Mauri's Musings

A Dream Deferred

2011-12-01T20:52:00.000-07:00

Ever since spending a few weeks in New York a few years ago, I've thought seriously about living the city life, even if it were for just a few years. I love being at the center of the action and having concerts, museums, and restaurants a walk away. A couple of months ago, my sisters, mom, and I had lunch with Suzy and Jennifer. Afterward, we went to the sales office of some new high-rise condos in the heart of downtown—just to look. I fell in love with the floor-to-ceiling windows, spectacular views of the city, and beautiful living spaces. I could just picture myself there, relaxing after my walk home from work while partaking of the spectacular views.

Since I graduated, I have been looking for a job in and out of state. Most in-state job openings were in this same beautiful city. That's the dream—to live and work in the city, especially this city. As irony would have it, I came home that same day to a job offer in my inbox in a town about 50 miles from these gorgeous condos and this lively city. By the end of the day, I had a second offer in the same town 50 miles away, and that's the offer I accepted. I've been at this fabulous new job in a town I didn't expect to work in for almost two months now, and I've moved to a nearby town where I certainly never thought I would live. Here's the thing—it's all good. It's all really good. I love the job, and I love my new place. The town where I work is really great too; it's just not the high-rise condo type of a town. So for the time being, I'm setting aside that high-rise life for a great job in another good place.

While there have been plenty of times when things work out just the way I wanted them to, there have been other times when I have set a dream aside in my life. Often that deferred dream fades into oblivion because reality is better than whatever the original dream was. Sometimes the dream is ever-present, waiting in the shadows until the right time to venture into the light. Occasionally, I wonder why reality isn't closer to the dream I set aside or why the timing isn't right for this dream or that dream, but I still get those blessed moments occasionally where I know I am where I'm supposed to be.

In many ways, this experience is a little bit of all of those times, and so I have set that dream aside in the ever-present shadows for now. Who knows? Maybe it will be one that fades into oblivion, or maybe it will be one that finds a time to reappear at some future date. But for now I've decided to bask in the great, albeit unexpected, life before me.

Why the Silence

2011-11-13T15:30:00.002-07:00

At this time, after a rather long absence, I feel the need to explain why I sometimes disappear from the blogosphere. In addition to starting a new job and moving to a new place, which has kept me busy the past few weeks, this is what usually leads me to go quiet:
1. I try to avoid unfiltered drivel. There are plenty of times I have thoughts that I think might be blog-worthy, but sometimes those thoughts are never written because they don't make it through the filter. One example is the list of status updates I never want to read on Facebook (but so often do). It would probably offend too many people, and I would come off looking quite negative and judgmental. So, don't ask for the list; you're not going to get it.
2. I try to present fully formed thoughts. I am an introvert, which means I don't work out ideas by talking/writing about them. I like to think things through before presenting things—in a blog as well as in a work meeting and other situations. Sometimes an idea just doesn't get fully developed before I decide it's not worth posting, and I don't think you want to read my half-formed ideas or mindless ramblings.
3. This is not a journal. Many people use their blogs as journals, but I don't share every emotion or every fact of my life in the public sphere. I have no problem with those who do, but it's not for me. (See comment above about being an introvert.) I could share exciting events or facts about my life, but by it's very nature, this blog contains musings. I try not to share pictures of a family vacation without some sort of thoughtful or amusing commentary or daily anecdotes without some pithy response. (At least that's my attempt.)
4. Too many words. I work with words professionally, and sometimes it's hard to deal with more words at the end of the day after coming home from a day's work. The video here is exactly how I feel sometimes—"Never ever do I want to hear another word. There isn't one I haven't heard." In saying so, let me be clear—I love being an editor, and I love working with words, but an occasional break is always nice.
5. Sincerity. Because I don't blog for a living, I don't blog when I'm not in the mood. I feel sincerity is the key to good writing, and if I'm not feeling it, I'm not going to write it.

So, I hope to finish up some past drafts and post on the blog in the next little while. Thanks for coming back (those that still do) despite my irregular posting habits!

Domestic Fail

2011-08-25T16:34:00.002-06:00

Image: Master isolated images / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

When I was 8 or 9 years old, I was in a little cooking 4H club. My mom and aunt were the leaders, and there were girls in the club from the neighborhood. My sister and cousin were also in the club. It was a great experience—I still remember the importance to leveling dry ingredients with a straight edge, how to boil eggs to avoid the green ring on the yoke, and why it's good to combine all dry ingredients before adding them to the rest of the mixture.

The culmination of our little club was entering a baked good into the county fair. I made lemon bars from the old Lion House cookbook, and I received a blue ribbon. I still remember being very proud of those lemon bars. I could conquer the world if I could make those. I've had a lot of baking and cooking successes and failures over the years, but overall, I consider myself fairly adept at cooking.

Fast forward to today: I'm in a book club that's meeting tonight. We're discussing Stargirl (which I've loved since the first time I read it). One of the most vivid memories from that book is the description of Stargirl's yellow dress when she goes to the school dance. I thought lemon bars would be the perfect treat to take. (Because they're yellow. Get it?)

I set out this afternoon to make said lemon bars from the updated version of the Lion House cookbook. After they cooled a little bit, I tried them to see how they were. Let me tell you, they were a classic failure. They didn't cook long enough and the lemon flavor was too strong (it wasn't sweet enough). In looking back, I'm sure it's my fault for two reasons:

1. Lemon rind vs. lemon peel
The recipe called for "lemon rind." I'm no professional cook, but isn't the rind the peel? After a quick Google search, it seems some are of the opinion that the rind is the peel and others think it is the white part just under the peel. If it's the white part under the peel, I don't know how you get to it without using the yellow part of the peel. Well, I included some yellow and white part to cover my bases, but maybe it was too much. I was supposed to do the rind of one lemon. Maybe my lemon was too large, or maybe I shouldn't have included any of the white part. (Any help from cooks more professional than I would be greatly appreciated.)

2. I don't understand large time ranges
I was supposed to cook the lemon bars for "18 to 25 minutes." Is it strange to anyone else that there's a seven-minute range? What does that mean? You can't exactly do a toothpick test on lemon bars because they're too gooey. How do you know when they're done? I left them in for almost the entire 25 minutes, but after cooling, I tried to cut them, and they were totally soupy. Clearly, whatever time I cooked them for wasn't enough.

I'm not sure what all of this says about my cooking skills. It could be that my nine-year-old self was a much better cook than my current self. Or maybe my nine-year-old self was a good cook under the close supervision of my mother (who will always be the epitome of domesticity to me).

I could probably make some obvious reference to a saying about what to do when life gives you lemons, but I won't. Instead, I have just one thing to say about this experience: this website makes me feel so much better about my life.

Bouquets of Sharpened Pencils

2011-08-20T10:00:00.002-06:00

I love fall. I understand that by so saying, some people may label me a heretic, but while some people are soaking up every last ray of summer sun left at this time of year, I start yearning for the signs of fall.

While many also insist you must live and enjoy the present (which I try to do), I think there's something to be said for having something to look forward to. So on this 20th of August, I hereby present the reasons I am looking forward to fall this year (and every year):

Image: Arvind Balaraman / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

School. This is the first year since 2009 I won't be starting classes for fall semester. While there were a few years before my graduate degree that I wasn't attending school, I will miss walking around campus and enjoying the novelty of a new textbook. (I realize few people love looking through a new textbook, but with an undergrad in English, it was exciting to see the novels for the semester.) Perhaps this year, I will need to read a new book to keep the feeling going.

Fall leaves. I know I should appreciate the summer foliage. After all, I never realize how green the world is until a winter of barrenness melts into the budding green of spring. However, I love the fall colors. Nothing brings a smile to my face like kicking my feet through a muss of fallen maple leaves.

Image: Adam Hickmott / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Crisp air. I love not having to wear any sort of outerwear in the summer, but by the time September comes, I'm excited to feel that first crispness in the air that makes your cheeks flush (but not freeze like January). I love the first time I can see my breath on a crisp morning.

