188th Annual General Conference -Saturday Sesson Highlights

Saturday Morning Session:

Solemn Assembly

M. Russell Ballard

• May each one of us, completely sustain Pres Nelson and his counselors and follow his direction. 
• We should not be surprised that those called to do the Lord's work are not perfect. 
• Given the reality of our human weaknesses and shortcomings, we should remember all are not perfect. 
• Faith in the Savior is the first principle and doctrine in the gospel of Christ.
• If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, move hence, and it shall be moved. And nothing shall be impossible unto you. 
• If we have faith the size of a mustard seed, God can help us move Mountains. 
• A little faith can go a long ways.
• Life can be filled with faith, joy, happiness, and love when we exercise the smallest amount of faith in Christ. 
• Hang on. Exercise Your Faith. Keep your Courage. And You'll Come Out on Top.
• If we do not find time to Unplug, we may miss the opportunities to hear the still small voice. 
• When trials close a door, service can open a window. 
• We must keep Christ the center of our lives. At all times. In all Places. 
• May we be blessed to Treasure our many gifts and blessings from God. 
• May the joy and the peace of the Lord abide with each one of you. 

Brian K. Taylor

• You are a child of God. He is the Father of your spirit. Spiritually you are of Noble Birth. The Offspring of the King of Heaven. Fix that Truth in your Heart and Hold onto It.
• Knowing I am a child of God is the most powerful knowledge that I possess.
• Our Father knows us by name. We ARE his children. 
• God will never desert us. He never has. He never will. It is not his character to do so. 
• God walks with us. Constantly. 

Larry Echo Hawk

• Forgiveness is an essential and precious gift offered to us by our Savior.
• Even in the midst of your own trials, you can help others going through their own tragedies. It can ease the hearts of both sides by doing so.
• The Prince and Peace can help lift the painful burdens weighing us down and uplift us through the gift of forgiving others. 
• We need to be forgiving, even if we feel others don't deserve to be forgiven.
• Even as Christ forgives you, you ought to forgive one another. 
• While it is required to forgive, it is understandable that forgiveness cannot come immediately. It can take time. 
• Are we letting Pride keep us from forgiving and letting go?
• Even if Forgiveness does not come today, know that even as we desire and work for it. It will come. 
• An essential part of forgiveness is being able to forgive ourselves for our mistakes. 
• As we forgive, the Savior will strengthen us and his power and joy will flow into our lives. 

Gary E. Stevenson

• As one star sinks below the horizon another rises. 
• Close the grave, dry your eyes, and turn your faces to the light of the future.
• We are witnesses to and participants to a most sacred occasion. A solemn assembly.
• A Prophet is in Place. The Lord is Pleased that His Work is being Done.
• One must move quickly to keep up with Pres Nelson's pace.
• Place yourselves in situations where things are peaceful, dignified, and full of respect.
• Are you offering correction and teaching in a positive uplifting manner?
• In no matter the circumstance our hearts can be filled with love and joy.

Lynn G. Robbins

• Success isn't the absent of failure, but the going from failure to failure with a positive attitude helps us find success. 
• Hopefully each mistake we make becomes a lesson in wisdom. 
• We are all grateful for second chances in a life full of stumbling blocks and failures.
• To become like God will require a lot of second chances as we learn from our mistakes and practice in becoming perfect.
• If to err is Human nature, how many failures will it take us before our human nature isn't human but divine?
• The Savior's grace is ever ready and ever present.
• Repentence isn't His backup plan IF we fail. But is his MAIN plan when we do fail.
• Do not establish limits on Forgiveness. It is limitless. Forgiveness is always available to you no matter how often you mess up.
• Our success isn't from going to failure to failure but GROWING from failure to failure without any loss of enthusiasm. 
• Things that do not change remain the same. And when we are through changing. We are through. If we don't want to be through, we need to continue to get up despite how often we fail. 
• Our Spiritual Growth is often invisible to us unless we take the time to look back on our past actions with a spiritual eye. 

Neil L. Andersen 

• The power of Heaven is with us. 
• The Lord selects his prophet. 
• The most important role of the Lord's prophet is to teach us of the Savior and lead us to Him.
• Despite all our success and acclaim...we still at times have to bow our heads and say "Not my will but Thine." 
• A greater witness will come to you as you humbly and worthily seek it.
• Anchoring our Souls to the Lord Jesus Christ requires listening to those that he sends. 
• The Lord's voice often comes without explanation. 
• Beyond the intellect alone, we treasure the gift of the Holy Ghost.
• As you are humble in following the counsel of the Lord's prophet you will be blessed with safety and peace. 
• Walk forward in faith, trusting in God that we will in time receive more spiritual clarity.
• A prophet does not stand between you and the Savior, the prophet stands beside you and points the way to the Savior.

