Farewell to Ireland.

Actually I'm not leaving Ireland. In fact, I've never been to Ireland. I was just listening to a song called "Farewell to Ireland". *shrug* No particular reason.
Ok anyway. The time has come to lay this blog to rest,
*gunshot*
*thud*
and move on to the next horizon. Well, the next blog, at least. In one weeks time, (October 15th) I will post my first blog on my main blog, found in the link. (Over here somewhere)--->
The blog will follow me through New York, London, and Uganda. I'll be updating it as regularly as I can, but I'm not sure if I'll have internet right away. We'll see. :]
*starts digging a grave*
So if you're interested in following my activity in Uganda and such, keep up to date with my main blog.
*throws the first blog into the grave*
Otherwise you might get bored, because I wont be touching this blog anymore.
*starts filling the hole* (Filling, as in to fill something. Not filing, as in file. Very, very different)
I hope you've enjoyed all the posts so far. I apologize to all my friends that I have not kept in touch with well enough. Forgive me, as I have been busy looking for food. And napping. I find time to update the blog by sleeptyping. Thats why you can't really blame me for what is on these posts. I'm actually asleep. zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz. See?

Ok that was stupid, I know. Sorry. Anyways, time to lay this blog to rest. Farewell, sweet friend. I've benefited from you greatly, and I hope that the next blog can shine as brightly as you have.
(is it odd that I am feeling sad that I am moving blogs now??)
Send me an email for requests, comments, questions, complaints, or food. Or just post a comment, no matter really!

*Puts up a tombstone that reads as follows*
"Prelude to Africa, a friend, and believer, and an inanimate digital form."

"Farewell, allies and enemies alike. I'll see you at the end of it all."

A New Song

(Today, we have a special guest, Rovert the inter-dimensional version of Trevor! He will be acting as a narrator and friend!)
You know, for years now I've played guitar, and I have not gotten any better at it. (He isn't kidding.) Meh, no biggie really. Still, you would think that after a while I would be able to get the hang of it a bit better than I do now. Anypoo, thats not the point. Let me tell you a little story. You ready? Grab your hot cocoa and snuggie, and sit your butt down.(Gasp! He said butt!)
A bud told me of an old instrument that he had, and how he had gotten back into it. He also asked me if I had any interest in the little mini one he had given me a while back. I did, but I had lost it. (great way to treat a gift, huh?) He seemed so excited about it, that I just had to give a whack at it again.
"Alright," I thought, "I can find it again and give it a try."
So, after a bit, it was found. (His little brother found it. Bribery pays.) However, It had a chipped up paint job. So I decided to to whittle away the busted up part, and get this little instrument back to looking great. So I did. After hours of working with my knife, the clouds opened up and the sun shone brightly on my life as I completed the work! I cleaned up the mess, and proudly toted the instrument around. That night, I lay down to rest till the morning. Alas, morning came, but not to the peaceful serenity of the whispers of my new friend, but rather to the heartbreaking stab of shattering. Yes, the death of my new found friend was inevitable as he fell from his perch early in the new day. Thus, his shards scattered themselves thoroughly across my floor, and my hopes for him followed close behind.

In other words, it slipped out of my pocket when I rolled over and smashed against the floor and I was sad.
That is the story of my first Ocarina, the newest addition of my heart. Its gone now, but there is a happy ending to this tale. You see, once that happened, I emailed the above mentioned bud about the situation. I told him to stop expecting to hear of my experiences, due to the fact that I broke it. He later emailed me and told me he had bought me a gift package of Ocarinas, and that it was on its way! Woot!
It was a little late to convince him not to do it. They were bought and shipped, and now I have them. A note explained:
"Hope you like. Maybe it will give you something to do in Africa if boredom creeps up! Oh, yeah, and I hope they don't break."
So, thanks, bud! I'll enjoy them every day!

Who ever knows what an Ocarina is, raise thy hand. No one, really? Hey, you don't count, you googled it. Well I'll go ahead and introduce you to my new little family members so you can have a chance to get to know them! (Getting creepy yet?)
Oi. Well it seems as thought the picture part isn't working at this time. So for now, go to my flickr page and click on my 'Ocarina' collection. There you'll find my dear little ones.
(seriously now. Getting creepy.)

Things I will and will not miss

Holy snapple. Its windy today. The past couple days, really. Anypoo. This post, I'll blog about the different things I'm going to miss when I head to Africa, and of course the things that I will not miss. Where should I start?

