Weekly note reviews to keep information fresh.
• Take notes as I read my books to better remember what I am reading.
• Memorize the terms as I learn the chapter, not a day before the test.

And there are a lot of my goals that I want to make into habits, of course I plan to continue to become awesome as I go along!

A Christmas Story

This movie is a classic! I love it! I just watched it today and it reminded me so much of all the great times I have had for Christmas with my family.

Now this movie was inspirational for me, because it encouraged me to want a very special gift when I was 8!

An official Red Ryder, carbine action, two-hundred shot range model air rifle! I loved the gun I got! I used it to pretend I was the greatest sheriff ever, shoot annoying cats out in the street, shoot my eye out . . . all that good jazz!

This boy sure is dashing in all his 50's glory.

So in honor of this great moment, me seeing this movie hundreds of times all during Christmas, I remember the good times after I got that air rifle that now seems to have disappeared somewhere in my parents' house.

Thanksgiving, totally a great time to be thankful.

Thanksgiving is here. Besides my monstrous desire for all things that involve food, which Thanksgiving happily provides, I too have so many other things that I love that involve the Thanksgiving holiday. American football is playing on pretty much every sport station imaginable, everyone in my family is able to get together and enjoy each other’s company, People tend to be happier and ready to get involved to help others on this holiday, maybe it is because we are more thoughtful as we think what we are thankful for, or maybe because Christmas is just around the corner.

Mmmm, Turkey!

Thanksgiving gives the signal that I can start to openly expressing that Christmas is just a few weeks away, that holiday music is now socially acceptable to listen to, rather than sitting in my closet at 2am listening to Frank Sinatra’s Jingle Bells hoping no one catches me and declares me weird, and Christmas decorations go up. . . I don’t know if I like Thanksgiving more because of the holiday itself or that it is the gateway to Christmas.

But let’s fully admit it, I really like Thanksgiving because of all the food, food is so good!
This time of the year really helps me to focus on what I am grateful for as well, there is so much in my life that I could express my absolute gratitude for, there is so much in my life that I am blessed with, so in honor of Thanksgiving! I want to say what I am thankful for, I am going to spew the very first thing that comes to my head, so basically you get to somewhat see how I think . . . don’t try to figure it out, you’ll just hurt yourself.

Things to be Thanksgivingful for:

Great food.
Happy, loving, caring, special and totally awesome family.
Computer screens that open the gateway to the world!
Scriptures.
My education at Brigham Young University.
Hard things to challenge me and make me better.
Nice, outgoing people who will fulfill my desire to just meet new people.
Women . . . period!
Flirting.
Youtube to help me understand obscure principles from classes.
Work, I love to work and keep me busy.
Penguins.
Nostalgic 80’s/90’s cartoon shows and their corresponding theme songs.
Smart people who help me get through my classes.
Disney films.
Classic rock, especially 80’s.
Social dancing, like country dancing.
Brothers
Jason for being a great example serving his mission.
My mission.
Everything Brazilian in existence of the world.
Puppies!
Food . . . I really like food.
Outstanding friends, and new friends that I make constantly.
My country.
Portuguese and other languages that prove too difficult to really learn but make one feel smart anyways.
My parents for raising this little monster here.
Physical activity.
Fantastic movies that allow one to leave their real way existence for a time.
Books that really suck one out of their world, ignoring all other concerns.
Temple worship, it is just so peaceful and fantastic there.
Friends and family who have a real world perspective.
The study of history … historology?
Merciful TAs whom grade your papers and projects.
Cows, they provide me with milk.
Outstanding senior citizens who have a wealth of knowledge to pass on to others, then quickly fall asleep while telling you the true meaning of existence.
Doug from “Up!”
Pizza.
Prayer.
Intelligent conversation.
People with the ability to be serious, but also the ability to goof-off at the right times.

There is my short list of things to be thankful for. People, there is so much. Every day is a new day
with so many great things happening in our lives to be thankful for, there is little reason to let the negative things in our lives surpass the positive when in reality the positive outweigh the negative almost without measurement.

This Thanksgiving, look deep to see what you are thankful for, there is something there, and some of those things you are thankful for might surprise you. Take my challenge, look for them, write them down, and realize how so many great things exist in the world and in your life.

But of course, the best thing in the world is food.

Core Values

I have been thinking, a lot about this subject recently, core values that is. Friends have been blogging about it, I just had a fantastic lecture from the Marriott School of Management Executive of the Year Donald Soderquist, former CEO of Wal-mart talking about values, and reminders of my mission president bringing up these topics as well.

Values are essential to everything. They make you who you are, they define you! Mr. Soderquist told us how values may decay over time if they are not discussed, and implemented many times a year, but it is extremely important that we renew them always.