Image: foto76 / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

New beginnings. Perhaps it's because the new school year starts in the fall, but the idea of new beginnings in September are permanently etched in my mind. I always see the fall as a time to start something new or to reflect on how my life has changed or improved since the last fall. Maybe it's just the general sentiment of change—the weather, nature, and my wardrobe.

Image: Salvatore Vuono / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Holidays. Fall denotes the beginning of the big holidays to me: Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. Those holidays have always been the big ones in my family, and I love gathering with family. There are so many great things to celebrate, and as the dun of winter approaches, I love having these happy times to look forward to.

So now, of course, I feel like sending everyone I know a bouquet of sharpened pencils.

The power of positive thinking

2011-05-23T14:22:00.000-06:00

So, I'm sitting here doing a little bit of work and sucking on cough drops to avoid having an uncontrollable coughing attack in the middle of the library. You know the attacks I'm talking about—they come on only when it's most inconvenient: in the middle of Sacrament meeting (preferably during a prayer), in a library, in an interview, or any other place you hope beyond hope that your throat won't betray you at exactly the wrong time.

But I digress. As I took out a cough drop, I noticed the wrapper has many motivational statements printed on it, which include:
- Seize the day.
- Buckle down and push forth!
- Nothing you can't handle.
- Take charge and mean it.
- Be unstoppable.
- Power through!
This has me wondering what the purpose of these messages is. At first, I thought, is Halls trying to be like Dove? But then I thought, they must be tapping into the power of positive thinking! The dear, thoughtful Halls manufacturers are trying to help the weary and cough-ridden by telling them to "power through" that cough! You can do it! "Take charge [of that cough] and mean it!"

I have yet to see the benefits of these statements, but hey, maybe I'll try "power[ing] through" next time I'm doubled over, with tears running down my cheeks, from the incurable tickle in my throat.

Beautiful things: Angela Liguori

2011-05-10T12:09:00.002-06:00

I have a lot of things I need to be doing (and should be doing), but instead, I'm taking a break to look at beautiful things. Ever since working for Creating Keepsakes, I have been in love with different stationery, paper, and fabric. One of my favorite parts of being an editor there was seeking out unique materials to feature in the magazine. For a year, I wrote a column that featured four different products that could be used in paper crafting. We often had different companies send us different products to consider for the magazine. I remember Angela Liguori sending some beautiful ribbon to be considered, and I loved it.

When I talked on the phone with Angela, she was so sweet to talk to and gave me so much great information on her Italian ribbon, and I could tell she had a passion for book binding.

I recently ran across her website again, and I fell in love with her cards. I love the vintage stamps on these:

Aren't they lovely? And, of course, I love anything letterpress:

Hooray for beautiful things (and time to discover them)! You can find more of Angela's products at her shop website, which is where all of these images came from.

Know your limits

2011-04-26T17:02:00.002-06:00

How did I miss this before getting more education? Now it's too late—all I can do is hang my head in shame and avoid dinner parties.

New blog

2011-04-15T14:03:00.001-06:00

So, I just started a new blog. It's true. Maybe it's that I miss discussing different aspects of media with my grad school friends, but I've learned a lot about media over the past couple years, and I feel the need to let my opinion be known. Now every time I hear someone at Church or elsewhere say, "You just can't trust the media" or some iteration of that phrase, where "media" is always bad and is always one large entity, I am slightly annoyed. Another reason for starting the blog is to help people understand that "the media" is not always bad.

I didn't start out graduate school with the intent to study Mormons and the media, but the fates led me to that topic, so my research has a Mormon spin to it. Because of that, the blog is from a "Mormon's" perspective. Don't worry—it's not the I-know-everything type of blog or the preachy-call-to-repentance type of blog. It's just a collection of my thoughts and musings regarding media.

If you're interested, here it is. If you're not, feel free to pretend you never read this blog post, and we'll all go on our merry way. And for you grad school friends—feel free to share your insights, or write a guest post! I'd love it.

Oblivion in Text

2011-02-28T18:09:00.001-07:00

I have the talent (and yes, I consider it a talent) of being able to block out my surroundings when I need to focus on something or work on something without interruption. I've been known in the past to not respond to others around me until they say my name repeatedly because I'm concentrating on something else. This comes in handy as an editor and writer—I can forget whatever is going on around me and focus on the words (prospective employers, please take note). This helps me have complete concentration on something for a long period of time.

As the saying goes, every virtue has its vice, and this uncanny ability to concentrate results in humorous situations sometimes. One of those happened today. I was in Provo at the HBLL doing some research for a professor when I received this text from my brother, who is also a student at BYU:
- Hey, how's Provo?

My confused response to him was this:

- Fine. Why? How do you know I'm here? Where are you?

His reply:

- Sitting right next to you.

I looked up, and sitting at the table right next to me was my brother, laughing at me. As we talked, we had both apparently been sitting next to each other for over 30 minutes before he noticed. I had even gotten up to borrow a book from the reference desk while he was sitting there.

Well, at least I got a lot done, right?

The Best Valentine Ever

2011-02-14T09:17:00.001-07:00

From my 8-year-old nephew. I guess he's in that "love is gross" phase.

Uncertainty Reduction

2011-02-01T08:35:00.000-07:00

In recent weeks, I have devoted my time to studying for my master's degree's comprehensive exams. It's a pass-and-you-graduate or fail-and-you-don't graduate situation. It's also a show-everything-you've-learned-over-1.5-years-in-4-hours situation. No pressure, right? I can't even count the number of hours I've spent reading and rereading, and quizzing and being quizzed on inordinate amounts of material. (I still remember that the theory of planned behavior was introduced by Fishbein and Ajzen, despite it not being one of my main theories, and I blame Katie and Lincoln for that completely.)

In that time, I became reacquainted with uncertainty reduction theory. While it also wasn't on my list of main theories to focus on for comps, I've been thinking a lot about it lately. The basis of the theory is that people communicate in order to reduce the uncertainty between them. For example, a person may wish to know someone's political affiliation before beginning a tirade about an elected official, so they ask questions and look for reactions about political views before deciding how to approach the subject at hand. In fact, many communication scholars believe the whole purpose of communication is to negotiate difference—if we all thought and acted exactly the same, there would be no need to communicate.

I feel like my life is one big practice in uncertainty reduction. I'm a planner and I don't like uncertainty, and so my way of reducing the uncertainty in my life is to make a plan for how things will go. There have been many uncertain times in my life, and some have resolved exactly as I planned while others couldn't have turned out differently. While I strongly believe everything always works out for the best, I still struggle with uncertainty.

And yet, here I am again, faced with uncertainty—this time in the form of where I'm going to end up working, and the corollary to that: where I'm going to end up living. I hope both will be places I'll be for a good long time because I'm tired of moving or otherwise changing my life situation every few years. Stability is a good thing, and little by little, I'm working to reduce the little uncertainties in my life to achieve that.

Portrait of a College Library Patron

2010-12-12T20:35:00.002-07:00

In the past 1.5 years, I've spent more hours in the good ol' Harold B. Lee Library than I'd like to admit. Over these months, I have observed many different library types or personalities. Because random ideas like this come to me when I should be working on other things, I'll share with you my findings. As I said, these findings come from hours of qualitative, ethnographic observation, so they cannot be generalized to a larger population:

The Dramatic Typist
This is the person who, even though she is using a laptop with quiet keyboard, pounds the life out of the keys while typing what seems to be a very important paper. Many people go quietly on their way, and type quietly on their way, but this person prefers all in their general vicinity to know they are working under a deadline by making more noise than the guy snoring at the next table. And that brings me to my next type—

The Sleeper
In my undergraduate days, I was all about the quick nap in the library. After all, 5 hours of sleep every night is hardly sustainable. I don't sleep in the library anymore, but many people do. My favorite version of this species is what I call the "Sleeper-non-Studier." These are the people who plop down at a table, and without so much as unzipping their backpack, fall asleep at the table. I have seen the phenomenon more times than I can count. Then, if you're having a good day, you'll see this same person, wake up with a jolt (usually with a string of spit from the table to their mouth) and leave the library in a rush. Keep in mind the backpack has still not been unzipped. Those poor, underutilized books in that poor, zipped-up backpack. These people seem to be oblivious to the main purpose of a college library. Speaking of oblivious . . .

