The Last Ten Years

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Posted by Connor on December 15th, 2006

Per Jordan’s suggestion I’ve decided to take some time to review where I was, each December, for the past ten years. This might make some of you feel really old. Reader beware! :)

Dec. 2005

Finished up my second to last semester at the Y, feeling the full effects of Senioritis (i.e. no desire to study for my finals). Drove down to San Diego for Christmas break w/ my brother. Finished reading the Book of Mormon as per President Hinckley’s challenge. Went to see the new Joseph Smith movie at the Legacy Theater, and with some time to kill beforehand went up to the 10th floor w/ my date to check out the view. Lo and behold there was some sort of dinner party up there, and we saw Pres. Hinckley, Elders Uchtdorf, Bednar, Scott, Packer, Nelson, Perry, and Samuelson. Whoa. Had my two year anniversary of having finished the mish. Was serving as the Ward Family History Consultant and Ward Financial Clerk

Dec. 2004

Had my one year anniversary of having finished the mish. Took some finals that I didn’t really study for, looking forward to going home for the Christmas break. My airplane tickets for the trip were lost in the mail, so I had to bum a ride down to San Diego from a friend. Our pet beagle, Maggie, was slowly dying. Tried moving the old, massive big screen TV down the stairs on Christmas day, to no avail. Had a whole lot of rebounds with the girlfriend I had broken up with the month before. My cousin Krystal was pregnant with her daughter, Allison. Decided abruptly to move apartments, so spent an entire day cleaning, packing, and moving.

Dec. 2003

Came home from my mission in Honduras! Drank milk. Drank tap water. Walked around barefoot on carpet. Drooled at the sight of a stocked pantry. Hugged the toilet. Surfed the internet… a lot. Ate at In-n-Out. Said prayers of thanksgiving for the aforementioned items. Had a scripture study session with my grandfather who was dying of Alzheimers. Went to a movie w/ a girl (whoa, freaky!) which was PG-13. I hadn’t heard of the movie since I just got home. Was astounded to see that one scene had a 50-year-old-ish lady completely nude. Completely. Ew. Filth. Stupid Hollywood. Headed up to Utah w/ the family after Christmas to take me up to BYU. Had an interview for a job at the Kennedy Center at BYU. Got a call 15 minutes after the interview offering me the position. Woot!

Dec. 2002

After serving as the membership clerk in the mission office for a couple months, the Mission President interviewed me and requested that I become the new financial clerk. Doing so would require being an “office Elder” longer than initially expected – almost an entire year by the time I left the office and returned to the field. Helped the Pres. run four Christmas parties for the mission. Nearly pulled all my hair out from having to manage two clerk positions for a six week span. Had Christmas dinner at President’s house, played a never-ending game of Monopoly, and talked to the fam for 100 minutes.

Dec. 2001

I was working for a law firm in San Diego as a “personal assistant” to a mediator and preparing to leave for my mission the following month. Buying suits, getting a physical, four shots in each arm, and all that other fun stuff. Went on as many dates as I could get (like two or something.. I rule!) before I would have to go on a two year hiatus.

Dec. 2000

Took my finals at the Y for my sophomore year, and packed up all my stuff for the move back home to San Diego. Was happy to have access to the family pantry, a refreshing change to my endless supply of Top Ramen and Hot Pockets.

Dec. 1999

Finished my first semester at BYU. Had my first NCMO experience. Thought I was cool. Soon realized I wasn’t. Had a job doing a website for the EDLF at BYU.

Dec. 1998

Was in the middle of my senior year at Poway High School, practicing the art of sleeping during class without being detected. Seriously, high school is a joke. Alas… I think Christmas was in there somewhere too, though my memory is somewhat rusty this far back, sans journal.

Dec. 1997

Middle of my junior year. I was a bando, so we probably had a show or two. And I think Christmas happened again, though I can’t say with certainty. And I got my Eagle Scout sometime around December. Or maybe it was November. Or October. Your guess is as good as mine.

Dec. 1996

Holy crap, I have no idea. You see, kids, this is why journals are important. For all I know, I was an exchange student in some distant land, eating questionable items served by large, happy women speaking a funny language. Or perhaps I was a sophomore in high school, eager to have a Christmas break for some R&R. That R&R probably consisted of moping around all day saying “I’m bored, there’s nothing to do…” Yeah, that sounds about right.

Moral to the story: Journals are good.

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5 comments so far. Care to chime in?

Connor:

Thanks for doing this- it was an interesting read. You know, I also served as the Financial Secretary in the mission office- and I was in the office for about 10 months.

Personally, I think the most change and advances for you are yet to come- you will be amazed at where you find yourself 10 years after returning home from your mission. That is what kind of prompted me to engage in this exercise, since it has been 10 years now since I got back home.

The mission lays such a nice foundation for the beginning years of your adult life, as you have already begun to realize.

#1 Jordan | December 15th, 2006 11:15 AM

By the way, I am not really that old, nor did your post make me feel old. You are about the same age as one of my younger brothers. I am 31.

#2 Jordan | December 15th, 2006 11:55 AM

I didn’t realize you worked in EDLF. I worked in the McKay School for 3 years myself (in tech support).

#3 Richard K Miller | December 15th, 2006 1:02 PM

You hugged the toilet. Heheh.
That was a little extreme. I mean, Honduras couldn’t have been that bad, I mean I know because I have lived in Southamerica. And the tap water thing, I always drank tap water back home, but then again my stomach has bacteria-resistant bacteria that desires no competition from other bacteria. I think you developed those during the mission though.

#4 Lucia | December 17th, 2006 1:50 AM