Mirror mirror on the wall...

I just moved into my new house and it has been good other than the fact that our bathroom is not yet finished being renovated... Our shower and toilet were put in the day that I arrived but were taken out again when they put the dry wall up. I shaved the other day using the kitchen sink. Today I saw my reflection in the mirror at school for the first time in four days and that caused me to think a little bit about the impact that mirrors have on our daily lives. I know that I enjoy gazing at myself in a mirror, but I didn't realize how often I do it! When I looked at myself in the mirror today it felt like I had not seen myself for a long time! I know that it has only been a couple of days, but still. I tried to imagine what life would be like with out mirrors and it is very foreign to me. Thinking about knowing how your arms and body look with out knowing what your face actually looks like is an interesting thing to me. You cant pull your eyes out and turn them around to see how your shave was this morning... I assume that make up would be death to put on with out seeing a reflection of yourself. Mirrors allow you to see flaws in your skin or seen that you have bushes for eyebrows. They are probably the main reason for plastic surgery in the world... I was in a meeting where a girl suggested we destroy every mirror in the world. I would agree with her if I didn't love them as much as I do...

Business Ethics

So today I was listening to a talk that Elise Davis was giving and she started it off by speaking on the fact that she is homeless due to the contract that she had with apartment. I think that the people that a good amount but not all of the owners of apartments and condos in Provo have terrible business ethics. Starting tomorrow there will be a large event at BYU called education week. It is a great opportunity for individuals around the nation and world to come to the campus of BYU and enjoy the opportunity to hear from some of the most intelligent and spiritual professors that the school has to offer. Owners of some condos and apartments close to the campus look as this event with dollar signs in their eyes thinking only of the money that can be made in a weeks time. These companies will kick continuing students out of their living space leaving them homeless for a week to make as much money in a week as they make in a month. Thinking about the system made me think about the importance of having ethics and appreciating the people that give you business for an entire year rather than forgetting about them for one week of the year.

BYU Scrimmage

I was able to enjoy the BYU football scrimmage today and it was very enjoyable for me to sit in the stands on a warm Saturday and watch some quality football as the fall draws near. It is great to be able to see the best sport known to man start up again. The scrimmage started with the defense playing very well causing multiple three and outs. But as the practice moved along, the offense warmed up and started moving the ball well. I thought that Heaps played great today although I don't have any stats from the day. He had the first touchdown pass down the sideline in the south end zone and the placement was perfect. McKay Jacobson made a great catch and fell over the goal line for the touchdown. But I will also admit that Riley Nelson looked good as well. He was able to connect with Jacobson in the north end zone himself along with a great scramble to pick up a first down. One of the things that really impressed me was our kicker Riley Stephenson. It blew my mind that he could take a two step approach on the kickoff and put the ball in endzone. His first couple of punts were spectacular including one 60 yard punt. He did cool off a little bit later in the scrimmage with a couple of shanked punts, but other than that I'm excited to see a great season.

Big Band Bass

Whenever my family gets together we all bring our instruments to play and sing songs. When I was younger I played the drums, but that didn't last very long because of the conflict with band and football when I was in high school. After the drums I didn't pick up another instrument, so when we have the family band I would sit off to the side and enjoy my parents and siblings talent. Last summer I decided that I was done sitting on the bench just watching and I wanted to get an instrument that would add to the whole experience with out being the same one that was played by someone else. My brothers play the guitar and my dad plays the ukulele, mandolin, and violin. The bag pipes were on my mind momentarily, but that seemed like it didn't fit very well. So I decided on a bass guitar! I purchased a cheap acoustic electric bass online and played that for a while. But it wasn't very loud and the tone wasn't the greatest. So this summer I was in a pawn shop with my boss when I came across a bass that I really did not want to pass up. So I went home and researched it and found that the pawn shop was selling it at an inflated price. So I picked the price that I would pay and I was able to talk them down. Now I'm the proud owner of a Schecter Diamond Series C-4 bass!

Now that I have been enjoying my new bass, I have had a hard time picking the type of music I would like to play. I started playing some country songs, but that didn't sound right. I went to some bluegrass and that actually sounded really good, but I don't know the specific bluegrass songs that my dad knows, so I wanted to try something different. I went to some harder rock stuff and I really liked the sound of the bass lines that are in Three Days Grace songs, but they are a little more intense than what I wanted. Recently (as of yesterday) I have decided that I would really like to try out bass for big band type music! I have always loved swing dancing and yesterday I was enjoying listening to some Frank Sinatra on pandora radio and I was loving the bass that was being used in the background. So I'll have to search the world wide web to find some songs to play. It will be wonderful.