The Blissful and Clueless
These are the people who merrily skip into the BYU stereotype of the student in love. Yes, these are those boyfriends and girlfriends who, beyond the annoying PDA, share a chair (despite there being an abundance of chairs available), whisper loudly to each other while their neglected books remain uncracked (those poor forgotten textbooks), share headphones while catching up on their Hulu shows together, and exchange googly-eyed looks with each other. Let's just remember this all goes on with 35–70 other people in their near vicinity who are all trying to ignore the annoying couple in the middle of the room.

The Socializer
These people come to the library to hang out with friends or roommates, or to find a date. The girls show up in their 4-inch Jimmy Choos (how anyone can wear 4-inch heals around campus baffles me), freshly applied lip gloss—and that on-the-hunt look in their eyes as they espy the table with the best-looking guy(s).
These are also the folks who sit eight to a table meant for four simply because they can't leave anyone out—except their poor textbooks, which still never get opened. This can also include guys who ask for help on simple Microsoft Word functions merely to get a date. (I may or may not have personal experience with this one.)

The Fidgeter
The fidgeter is among the most interesting library species. They hum to the music they're listening to, sway back and forth for no apparent reason, tap their pencil on the table, jiggle their legs to cause the entire table to shake, and mutter nonsense to themselves. They generally seem to be oblivious to the socially acceptable practice of library patronage—namely, to make yourself as inconspicuous as possible so others can concentrate on their studies.

The Food Rebel
It is a truth universally acknowledged that food is not allowed in the library. Recently, the HBLL has opened a snack zone where *gasp* food is allowed. For centuries, people have been sneaking in full pizzas in pizza boxes*, bowls of spaghetti*, tuna sandwiches*, and burned popcorn* to get them through their long study sessions. And for some reason, these furtive foodies must eat these items somewhere besides the approved snack area. Perhaps it's the thrill of the unapproved act that leads them do such acts, but I will probably never know for sure.
*I have seen or smelled each of these personally in my library experience.

While there are other library species, these are among the most prevalent and interesting in my recent experience.

Christmas Gift Guide

2010-11-29T22:55:00.003-07:00

I love a good gift guide this time of year. There's nothing to get you in the holiday spirit like a list of completely useless items. So, here you have 2010's gift guide, with something for everyone on your list:

For the dyslexic on your list (to realize they're not the only ones who misspell words): The Great Typo Hunt.

For the vegetarian on your list (to keep an open mind): My First Bacon.

For any man in my family (I don't think any explanation is necessary if you were aware of the recent mustache-growing contest): the Mustache glass

For the opera lover (to feel a part of the next performance): the Viking hat

For the Mr. Rumsfeld (to keep an eye on any Klopeks in the neighborhood): Night vision goggles

For the person who pretends they like to read (to avoid the insincere "thanks" when receiving a real book): the book dummy

This, of course, is only a few of the many wonderfully useless gifts you could give this year, so feel free to share links to you own useless-gift finds.

10 things I've learned from graduate school (so far)

2010-10-21T20:03:00.000-06:00

1. Professors need to be careful with teaching students theories of persuasion—the students may (read: "will") find a relevant application in class sooner rather than later.
2. You can safely blame the media for all of society's problems.
3. You can safely credit the media for all that's going right in the world.
4. There is no such thing as time, space, or reality.
5. Professors are our friends, and they want to help.
6. It's amazing how much you can get done around the house when procrastinating writing a paper.
7. Parasocial interaction has nothing to do with paranormal activity (sadly).
8. It's not okay to flirt with your professor—ever, ever, ever, ever, ever. (This seems like common sense, but you'd be surprised about some people.)
9. When a professor says, "You look like a grad student," it doesn't mean you look smart; it means you look tired and/or stressed.
10. After telling a professor you're not planning to pursue a Ph.D. and he/she says, "What a waste of a brain," he/she means that as a compliment.

Dream a Little Dream

2010-09-15T09:56:00.000-06:00

So, last night I had a dream that the family and I went to a U2 concert. It was pretty amazing because we had incredible seats that were about 20 feet away from Bono. So in between songs, we would all just casually shoot the breeze with him and other members of the band. The greatest part of this dream was the location of the concert—in the thriving metropolis of Emery, Utah. I'm pretty sure it's a sign that on the U.S. leg of their 360 tour they will add in a show in Emery and we'll host them at the Emery house for their stay. After all, it's got a shower now!

Mass Hysteria

2010-08-29T23:48:00.000-06:00

There are generally two schools of thought in language studies: grammarians who believe language should be governed by a set of rules instituted by a group of experts and disseminated to the masses. And then there are linguists who believe language usage should be governed the common man who speaks the language. For all those linguists in this world who believe our language needs no expert governing, I offer just one counter argument: parents naming their children.

I believe the state of baby-naming in our country is in utter chaos. Why is it parents think they need to be "creative" when naming their child? Even if a child has a normal name, like "Amy," it's spelled something like "Aymiee." No, really. After looking through a list of ridiculous names with my roommate, a junior-high teacher, I've decided parents are deliberately trying to make their children's lives difficult. Don't get me wrong: if a name is unusual because it comes from a different culture or is popular in a different language, I see no problem with that. I also see no problem with names that are a little unusual but are spelled phonetically, such as my own name (really, how hard can it be to pronounce "Maurianne"?). I just don't agree with strange new names or old names with ridiculous spellings.

Are these the people we want making decisions about how normal words are spelled, pronounced, or linked together to form sentences? I shutter to think. If those who name their children with reckless abandon (such as "Aliviyah") had control of any communication to the masses, I'm afraid we would have a true crisis on our hands. In fact, maybe we need a list of approved spellings for names. That way people who know nothing about phonetics or history of names can't mess up their children's lives by giving them names that are impossible to pronounce at first glance. Where's Samuel Johnson when you need him?

The New Grub Street

2010-06-01T21:18:00.003-06:00

So, there's been talk for the past few years about journalists needing a license in order to practice journalism. There are debates on both sides of the issue, but the latest, from a senator in Michigan has me dumbfounded. What I find interesting is that his reasoning for journalists to have a license is to ensure journalists are credible and, as the article quotes him, to ensure they have "good moral character." I'm not sure what a license will do for morals. As we've seen the past few years, a CPA exam doesn't mean accountants will always act with moral conviction, and we all know the reputation of many lawyers, despite passing the Bar exam. Let's not even talk about the lack of licenses for politicians, such as the one proposing this bill, and the power they wield in governing this country. In fact, it's an affront to the profession of journalism. How many organizations have an official code of ethics, like the Society for Professional Journalists? How many college programs of study include a course in ethics? Nearly all journalism programs do. In my mind, that argument just doesn't fly.

Another reason this politician gives is that media apparently is in a state of utter chaos. Apparently no one can differentiate between legitimate news sources and those that spout mindless drivel and lies. I think he should have a little more faith in the judgment of the population in general. In fact, many people are concerned about "citizen journalists" who take it upon themselves to report the news when they have no credibility as a journalist. The proliferation of bloggers, online start-up news organizations, etc. reminds me of what was known as Grub Street in 18th-century London. After freedom of the press was established in London, a proliferation of new writers began writing and publishing because it was easier to do. Much of what was published was of low quality and many lies were also published. Because of it, Grub Street came to have a bad reputation as housing writers whose writing can't be taken seriously. Eventually, as often happens, the market righted itself, and the best writing and writers rose to the top.

