Rocco's Scouting Achievements

My brother, Rocco, is amazing! When he sets his mind to something he does it! Such is evident in his recent achievements in scouts. I will miss him when he leaves for a two year mission for our church, The Chuch of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

The truth about Root Canals!!!

I was told about 3 months ago I needed a root canal. I had come to the dentist in excruciating pain and that was his prognosis. I asked if if there were alternatives. He said no, and that if I waited I risked losing the tooth which would mean extraction. I burst out crying and did not know what to do. I called my mom in South Africa waking her up at like 2am and she told me it was my decision, but that she didn't think it was a good idea. She had heard root canals were bad for you and that there were underlying causes of such tooth decay. She said that having a root canal was removing the symptom, but not dealing with the problme or cause. (I later learned the cause is nutrition and not so much dental hygeine).
I told the dentist my decision and he still tried to sell me the idea of a root canal. I felt pressurized almost as if he was a salesmen, and we know how much we love salesmen who push us to make a desision NOW!
Finally I got him to give me antibiotics and something for the pain. I said I'd come back after the weekend, so that I could get away, but all I really wanted was a second opinion.
I spent the rest of that day researcing online. I obviously found sites that were Pro but just as many if not more Anti! I was shocked to read the affects that some dentist and doctor believe root canals can have.
I ordered a book online "Root Canals Exposed". I called the local health food store, GOOD EARTH, and they gave me a number of a dentist that was more holisticlly, or naturally minded. I made an appointment with him and told him of my situatuion. He said he did everything he could to avoid doing root canals, but that my situation was problematic. My decay was right up to the nerve. He said he could try to remove the decay and then put in a nerve cap and fill the tooth. There was only a 50/50 chance that it would work in the long run, and if he hit my nerve while removing the decay, it would be all over. I said I belived he could do it. He also said the rest was up to me. I had learned through my research how much nutrition, exercise and rest played a factor in even our teeth. Sugar is literally POISON, that I am addicted to. I lay there the entire time praying, pleading that my tooth could be saved. I was so anti root canals now that I would rather have the tooth extracted, which would cost more in the long run, adn I didn't have money for stuff like that!
He was able to fill the tooth - it was a BIG filling, but it worked. Here I am 3-4 months later feeling great about my decision. I won't lie, sometimes the tooth is sensitive, and it took 2 months to feel normal again - it was very sensitive to heat and cold and too much pressure, but it is almost normal now. Whether this tooth will last for years to come who knows. HOWEVER the moral to the story is that there is alwasy an alternative. Furthermore, I have become more and more health concious. What we put into our bodies is going to affect our health, strength, intelligence and overall quality of life, whether we believe it or not.

TWO WOLVES!

One evening an old Cherokee told his grandson about a battle that goes on inside people. He said, "My son, the battle is between 2 "wolves" inside us all.One is Evil. It is anger, envy, jealousy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego.The other is Good. It is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion and faith."The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather: "Which wolf wins?"The old Cherokee simply replied, "The one you feed."

Chain Mail Revealed!

I always wondered about these kind of emails, so i asked my genius friend, Ben, and he referred me to this on his blog...which I decided to put on my blog too! ENJOY!

I seem to get chain mail on a regular basis. Half the time I delete them when they have that nonsense about - "If you don't send this to .... you will have bad luck and it tells me what a cold heart I have for not sending it on." But sometimes I wonder if it really is true that if I send the email on some girl dying from Cancer will get 5c for each time i forward it. I got another chain email today so I decided to ask my genius-compter friend and colleague if there is any truth to it all. I got this chain e-mail from him and laughed so hard I cried, while learning the answer. ENJOY!!!! I want to thank all of you who have taken the time and trouble to send me your chain letters over the past two years. Thank you for making me feel safe, secure, blessed, and wealthy. Because of your concern... I no longer can drink Coca Cola because it can remove toilet stains. I no longer drink Pepsi or Dr. Pepper since the people who make these products are atheists who refuse to put "Under God" on their cans. I no longer use Saran wrap in the microwave because it causes cancer. I no longer check the coin return on pay phones because I could be pricked with a needle infected with AIDS. I no longer use cancer-causing deodorants even though I smell like a water buffalo on a hot day. I no longer go to shopping malls because someone will drug me with a perfume sample and rob me. I no longer receive packages from UPS or FedEx since they are actually Al-Qaeda in disguise. I no longer shop at Target since they are French and don't support our troops. I no longer answer the phone because someone will ask me to dial a stupid number for which I will get the phone bill from hell with calls to Jamaica, Uganda, Singapore, and Uzbekistan. I no longer eat prepakaged foods because the estrogens they contain will turn me gay. I no longer eat KFC because their chickens are actually horrible mutant freaks with no eyes or feathers. I no longer go to bars because someone will drug me and take my kidneys and leave me taking a nap in a bathtub full of ice. Thanks to you, I have learned that God only answers my prayers if I forward an email to 7 of my friends and make a wish within 5 minutes. I no longer have any savings because I gave it to a sick girl who has been dying for the past seven years. I no longer have any money at all, but that will change once I receive the $15,000 that Microsoft and AOL are sending me for participating in their special e-mail program. I will now return the favor. If you don't send this e-mail to at least 1200 people in the next 60 seconds, a large bird with diarrhea will fly over your head at 5:00 PM and the fleas of a thousand camels will infest your armpits. I know this will occur because it actually happened to a friend of a friend of a friend's neighbor's cousin, and he's a lawyer!!!!

Dave's Pics

This guy's stuff is awesome! Check it out for a refreshing perspective on life and nature.

South Africa

I have now completed my sophmore year at BYU! Whoo! I will now spend Winter Semester
at home in Cape Town, South Africa hanging out and chilling in the sun, since it is Summer in the Southern Hemisphere. Cool ha? I got to snowboard, for the first time, last month and then I'll go surfing at the beach this month!!!
For those of you that don't know about South Africa, please remain ignorant no longer and do a little googling! It is one of the most beautiful countries in the world, sure we have our problems - but who doesn't. It is the place I will always call home!

Resolutions

2006, a new year, a fresh start. Who doesn't like new beginnings, resolutions...change?
I hope this year to focus on change. Changing bad habits into good ones.
Changing my awareness and certain priorities. Doing things that make a difference...spending more time reading, pondering, praying. Changing... spiritually... physically and mentally! This year is going to be amazing. The fact that I turn 21 makes it even better! I am taking control of my life as I cross the plains of mortality and become and adult.

Website

I have been wanting to create my own website, but for now this will have to do. I am still learning how html and website design works, but it is cool.