This past weekend, per usual, was a much needed break from the pressures of school. My MTC (missionary training center in Provo, Utah) companion, Abel Birk, came up for the weekend to go to the BYU vs. BSU game. Yep. As much as it kills me, he’s a Cougar. Too bad we slaughtered them.
Too be fair, to not sound totally ignorant, they would’ve killed us if it wasn’t for a few injuries. Also, a team who puts 55 points on the scoreboard shouldn’t have let 30 through. But it goes both ways. Without their MVP, suddenly they aren’t in the same league.

It was awesome to catch up with Abel, though. He’s very similar to JJ, so we became instant friends on the mish, and it was so good having him around. Just someone to laugh about nothing with, ya know? And he came up just in time to fill that ominous void that was the lack of having close friends here. We watched a lot of The Office (his fav), went to a baptism, and got lunch with some members he likes. The husband, Geoffrey Krueger, is a sick painter, and he showed us his studio – carefully hidden in an old hardware store. It reminds me of Michael Weston’s apartment in Burn Notice.

He’s having trouble making a name for himself, even though his talent is phenomenal. He started painting every day, after seeing the success that Julian Merrow-Smith was having with his online gallery, Postcard from Provence. Geoffrey was one cool guy and has an amazing talent. Check out his blog, Daily Dose of Painting! He also got me thinking as to how I can better market my familiarity with social media. Something to think about.

Saturday, as I’m sure you all know, was Katy Perry’s 30th birthday. We celebrated with cupcakes, her music video for “Birthday”, and watched Katy Perry: Part of Me. Strangely enough, it was only my second time watching her movie…Even Rotten Tomatoes gave it a 78%, which is fairly good, considering the target audience of the film.

This weekend, along with other experiences has made me realize that times past and experiences had will never be the same as they used to be. Going home to Virginia, friends matured, siblings grew, and buildings went up. I often think about whenever I’ll have the chance to visit Germany again. I think back to my two little host-sisters, Hannah and Barbara, who were only five and four years old when I left. If I were to go back right now, they’d be eight and seven! So different!  And my friends and fellow exchange students wouldn’t be there to complete my experience. It’s just odd to think about. But rather than getting all wrapped up in the past, I love thinking towards the future and what will come of it—what I’ll make of it.