I have a theory that we are now experiencing a new "Grub Street." Since the Internet has made publishing even easier than before, many people have decided to publish their views and "news" online. However, the cream always rises to the top. The intelligent, respected, and thoughtful bloggers and citizen journalists rise by gaining a following and reputation. Serious news sources become popular by their quality of news coverage and commentary. In my opinion, all of this worry about citizen journalists and lack of credibility is unnecessary. As the Internet matures, the new Grub Street will right itself, and the best, most credible journalists will rise to the top no matter where they come from or where they publish.

So, take a deep breath, Senator Patterson. Credible journalism isn't dying, so there's no need to create a government-controlled press. We still believe in the First Amendment; we're not China, and from the beginning, a free press has been necessary as the proverbial watchdog of government.

In honor of St. Patrick's day

2010-03-17T20:29:00.000-06:00

Some simple dating advice

2010-03-01T15:49:00.002-07:00

To those seeking sound dating advice.

Can Mercy Rob Justice?

2010-02-18T19:23:00.007-07:00

So instead of working on the midterms I need to be writing, I've got some other things on my mind. This afternoon instead of holding one of my classes, my professor suggest we attend a rough-cut screening of Helen Whitney's new film on forgiveness. It was just the first of two parts of the film. The second part of the film is actually being screened at the University of Utah on Sunday. Because I haven't seen the second part of the film, I can't judge it positively or negatively because I haven't seen the conclusion. The portion I saw was, as she described, meant to create more questions than answers. One main question asked seemed to be, is forgiveness necessary, and is it always good?

Throughout the film, I saw example after example of people who either used forgiveness to cope with a situation or denied forgiveness and sought healing elsewhere for a wrong done to them. It was all very interesting, and it was interesting to see what she decided to portray. Religion was mentioned, and the ubiquity of forgiveness in the modern age--whether sincere or not--was an interesting concept addressed as well.

The whole time, I was thinking how interesting it is to listen to intellectuals grapple with philosophical ideas in a secular context that are often seen primarily in religion. These concepts, such as forgiveness, often become so complex and abstruse. I think it's also interesting that many think if you look at a complex problem through the eyes of religion, you are just being naive. I think that's evidence of the secularism in today's society, but that's another discussion for another day. Helen Whitney had some interesting insights, and I'm not trying to diminish that. However, the whole time I just kept thinking about what Alma said: "What, do ye suppose that mercy can rob justice?" We know the answer to that question is no, because then God would cease to be God.

That then brings up one of the great paradox of scripture: mercy vs. justice. I think philosophy exists solely to explore the complexities in the many paradoxes of the world. While the scriptures contain many, we don't value them for their complexity, but for their simplicity (such as the concept of losing oneself in order to finding oneself). For example, the paradox of justice and mercy is easily simplified by understanding that the Atonement of Jesus Christ fulfills the law of justice while still handing mercy to the sinner and sinned against. While many quotes explain this well, I particularly like this one from Elder Scott:
"The demands of justice for broken law can be satisfied through mercy, earned by your continual repentance and obedience to the laws of God. His mercy pays our debt to justice when we repent and obey Him."

It sounds to me like, you can't have mercy without justice, and you can't really have justice without mercy. It just doesn't work that way. So, where does that leave forgiveness? It seems the only real ubiquity about forgiveness is that it's necessary. Always. Perhaps the concept isn't as abstruse as those philosophers think.

Inspire Me

2010-01-03T19:37:00.004-07:00

So, I'm not very good at updating regularly these days. But I came across a list of my most inspiring websites the other day. When I worked for CK, I regularly visited these sites for inspiration in writing and concepting articles, and there's something about beautiful things (like beautiful fabric) that makes me happy. So without further ado, here they are:
Amy Atlas Events (and blog): beautiful party food displays by one amazingly talented woman
Amy Butler: beautiful fabric and designs
Anna Maria Horner (and blog): beautiful fabric and sewing projects
Dear Lizzy: a blog by a genuinely sweet and talented woman I used to work with
Design Sponge: great home decor design ideas and inspiration
Oh Joy!: lots of fun fashion and color inspiration
Heather Bailey (and blog): fun, brightly colored fabric and sewing projects
Hostess with the Mostess (and blog): an idea for every party
Lotta Jansdotter: fun, beautiful things by a talented artist
The Martha Blog: okay, her reality is few people's reality, but her blog is kid-of fun. Trust me.
Orla Kiely: very fun patterns and things
The Paper Princess: the cutest vintagey paper products I've ever seen
Print and Pattern: paper and stationery inspiration with a European feel
The Purl Bee: Purl Soho's inspiring blog
The Ribbon Jar: Any and all ribbon you've ever wanted can be found here
The Rockstar Diaries: a recent find; fun and random stories from an east-coast couple (also check out her beautiful headbands)
Sandi Henderson (and blog): more fun fabric and designs
Sarah Jane Studios: lots of adorable artwork, especially for children
Shabby Apple: the cutest dresses you'll ever see
Style Me Pretty: don't think I'm a wedding-obsessed single girl for this one; it's got fantastic letterpress ideas, beautiful color palettes, and amazing photography (really)
Your Heart Out: fun updates on local events, talent, and shops

Wow

2009-11-19T19:36:00.002-07:00

There are few things that bring as much joy in my second round on campus as the letters to the editor. This one particularly caught my eye this week. There are just no words for this. I've been waiting for a really great reply. So far, they are just the standard "women are great" replies, but one can hope.

On being a disciple-scholar

2009-09-13T19:23:00.002-06:00

The last couple of weeks, I have heard a lot about being a scholar--that it's different than being a student, and that you will be expected to be a scholar in any graduate program you study in. It's a bit of a shift for me because I have been used to being the student. I'm used to fulfilling the requirements of the class, and while I've enjoyed that, I have done little outside of the what a class requires.

Now, I have heard numerous times that to be a scholar means that you an inquire--you ask questions and find answers to those questions. Classes are merely a starting point and teach the means to find the answers to your questions. It's all interesting, and I'm getting used to that mindset. It's stressful, but there are plenty of times in working professionally that I've had to do ask questions and find their answers. It's obviously different, but I hope that experience has prepared me a little for what lies ahead (at least that's what I tell myself when I need a little bit of confidence).

I've also had a lot of people ask why I'm going back to school and wonder why I'm getting a masters degree when I just want to go back into the same industry I was working in before. Besides feeling like it will help me in furthering that career, a lot of people don't understand coming back to school for the sake of learning, which is definitely part of going back to school.

One of the great things about going back to BYU is incorporating the gospel into academic studies. I don't know that I've appreciated a prayer at the beginning of class as much as I have in one of my classes that begins each session with a prayer. I'm not used to bringing religion to the forefront so openly as is possible only at BYU.

In my program orientation just before school started, our graduate adviser shared this quote with us from Neal A. Maxwell: "For a disciple of Jesus Christ, academic scholarship is a form of worship. It is actually another dimension of consecration. Hence one who seeks to be a disciple-scholar will take both scholarship and discipleship seriously; and, likewise, gospel covenants. For the disciple-scholar, the first and second great commandments frame and prioritize life. How else could one worship God with all of one's heart, might, mind, and strength?" (from On Becoming a Gospel Scholar)

I love this. I love that our religion doesn't think religious devotion and scholarly studies are mutually exclusive. They can coexist and do coexist as a form of worship as we seek to know the great things of God. So thank you, Elder Maxwell, for justifying my decision to go back to school, even if it doesn't guarantee I will increase my earning potential or don't go on to get a PhD.

The Future is As Bright As Your Faith

2009-09-05T10:00:00.001-06:00

In the past couple of weeks, I have changed just about every aspect of my life: I've moved to a new place, moved in with girls I didn't know previously, switched wards, quit my full-time job, started a new part-time job, and started attending school again full-time for the first time in over seven years. For someone who thrives on stability and serenity, it's been quite the uprooting, and today it has me pensive.

