I Want to Punch Her in the Face

I've been influenced greatly by many different people in my life. I think I was a pretty impressionable youngster growing up kinda just absorbing whatever person the world threw my way like a drop of water absorbing other droplets (yes...weird comparison there...). Now that I have more of a mind of my own I'm more prone to pick and choose. But I read a few of my stuff that I've written over the past year and its been interesting to see where some of my habits and things come from.

I remember writing (but can't find it now) a paper titled "Because of a Girl" that chronicled major events that helped shape my life that happened because of a girl. For example (and this is the best from memory that I can put it...but after all it is my memory so its more or less the same as what I originally wrote):

Because of a girl, I was born into this world.

Because of two girls, I am a better older brother.

Because of a girl, I decided to go ahead and transfer into a college prep school.

Because of a girl, I gained a love for service.

Because of a girl, I felt welcome at BYU.

Because of a girl, I had my heart broken and met my best friend Mike (and I would add here also, Luke Davidson).

partly because of no girls, I went on my mission.

...and on and one it went mostly just talking about really close friends that helped me make tough decisions or changed the outcome of my life.

Here's another one while we're at it.

I realized where I get the violent/affectionate phrase of "I want to punch her in the face" when I refer to people I actually care about. I got it from Dezzy. Reading back on some things tonight it was like a light came on in my head. Of course it was Dezzy. Consider the following:

Kelsey: He's going to go back to BYU in a few days.

Dezzy: WHAT?! Why didn't you tell me?

Me: I don't know...

Dezzy: Steven, I'm going to stuff this brownie into your face.

Affectionate right? Or...here's another one

Me: (i don't even know what I said)

Dezzy: Steven. I'm going to punch you in the face.

Sweet.

I have a word document entitled "Things I Learned from People". Its now a practice of mine that after every date I evaluate the good in the other person and try to live it in my own life. I also pick up things I see other people do and try to do it if I can think it is good. In some situation I might actually pause and think "how might this person approach this?" For example.

*finds a sword at Wal-Mart*

Me: Now...what might Luke do with this sword? And what would Mike do with it?

Because what Luke would do with it is completely different than what Mike would do it with it. But practicality included, some of the things listed on that document next to people's names include

"how to be a gentlemen"

"how to work hard"

"how to be patient and humble"

"how to be more studious"

"how to talk/communicate to people"

However, as is always in life, I absorb the good and the bad sometimes. My current pet peeve right now (and I'll write more next time) is:

Girls who don't talk to you/be your friend anymore because you aren't romantically interested in them. OR. Girls who only use you when they want attention.

It annoys me so much. More the former than the latter. I hang out, study, eat, go on dates, and help stuff with you and you ditch me because I'm not interested? Not Cool. Thanks a lot. Then they just get upset, and...anyway. Its understandable because I find myself doing it too. i react to the way they're reacting to me.

I have found out that one reason I am sometimes flirty (in an outgoing way) is because some of the girls I hang out with are that way and that's what I've grown accustomed to. I learned from the best.

So the conclusion is...I am a sum of my experiences mixed with my own personality. Some people have had a greater influence than others, and often times, the people that I'm hanging out with currently have the greatest influence.

Well...I didn't even get around to what I actually wanted to write about (the dating statistic at BYU. how did i get here? i don't know).