Saturday Afternoon Session

David A. Bednar

• Sometimes in order to gain what one values most...one must lose and take away the things of the world.
• We may think words of advice given during Conference are meant for someone else, but we all can become and be a little better.
• The Savior chose to emphasis Meekness above all the attributes he could have chosen.
• When the Lord tells you to do something through his Prophets do you act immediately to follow that counsel, or come up with excuses as to why 'that's not for me?' 
• Meekness is strong not weak. Active not passive. Courageous, not timid. Restrained, not excessive.
• Meekness has a particular spiritual receptivity both in listening to the Holy Ghost and to those who appear to be less capable than their more accomplished peers.
• Meekness is the principle protection from prideful blindness.
• Meekness is the foundation for which all spiritual capacities and gifts arise. 
• The Lord will guide, strengthen and protect us as we walk with His Spirit.

Taylor G. Godoy

• If we only had One More Day, what would we change? How would we use the time we have left?
• We all have Today to live. Let's make every day successful. Let's make every day count.
• Personal sacrifice is an invaluable source that drives our actions and decisions.
• The sacrifices our loved ones make for us refreshes us like cool water in a dry desert. It brings hope and light to our lives.
• Come forth. Harden not your heart any further. Now is the time and day of your salvation. Soften your heart and great things and blessings will happen to you.
• Be kind. Be gentle. Laugh a little more. Express your gratitude. Speak your love and then speak it again.

Bonnie L. Oscarson

• Every one of us has something to contribute, unique talents that can help move this work forward.
• Every one of us should feel valued. Should feel that we can contribute and help the work.
• We have something to contribute in ALL areas of this work.
• Everyone in the church young and old can be called upon to serve others.
• Men, Women, Youth, and Children are ALL recipients of Priesthood blessings and ALL can be used to move the Lord's work forward.
• Service can often lighten your burdens and make your challenges seem less hard.

Taniela B. Wakolo

• All the families of the Earth will be blessed with the blessings of the gospel.
• God promises us blessings if we faithfully honor the covenants we've made with him.
• Children need to know that their Dad (or Mother) loves God too. 
• You may be happy and positive, but receiving the ordinances and covenants can enhance your gentleness.
• Our temptations do not end when we make our covenants. Our covenants help us to have the strength to resist those temptations when they come into our lives.
• Aren't we shepherds of our own Souls? Would we not want to care for ourselves as much as we would care for another?
• Be A Faithful Shepherd.

Devin G. Durrant

• We are never released from the eternal calling of being a Parent.
• There will always be opposition to holding FHE. Regardless find your way around the obstacles and hold FHE. 
• We can't ever pray too much as a family.
• Parental teaching is like being an on-call physician because we never know when we'll be called upon to teach our children.
• Never hesitate to teach your children.
• Be ready always to give an answer to everyone. 
• It's wise to ask ourselves, what are teaching others by our acts and our attitudes? 
• Our example often provides the most impact when teaching. 
• Is your best work done even when you're out of the public eye? Are you the same person in private as you are in public or are you even better?

Dale G. Renlund

• We have an obligation to research and compile family histories.
• When God directs us to do one thing, he often has many purposes in mind. 
• Family history work isn't only for the dead, but blesses the living as well.
• When ordinances are preformed on behalf of the deceased, God's children on earth are healed.
•  Feelings we experience in Temples can often feel like we got a glimpse of heaven.
• We can be inspired all day long about family and temple experiences Others have had, but we must Do something to experience the same thing ourselves.

Priesthood Session

Douglas D. Holmes

• The purpose of the priesthood is to provide God's children to the Atoning power of Jesus Christ.
• I believe the way we see others significantly impacts their perception of who they are and what they can become. 
• How can they believe in Him if they have not heard of him? Faith comes by hearing. Hearing the word of God.
• If we have prepared we can teach the gospel the way the angels do, through the power of the Holy Ghost.
• Through your words and actions, young men you are authorized Messengers of God. You will be as a Ministering Angel
• God has a work for you to do.

Russell M. Nelson

• You are the hope of our Redeemer. 
• The Lord wants ALL of his ordained sons to represent him, to speak for him, to act for him, and bless the lives of God's children.
• We have felt a pressing need to improve how we communicate and teach with our members.

D. Todd Christofferson

• To care for our members we need to strengthen our priesthood quorums. 
• While one may be ordained to multiple callings but aren't actively serving in each priesthood office at the same time.
• The priesthood is greater than any of its offices. The priesthood is not divisible. 
• The Lord's direction is manifest and I rejoice in it.