Venturing into the unknown is a little difficult for me, and it may not seem like much to some, but to change so many aspects of my life all at once was a challenge for me. Starting graduate school has been over a year in the making, and walking around campus now is a little surreal for me for a couple of reasons. One is because it has taken some time and preparation to get here, and the other is because I remember what it was like as an undergraduate to be here, and I feel like I'm not the same person who walked that campus back then. Many people seem so young to me, and I wonder whether I fit into that scene that was once my comfort and stability a few years ago. I wonder if it matters if I do. It's taking some adjustment to dive into the world of academe where they expect us to be scholars and not just students, and hoping I live up to what the professors seem to think I am very capable of doing.

I like to have a plan for where I'm going, and having a pretty unknown future (except for the next couple of years) have me feeling like a new freshman again in some ways. As is so often the case, I was reminded of one of my favorite General Conference talks of all time recently, "An High Priest of Good Things to Come" by Elder Holland. His story at the end struck me differently this time because while his family circumstances were very different than mine, I find myself venturing off to school once again, and I can relate to attempting to look to the future, not really knowing what I'll find. His words at the end, "There is help and happiness ahead--a lot of it. . . . Trust God and believe in good things to come," once again remind me that Christ is our high priest of good things to come--in so many ways.

Similarly, the words of President Monson have been on my mind a lot lately: "The future is as bright as your faith." God can perform miracles in our lives, and is willing to, as long as our faith remains firm. It's nice to know the Lord is there for us, even if our worries are minuscule compared to so many others. It's a great comfort to me, at least. So there you have my musings of today.

Best Children's Books of All Time

2009-07-15T21:17:00.003-06:00

That's right folks. I'm coming out of blog hibernation to tackle the best children's books ever written. I wouldn't except for this article in the New York Times that I don't totally agree with.This is such a hard topic to address because it's so subjective. What are the criteria? Can it be any children's book, or do they have to be books that influenced you as a child? Or do they have to be literarily sound? What about books that used to be considered children's books but are now considered adult classics (such as A Christmas Carol or Gulliver's Travels)? Should chapter books be separated from picture books? I have no answers for these questions, so without further ado, here are my favorites, in no particular order. I won't say "best" because that's impossible to judge.
1. Anne of Green Gables series by L. M. Montgomery because reading this column made me remember one summer when I read all of those books in one summer. I was technically a young adult, but I loved them. In fact, I remember getting in trouble a couple of times that summer because I was caught reading those instead of doing something else I was supposed to be doing.
2. Laddie: A True Blue Story by Gene Stratton-Porter not because it influenced me as a child, but because I fell in love with this as an adult. The story is sweet and endearing, and so idyllic.
3. Heidi by Johanna Spyri because it's the first book I remember my mother reading to me. I know I was young enough that I didn't know how to read yet, and I remember wanting to know how you knew what those words on the page actually said.
4. The Snowman by Raymond Briggs because I could read it before I knew how to read! I will always remember the illustrations in that book and how they told a more vivid story to me than any words.
5. Did I Ever Tell You How Lucky You Are? by Dr. Seuss again, because the images and funny concepts remind me of childhood. I remember tracing the different paths the poor boy who lived in Ga-Zair could take to get from his bedroom to the bathroom.
6. Richard Scarry's Best First Book Ever because I loved that everything was labeled with a word of what it was.
7. The Boxcar Children Gertrude Chandler Warnerbecause it was cool the children could just live in a boxcar. It always sounded like a fun adventure.
8. The Witches by Roald Dahl. My 5th-grade teacher read it to us, and I remember the vivid description of those witches. I could just see those hideous witches in my mind's eye.

I've probably forgotten many of my favorites, but it's a start. So if anyone still reads this here blog, I'd love to hear what you think. What are your "best" children's books of all time and why? Let's discuss.

Ah, felicity

2009-02-07T18:19:00.003-07:00

So as I was driving to my parents' house yesterday for my sister's birthday party, I saw three of these:

It was such a pleasant surprise. Are the little lambs being born already? That must mean spring is on the way! Okay, I know it probably won't come for at least another month, but it's definitely something to look forward to. And really, have you ever seen anything as cute as a newborn lamb frolicking around the field? I doubt it.

Bump it up!

2009-01-06T20:19:00.003-07:00

I just saw a commercial for Bumpits. You know, from BigHappieHair.com. I saw the commercial on real TV; not just the Internet. Doesn't everyone want this hair?

Now you can have big happie hair too! Just check out the video:

Christmas Gift Guide

2008-12-15T21:09:00.012-07:00

I know, I know. Between the GRE and moving, I seemed to have fallen into a black hole the past couple of months, but in an effort to make contact with the world (or the void, as the case may be), I present to you, this year's official Christmas Gift Guide--to spur new life into the last-minute shopping frenzy that's upon us. This list is made up of many fabulous gift ideas that come from my own findings and those around me (thanks Mom for the ultimate gift idea this year! See number 5). So without further ado, here's the 2008 gift guide!
1. Retainer necklace from Kiel Mead. No gift is as thoughtful as one that reminds the receiver of a past memory. Of course, I don't know if "awkward teenage years with braces" is the memory they prefer, but hey, it might be!

2. Daedalus Lamp from Tord Boontje. I think the visual explains it all on this one.

3. Station Organizer from Paper Source. There's nothing quite like a little plastic man sitting on your paper clips.

4. Recycled magazine mirror from Urban Outfitters. This mirror allows the recipient to not only check their appearance before leaving the house, but they have the satisfaction of knowing the mirror materials once graced the newsstand with details of Brad Pitt's life.

5. A Heifer from Heifer International. That's right. For just $500 you can give a cow to someone in a foreign country. After all, this gift comes from "the most important gift catalog in the world." If that isn't the "epitome of hyperbole," I don't know what is. (Thank you Brian Regan.)

That's all for now, but if I come across some other fantastic gift ideas, I'll be sure to keep you posted. If you have any gifts to include on the list, please feel free to share.

I don't get it

2008-10-08T11:52:00.000-06:00

So, every morning I get an email from the HR department with a list of people who are out of the office for the day. They also include a "tidbit of the day." Today's was a quote from Stephen Nachmanovitch. I don't even know who that is. Anyway, here's the quote: "The noun of self becomes a verb. This flashpoint of creation in the present moment is where work and play merge." I read the quote, and then I read it again . . . and again . . . and again. It makes absolutely no sense to me. Then I googled it. It seems there are plenty of people out there who think it means something because it's listed on many quote sites and blogs as an inspiring quote. Maybe I'm missing something, or maybe I've already wasted enough of my life pondering, and even blogging, about such nonsense.

Stranger in a Strange Land

2008-09-05T17:52:00.002-06:00

I was recently reading a design blog at work for some inspiration, and I came across this post. The author talks about moving to Germany for the first time, and her adventures of not speaking German very well and not knowing the culture. I was intrigued by what she had to say, and it has me thinking about new places and new situations. Often exploring new places and cultures is the reason we give for traveling to far-off lands or cities (even within our own country). I've never been a daredevil in any sense of the word, but I think there's something to be said for adventure and exploration of this sort. (I don't really think jumping out of a plane qualifies as adventure. That falls more into the "insanity" category.)

I love that she conveys the uneasiness of being the odd one out. There's a certain power that comes from conquering the unknown--knowing you can do it and seeing the hand of God in your life in the process. But there is a lingering uneasiness that gradually fades until you don't realize that it's gone, but you suddenly feel comfortable in your surroundings. The new surroundings can be as simple as a new job or home, or it can be as major as a move across the country or world. At what point do you switch from yearning for the "home" that is far away to being glad when after a long journey you are, at last, "home"?

And then there is the aspect of leaving where you are comfortable, or you are in the majority (whatever majority that may be), to a place where you are suddenly in the minority--the odd one out--and discovering what sort of mettle you truly possess, and how who you are or what you stand for suddenly comes to the forefront as the defining piece of your personality.

I've only really been in that situation a couple of times--where I've been completely out of place and there isn't much familiar around me. I think of those times and realize those were some of the greatest growing experiences I have ever had. There is also the external factor--of going from merely enduring what or who is around you, because they are all so unfamiliar, to embracing your surroundings, or your surroundings embracing you.