Tan Lines

So all of my life I have had this disease called "when you take your socks off, it still looks like you have them on." That would be the technical name for it if you were wondering. But I have decided that era of my life is over. So I went out and bought TWO pairs of thongs today. One from wal-mart, and one pair from Walgreen's. By the way, if you go to Walgreen's right now, they are having a very good sale on their sandals. I got a good pair for two dollars and fifty cents. Now I know that Heather probably won't like this blog because of her phobia of feet, but I wanted to share with you the new me!

footprints in the sand of time

A PSALM OF LIFE

WHAT THE HEART OF THE YOUNG MAN

SAID TO THE PSALMIST

TELL me not, in mournful numbers,

Life is but an empty dream ! —

For the soul is dead that slumbers,

And things are not what they seem.

Life is real ! Life is earnest!

And the grave is not its goal ;

Dust thou art, to dust returnest,

Was not spoken of the soul.

Not enjoyment, and not sorrow,

Is our destined end or way ;

But to act, that each to-morrow

Find us farther than to-day.

Art is long, and Time is fleeting,

And our hearts, though stout and brave,

Still, like muffled drums, are beating

Funeral marches to the grave.

In the world's broad field of battle,

In the bivouac of Life,

Be not like dumb, driven cattle !

Be a hero in the strife !

Trust no Future, howe'er pleasant !

Let the dead Past bury its dead !

Act,— act in the living Present !

Heart within, and God o'erhead !

Lives of great men all remind us

We can make our lives sublime,

And, departing, leave behind us

Footprints on the sands of time ;

Footprints, that perhaps another,

Sailing o'er life's solemn main,

A forlorn and shipwrecked brother,

Seeing, shall take heart again.

Let us, then, be up and doing,

With a heart for any fate ;

Still achieving, still pursuing,

Learn to labor and to wait.

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807-1882)

Recently I have been thinking a lot about the footprints that we leave on the world as we go through our lives. I was very excited to go to the Mormon Tabernacle Choir concert a couple of weeks back as they visited Red Rocks Amphitheater to end their tour of the nation. As I sat and listened, they sang songs that praised our beautiful nation and those that founded it. But not only did they sing patriotic songs that I love, but they sang the song "Call of the Champions" to celebrate the disabled athletes in Colorado and through out the world. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cEH6zNDhcQU) As I watched the slide show and listened to the music, I was touched by the effort and dedication that was shown by those athletes and I asked myself if I have the same great attributes that they have. I thought it was fitting that I was thinking those things as I was sitting in the beautiful Red Rocks Amphitheater which was built by those destroyed financially during the great depression. Its construction was a part of the New Deal which was created by FDR during those hard times.

I question myself, "what am I doing to leave a footprint and make someones life in the future more enjoyable and better? Am I leaving a legacy that people will look upon with great admiration?" I also think about that as I just watched I am Legend yesterday. It was a movie that didn't leave me with happy tingles running up and down my spine, but the end was all about the legend that we leave when we pass on. As I have been visiting Home Depots around Colorado building things in their store and trying to make it look better, I have pondered on these things and it brings me great satisfaction in my work to see me leaving the store better than when I came. I often get comments from employees that what I have done looks so much better than what it looked like before. Those comments make me feel like I am having an impact on others. Will they remember who I am and how it was me that built whatever it was in the store? No. But they will enjoy it for a long time to come. I was also able to got to a place here in Colorado named Joseph's Camp. It is going to be a camping site for youth activities and girls camp in the future. a couple of weeks ago, I helped pull stumps out of the camp sites and today I helped put the plumbing in. Will anyone ever know that Dan Alletto helped do that in the future? No, but they will know that Joseph's Camp is a place where they were able to enjoy themselves spending time with their friends and leaders in the church. It is a place where they can feel the spirit as they have firesides. It is a place where testimonies can be strengthened. I'm very satisfied with my efforts today and the footprints I have left so far this summer, but I cannot live my life with just leaving a summer of footprints. I can only feel like I have fulfilled my duties in life if I can touch many more peoples lives today, tomorrow, and in the years to come.

recent movies I have watched

What to watch

I'm a big football fan and this movie came out on my mission. I got home and saw that my family owned this movie. I was pretty excited to sit down and watch it and I was not disappointed at all! Reminded me very much of remember the titans where there were good morals behind what the characters were doing. This true story is a wonderful example of what we do now having a large affect on the future.