Ronald A. Rasband

• How blessed we are to have a living prophet today.
• These adjustments will help the Relief Society and Priesthood harmonize their efforts.
• We can serve shoulder to shoulder. 
• Thank you for all that you are doing to be a part of this magnificent work. May we go forward together in this great and honored cause.

Henry B. Eyring

• The Lord's plan to provide loving care has taken many forms over the years.
• It wasn't hard. While we walked we talked the entire way of what a miracle this all was.
• It is not important if others see us serving, it is important that the Lord sees us serving.

Dallin H. Oaks

• The Melchizedek priesthood is not a status or a label. It is a divine power held in trust for the benefit of God's work for his children.
• We are laboring for the salvation of souls and we should feel that this is the greatest duty placed upon us. Therefore we should be willing to sacrifice everything if need be. 
• An Elder is the minister of the Lord Jesus Christ. He is the Lord's agent.
• One is never "Only" an Elder. Every Elder in the church holds as much priesthood as the Prophet.
• What is an Elder? He is a Shepherd serving in the sheepfold of the good shepherd.
• When one becomes a member of the priesthood he becomes an agent unto the Lord. 
• Will you act like an Agent on the Lord's Errand? 
• Fathers should cultivate loving family relationships. So that family members will WANT to ask their fathers for blessings. 
• Parents should encourage more priesthood blessings in the family.
• Fathers function as Equal partners to their Wives.
• Never is the power of the priesthood more wonderful than when there is a crisis in the home that is vested in the power of the priesthood to perform miracles if the Lord wills it so. 
• In order to use the priesthood one must be Worthy to Exercise it. 

Russell M. Nelson

• It really doesn't matter Where one Serves. What the Lord cares about is How one Serves. 
• Are you focused on yourself and your selfish desires? Or on using the priesthood to help and serve others and bring upliftment into their lives?
• Are you missing opportunities in your life because you are unware of your full capabilities?
• The Priesthood has been restored to the earth, and yet soo many go through trials without experiencing the power of the Priesthood blessing their lives, to give them strength to come out of their trials stronger and better. 

To view/read/listen to the talks in their entirety please visit: 

https://www.lds.org/general-conference?cid=HP_SA-31-3-2018_dPFD_fGC_xLIDyL2-4_&lang=eng

Until you next see these words;

I'll be watching the leaves.

Enjoy the day!

-Sarnic Dirchi

Wandering About

It's that time of year again. ^^;;
When the Gem Faires come back into town.

Which it's no secret that I like rocks. lol. 
I love finding new ones to buy, mostly because I'm constantly curious as to which types of rocks and styles of stone I'll be attracted to as I wander through the booths.

Like I usually notice a theme with the stones I pick.
Certain colors tend to stand out and draw me to them.

I was a bit more curious this time around.
Mostly because for almost this entire week, I've been dealing with headaches.
Which not fun.

But headaches usually mean that something is out of wack.
Whether it's my sleep schedule, nutrients, hormones, or energy...
There's something off kilter that's causing things to be out of alignment.

And sometimes rocks.
Especially massage wands, can help soothe the tense muscles.
Or at least holding the stones helps me feel a bit better. 

This time around. 
Most of my purchases revolved around blue/orange themes as well as white. 

Which with the particular stones I chose, Quartz w/ Black Tourmaline, Sodalite, and Chiastolite, along with possible some Jasper or Agate wands....

Are interesting. 
Mostly because they're grounding stones. To help clear the mind, give inspiration, protect from negative energy, and you know just help recenter me. 

Which cool. lol. Good to know I'm being drawn to stones to help me get back aligned and such. 

It was interesting though, to wander around the stalls this time around.
As there were a lot more people who were in search of particular stones.

"Oh I need Smokey Quartz." 
"I need Labradorite." 

And like they weren't looking for the stones because they were pretty.
No these people were actually looking for them to help complete sets, or to help with setting up good energy zones and the like.

Basically they were going more for the 'healing properties' of the stones.
Rather than the shininess and the beads/jewelry that most people tend to gravitate towards at these things.

So weird. 
Interesting.
But weird to see so many people actually being interested in the rock rocks,
And not just the fancy shiny beads and jewels.

*shakes head*

But hey!
At least we all basically left the faire happy with our purchases. ^^ That's what counts lol. 

Until you next read these words;
I'll be watching the leaves.
Enjoy the day!

-Sarnic Dirchi

A Dry Spell

The Portland Oregon East Stake has been developing a dairy farm over the past half dozen years or more.

It is located on an island in the Columbia River and is one of the largest single-stake projects in the Church.