LIST TIME! I love lists. They're great. Unless its a list of things to do. I hate those. 
Things I'll miss/notmiss, version 1.0! (FYI, I'm not going to mention the normal things like family and such, because that is a given. So if I didnt mention you, dont get all fisticuffs with me)

I'll miss: Watching t.v. on the living room floor at moms feet while she sits on the couch. Its my spot.
I wont miss: That one board of the fence that I painted the wrong color. Stupid thing.
I'll miss: The cooler weather. I prefer coolerness.
I wont miss: The 'im stupid' feeling you get when you realize you forgot your lunch at the front door while you're out in service.
I'll miss: Going down my walkway to my front door, and jumping over the bushes onto the porch.
I wont miss: The 'Alaskan winter sun' that is always RIGHT in my eyes when driving to service early in the morning.
I'll miss: My Futon.
I wont miss: My feather down blanket that spreads 1000 feathers across my room every morning.
I'll miss: Running up/down the stairs at mach 4.
I wont miss: Tripping on said stairs at said speed.
I'll miss: The sound of opening our fridge. Its a heavenly noise.
I wont miss: The sound of mom saying 'dont stand there with the fridge open."
I'll miss: Driving on a warm summer day with the windows rolled down.
I wont miss: The breakup season.
I'll miss: Getting texts from random people and not knowing who they are.
I wont miss: Meeting someone who knows me but I dont know them.
I'll miss: The 'my hometown' feeling.
I wont miss: The 'my hometown' feeling.
I'll miss: Nina.
I wont miss: Getting things thrown at me. (See above person)
I'll miss: The Alaskan autumn. Suuuuuuuuuuuch a perfect season to me.
I wont miss: The darkness. Darky, blackness, dark.
I'll miss: Not sweating all the time.
I wont miss: Scaring people with the pure flash of white when I take off my shirt.
I'll miss: My friends.
I wont miss: Twilight.
I'll miss: My family.
I wont miss: My family when I want to sleep in.
I'll miss: Checking the mail. I love the walk from my house to the box.
I wont miss: My crazy neighbors. Freaks.
I'll miss: Energy drinks.
I wont miss: Expensive coffees. They cost too much.
I'll miss: Being very, very comfortable in my congregation.
I wont miss: Work. :]
I'll miss: Paychecks. :[
I wont miss: The sinking feeling that I'm wasting my life doing something anyone could accomplish. (long story, poorly explained)
I'll miss: Direct, helpful guidance from people I thoroughly trust.
I wont miss: The 'Trevyboy' syndrome. (Long story)
I'll miss: My Guitar.
I wont miss: Stubbing my toe on my futon.
I'll miss: The smell of my room.
I wont miss: Justin Beiber.
I'll miss: Singing loudly in the car. (when alone)
I wont miss: When I accidentally buttdial someone while I'm singing loudly in the car.
I'll miss: My sister's sense of style.
I wont miss: That mysteriously nasteyjunk smell in my car.
I'll miss: Mountain Dew.
I wont miss: Homesickness.
I'll miss: My dog, Allie.
I wont miss: Breaking a string on my guitar. Such a tragic, heartbreaking moment.

Well that's it for this version. If it comes to me, or I care enough, I might add another. So, what do you think? What should my next post be about? I'm out of ideas for the moment...
Comments?

Request, Matt

Alright, so my good pal Matt dropped a request. Hopefully I can answer sufficiently. Here is what Matt has to ask of me.
"Of all the things that you are going to learn in this experience, what do you hope to walk away with. ( thats not a question, due to the lack of '?', but no biggie. :] )
Also, what do you think you will be able to contribute while there?"
Um. Let me think about this.

Life seems to throw a lot at us, but our minds are designed to grow and mature from our experiences. Awesome and all, right? Imagine a time where we dont actually die of old age, but instead carry the knowledge and understanding we got from our life a little bit further. (farther?) Where all of the pressures and heat that refine us are actually kept and put to use beyond 100 years or so. (And 100 is being generous) Until that time, I hope that whatever refining that I might get dumped on me might be put to use. My time abroad so far has really molded me, but I have always gone to countries and places that are well provided for, and prosperous. (Well, I went to D.R., but I have only vague memories of that) So I am hoping that I can walk away with a totally different mentality and perspective on life. That is kind of a blanket statement, so specifically I mean...well...I want to...um. Ok this is harder to put to words than I think. Pushup time!
(Huff, huff, huff)
Ok, I didnt actually do any. But I did think of a way to put it into words.