Not that this is a particularly significant thought, but it's what's on my mind. So that's what gets posted today.

Famous Last Words

2008-08-16T14:22:00.003-06:00

I recently read the last words to Stephanie Meyer's latest book (thanks for pointing these out, Sam). No, I haven't read any of those books, so I can't really judge them based on this phrase. So if you love those books, please don't take offense; I'm not attacking the books; just the last phrase of the last book. The last phrase of Breaking Dawn reads "And then we continued blissfully into this small but perfect piece of our forever." Okay, you have to admit that's pretty laughable. I'm not sure how that one slipped passed her editor.

This has me pondering the last phrases of many movies and books, and I realize that there are many horrible last words. Why is that? It's the readers/viewers last impression of the story. It ought to weigh more than the opening scene. I think of the last words in Spiderman 2: "Go get 'em, tiger." Seriously? Who wrote that? I laughed out loud in the theater when I saw the end of that movie. Another favorite was from King Kong. That was a long, laughable experience all the way through, but when Jack Black said stoically, "It wasn't the airplanes. It was beauty killed the beast," I just had to shake my head. I understand it was a shout-out to the original film, but seriously, if there's a really bad last line in the original, for heaven's sakes, cut it in the remake.

What happened to fantastic endings like "It is a far, far better thing that I do, than I have ever done; it is a far, far better rest that I go to than I have ever known," from A Tale of Two Cities? It's those lines which leave you thinking about the story and feeling edified. Or this last line from the timeless King Lear: "The weight of this sad time we must obey, Speak what we feel, not what we ought to say: The oldest hath borne most; we that are young Shall never see so much, nor live so long." As far as movies, what about the awesome last line of Casablanca: "Louis, I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship." There's a line worth remembering!

So, what really bad or really good last lines have you come across?

To Go Green

2008-07-05T19:47:00.005-06:00

I don't know about all of you, but I'm sure sick of hearing how we can "go green" in our daily lives. (In case you're worried, this is not about global warming or our effects on it.) Don't get me wrong--I believe quite strongly in being a good steward over this earth. We need to be careful of what resources we take and how they are replaced. I personally recycle, and I try to combine trips to save on gas (admittedly, there is a financial incentive there). However, I am tired of this frenzied effort to save every tree we see, and conserve so much energy that we use no energy. I have heard of recent "green" efforts such as hanging up clothes lines to dry all of your clothes instead of using your dryer (saving energy!), washing clothes with cold water instead of warm or hot water, using energy-efficient (albeit dim) lightbulbs, setting your thermostat higher in the summer and lower in the winter, or riding your bike to work.

While all of these are good efforts, and I don't condemn anyone for these practices, it seems that the norm is becoming more extreme. I feel like we're going backward and not forward as far as technology and innovation go. In my opinion, inventions such as hot water heaters, clothes dryers, indoor heating, and cars were invented for our benefit. I hate to see the day come when we have gone back to horse-drawn wagons, wash boards, candles and potbelly stoves (oh wait, those use wood for fire--so not green).

All of this reminds me of the Mannerism movement in art. It was a reaction to the Renaissance, particularly High Renaissance. The Renaissance was literally a rebirth of skill, idea, and talent. It is thought that this was the era when art finally reached, and even surpassed, the perfection found before the Middle Ages. It included artists such as Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo. Instead of continuing the traditions of perfection, the Mannerist artists exaggerated forms and began to make them imperfect and almost not real. In many views, this was a step backward, not forward. Compare "Madonna with the Long Neck" to the anything by da Vinci, such as his sketch "Head of a Woman." There's no comparison.

What does Mannerism have to do with going green? I don't think we've reached technological perfection, but it seems the extremes of going green include moving backward instead of forward, just like Mannerism. It seems with all of the intelligence and information at our immediate disposal, we would have greater and more innovative ways of solving the world's problems other than taking away the innovation that has been the hallmark of our world for the last few hundred years.

I wonder how often in our lives we continuously look backward for solutions to our greatest problems, when what we need is the foresight that will give us that next innovation, and then harness that ingenuity into solving instead of avoiding our problems.

I may completely off on this one, but it was just a thought. But I'll be forming a protest for the day they take away the printing press in favor of handwritten, illuminated manuscripts. That's where I draw the line.

MIA

2008-06-30T18:15:00.002-06:00

It has been a good long time since I posted anything, and I'm afraid it isn't going to get much better until August, probably. I mostly blame this class I'm taking. It's really taking up all my spare time (which isn't much in the first place), so please excuse the absence. We'll (or "I" if you're opposed to me using the majestic plural "we") be back to normal shortly. Just a couple of notes: yes, Steve, the backgrounds totally give away whose shoes belong to whom. Apparently it took a few people a while to catch on to that, and you know I'm up for a trip to the city any time. It has been way too long! Hooray for Annie for getting the correct shoe answer!

I do have a couple musings I'm mulling over, but until I fully understand Statistics and its cosmic importance, I can't fully flesh the musings out enough to post. However, I will tell you this: they have to do with Mannerism, the fad of "going green" and other sundry items. Interesting, huh? It's okay to just pretend you're interested. I won't be offended.

Some Pics to Enjoy & a Musing

2008-05-28T22:37:00.007-06:00

So, here it is--the long-awaited photo.

Now you understand about the funny face. Anyway, this was based on The Shoe Project, which is kind-of a cool photo project done in San Francisco of random people and their shoes. If you can guess which shoes are mine, I'll give you a nickel. At least, I'll think about giving you a nickel.

This past weekend, I went down with the fam to Spring City to tour some of the historic homes in town. It's such a cool place. This is a picture of the home of my great-great-great Grandfather, Wiley Payne Allred. There's something about seeing a place where your ancestor lived. He suddenly seems real, and there is such a connection there.

There's also something to be said for eking out a living in the middle of nowhere and surviving in this desert country. I often wonder what made them stay, especially after he moved over to Emery. I think a bit of my heart is in each place. In fact, during the one time of my life when I spent significant time in a large city, I often thought of the wide open land and beautiful sunsets. When what I saw everyday was this:

I saw in my mind's eye and yearned for this:

I guess as much as I love the city, I'm not really a city girl at heart.

Another random musing for the day--first of all, isn't this just the most adorable Mother's Day card you've ever seen?

It's from my nephew, Will. I know, I'm not a mother, but hey, are we not all mothers? Something about watching a child discover language just melts my heart. Along those lines, may I just say that all mothers who work tirelessly night and day for their children's welfare are amazing? I was reading a co-worker's blog today, and she linked her "one of those days" stories to this talk she gave on Mother's Day. I absolutely loved it, and highly recommend it for your own reading pleasure. I love how honest she is--it's hard work, and she admits it, but at the same time, there is no other work that's quite as rewarding. I loved her comparison to a mission. How differently would we all act if we constantly saw our current position in life as a mission? Interesting.

Look Ma, I'm in a magazine!

2008-05-05T22:09:00.006-06:00

First things first: the spring bulbs bloomed! Here's a photo of a couple daffodils (taken at night--excuse the quality).

Okay, so it's not exactly the ten thousand at a glance, but it's good enough.
Second, I must apologize for my lengthy absence. I'm not sure where April went. I think it got lost in this pile of boxes somewhere, since I spent a lot of April working out details for the Women's Conference school kits Humanitarian project I helped out with.

My last excuse is that I have recently started taking a statistics class. Before you yell for all to hear "Are you crazy?" Let me explain. After much deliberation, I have, indeed decided to go to graduate school, if anyone will take me. Part of that process for one program I will be applying for is taking an undergraduate-level statistics class. The professor in charge of that program suggested I take it before I take the GRE, since it will help with the math portion of the test. Considering I haven't cracked a math book in 10 years (and my last experience involved getting a big fat 1 on the AP Calculus test--yep, they actually give out 1s on AP tests), I took his advice. The only problem is, instead of enjoying sandy beaches this summer, I'll be calculating standard deviations. I'm not sure what I was thinking.