This fact, coupled with the need to develop the project almost from scratch, has placed a heavy burden upon our people, both in time and in money.

With a new project, we had run in the red each year, but 1977 was to be our turnabout year.

The final result depended upon harvesting about seventy-five acres of corn, which was to be made into silage for feed.

Unseasonably, it had rained almost every day during the month of September, and by the first day of October, our scheduled harvest date, I knew the crop was in trouble.

We have a very high water table on the island, and when the ground gets saturated with too much water we get so much mud our harvest equipment cannot get into the fields without sinking.

Once the land is saturated, it takes about a month of dry weather to make the fields passable to vehicles.

During the winter months and right up until June, the corn ground is entirely under water.

I visit the farm about once a week, so I keep a pair of rubber boots in my car.

I drove to the farm that October day and decided to pull on my boots and walk down into the corn fields.

I immediately found even the road turned to mud and puddles.

In places the mud came near the top of my eighteen-inch-high boots, and I don't really know why I continued walking.

It was a dark grey, overcast day, and drops of rain were splashing in the open puddles everywhere.

The farm crew told me they had taken a corn chopper down into the fields a few days earlier but had it down to the axles in mud somewhere in the long corn rows.

As I walked I noticed that the corn itself was a fine crop, with row after row ten to fourteen feet high.

Now, I rarely get depressed, but I was feeling really low that day.

I knew how hard everyone had worked and what it meant to lose that fine crop.

I eventually came to the spot where the chopper had gone in, and looking way down the rows I saw it sunk deep into the mud.

For some reason I decided to walk to the chopper, and as I entered the rows and splashed on through the mud and water, I was startled to hear a voice.

I am sure that the voice came to me only in my mind, but I could hear the admonition of President Kimball.

He said softly, "Is anything too hard for the Lord?"

Now, like you, I have heard him say that many times, but I did not fully focus upon it before this time.

I smiled to myself as I walked and said, "yes, President, I believe this mess may be too hard even for the Lord."

As I neared the chopper, I was impressed to climb up on it and upon doing so found my head was about two feet above seventy-five acres of that tall, splendid corn.

As I looked about in discouragement, the voice seemed to come to me again, but this time in a more serious tone, "President, is there anything too hard for the Lord?"

At once I felt ashamed of my attitude of depression, and soon I was no longer looking down but up into the sky.

Before I realized it, I was talking, yes, pleading aloud with the Lord in faith.

When I had finished, I had committed that crop and the harvesting of it into the hands of the Lord and had done so by the power of the priesthood of God.

I recall that as I climbed down from the chopper, tears were still streaming from my eyes.

I grew concerned as I slowly walked away considering what it was that I had just done.

Yet I knew that I had done it in total faith, that there was a proper need, and that it was a righteous request of the Lord.

Because of the spiritual nature of my experience, I think I had decided not to tell anyone of it.

But the very next Sunday I was sitting on the stand during one of our ward sacrament meetings.

I was not scheduled to speak, but the bishop got up with about ten minutes remaining and said, "I feel President DeHaan has had a spiritual experience that he needs to share with us."

I got up reluctantly, knowing what it was I had to relate.

I did so and asked the congregation to join me with their faith.

Now, we have Saints with great testimonies in our stake, and my experience spread rapidly throughout the wards.

I learned several weeks later that members were even telling their nonmember friends to go ahead and plan picnics and outdoor activities, because even in Oregon it was not going to rain throughout October.

On the day following my experience in the corn fields, the sun came out for the first time in nearly thirty days.

Then the next day we had sun, and the day following that.

Before long the temperature was back into the high seventies.

Every day for the next three weeks the weather forecast called for rain, but each day no rain fell.

I recall that about two weeks later I flew to Seattle, about two hundred miles to the north, on business.

It rained very hard there all day, and as I made the return trip to Portland it rained all the way until we reached the Columbia River, which surrounds our farm.

Miraculously, the clouds parted and the rain ceased.

That day I cut a little weather map from the newspaper showing the rain ending at the river and put it on our refrigerator as a reminder to keep my faith.

Three weeks after my original experience in the fields, I drove to the farm once again.

I put on my boots and went back into the corn.

This time the ground was soft but firming.

that was on a Friday, and our fine farm crew was already making plans to begin the harvest on the following Monday.

That same day an acquaintance of mine from a local television station called.

He said, "I understand the Mormons are developing a fine dairy farm on Sauvies Island."

I answered in the affirmative, and he inquired, "Is there a story there?"

I told him there was, but I knew he could never capture the real story.

That very Monday, as we began our harvest, we had a camera crew on the farm for several hours, and we did get some fine publicity for the Church.