Random side point first. I made this video purely for the fun of it. Its just me on a walk through the woods and around some streets. Check it out if you find this post boring!

 Continuing:
Allow me put it this way.
Some people walk through the cities, and their biggest concern is that their latte isn't done quite the way they like. (Breve is smoother, made with half and half. Mmmm) Some people look at the clothes you wear, and instantly come to a judgment of who you are based solely on the clothes you wear. Sure, they give a good talk about how horrible it is to know that people suffer in third world countries, but how do they really know? In between sentences they are texting about going to the next party, and planning what they are going to buy so they can dress to impress. It all seems to be nothing but a HUGE distraction.
Sure, dressing nice, being clean, and social lives are important, and keeping up with the times to a degree is totally fine and acceptable to me, but its the focus of some people. Its sad to see how upset some get about little things that others might not ever notice. Why? Two types of people. (Super basic, obviously, because I dont want to look like I am judging people. Its just a list of characteristics that some might display is all)
1, people who see the mundane things as all powerful,
and 2, those that have bigger problems to deal with.
For 2, the color of someone's car is the last thing on their minds. The size of 1's house doesnt mean anything. And those name brand shoes that 1 so desperately seeks, 2 hasn't even heard of them.

So, a wider perspective. Thats the best I can put it. It might not sounds like a lot, but perspective is a HUGE aspect of life. Perspective alone can shape the lives of anyone. So many people seek a new perspective, and it can change their whole being, inside and out. Perspective has brought about life changing advancement, and savage brutality. Perspective, in its simplicity, is ever so complex, and it makes up the person of the heart. And the great thing is, if we are looking for the right kind of perspective, we can never gain all the perspectives out there. Mmmm. Tasty goodness in thought form.

RANDOM PICTURE TIME! (I <3 Autumn)---Get it? Its a heart, on a fallen leaf!

As for the second part of your question, I have no idea. I suppose I am just going to give it my all in every way. To be honestly able to say that emotionally, mentally, and physically I gave my all to support and assist those that I meet in Africa. And for kicks, make a few friends along the way! Who knows, this may become my home. Maybe not, I dont know yet. Whatever comes, I'm ready to experience it and see just how NOT ready I really was. But the way I see it, thats where things are kept interesting!

I hope that answers your request, Matt. :] If not, well too bad, drop another comment and I'll see what I can do. Brotherly Love the whole way!

Thank you once again, one and all. May thy travels be vast and quick, and thy winds bear you favorably.

Trevor B~

Long time no write

Wow. Two weeks later, here I am. Hehe, I havent really written in a while, have I? Ok, let me update a few things.

September 1st is a big day. Why is that?
September 1st marks 3 things.
1. I have been Pioneering for 6 continual years, and now I am in my 7th year. (M.S. for 5 years)
2. My bud since youth, Jace Shaffer, starts out his life as a Pioneer today.
3. It now marks 6 weeks until I leave for Uganda.

That may seem like something little, but really its a nostalgic day. Listening to tunes from the past on Pandora and looking around at the things I will be leaving aid to a slightly depressing, reflective, and confusing day. Couple that with having just talked to one of the longtime sisters in my hall (In her 90's)  as she told stories of the beginning of the work on the Kenai Peninsula, thus making me realize just how far we have come in Alaska alone, and how far we will go in our lives if we allow Jehovah's spirit to move us. Whew. What a day.

I never understand what this emotion I have right now is. Its a mix of sad, happy, worried, stressed, excited, longing, and ready. "Yellow" by Coldplay just came on, and that brings back a lot of memories from Bethel. My Coordinator used to dance like the lead singer from Coldplay, singing along to all the songs he knew. He was a hyper guy, come to think of it. I would sing the chorus (its all I knew) when it came up just so he wouldn't feel bad. He loved it, and it usually made my day.

I just got back from the District convention. "Remain Close to Jehovah." Only Jehovah knows how much I needed that...my goodness it was perfect timing. To see him literally reach down and give me exactly what I need is almost frightening, to be honest. I also had a chance to meet so many of the friends I missed since NY, and I made so many more friends than I already have. All ages, all backgrounds, all with that same love for Jehovah. You really leave me speechless sometimes, Jehovah...