However, I did try to take Wordsworth's advice this weekend and let Nature be my teacher. I went to the park for a couple of hours while I did my stats homework yesterday. The weather was beautiful and really one of the first outside-weather days I've seen all year. Nature was indeed my teacher, but instead of teaching "truth breathed by cheerfulness," it taught me, once again, that fair-skinned people should stay away from exposure to the sun at all costs. A nice, uneven sunburn is always a good way to start off the season of hotness. Enough on that tangent.

I must say that part of my problem is that one of the last things I want to do when I come home from work is write more. I'm a writer, for heaven's sake. What's my problem? After thinking about this, I've decided that it's because I write or deal with words all day long in my profession, and to be a good, creative, and successful writer, I need to not be a writer 40 hours a week writing something else. I need to be a writer 40 hours a week writing the great American novel (ha). I can't really help that situation right now, so I guess the Pulitzer (or Newberry) will have to wait (more of a loud, raucous burst of laughter this time) until I'm independently wealthy and retired.

Oh, and one more random thought for the day: my face--and shoes--officially made it into the June issue of the magazine. I'm sorry to disappoint you all, but I don't actually have a copy of the magazine just yet, but I've seen it out there. I'll post a picture when I get it for you all to enjoy. I say "enjoy" because the photo they used of me was one I begged the designers not to use, but for some odd reason they loved it. After seeing it, the editor-in-chief came over to my cube and said, "I just saw your photo for the shoe shoot. I've never seen that side of you before." Yeah. I know you're all curious now, but you'll just have to wait for the photo, or you'll have to pick up a copy of the magazine from the newsstand.

So little time . . .

2008-03-27T16:41:00.003-06:00

A little while ago, my sister sent this quote: "Everything was busy making signs of spring, and one could become tired of ice and snow after a while, and so hungry for summer that those first days which were just hints of what was coming were almost better than the real thing when it arrived."
It's from what is probably my favorite children's book of all time--Laddie by Gene Stratton Porter. This is SO how I have felt since January. I'm glad spring is finally showing itself around here. The other day, my roommate and I planted the spring blubs that have been sitting in the garage all winter. Since they started sprouting without dirt, we figured we ought to give them some dirt and light to see what they would do. I'll keep you posted on that one.

Another random note for today: have you ever felt that there is so much you want to do and you just don't have the time or energy to accomplish it? I'm absolutely certain that if I were independently wealthy, I would have no problem quitting my full-time job (as much as I enjoy it) and filling my time at home with other pursuits. Here's my current list of things I'd love to do but don't have enough time for:
- write a children's novel
- change the world by writing societal commentary (in published form)
- be a museum curator--preferably over history
- do my family's genealogy and become an expert genealogist
- learn to sew well
- get a masters degree (one I'm actually pursuing--I'm leaning toward Communications)
- study at one of the great British universities
- read, read, read (the more I read, the longer my book list gets)
- start a magazine
- increase violin skills to be good enough to be in a good symphony

So, what about you, my blog friends (all 3 or 4 of you), what's on your list these days?

Peace of Mind

2008-02-27T21:34:00.002-07:00

So, I've been flat in bed or watching daytime television for nearly a week now with some horrible illness. After I had suffered three days of burning fever, aches to keep me awake all night, and delirious dreams when I could sleep, I finally decided to go to the doctor on Monday. I called the nurse before I went to make sure she thought it would be worth it. I didn't want the doctor to say, "Yup, you're sick with something. Now go home and rest." I don't need a doctor to tell me that. I barely managed telling the nurse anything because I had no voice to speak of, so she thought it best I come in possibly for a strep test.

After I managed to get myself there (thank goodness for moms when you're not coherent enough to drive yourself), I finally got in to see the doctor. She asked me a series of questions and said, "Well, would you like to be tested for the flu or for strep? It's possible it's one of those." I had never been presented with options like that. I was kind-of hoping she would just tell me what tests she was going to do. Rather that answer, I deflected and said, "Well, there's not much you can do if it's the flu, right?"

She said there wasn't but then proceeded to convince me that I needed to be tested for the flu. Her argument went something like this, "Well, doing the test will give you the peace of mind of knowing that you've got the flu, and giving everyone else the peace of mind that that's what you've been exposing them to and what they have exposed you to." I wasn't really in the mood, or presence of mind, to argue with her on that. And, hey, who doesn't need a little peace of mind? Besides, I thought maybe she'd do a strep test too, which I would consider beneficial. No one wants to end up with rheumatic fever two weeks down the road.

A few minutes after some guy stuck a Q-tip up my nose, she came back and said, "Congratulations, you have type A influenza. The good news is, it's the more mild version, and you get to be an official flu statistic at the state health department." I felt so privileged--I was official. I celebrated by going straight to the pharmacy to stock up on Sudafed and NyQuil. I'm not sure the knowledge that I had the flu brought the peace of mind she expected to me or my group of fellow sickies, but that NyQuil brought 13 hours of sound sleep that night. That's what I call peace of mind.

So, to all you who feel there may be something keeping you from finding peace, let me suggest being tested for the flu. The doctor says it brings peace of mind, and hey, she's the expert.

All hail the mighty semicolon

2008-02-19T21:27:00.002-07:00

I think it quite appropriate here to send out an alert to all unassuming readers: "word snob alert!" as Annie so deftly warned in a comment a few posts back (and Annie, you know you're just as much of a word snob as I). While this isn't about any particular word, it is in the same vein, since it's about what punctuates those words. So, if the scintillating dramas of semicolons doesn't excite you, move on. Read elsewhere. This is no place for you today.

I came across a wonderful article in the New York Times today entitled "Celebrating a Semicolon in a Most Unlikely Location." I'm amazed the writer could fit the mention of a serial killer, the No Child Left Behind act, a New York Times bestseller, and Kurt Vonnegut all in an article on semicolons. That's quite a feat, but I digress.

I am quite happy to see people being recognized for good punctuation, and I think it should be done more frequently. Perhaps we ought to have an annual award that recognizes one person's quest to use the semicolon in a felicitous manner, and maybe we can give extra points or the Miss Congeniality award to the person who uses it in the most amusing manner. Imagine where some of the Bulwer-Lytton contest entries could go with the correct usage of a semicolon!

In fact, in celebration of this semi-colon recognition and general literary amusement, perhaps we ought to all enter the Bulwer-Lytton writing contest this year (the official deadline is April 15), and make sure you include plenty of well-used semicolons!

Pews of Distinction

2008-02-10T19:58:00.000-07:00

As I was traveling home this evening, I saw a large truck drive into our neighborhood. This wasn't out of the ordinary by any means, particularly in a neighborhood that is fairly new and has a lot of construction going on. What caught my eye was the writing on the side of the truck as it passed in front of me: "Church Furniture of Distinction." Sure enough, there was a large picture of church pews next to the verbiage. Okay, it isn't a sight you see every day, but it isn't that unusual considering they are building a couple of new chapels in the area as well. What triggered the irony radar was that today is Sunday. Isn't it a little strange that a company serving the religious population doesn't follow the law of the Sabbath?

I can just see the scene now:
Phil: "Hey, Bob--looks like we've got another fireside going on this evening."
Bob: "Yup. I think we're gonna have to kick people out of church again."

The ensuing scene consists of people standing (if they are deacons, they are running instead of standing) in the snow consuming their punch and cookies after the youth fireside ends 30 minutes early. Good times.

Superfluous

2008-02-04T21:11:00.000-07:00

Have you ever noticed that the word "superfluous" is, well, superfluous? It's a rather ironic situation, but it has me pondering this evening. I realize that on the eve of so-called "Super Tuesday" I could be pondering on the political significance of this cosmopolitan election year, or on whether the large amount of snow we received yesterday in this colder-than-normal winter is some strange sign of global warming, or whether, in fact, there is enough scientific evidence to suggest that anything we do contributes to global warming. But my mind goes back to my initial query--why are there so many words that have another word that means the exact same thing? I realize this cries heresy, considering my training in the English language and its literature, but let me explain.