With the loyal assistance of many of the members, we worked day and night for the next five days.

By the following Saturday, all of the freshly chopped corn was safely in our silage pits, and we finished covering it over with plastic.

At last we had the feed needed to get us through the winter.

Within an hour after having covered the crop, the heavens just seemed to open and commenced one of the heaviest and longest downpours I can remember.

The fields from which the corn had just been removed were flooded and remained under water from that day until the following June.

as I stood in the rain with feelings of gratitude that I'll never be able to adequately describe, it seemed to me that the Lord had just saved it up until our spiritual understanding had been fulfilled.

-Douglas W. DeHaan -"Is Any Thing Too Hard for the Lord?" -October 1980 General Conference

Until you next see these words;

I'll be watching the leaves.

Enjoy the day!

-Sarnic Dirchi

A Specific Project

It's the customers that come in with random needs that make working at a Pet Store fun.

Like in my first year I had a customer come into the store looking for...I think it was charcoal to burn to try and get rid of an evil spirit in his house that was haunting him.

Then there was the customer who bought goldfish to put in his tub for his cat to play with.

Or you know the customer who wanted to buy a guinea pig to act as a companion animal to their dog who had recently had his doggie buddy pass away. (I convinced them not do that.) 

The groups that come in for fear factor challenges as well like buying a bunch of crickets for people to feel in a dark box....

And multiple customers who come into the store looking for ground up walnut shells to use in making pin cushions.

You know.

It's just those 'out of the box' sort of concepts that you usually don't think about a Pet Store being able to provide. 

Today I had another customer with a sort of 'out of the box' thing. 

Where I had a customer come into the store looking for nightcrawlers. Aka. Worms. 

Now people usually get them for fishing purposes, or feeding specific reptiles, or you know...that fear factor concept.

This customer?

They wanted the worms for a sensory table for preschoolers. 

Which. O.o 

I get the sensory table thing.

But using worms and dirt for such a concept?

O.o 

Weird. It's random. So weirdly random. 

*shakes head*

I just ended up with the mental image of these 3-5 year olds putting the worms in there mouths and trying to eat them.

Like...I really don't see this project ending weird. 

If it's not the worms they're trying to eat, it would be the dirt. 

But yah....I hope that sensory table with the worms and dirt works better than I'm imagining it to work. ^^;; 

Until you next read these words;

I'll be watching the leaves.

Enjoy the day!

-Sarnic Dirchi

It All Works Out

It's really funny how my work schedule works out for me. 

Like I'll see that I randomly got a different day off.
Or that I have a shorter shift scheduled than normal.
Or the hours of my shift are different where I'm working earlier or later than normal.

And I don't usually think much of it.
Until that day.
When something happens.

Like it could be that I ended up seeing someone that I don't usually end up seeing.

But most of the time, it really just tends to line up with my 'bad' days. 
Most of the time.

Like the days where I end up feeling really bad, or sick, or can't function fully properly.....
Are usually on my days off, or when I have short days.

And it's just fantastic.

I mean not fun to not feel well on days off and such.
But the fact that I don't have to miss work because I'm not feeling great is good.

Today was one of those days.

Where I was randomly scheduled a much shorter shift than usual. 
Which is weird considering that I was expecting to get a week of 8 hour shifts this week. 

But I was scheduled a short 6 hour shift.

And it was great.
Because I ended up waking up not feeling the best. 
And ended up with an annoying headache after work.

But because my shift was short, I chose to go in anyways.
And thankfully I managed to do well and last until the end of my shift 
Which Woot
Because once I got home.
Oh yah. So totally don't feel good. (stupid headache go away) 

So I'm just grateful that I was able to still do my job.
But not be in agony the entire time.

I just really like that work somehow manages to schedule itself to work out around me without me knowing in advance that I need my work to work around me. lol

It's a cool thing. ^^;;

Until you next see these words;
I'll be watching the leaves.
Enjoy the day!

-Sarnic Dirchi

System Woes

To continue on the random tangent I'm on apparently this week with games.
My roomies have this Xbox One
That they've been using to play Skyrim for the past little while.
Only recently the past few days or so.
After very limited time playing. 
Like 30 minutes....
The Xbox One has been randomly shutting off.
Like mid play.

Which is frustrating to the roomies. 
Since you can lose a lot of progress if you haven't saved for a bit when the machine randomly kicks off.

And at first they thought it was just like...a build up of dust.
But clearing off the machine, checking wires, moving the Xbox One to a different location near the TV....

All didn't solve the issue.
Which isn't good. 
As the roomies really like playing their games on it.