What not to watch

This is not a good movie at all. The acting and some of the lines were just terrible in my opinion. Usually I'm not a big critic on movies, but this one was just not very good at all. It was cheep for me to watch because I went to what used to be the dollar theater, (now it is the $3.50 theater) so I'm not as bummed about losing money, but I am upset about losing the time that I spent at the theater wanting to kill myself rather than watching the end of the movie. Do not see this unless you want to waist your time.

Summer Calling

Ever since my first student ward at BYU I have had a fear of being called to teach sunday school classes. That has not changed with time and a mission... But today as I was greeting my bishopbric, I was extended the calling of gospel doctrine teacher. I figure that I have a lot of study time ahead of me.

Love for Lacrosse

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=04CIDcyoxlY

Since I got back home from school I have been invited to coach a third grade lacrosse team and I have loved it soooo much! I was able to play lacrosse in high school and played in the all-state game, so the member of my ward that coaches invited me to join him. As I was at the game yesterday I was reminded how great it was to play, so I found this movie on the Internet and thought I would share it with all of you. 

I love to see patriotism

I was driving in the car today listening to the radio and all of a sudden I heard the Star Spangled Banner playing. It reminded me of my walk to campus in the mornings and often my walk home from campus where the ROTC students would take down the flag and almost everyone on campus that could hear the National Anthem would stop and reflect on the wonderful country that we live in. It's great to see that there are still people that love the great United States of America!

The Name Daniel -WikiAnswers.com

The name Daniel means worshiper of god.

Dan.-Hebrew. "judge." Also used as contraction for Daniel. Humorous, wise, conscientious. Strict in his principles. Invariably to be relied upon. Daniel.-Hebrew. "God the judge." Sentimental, affectionate, strong and keen-minded. Can display a powerful temper when roused, but quickly relents and forgives.

Traits: Daniel is pictured as a good-looking, strong, all-American Boy Scout who is athletic, brave, kind, friendly, trustworthy, well-bred, intelligent, and easygoing.

Daniel:

• Although the name Daniel creates the urge to be reliable and responsible, we emphasize that it causes an emotional intensity that is hard to control. 
• This name, when combined with the last name, can frustrate happiness, contentment, and success, as well as cause health weaknesses in the nervous system, worry, and mental tension.
• Your name of Daniel has created a most expressive nature, idealistic and inspirational, driven with a strong inner urge to be of service in some way that would uplift humanity as a whole. 
• However, there is a tendency to assume too heavy a burden of responsibility for others, which leads to worry and undue concern. 
• People with problems are drawn to you as they recognize you as one who has understanding and gives not only sympathy and comfort but provides also some constructive advice or assistance. 
• You have a generous quality to your nature, but you must guard carefully against giving more than you receive or you will find yourself doing without because you have helped someone else.

Prom crazy!

This year my little brother Terry will be attending prom with his lovely date Stephanie. I was very lucky to be the photographer at this event, which gave me ample opportunities to embarrass the little Alletto boy. Although I had my laugh tonight, I'm sure there have been many more chuckles at the cheesy grins I had on my face for my prom moments in years past. Few people know this, but I have become a prom expert as I have been seen in that atmosphere five times in my life. When I mentioned that today to Stephanie's mom, she almost went in shock trying to fit her mind around it. So I will lay it out for you so you know the story of my proms.

1) This prom took place as I was a sophomore in high school. Our school doesn't allow sophomores to go to prom unless they have an upperclassman as their date, so I was pretty sure that I wasn't going to be attending this event. Our family had been friends with another family a street down from our home ever since we moved to Colorado and they had a girl that was two years older than me. She was good friends with my older sister, so they would talk often with each other about what is going on and who they are dating. I was talking with my sister and she had told me of Heather's (the girl that is two years older than me) fear of not getting asked to her senior prom. As the Prom grew near, the individual that she was very much hoping would ask her picked another girl instead. I felt so bad for her that I decided to do something about it. I couldn't let her not have a date to prom for her senior year, so I went to the store and bought a bag of star bursts, put them in a bag and took one out. I wrote my name on one of the flaps and placed it back in the bag. On the outside of the bag, I wrote "my stars would burst if you would go to prom with me, search the wrappers to find out who I am." We had a great time together at the dance and I was very happy to at least try to make her senior prom a little more memorable than what it would have been. Outcome = good

2) This prom was my junior year and I had been pursuing another senior by the name of Jen. She was big into the equestrian scene, so I figured that I needed to do something with a horse. I went to the dollar store and purchased a pinata in the shape of a horse and filled it with candy and a note. I don't know what it said, but it had my name on it and that was the important part. So she ended up breaking it and finding my name. The problem with this date was me trying to make myself look really good so Jen would like me. I was so worried about looking good that I was just stupid... So the date ended with no sparks flying. Not a very memorable prom night.

