The List

I’d like to store here a list of characteristics I’m looking for in a spouse. I think part of my dating problems as of late has been that I don’t really have a goal in mind and have been wandering aimlessly. Hopefully, with a bit more focus I can have some more success. Please note: this list is not definitive, and is highly subject to change. In fact, I plan on editing this post every so often, if my priorities change or I simply think of more things. Anyway, I’m going to split this into two parts: The Essentials, and the Would Be Nice’s. There is a nearly nonexistent chance I’d marry a person if she didn’t possess the traits on the Essentials list, but the Would Be Nice list is by no means a deal-breaker, although if a person had at least some of these traits I’d be more disposed toward a relationship. (Also please note that some, but not all, items on the Essential list will work if the girl is just striving toward them. Nobody’s perfect.)

The Essentials

• Strong in the gospel
• Trustworthy
• Is fully committed to being the best possible mother she can be, and would be fine with being a stay-at-home mom
• Intelligent
• Does not have horrible psychological problems
• Does not force me to change, but instead inspires me to do so
• Absolutely gorgeous (to me, not necessarily in the world’s view)
• Is completely in love with me (probably the hardest criterion to fulfill), and vice versa
• Humble, and not self-righteous
• Not just laughs at my jokes, but tells jokes that I laugh at too
• Shuns homosexuality in all its forms, while understanding that homosexuals are people like everyone else
• Not a habitual liar
• Smiles regularly
• Supportive
• Will sing to our children
• Knows how to give constructive criticism (and when not to)
• Tries to avoid gossip
• Thinks of others ahead of herself
• Knows how to look good without being obsessed with glamor
• Can have different hobbies than me without feeling guilty about it

The Would Be Nice’s

• Red hair (preferably natural)
• Can at least appreciate Star Trek
• Knows how to spell and use proper grammar
• Has not kissed a lot of people (this is nearly an Essential)
• Possesses “The Eyes,” a trait I can’t really explain, but I know what I mean
• Assertive without being pig-headed
• Is acquainted with adversity
• Can beat me at Mario Kart, or any sort of game like that
• Not a sports person
• Not a couch potato
• Puts a new roll of toilet paper on the actual roll, instead of just putting a new roll in the bathroom willy-nilly
• Is recognizable as the same person without make-up
• Will sing beautifully to our children
• If she is a music person, can regard my musical abilities in the spirit of cooperation, not competition
• Not super-popular (especially if she could be, but chooses not to be)
• Knows how to handle money (and has the patience to help a spouse that may not be as well-versed in the subject)
• Does not tailgate

That should do for now. Check back for edits to this post!

Cavernous Triumph

 

Well, I finished the piece of music I wrote last week. I’m quite happy with it, with only one exception: the guitar sound just plain sucks. The rest of it, however, I think is a fine piece of work. But you don’t have to take my word for it! (Da dun dun!) It’s the piece entitled “Cavernous Triumph.”

Soundclick, the music hosting site.

Just a quick note: I’ve now got a page on Soundclick, where I can upload as many of my MP3’s as I wish, so I can share them with the world! Most of the stuff I’ve mentioned on this blog is hosted there, so please go and check ‘em out!

Week, uh, whatever (new song!)

I’ve been a horrible slacker on this whole “song a week” thing. But, in an attempt to cop-out, I’ve posted my final project for my synthesizer 260R class, and it’s much better than that Doepfer Jam I did a while back, too! You can find it at my MySpace artist page; it’s the Metroid 2 ReMix. Now, keep in find that this isn’t the finished product; I still have to go back and mix and master everything: put on the polish, as it were. But this will give you a good idea of what the final product will sound like. Hopefully sometime next week I’ll have finished it, and when I do I’ll re-upload it so you can hear it in all its glory.