But the impressive thing...is how much they can figure out from just...like googling things.
"Oh hey I don't know how to do this. Let's see if someone on the internet has also had this problem and if there's a solution."
It's kinda cool how a few minutes of scrolling can tell you all the things lol. 

They use it a lot of figure out how the game is supposed to be going or how to find certain things they're struggling to find.

Which again, very cool.

But after some research.
The roomies discovered that it's possible that the model of Xbox One they got might have a glitch in the motherboard that was causing it to randomly shut off. 

It's apparently been a rather common occurrence in the model that they had.

Luckily for them though, their gaming system was still under warranty (yay for buying that) 
And after calling the store and such, they were like "Yah, just bring it in we've had a lot of issues with that model and such." 

So they went to the game store to get a replacement....
Only to discover that the store was out of stock on that model.
So if they wanted the same one...the store would need to order it and ship it to them.
BUT
Because it's known that this model was having issues.
The people at the store were like "You might as well just buy this newer version which doesn't have the motherboard issue and it comes with a free game and it's only like $50 more than the other gaming system. 

So.
That's what they did.
They got a new shiny Xbox One whichever model it is....

And like all electronics....
Installing things hasn't been the easiest lol.

They've spent most of the night trying to get the information from the old Xbox onto the new One (via a harddrive data transfer thingymababer)
And are just...experiencing some hardships in the process.

However...I'm pretty sure they'll be all the more happy once they get everything set up to how it was on their old one. 
Even though they lost a bit of game data....
At least they didn't lose their entire game that they had going on.
Because Skyrim is a bit of a worldbuilding game. So starting all the way over would have been extremely frustrating. 
luckily they don't need to do that.

Hopefully they get it all figured out soon and can get back to playing instead of stressing over the set up. 

Until you next read these words;
I'll be watching the leaves.
Enjoy the day!

-Sarnic Dirchi

A Hunting We Shall Go

My roomies and I went on a bit of an adventure today.
Because we were Pokémon hunting. ^^;; lol.
Yes we play Pokémon Go. It's a good way to exercise and walk about....and have fun at the same time. ^^;; lol. You know...when it's actually warm enough to be outside. 

And today Pokémon Go had an event where for like 3 hours you could catch a ton more Bulbasaurs than normal.
And me....I really wanted to do this event.
Because I started playing the game like a year or so after my roomies. 
Which means...I'm rather behind in catching monsters and evolving them and such.

So I was excited about the event.
Because I was hoping to catch enough to be able to evolve one. 

But wow.
I underestimated how many I would be able to catch...
Because I must have caught like 200 it felt like. ()_() Seriously. It was a lot. (maybe not 200 but ALOT) 

And it was the sort of thing where the roomies were like "Okay, we're only going to catch enough for you to evolve one of these, and then we'll go home so we might take maybe an hour." 

Heh.
And then I discovered.
That one of the bulbasaurs I caught...was a shiny. 
Aka when it evolves it becomes a different color than the normal ones.

And that's what got my roomies hooked. 
Like ()_() WHAT?!?! WE DON'T HAVE A SHINY ONE!! MUST CATCH THEM UNTIL WE GET THE SHINIES!!

lol and long story short...we stayed out the entire 3 hour event. 
And it was just fun. ^^ 
Because we were bonding and catching things and just having well....fun lol.

Though I did end up with a major headache afterwards.
Because you know...stress of trying to catch things on a tiny phone screen on a bright summer day when you hadn't really eaten or drunk anything all day....is not the best of ideas. ^^;; 
Heh. Oops.

But hey.
I and the roomies had fun. ^^;;

Until you next see these words;
I'll be watching the leaves.
Enjoy the day!

-Sarnic Dirchi

A New Fascination

I tend to go through phases of fascination when it comes to learning about the world and history.

Like I just....like watching shows or googling information in relation to a topic.

Recently I've been fascinated with Earth's oceans.
More specifically the ship wrecks that are being discovered within them.

It was probably triggered with a fanfic idea I was working on.
But on Netflix I've found a handful of shows dealing with exactly that.

Finding shipwrecks in the oceans and seas. 
Discovering animals that weren't seen before.
Exploring the deep oceans looking for natural events....as well as more shipwrecks.

And it's like just sooo fascinating.
Because 95% of our Oceans are basically unexplored.

Which means there could be so much hidden.
So much undiscovered.

And I just love watching and seeing the people in the shows I'm watching find these amazing things. See these wrecks, find these animals, discover new things under the waves.

It's great. ^^ 

Until you next read these words;
I'll be watching the leaves.
Enjoy the day!