My mission president first introduced me to core values on a special night when several of us missionaries were invited to his house for dinner. He told us a story of how he was younger, he had made a list of several core values that he determined were going to guide his life. His whole life to that point he was telling the story had been prepared around those values and they helped him, like a light house, to keep him on the proper path. Like any good missionary does after such an inspirational story, I looked deep to find what I wanted my core values to be. I want to share them with all of you as well. Partially to give people an idea how it is done, and also to evaluate how I am doing in comparison to the type of man I want to be. I encourage everyone to make their own core values, and live by them. These values can be anything! But they have to come from inside you and truly be yours, because they are going to be different from person to person. They don't have to define who you are now, but they should define the kind of person you want to be. If there is something you value that you don't match up to, but deep in your heart, you know you must become better at practicing that value, then by all means, do what it takes to live that value, you will be better for it. Ladies and gentlemen, my core values!

Integrity - I want to be that person who always tells the truth and does what is right. I am a man of my word. I will always do more then what is expected of me. My integrity is above groups of people, pride, desires, or people - I will not lower my integrity just to appease others. I will always defend what is right in a respectful manner, showing love in times of reprehension - in other words, I will be a "defender of the truth." I will be a man of humility: I will accept when I am wrong, I will consider suggestions, and I will use these in order to better myself. When people see me, I want them to say "He is a man of integrity!"

Family - Before any situation of any nature, my family comes first! I will be a best friend to my wife, children, parents, siblings, etc. My home will be built on the foundation of the sacred temple and the sealing covenant. My home will be a place of refuge from the world and a clean and organized place where the Spirit may reside. At all times I will honor my Priesthood as the Patriarch of the family - I will lead the family with selflessness, sensitivity, kindness, love, charity, and respect. The mother of my children - my wife - and I will teach gospel standards in family home evening, family prayer, daily family scripture study, occasional family testimony meetings, and daily family meals which occur at least once a day. I will sacrifice in order to provide for my family. I will always work to better the relationships with my wife, children, parents, siblings, etc to have a connection of love and harmony.

Work - People will look at me and say "He is a worker!" I will follow all the attributes of integrity as listed above. I will be loyal to my superiors and those whom I will direct. I will focus at the task at hand. I will do what is asked, expected, and I will go beyond the mark to accomplish my tasks. I will do my part to be an admired leader who inspires others to do their very best. I will be extremely professional and I will always have an appearance that looks the part (a good first impression goes along way)! I will "network" to develop new work relationships based on trust, service, and respect. I will always have a business card on hand to trade with others in order to network.

Kingdom of God - I will always remember that one who seeks the kingdom of God before other things; will have all thing put in to their proper place. I will go to church every Sunday. I will obey all the commandments with exactness. I will be an example to others of gospel living. I will magnify my calling in every way possible. I will have a 100% home teaching rate. I will pay my tithing first thing after receiving money and I will always remember the blessings associated with it. I will go to the Holy Temple at least once a month with my wife. I will be an example of member missionary work; I will work with the missionaries, I will comfort new and inactive members. I will always bare my testimony. I will have a "how can I help?" attitude with all people. I will follow the words of the prophets and the apostles. Scripture study will be an essential everyday activity.

Health - I will live the Word of Wisdom to the T. I will make and follow my own exercise and nutrition plans. The entire family will be involved in healthy activities. I will do routine checkups at the doctors/dentist/etc. I will follow the rule "early to bed, early to rise." I will avoid questionable, alternative health options.

Education - I will always take new classes in academic subjects to learn new things. I will go as far as is permitted in my education at a university with the goal of a graduate degree. I will read many books on a variety of subjects in order to learn new ideas, new methods, etc. I will always emphasize the importance of education to my children, family, friends, associates, etc, in order to help the better themselves.

Financial Freedom - I will always pay my tithing first thing after receiving my money. I will never go into debt. I will work to earn enough money to be free of distractions but not to show the world "I'm rich!" The purpose of money is to help me and my family enjoy life; money is not life's purpose! I will donate heavily in to charity once my family's needs have first been met.

Those are my seven core values. I am doing all I can to live by them. It does not matter how you form your core values, just do it and live by them! To develop mine, I did a lot of pray, scripture study, soul searching, asking other people questions, etc. Hence why mine is a bit more focused on religious aspects than some other people might do in their core values. But it does not have to be so spiritual or religious focused like mine is. just look deep in side yourself and write down those things that make you who you are and what you want to become. These values can change over time too. I noticed while copying my written document on values, that there are things I now need to change in it. This is a living, evolving document, remember that and it will be easy to change when you have one of those life changing moments.

Values are important guys, they define who we are! We need to sit down and figure them out so they are defined. Just a hint, write them down and put them somewhere safe and accessible for constant renewing of them by looking over them and deciding if you are actually living up to your own standards!