If you’re interested in where I got the original tune, you can find that at The Metroid Database as track 2 in this list. That website is kind of picky about letting you download things unless you register, though, so in case that doesn’t work, try VGMusic.com and get one of the “Main Tunnel” themes under “Metroid II,” although these are MIDI files and consequently don’t sound quite like the original. Or, if you wish, you can get the GBS version, which includes all the tracks from Metroid II in a very small filesize, but requires both Winamp and the plugin Chipamp to play.

In any case, enjoy the remix!

Conference in a nutshell

Here’s a quick rundown of things that I learned, old and new, during the LDS General Conference this past weekend:

1. Pray! Always!
2. Sing hymns, and listen to prelude music.
3. Make a commitment now not to sin later.
4. Speak kind words to each other (and to yourself). And don’t call kids fat, even jokingly.
5. Immerse yourself in the gospel to become born again, just like a cucumber turns into a pickle.
6. Christ is divine, and death merely a doorway.
7. The tabernacle is great!
8. Brigham Young and Gordon B.Hinckley are great!
9. Historic things happened at the tabernacle.
10. Have an attitude of gratitude.
11. Remembrance in the scriptures implies action.
12. Don’t drop footballs. Keep your eye on the goal!
13. Do what is right, no matter the consequences.
14. The wise man obeys God.
15. Twenties = decade of decision
16. Making no decision is as bad as making the wrong decision!
17. Selective obedience will crash you into the ocean.
18. Be there!!!
19. Get used to study! Prepare now, foo!
20. Unencumber your life, so you can put God first.
21. Store food, dude.
22. The devil can’t make you do jack.
23. Wife, family, and home are most important!
24. Get tech ed! Choose an honorable vocation!
25. Greatness is not only reserved for the old.
26. Priesthood: a responsibility, and a gateway to blessings.
27. President Monson goes off the prompter sometimes!
28. In the face of temptation, remember that you carry the priesthood everywhere you go.
29. Always be prepared to give a blessing!
30. Keep the well filled!
31. We are in the prologue to a great future, so let’s work!
32. Be clean! That’s how you be a man!
33. Be clean in language, though, body, dress, and even on the computer.
34. The Amish are a strong, God-fearing, forgiving people. Don’t hurt kids! Forgive!
35. Divorce aggravates conflicts, and is most often a sign of selfishness. Think of the children! Get counseling instead!
36. Divorce was only permissible under the higher law in cases of adultery.
37. To marry well, date well! Have a careful courtship!
38. Marry someone committed to strive for perfection, and be that person as well.
39. The gospel’s true, isn’t it? Then what else matters?
40. Excuses impede our progress.
41. The strength of the children begins with the parents.
42. Read the scriptures!
43. Joseph Smith was a prophet of God.
44. You can never forget spiritual witnesses.
45. The Bible is awesome! It has inspired countless people over the centuries, and is the base of our scripture. Read it!
46. God is our Father. Christ lives. His atonement is the keystone of our existence. The priesthood has been restored.
47. Families are forever, thanks to the temple.
48. The fulness of the gospel has been restored!
49. Priesthood = service.
50. Don’t procrastinate. Someday almost always means never.
51. Mormon doctrine is a true understanding of Christianity.
52. Who’s on the Lord’s side, who? Should be you! Make it so!
53. When faced with temptation, hum a hymn!
54. Tithing provides solutions to temporal problems.
55. Fasting and prayer unleashes greater blessings.
56. Contrary to what Satan tries to make us believe, there is no point of no return when it comes to sin.
57. The noblest soul is the forgiving soul. That also includes forgiving yourself.
58. Become converted!
59. Let this conference inspire us all to be a little better.
60. Drive safely!

But perhaps the most important lesson I learned at conference:

61. Don’t wear a lighter-colored suit when you sing in the choir during priesthood session, because everybody you know will be able to pick you out.

It’s funny. During the last song of priesthood session, all I could think of was that this was the only contact I’ve had with those people from my mission that I hold most dear, and I said a silent prayer that they’d recognize and remember me. So, to the Sanchez and Nadal families, I still love you both. God bless you. Que Dios os bendiga.

Los Sanchez (& various missionaries)

Los Nadal