-Sarnic Dirchi

Away on Adventure

So, a while ago, one of my best friends moved to the opposite side of the country.
Which has been hard, because like we used to do a lot together and they were like someone I could talk to constantly about everything.
So to suddenly have them move so far away.
Wasn't so fun. :( Mostly because I couldn't just call them up and be like "Hey you wanna go grab Wendy's?" 

And basically since my friend moved, she's been trying to talk me into flying out to see her. 

Which is a bit nerve-wracking in concept because like...I don't often do well with visiting new places.
I mean the last handful of times I've ended up somewhere new....I've also ended up suffering from major headaches the first couple of days because...well stress. Maybe anxiety. Who knows.

And I would be flying out BY MYSELF.
Which ahhh
Even more stressful.
You know how many times I've done that? Go on vacation somewhere else by myself?

Exactly once.
Usually if I go anywhere it's with family. So I'm never alone.

The last time I went anywhere far away by myself?
Was the summer after my first year of college. So like nearly a decade ago. (which is so weird to think about)
Where I flew halfway across the country to see my roommate who had gone home for the summer.
And I ended up being sick nearly like the entire time I was there visiting...because idk adjusting??
lol And I did that back to back where I then flew by myself to Colorado right after to meet up with my family as we visited with an Aunt and Uncle.

So like...it's been forever since I've flown by myself.
Gone anywhere by myself.

And the concept of doing so again.
Makes me soo nervous.
Because like...There are sooo many unknowns.
I've never been to my friend's state before, I don't know what the atmosphere is like, the culture, what sort of home they'll have, what we'll be doing while I'm there...
The only known factor is that my friend will be there. lol

But like I really wanted to see her.
Sooo I bit the bullet.

^^;;
I finally bought tickets to go see my friend in a couple of months!! Woot!!!
Like I'm sooo nervous excited.
Because again unknown factors, but I finally get to see my friend after like a year!!! AHHH!!!!

So this is going to be....fun.
Flying by myself.
Being in a new state for the first time. ^^;;

lol though I'm pretty sure that the first day or two I'm there, I'm just going to be like "Okay, can we just chill at your home so I can get used to being in this place?"

Guess we'll see.
Maybe this time around it will be different and I'll take to being in a new place like a fish to water.

Still.
I'm excited!!!
Can't wait to go see my friend. ^^;;

Until you next see these words;
I'll be watching the leaves.
Enjoy the day!

-Sarnic Dirchi 

Where's My Glove?

So with the weather getting warmer, I no longer feel the need to wear my heavy coat.
Mostly because even though it's still pretty chilly in the mornings it's now getting a lot warmer later in the day, too warm to comfortably wear a heavy coat to hide my work uniform. 

So I switched to a lighter jacket, that continues to hide most of my uniform. 
Only...there's one slight problem to this jacket.
It's pockets aren't as deep.
And so when I put gloves in my pockets -cus it is still cold in the morning.
....They sometimes like to fall out.
At the most inconvenient times and I have to go hunt down the one glove that suddenly decided to jump ship.

This happened last night.
I'd worn my jacket with my gloves in the pockets, to the movie theater. 
-I finally went to see Black Panther.

And me?
I can't sit still.
Seriously, I'm constantly shifting my positions during movies.
And at some point during the movie when I shifted one too many times...
One of my gloves decided to fall out of my pocket. 

I didn't notice.

Not until after I got to my car, and I was standing by it, with my hands in my pockets, chatting with a friend before we went our separate ways.
And I realized that my left hand, wasn't feeling the presence of my glove. 
Which I could feel the glove in my right pocket.

*exhales*
Which meant that the other glove fell out.
But I had no way of knowing if it fell out before I left home, or if it was in my car, or in the theater or some other place. 

I couldn't immediately check though, because my friend and I were still chatting and I didn't want to just you know...say "Hey let's go look for my glove that may or may not have been left behind in the theater." 

lol. So like an hour later when we ended up splitting ways....
I got in my car.
My friend got in theirs.
I pretended to be sending a quick text on my phone, while covertly watching my friend get into their car, and when they turned on their car, I turned on mine....watched them pull away...go out of sight....and turned off my car and booked it back inside the theater. 

I approached the two guys waiting to take people's tickets and gave them my most friendly smile and was like "Hey do you guys have a lost and found?" 
Because it had been an Hour since I'd left the theater.
They were like "Yah, what are you looking for?" 
I held up my poor single glove. "The match to this glove. I think I might have dropped it in the theater but I'm not sure."
And they were like "Oh" and searched their little box thingy and didn't find it. And they were like "When did the movie get out?"
I told them the time.
They checked their little chart thingy and said "Well our guys have cleaned the theater already and didn't find it...
And I was like ":( Oh..."
"But you're welcome to go look and double check"
I lit up. "REALLY?! Thank you! I'll be quick!" 
And I darted over to theater one, and grabbed out my phone to turn on the flashlight and headed up to where I'd been sitting.
I peered down in the gap where my glove could have slipped. 
And yep there on the floor it laid. 

