The Summer of Uber, Dental Hijinks, and End of Semester

This month has been actually pretty great, even though some things have been hard. This Summer has been dubbed The Summer of Uber by Kirsten Trefflich. Sarah and I had been discussing what I could do to help out with the finances as the Summer rolled in. Our biggest criteria is that it needed to be a flexible job so that when the Trefflich and Gonzales family reunions came at the end of June and beginning of July, I could easily take the time off. Well, that was looking harder to get than normal, because most jobs want you to be committed to a set schedule and not taking off any vacation days, especially if I am starting anew with them. So I thought about it and took it to Heavenly Father in my mind and the thought came to me that, duh, I could work Uber on the days that I don't work Amazon.

This was really interesting, because at the same time, acquiring shifts for Amazon has become a rather difficult process, as they made it more of an equal playing field among all the employees, but leaving very little shifts for those that gather shifts quickly. So coming up with the idea of working Uber when I didn't work Amazon was rather a great blessing. Sarah and I tag team driving Uber. I drive Uber Eats in the morning and she drives regular Uber at night. It has been in effect for one week and I earned $220 last week, working 13 hours. I wasn't able to work all that I wanted to, because I got sick, but we'll get to that. So, this is the Summer of George, oh, I mean, The Summer of Uber. I know that Kirsten and David are huge Seinfeld fans, having watched the series as a couple.

Uber-ing has been pretty fun. It's nice, because it leaves a lot of time for listening to things like Podcasts, or books, or talks, or scriptures. And I like it because I am alone and able to be with my thoughts. Sarah likes it for the same reasons, and also because she gets to associates from people from all walks of life. We also have been very good at making meals for each other. They usually consists of Sandwiches and other things like chips, goldfish crackers, oreos, cashews, protein bars, and fruit.

We've also had to figure out how to use the car, when other things need to happen. For instance, I have had to be a ASC a lot, or Amazon, or we do an activity like go to the temple, and now I am in Mesa, and Sarah needs to drive. We usually do one of several things, have me stay at the place I'm at, like Amazon or the institute building, or I stay at a library until closing, or I stay at a friend's house: usually Forrest's and Lindsay's (because they're so nice). We've had to make that adjustment because Apache Junction is so far to the east that it is usually out of the way to bring me home and go out again, or even for Sarah to want to go back out again. It's definitely been an adjustment. But a good one.

Alright, so the thing I have been battling, ever since right before April, is a tooth abscess and an infection there, except in April I didn't know it was a tooth abscess at the time and had just been dealing with it. Well, right after my Recital on April 22nd, on the Monday after, my jaw and mouth started to swell up. So much so that I couldn't go to choir for a whole week. And in that week I went to the dentist and they told me to go the ER to get it drained and the ER thought that that was a crazy thing to do because they thought it should be the dentist's job to do so, so they gave me pain medication and antibiotics. We still were determining what the right thing to do was, but after I was through with the antibiotics, I was starting to feel not very well. So we went back to the dentist, and they referred me to get my tooth extracted by The Wisdom Teeth Guys, or come back in 11 days for a cheaper surgery. Unfortunately, that may have been the route I went with, if my medicine didn't run out before. So, tomorrow, after all the infection and the pain I've had to endure, I am getting my tooth extracted.

Just yesterday, Sarah and I received callings. Sarah was called to be the ward missionary meal coordinator and I was called to be choir pianist (at the request of Landon Peterson, who has a a wife, son, and new baby to take care of).

Our FHE's have really been fun. Normally Sarah picks me up from work after a long day at Amazon, and we drive to a destination that we explore together, while also having our lesson in the car ride to the destination. Sarah took me to an antiques bookstore, Hole in the Rock, and I took Sarah to Lost Dutchman State Park for a hike. In fact, unbeknownst to me until we got there, we did the same hike that was at the location where Ashley and Sam Cook were married.

I had my last ever two concerts with MCC and Dr. Simmons. That being said, I don't think I've seen the last of them, which is okay with me. We sang Life on Mars, and that was awesome, I daresay, as well as Chile Con Carne, and that was awesome too.

For Mother's Day, which was yesterday, we went to Stephanie Redd Large's house to eat Chicago Style pizza and some New York style cheesecake, which I helped Sarah make. It was very good.

Sarah and I have been playing The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. I wanna say that we're pretty close to completing the game. We are on our last castle which I believe (but am unsure) happens right before we have to face off with Ganandorf, but of course, I could be wrong. We're doing so good. Sarah is pretty good at wanting to accomplishing everything in the game, including gathering Gold Skutullas and Heart Pieces. We defeated the Shadow Temple pretty easily. The Water Temple was difficult, but we figured it out (knowing the secret of the middle room and the block that floats up and uncovers it).

Speaking of The Legend of Zelda, Forrest and Lindsay are super in to playing it on the Switch, and Tears of the Kingdom, sequel to Breath of the Wild just came out. When I stayed with them last I watched them play TotK. It was actually really cool. I was also shown a lot of spoilers for when Sarah and I finally do get to play it. Needless to say, Zelda has been on our minds of late.

Sarah and I challenged my family to a "Steps Competition," in which we track all of our steps. It has been going well, and Rachel has been doing so good. We also joined in on the Mother's Day call yesterday and we discussed the upcoming family reunion. We are sharing meals with each other which we will have to pay for. Each family gets a night to make meals.

ASC has our concert this coming Saturday. I am really excited for it, and I hope it goes really well. I am feeling really good about my song, Supplication to the Lord, which is being performed by the choir, and which I am directing. I have really felt a connection with the people of ASC during my two semesters with them. I am really looking forward to this concert. (And the next, when another one of my pieces will be performed: Love Came Down at Christmas).

I am now done with my classes. We have had miracles in regards to having money to pay off both Jenn Crandall for her amazing piano skills ($400), and having 2 payments of $204.50 for Mesa Community College. I got my one and only B+ (89.82%) in Arizona and U.S. Constitution Class. At the end of the time, I had a two part test which I got a 70% on (in the multiple choice section) and an 85% on (in the short answer section). I am still happy with my overall performance in College. I also did well in my Global Issues class at Ottawa, getting an A. And of course I did well in choir, one-on-one voice lessons and piano, and my senior capstone. So all in all, great semester and two terms. I am now awaiting my student teaching assignment. I need to get on the ball with following up with all those that are involved with that, as well as making sure I get paid for student teaching.