up to speed.

The last few months have been a blur. I'll try my best to catch you up.

My last blog post, I was going to work on a Zine and try to get other people to contribute. I've decided to do it myself because it's hard to get submissions. That's not to say that I won't take help, but I'm going to make a zine with all my own material. It will be a series of my short comics that I have been writing recently.

Now to fill in up to what I am currently doing, I need to take a moment to recognize that I haven't been on my blog for over 4 months. A lot has happened and changed in my life.

For Easter, we went on a family trip to San Diego. We got to witness an Eagle Scout Court of Honor on the deck of the USS Midway. I didn't pay much attention to what was going on because I was fascinated with the sail boats in the Harbor making their way to the deeper waters of the distant ocean.

Summer came and was beautiful. I went on so many adventures and saw many things. I went hiking and to nature to get away from everyone. I often went alone, but I was never lonely.

I went on a sweet road trip with Nathan Barnhurst. First we went to my sister's high school graduation. We then spent Memorial Day weekend in the Grand Staircase area of Utah with my dad and Rika. We did lots of hikes and enjoyed not showering. I came back from that with surfer bum hair. I shouldn't have cut it the week after that.

Early June, I took my brother Walker on a camping trip that my friend Nathan Cowlishaw organized. We backpacked to Havasupai in the Grand Canyon. There was always the sound of calm, flowing water. We saw all the major waterfalls we could around there (Navajo, Havasu, Mooney, Beaver). We had fun playing with the reservation dogs, making food on little camp stoves, and swimming in the water.

The World Cup happened. Brasil and USA didn't win. I don't want to talk about it.

I visited cool places with friends. I went to Kanaraville Falls, Cedar Breaks for sunrise, Brian Head (I buildered there), The Subway in Zion National Park, the reservoir on the hill to play beach soccer, climbing at Grave Side Matter, the Renaissance Faire, Battle Creek Falls, Bridal Veil Falls, the Castle Valley Pageant, The Wedge in the San Rafael Swell, a free Wallflowers concert, and many more. I also spent time listening to music, doing yoga, watching movies, and sharing wonderful uplifting conversations with them. 

Lots of things happened in people's lives over the summer. I had a lot of friends get married, but most notably my friend Justin Cox. I was one of his groom's men. It was good being able to see him and lots of other friends that were there too.

I also had to hear about my old friend Elder Matos who passed away. He was a good friend on the mission. He and his wife had so much love for us. I know he understood the purpose of life and was living right. He was happy.

My summer ended a little earlier in how much "vacation" I had because by the second week of August I was out here in Washington DC for a congressional internship. I'm working in Congressman Jason Chaffetz' office and having my own urban adventure.

Capitol hill is an interesting place to work. I pass the Pentagon, National Mall and Capitol Building everyday on my way to work. I take people on tours of the Capitol building. 

Since being here, I have visited lots of museums, went to Gettysburg, visited Luray Caverns, camped in the misty woods, went to an open mic poetry night, saw a free Shakespeare play, etc.

One of the big things here in DC is that I have started to draw and write more. I hadn't been working on my own creativity, but I have started to get some of my own stuff done. I went to the Small Press Expo in Bethesda, Maryland and met Lynda Barry, John Porcellino, Charles Burns, Jules Feiffer, Anne Koyama and others who made me want to keep working on my art. I got in free to the expo because I volunteered. Being a volunteer, I also got a few free things.

On that note, I am working on getting my own zine put together. I have some good content and have done some art that has stretched me as an artist and also as a story teller. It's not the best stuff, but I can't have everything perfect. The important part is that I am getting stuff done. 

I've had lots of firsts here. My first full-time desk job, first metro ride, first 9th floor apartment, etc. It's cool being surrounded by people, but I do like when I can find a time and place just for me.

That's why I love going to the roof and working on my art up there. It's nice to feel like I'm on top of the world doing something I love.

So, expect some comics and writing appearing here shortly.