HAHA!!! I FOUND IT!!!!
WOOT!!

So I grabbed it, put it on, headed back to the exit and showed the guys on my way out. "I FOUND IT!" just to prove that I did find it. And they were like "oh cool. have a great night."

lol. you too guys you too.

But yay for me being able to find my glove as I am pretty sure one day I won't.
But for now. My luck is in!
My gloves remain a pair and remain with me. ^^;; 

Until you next read these words;
I'll be watching the leaves.
Enjoy the day!

-Sarnic Dirchi

Panicking

It's probably a bit of sleep deprivation contributing to this.
To those moments when the brain decides to just...freak out and worry over nothing, or about things that I really have no control over. 

*exhales*

So, today at work I was on break, scrolling through facebook, cus I do that occasionally on break.
And I saw a notification from my High School Reunion page.
Where they were like "Okay! 10 year reunion! Here's the location and the date!" 

And it's just....weird. 
Because it's been 10 years.
Yet it hardly feels like it's been that long. 
At all.

And I had this sudden realization....that there are people that I could potentially see at the reunion, who got married right after high school, who already have kids. Like multiple kids. And like their oldest ones could be like 9 years old already.

My brain basically spiraled from there.

Into the sudden panic of "EVERYONE IS GOING TO LOOK AT ME AND THINK I'M A FAILURE!!" 

*exhales*
Which is singularly frustrating to have to deal with.
With realizing that according to the 'ways of the world'
I haven't...'appeared' to have progressed as far in life as others of my peers. 

Like...No Kids. Not Married. Not working in a $$$$$$ sort of job. 

And I can just see it now. (cus I have a vivid imagination.) 
The looks of disappointment. The disinterest. The well...."Oh. That's nice" sort of conversations.

I mean....reunions are these places where you can basically brag about all you've accomplished. "Oh yah, here's my spouse and our three beautiful children and I just go promoted in this job and I've done these amazing things and won this contest!" etc etc.

I can see the phones being pulled out to show off the kids, the spouse (if they couldn't come) the accomplishments. 

And I'm like...."Here's a picture of my 125 Gallon Fish Tank" 
-I mean I know that there are people who are like "Here are pictures of my Dogs!!" 

But like...mine's a fish tank....
And I work in like a Retail Job.....Which people often see as a job that you get to help pay for college or earn extra money on the side. 

And then once you graduate college...you quit the retail job and end up somewhere with a ton of money, and have that fancy house and fancy car and fancy boat/trailer/4wheeler. 

It's just that downward spiral of "What have I done with my life?!?!" AHHHHHH

Ugh. I hate that vicious downward cycle.
Those dark doubts. 
That feeling of inadequacy. 

Because you know what?

When I'm not actively trying to dissect my life and wonder just how I've ended up still single 10 years....

I'm actually pretty happy.

I have a job that I love. -Which is a goal I always wanted. To have a job that I loved.
I'm writing. Which is soo rewarding. Fanfiction is that...idk blessed place where I can let my thoughts run free and share it with people and get instant feedback and I love it! 
I have this amazing 125 gallon fish tank which I coveted for 2 years before I could get, and I'm sooo happy that I accomplished that goal and have my tank because it's AMAZING. 
I've graduated College. Have no debt. I have my own car. I'm finally out of apartment housing and in an actual house with roomies that I like being around.

Like all things considered.

I'm doing really well. 

Soo why in the world am I panicking about talking to people I haven't seen in 10 years and telling them this information?

*exhales* 
Because I've already experienced some semi negative responses to the above. To working in a Pet Store. To writing fanfics. To still being single and not dating anyone currently. 

Because it's not quite the normal route.
And people don't quite know what to expect from it. 
>.< 

Idk.
I don't know why my brain decided to go down this spiral of AHHHHHHH just from seeing that post.

*exhales* 
I just need to breathe.
Stop thinking about it.

Because there are people in my graduating class who are also still single, who are still going to school, who are deep in debt, who maybe got married and are now divorced.....

Like everyone is on a different path.
So I should stop freaking out over what they'll think about my path I'm on currently.
After all. It's only the 10 year reunion. 
A lot can change between now and the 20 year reunion.
*fingers crossed* 

Until you next see these words;
I'll be watching the leaves.
Enjoy the day!

-Sarnic Dirchi