3) I had a good friend that moved to Boston after her sophomore year and she wasn't fitting in too well. She called me up and invited me to fly out to Massachusetts to go with her. Naturally, I said yes to a great opportunity like that! So her parents flew me out there and I went to prom with her. I actually had a blast with her out there because I didn't really feel any pressure to impress her. We went to a Red Sox game and I went to school with her one of the days. It was just a fun time hanging out at her home and doing something completely different than what I have ever done before. This is also the first time I ever heard the song "pour some sugar on me" by Def Leppard. I was blown away by how popular it was in her school. When it played during the dance, everyone went bonkers! This prom was a success

4) It was my senior year and again I had been semi-dating a girl named Cara towards the end of the year. This was actually a very interesting situation because we were in the same sixth grade class and I had a HUGE crush on her, but she thought I was a major loser. When I had my big crush on her, I was watching saved by the bell and one of the characters gave another one a gold fish as a way of asking her to be his girlfriend. I though that was a genius move, so I attempted the same thing to woo her into liking me. I purchased two feeder gold fish from the pet store, but since I didn't have a fish tank, I put them in a can that my mom would use for canning tomatoes. Very high class, I know... She ended up flushing the fish down the toilet. It broke my heart, but that is another story. So once again, I was trying way to hard to get her to like me and it just didn't work and that prom was another flop.

5) This last one was another attempt to help a girl have a good prom. Her name is Jessica and I got a call to go with her the day before her prom. Her aunt was in my ward and apparently what happened was, her jerk boy friend didn't ask her to prom, but asked some other girl! I guess that was one way of saying that he didn't want to date her anymore? So I got the call to go with her and I didn't have anything going on that weekend, so I drove with her aunt up to Loveland and had a pretty good night with her. I was pretty worried about what it would be like, but it actually turned out to be very fun. Really, I was just being used for revenge. I'm OK with that. My final prom was good!

Now that I am writing this stuff down, I need to learn not to try to impress girls because it doesn't turn out too well. If I would just be normal and have a good time with out trying to impress the girl, things go much better! I just don't learn... Maybe the future will tell a different story.

Just scared? No... Terrified!

Sharks

Ever since I was a little child and I would sit with my siblings and watch the fifty different Jaws movies, I have been very scared of sharks.  I was fascinated by them, but it was a fear that drove my obsession. I would watch all the discovery channel movies I could find just to learn more about them. Even on my mission, when I was done with my emailing and I was waiting for my companion, I would pick up picture books about sharks and flip through to pass time.  My experience that has solidified my terror came when I went to the ocean for the first time in 2006. I was visiting my girl friend at the time and I was trying to learn how to boogie board. I was almost successful on one of my attempts, but as I was paddling to catch the wave, I glanced back and saw DORSAL FINS! My memory brought be back to my days of watching documentaries and learning that the top reason for shark attacks is them mistaking a human for its prey. The natural prey for a shark is a seal and from under water, a 

person on a boogie board looks very similar to a seal! I got back to shore as soon as possible and quickly found out that everyone on shore was enjoying watching the dolphins play in the waves... 

Snakes

When I was younger, I was all about snakes. I would find them and catch them down in the gully close to my house, then I would release them in our bushes. My mom didn't like that very much, so I had to re-catch them and bring them back to where I found them. I don't really know what happened since I was younger and would catch them, but now I have a pretty legitimate fear of snakes. I just don't ever want to be bit by one. 

Fire Hydrant

This is another one that I really don't know where it came from. On my mission it got better, but I have a pretty genuine fear of walking in front of a fire hydrant and having the pressure so high that the front of it blows off into the side of my knee and destroys me! I have no idea where that fear came from, but it is there and I don't really like walking in front of them. There was actually one point in time where I would not walk in front of them, but I would walk around them every time I saw one. 

Oh the Mission

I was looking over my missions blog just today after church and I noticed that Sister Priday had mentioned sending the Bloxhams home this week. They had their homecoming talks today at one o'clock, so I went over to Springvill and enjoyed hearing their experience. As I was sitting there, I was reminded of my mission, so I thought I would put together a quick slide show. I didn't take too much time on it, but I picked some of my favorite pictures from my misson to put in it. The music is from the CD, LDS Hymns of Praise. 

Finals Trauma

This past week has been the most I have ever studied in my life! I'm blown away with how much I don't remember what I learned in the beginning of the semester. But alas, I must continue to trudge along in this dreary darkness until I get to the light of summer break on the 23rd of April.