ARE WE ANTS?

Are we ants?

                I recently had an experience that most would consider to be ordinary and unimportant.  As I was standing outside the door of where I work, charged each day to fulfill my contribution to society, I noticed an ant scuttling in circles on the cement walkway.

                 I watched the tiny creature moving sporadically about, when a devious thought entered my mind.  Then, without even putting in enough effort to make a full step, I placed my foot over the insect and pressed lightly down onto the concrete.  After realizing an almost noiseless pop issue from beneath my boot, I moved my foot away to see the last moments of the tiny creatures life twitch through its legs then go still. 

                While I stared down at the lifeless frame of what was once a busybody tasked with some incomprehensible responsibility, I couldn't help but notice the similarities that you and I share with that tiny ant.  Like the ant, we are made of matter; carbon based creatures held together by cells, tissue and nerves that pulse constantly through our bodies.  The metaphorical “boot,” be it the stab of knife, the blast of a gun or the slow and painful spread of diseased cells though the body, may just as easily, and unexpectedly, stamp out that life that we have held during our time.

                Like the carefree ant you may step out your front door, ready to take on the responsibilities of the day without realizing the chance that life may be removed from you.  More importantly you may forget how easily a valued friend or family member can be unexpectedly taken, leaving you at the “ant hill” waiting, only to realize they will never return to you. 

                Are we like ants, busily working to survive, paying no attention to the other ants around us simply fulfilling their daily duties? Or are we human, taking the time to appreciate those we care about, showing our love not only in words, but in the deeds that we do for our fellow man.  Life is fragile.  You will regret the chances you did not take, the things you did not say, and the moments you did not share with those you love.  Do not become so busy working to survive, that you actually fail to live.

                

VOTE FOR JORJA!

My sister Jorja Jones has the opportunity to win a $1,000 scholarship provided by the Utah High School Rodeo Association, but she needs your help to get it. In order for her to be eligible to win the scholarship she needs to qualify by receiving more YouTube likes than the other videos submitted. to help her out visit: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BLCs4vB-KMU and click the thumbs up beneath the video!
She will really appreciate your support!
Here's the video, but remember go to the link and click the thumbs up:

Panic and Mayhem

on May 10, 2013 a small group of civilians and emergency medical staff  were traumatically injured by two massive explosions at the St. George Police department shooting range. Some, including myself, were among the dead, and all were injured before the first explosion even took place.
I along with some other family members had the opportunity to participate in St. George Utah's Mass Casualty training incident. During a medical conference held by the Utah Association of EMT's. where a moderately sized group of people volunteered to paint on fake blood and guts to assist in the training of new EMS students. This year the incident was staged as a terrorist bombing not unlike the Boston Marathon Bombings, of course on a much smaller scale. This year's "victims" lost their limbs, suffered concussions, were impaled by pieces of shrapnel, and even suffered heart attack from the stress of the situation. I myself suffered from major internal bleeding. We were each caked with the appropriate make up and then told how to act based on our symptoms, I was told to sprawl myself on top of a large rock, as if the blast had thrown me on top of it, and then to complain allot about my stomach. If the EMS reacted properly by putting me on high transport priority then I would survive, if not, then I would die. Let's just say the first group of EMS student's saved my life, but tragically I did not make it through the second round because transport didn't arrive on the scene in time. It was allot of fun, especially since it took a good bit of acting and i haven't had the chance to do that for a long time. It was so realistic at one point, the children had some trouble distinguishing what was real and what was fake.

Your Remarkable Story

"Once you start... then you'll start to recognize..." As I was organizing all the fun gadgets and buttons I wanted to place on my blog, I started talking about blogging with some of my roommates. The discussion started out with a bit of a negative connotation specifically toward how weird it is that a 22 year old college kid from a small po dunk town would start blogging. Of course, my reasons for starting the blog were completely justifiable. As a communications major it's completely appropriate to get acquainted with the tools that people in the particular field are now beginning to lean on more and more in our ever evolving Internet based society. After having talked some sense into my heckling roommates, one of them expressed simply, their thoughts on why they had never started a blog, "I guess I just never thought my life was interesting enough to blog about." said Mike, and that's when I started to think. I remembered the experience that I had while serving my mission. Every day, or at least every week, I made an effort to record the events of my life in my journal. Obviously as a missionary I was bound to have some exciting experiences, like getting mugged or chased by dogs, but I recognized that as I wrote in my journal, I began to notice the little everyday things that we often take for granted or quickly forget and, yet, have an honorable mention in our lives. The single explanation for having such discoveries could only have come from beginning to seek out those moments that set the remarkable apart from the mundane. After my brief reminiscence I turned to Mike and I said, "I guess that's another reason why I've started blogging, once you start blogging then you start to recognize the interesting moments of your life, and you'll probably start trying to find more things to make your life interesting." after a short pause, mike shrugged and said "I guess that makes sense" then our conversation fizzled to a stop, leaving me to continue pondering my own statement. Looking back now at the time I started blogging, my life has become more interesting because it has motivated me too seek remarkable opportunities, a concept that reminds me of the hilarious movie Yes Man. There are far more opportunities to experience here in this world than you will ever have the capacity to undertake  It's time to start your remarkable story. You don't have to blog, you don't have to share it with the world, but its out there, so start looking for it and perhaps when you find it than write about it!

One down, and one maybe two to go (The Road to Success)

"Snow College 

As authorized by law and the Utah State Board of Regents
has conferred upon 

Tyrell Jones

the degree of

Associate of Science"

"Together with all the honors, rights, privileges, and responsibilities pertaining thereto. 
Given at Ephraim in the State of Utah the fourteenth day of December in the year of our Lord
two thousand twelve and the College's one hundred twenty-fourth year."

After a span of about four years, interrupted of course by a two year full time LDS mission in South Africa, I am one degree down, and one possibly two more to go. I'm now currently perusing a bachelors degree in communications at Southern Utah University.
The commencement exercises will were held at the Sevier Valley Center Eccles Theater in Richfield UT. on May 3rd of 2013.

The Awards!!!

At the early unavailing of The Gentleman, the crowd roared with excitement, something that could hardly be labeled a foreshadowing of the events to come during the award's ceremony of the THEA 1023 film festival. The Gentleman came out on top with eight of the thirteen prestigious awards available in the festival. The awards included:
Excellence in Direction
Excellence inCasting
Excellence in Sound
Excellence in Editing
Excellence in Cinematography
Best Actor
Best Supporting Actor
And finally...BEST PICTURE
Congratulations to all of those who who were directly effected by these prestigious awards!

To see the film that's causing all the commotion click here: The Gentleman

World Premier!

The Gentleman receives top reviews at the Theater 1023 unavailing of the critically acclaimed (once again by yours truly) film, exceeding the expectations of all including the many geniuses behind the creation of the film.

In short, the teacher and most of the student's from our class really enjoyed the film. They laughed more than most of us who put the film together did before we presented it to the class. Professor Carroll was really impressed with Mckay's acting ability, having never acted before in his life. He did a fantastic job expressing the feelings and thoughts of his character without saying more than two or three words throughout the complete course of the film. Another great mention was Ahmed. Everyone loved the three short moments he was on the screen with his one take glances! For honorable mention, at least by McKay  was the first real time editing skills of your's truly. Professor Carroll and some additional students were also impressed with my editing choices. If you haven't seen it yet, check it out here on my blog, or straight from YouTube itself.