This comic is wonderful.

And, it's how I feel today.

http://wondermark.com/791/

Back at the castle...

While your poor hearts have been aching for more posts from me, I've been battling around school, work, and life, thinking about what I can do in the way of writing.

Right now, I'm writing an essay for the David O. McKay essay competition, which is drawing a good chunk of my writing energy at the moment. That will all be wrapping up soon, and in the mean time, I'll be favoring you with the occasional link, photo, or thought.

While this may barely whet your appetite, there are some exciting things to look forward to. Starting in mid-February, the blog will have a new and improved look! Also, I'm going to be announcing an exciting new thing that I'm going to be doing. I'm hoping that you readers will join me in the fun, by which I mean, I'm not announcing an engagement or anything. Regardless though, I think you'll like it.

So for now, I'll just share this awesome photo by my friend Emma Koide. Super and his roommates have a tradition of taking ridiculous roommate photos. I deeply approve of this tradition.

One great lady

On January 2nd, my dear grandmother, Gertie, passed away after a long battle with poor health. I'm not really sure what I want to write here that isn't too close to my heart to share in a place like this. I worry about keeping the most tender memories of her safely tucked away.

Sometimes when I write things, the act of putting things down in words pulls them away from my deeper feelings. This makes for a positive experience usually, but occasionally, it lets me forget things that require more pondering than one bout of writing offers.

So instead of words, I'd like to share a few pictures of my grandma, who is a lovely, lovely lady. Also, I would like to express one thought that holds true in my heart no matter what I write about it: my grandma is still very close to me. Those who pass away are never too far away. When I say this, I am not talking about how we can remember them and that makes us feel close to them. No. I am talking about the literal reality of life after death. I know that when we leave this life, we enter the Spirit World where we engage in other work, taking with us all of the characteristics we have developed in this life. Like Jesus Christ, we will all be resurrected and be reunited with our physical bodies, which will be renewed and glorified. There's more to the story, and you can find that here.

The newer photographs are by my cousin, Nate and his wife Lori. The handsome man below is my Grampie.

Surprisingly, Bryon...

Here are two things you may not have known about New York City.

1) New Yorkers are actually super friendly. I present four evidences for my claim.

a) We are on the subway. Super looks down to check the map, having already figured out the best way to go but wanting to refresh his memory about the stops. The man on the seat below immeadiately begins to tell him the best way to get to where we are going. Super has said a total of four things, but we have found out that this man is from Columbia, has only been back once, loves New York a lot, has retired from the NYPD, and knows exactly how we should get to our destination regardless of where our car is parked. He was the kindest man I've ever conversed with on a subway, excluding Super who looks very much at home and very handsome on a subway.

b) Super and I exit the subway and head for the stairs. I ask what street we are headed to again. "Forty-second," he says. Upon hearing the name of a street, a woman in front of us whirls around as if we'd tapped her on the shoulder and tells us, "That way! Go through the tunnel and up." We went through the tunnel, finding our unsolicited counsel to be just what we needed at just the right moment. 

c) Standing up from the table in a crowded restaurant, I sneeze into my coat. From three tables over, a woman says, "God bless you." I feel blessed, though unable to locate the source of my well-wisher since it could be anyone of these people I do not know.

d) Beka and I make a break from the car to obtain frosties at the nearest Wendy's. Beka accidentally cuts in line. The man at the front of the line warmly directs her forward as he's still studying the menu. He's always lived in the Bronx he said, and every year he thinks he'll go to the ball drop in Times Square but always decides against it. "They say not to burn your bridges in things," he tell us. "But if I ever get a chance to get out of New York, I'm burning that bridge down."

2) On Long Island, they have squirrels. I forgot how beautiful squirrels are when they move. Their tails rippling gracefully. As I've been watching them out the window, they just get cuter and cuter to me.  

So, if you'll forgive me, I will continue to add some retrospective posts and pictures about my time in New York last week. Here are pictures of some friendly New Yorkers, namely Super's family. His dad took these lovely pictures for us.

Very happy New Yorkers, indeed.

Handsome, ain't he?

Coat. Courtesy of Aneka.