Thoughts on... sleep

What's sleep I ask myself? I haven't gotten enough of this the past couple of days. I heard people say that the optimal amount of sleep varies from person to person, but for me pretty much ANY sleep would be most beneficial. I think that I probably should be getting at least eight hours a night in order to stay at an optimal brain functionality. If only there were more hours in the day. How great would that be?

Imagine with me for just a second that we had an unlimited amount of time to finish homework comfortably and then sleep until our hearts content. We would never have to worry about being late to anything. On the other side of this argument, it seems that such a world with unlimited hours might be unproductive. I would probably oversleep and do too much of nothing. Although my exhausted body may say, "please take a moment and rest" I also know that too much sleep can be a bad thing.

I guess that the important thing to remember about sleep is this: sleep while you can, but wake up when the alarm goes off. The end.

How-to... NOT procrastinate (Top 10)

These are ten suggestions to do what I have never really been effective at doing. They say that most illnesses have remedies. Well, I suppose that these suggestions could help each of us avoid the pitfalls of procrastinating. Many of these ideas came from my own knowledge and a few came from the internet. Here they are (not in any particular order):

1. Prioritize your assignments.
2. Organize your time between work and leisure.
3. Assign time for each assignment and focus your efforts on specific tasks.
4. Control your environment so that you can focus on your task.
5. Face your fears.
6. Start with the hardest task of your day.
7. Don't blow a project out of proportion.
8. Just take the first step.
9. Just make a decision; any decision.
10. Stop thinking. Start doing!

Note: 5 - 10 came from the site The Positivity Blog

Thoughts on... procrastination

I've learned from experience that procrastination is never a good idea. The more often you do this, the less sleep you get in the long run. There have been many times in my life that I've procrastinated doing something important thinking to myself that, "I still have tomorrow", or "I'll get it done later." The ambiguous "later" syndrome can plague us all if we don't watch out. Sometimes "later" comes sooner than we had planned for and we find ourselves writing a ridiculous amount of blog posts to get credit for a semester-long assignment. A person's worst nightmare is to be caught unprepared for an important moment. Just imagine the amount of sadness and regret that the world will have at the day of judgment. I'm sure that many put off their much needed repentance because they take time for granted and think that they will always have another day to do this.

Essentially, procrastination is gambling away your time. Some people are still able to finish their necessary projects after procrastinating them but usually this is done at a much higher cost than it would have been otherwise or with weaker results. I don't know about you, but I never work very well when I'm tired or after studying for many consecutive hours. That's why it isn't wise for me to save all my studying for the day just before the test. Without beating this topic too much into the ground, I just want to finalize by reemphasizing the moral of this story: Don't disillusion yourself by thinking that procrastination is okay because in the end you will still have to do the work and put in the time.

How-to... solve a Rubix Cube

I didn't actually want to take the time to write out all the steps for solving a Rubix Cube, so I will just post a short video of myself solving one (sped up because I'm really slow) and attach a link to a legitimate website that can help newcomers learn the art of a Rubix. I'm not that great, but once you get the hang of it they can be very fun. It's always nice to know something that is difficult for most people.

Check out this link for a how-to tutorial for solving a rubix cube:

http://www.rubikssolver.com/

How-to... make a tinfoil dinner

This is incredibly simple to make.

Ingredients:
-One juicy beef steak (or chicken, or pork, etc...)
-Aluminum foil
-Carrots (2 - 3)
-Potatoes (2 - 3)
-Onions (1)
-Garlic (one clove)
-Oil (vegetable oil)
-Seasoning (I use Johnny's Seasoning Salt)

Steps:
Preparation
1. Peel and cut the potatoes, carrots, onions, and garlic into small pieces.
2. Break a large piece of aluminum foil off and lightly coat the inside with some oil.
3. Place about half of your vegetables in the middle of the foil, then place your steak, and then the other half of the vegetables.
4. Use a generous amount of seasoning salt on the steak and vegetables.
5. Carefully fold the sides of the aluminum foil so that the entire meal is covered by aluminum (use multiple sheets of foil if necessary to wrap the meal well).

Cooking
You can cook this meal on the coals of a fire or in an oven. In either case, make sure that you give the meat plenty of time to cook. Note: If using an oven, cook for about 45 - 55 minutes at about 450 degrees Fahrenheit.

Eating
1. Enjoy your meal... yum

Thoughts on... Top Ramen

We've all eaten it at one time in our lives. You know what I'm talking about... that prepackaged, noodle meal with seasoning powder. Ramen noodles have little, if any, nutritional value and don't really satisfy our wolf-like hunger. The ironic thing about the noodles is that they are what most people eat when they don't have anything else to eat. Whether it's a poor college student living on a tight budget or a lazy teenager with no culinary options, we have all participated (and probably even enjoyed) in making Ramen noodles. Why do we eat these noodles? I wish that I could actually answer that question...

It's been clinically proven that there are more ways to cook Ramen noodles than there are ingredients in the package. I've eaten them raw, cooked, with an egg, in casserole form, etc... The possibilities of this noodle delight are endless. Let's not be hasty and forget about all the varieties of flavorings as well. You have beef, chicken, pork, oriental, shrimp, teriyaki, and so forth. For some extra crazy experimentation I've even tried doubling up packets of two different flavors (like pork and shrimp). Sometimes it works; sometimes it just fails miserably. Regardless of our proclaimed distaste, and avowal to never eat it again, it seems that we will never rid ourselves of this noodled nemesis. As long as poverty (and student loans) persist, so will the wonder of Top Ramen.

Thoughts on... Thanksgiving
Turkey! Food, family, and football. Those are just a few of the things that I think of during this epic day of over-the-top food portions. Too much eating, fun and games with the family, and feelings of gratitude all contribute to make this holiday special. I've always enjoyed the time off from school but in recent years this holiday has taken on a greater meaning to me. It's wonderful to be able to focus on the things that I'm grateful for.

It wasn't until I went on a mission for two years that I realized how much I missed this holiday. The spirit of unity that it brings and the joy of being with friends and family is priceless.