I can understand words of similar meaning existing. "Assassination" and "murder," for example both have a legitimate place in our vocabulary (although, it does make one wonder how famous a person must be in order to be assassinated instead of murdered). But why must we use both "large" and "huge," not to mention the recent ghastly edition to our lexical canon, "ginormous"? A "tome" is really no more than a "book." And then there are the words that are longer than their definition: Triskaidekaphobia=fear of 13. Let's not even mention words that are in common usage but aren't used correctly or don't really exist (think of business-ese and education-ese, and their need for the word "metadiscourse" to exist).

I am not suggesting we remove these words from our dictionary (except maybe "ginormous")--poor Mr. Johnson would never approve of such things--but merely look at the words we use. Are we using them because they are the best word for the purpose, or are we spouting them merely because they are there, floating in some undefinable nebula waiting to be utilized (or, ahem, used). Do they truly enhance communication or do they detract because they muddle meaning instead of clarify? What are words but a venue for communication, and if they don't add meaning, they ought not to be used.

Perhaps it was the poets who encouraged this extensive language--in order to fit their meter and rhyme, but I doubt it. Or perhaps this entire musing is superfluous; not just the word "superfluous."

5 things

2008-01-19T22:04:00.000-07:00

First of all, wow. Just wow. I'm amazed at the number of comments on my last post. I'd like to continue the discussion, but right now, my mind isn't coming up with anything brilliant to say. Stay tuned . . . In the meantime, here's a lil' "5 things" tag from Caron.

Five things I was doing 10 years ago
1. Smiling broadly (it was about this time of year I received by acceptance letter to BYU. I had perma-grin for about 2 months after that, I'm sure.)
2. Spending lots of time with various orchestral groups. Those were the days.
3. Wasting time that should have been spent on homework (wheely chair races in AP Research, Bread and Jam club, etc.)
4. Planning my future life as an engineer (ha, good one. Glad I came to my senses.)
5. Suffering through AP Chemistry. (What was I thinking?)

Five things on my to do list today
1. Go to the grocery store
2. Get my hair cut (hooray for hair cuts!)
3. Go to the temple
4. Finish my laundry
5. Clean my room
**Exciting stuff, huh?

Five things I will do when I'm a millionaire
1. Quit full-time employment and pursue writing the great American novel.
2. Buy a house. And a subaru.
3. Get an advanced degree from Oxford
4. Become an art collector
5. Travel to exotic places, like Britain

Five things I'll never wear again
1. Skinny jeans (sorry, very few people look good in those monstrosities)
2. Those elastic bands with the big plastic balls on the end
3. That blue dress I wore as a uniform in the Granite Youth Symphony
4. Socks over my pegged pants
5. Pegged pants

My favorite toys
1. Rainbow Brite (as a child)
2. Baby Brite (as a child)
3. Strawberry Shortcake (as a child)
4. The illustrious iPod (now--it often keeps me sane at work)
5. That pink-flowered, banana seat bike with the white basket (as a child. Does a bike count as a toy?)

Banes of my existence
1. The subjunctive form. Seriously, I will never master that.
2. The different forms of "lay" and "lie."
3. Neil Diamond. "There are two kinds of people in this world . . ."
4. Badly written New York Times bestsellers
5. Plurals expressed with an apostrophe (as in "my sister's went to the store")

Five people to tag
1. Jill
2. Heather
3. Ron (come on, do it)
4. Michelle
5. Marissa

Just Call Me June

2008-01-08T20:36:00.002-07:00

So, rather than write the obligatory "new year" post, I've decided to post about something I've been thinking about a lot lately. I've decided I was born many years too late. In fact, I would have loved to be June Cleaver. Now, before anyone who reads this makes some comment on the oppressive gender politics of the 1950s, let me clarify, that I would love it from what it appears to be on the surface (and I think a few people are a little out of control when it comes to assuming the life of a 1950s housewife was always terrible). Besides June Cleaver's ability to solve any problem in 30 minutes or less (remember when Beaver discovered he actually liked Brussel sprouts?)--no comments on my inability to grasp reality--there is a lot to be desired. From a fashion perspective, it would be fantastic--wearing "everyday" dresses and "Sunday" dresses. How wonderful to not only wear hats because it was socially acceptable but to wear them because they were expected. And then there are the aprons. Just look at this!

Oh, to have an excuse to have more than one of these in bright, colorful patterns. (More cute aprons of this variety can be found here.)
Now, before I proceed, I understand that the grass is always greener, but there's something quite appealing about the domestic arts--the feeling that you have something to show for your efforts: a clean home, a handmade quilt, etc. Perhaps it's just that I think it would be wonderful to actually go grocery shopping at 10:00 in the morning instead of 10:00 at night, or to go to the bank before it closes, (I never understood why they couldn't stay open until at least 6:30 or 7:00.) or to have the time and energy to actually cook dinner in the evening. Or perhaps it's that I really was born 50 years too late.

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

2007-12-15T10:16:00.001-07:00

It's a little late, but here are a few pictures of those favors I put together for Thanksgiving. What great times. I love getting together with the family and eating to your heart's content. Of course, that tends to be every holiday in my family.

On the back of each place card, this is what it said:

So, over the past couple of weeks, we've had a couple of good snow storms. After the first one, this is what I saw Saturday afternoon above our front door. Poor little bird! He was probably so shocked by the sudden cold storm.

Here's a not-so-good picture of our street at night after another small amount of snow fell.

Last night, I went to the Mormon Tabernacle Christmas concert with the King Singers, and it was wonderful! I think one of my favorite things to do during the holidays it go to Christmas concerts. I love imagining the heavenly hosts singing praises at the most significant event to ever happen on this earth. The Choir's version of The First Nowell is exactly what I envision the angels singing.
I also love Christina Rossetti's setting of that first Christmas night. It's a song that often heard this time of year, but often, my favorite part of the poem isn't sung (the middle stanzas). Here's the full version:
In the bleak mid-winter
Frosty wind made moan,
Earth stood hard as iron,
Water like a stone;
Snow had fallen, snow on snow,
Snow on snow,
In the bleak mid-winter
Long ago.

Our God, Heaven cannot hold Him
Nor earth sustain;
Heaven and earth shall flee away
When He comes to reign:
In the bleak mid-winter
A stable-place sufficed
The Lord God Almighty,
Jesus Christ.

Enough for Him, whom cherubim
Worship night and day,
A breastful of milk
And a mangerful of hay;
Enough for Him, whom angels
Fall down before,
The ox and ass and camel
Which adore.

Angels and archangels
May have gathered there,
Cherubim and seraphim
Thronged the air,
But only His mother
In her maiden bliss,
Worshipped the Beloved
With a kiss.

What can I give Him,
Poor as I am?
If I were a shepherd
I would bring a lamb,
If I were a wise man
I would do my part,
Yet what I can I give Him,
Give my heart.

I love the subtlety of the event--that the world at that moment didn't know or understand the significance (except for a few shepherd and wise men from the East). But the angels of heaven couldn't hold back their exuberance. They sang "glory to God on high." What must that have been like? To be a prophet who has prophesied of Christ's birth or to be one of the people that knew this is the event that has been anticipated for thousands of years. And here is the event that proves to the world that God keeps his promises to His children. He did indeed provide a Savior for the world, and this was the beginning of his earthly ministry--a humble birth where angels rejoiced, a star showed the way, and only the humble and faithful worshipped him.

It's November!!

2007-11-07T16:52:00.000-07:00

And that means we are long over due for some pics from the illustrious family and work Halloween parties. Here is one of the CK staff in their Halloween costumes. I'm the witch in the back.

This one is of Janice and I in our matching black and white stripes.

This is one of the Holland family. Too bad Lee didn't dress up this year. (ha)

Here is one of H and G. Nice guys, seriously.

This is Sam sacrificing himself in order to win the peanut game (played without peanuts since Will is allergic).

And here's a close-up of my green makeup.

Also check out the fam's blog for a sweet one of Mom in her orange glory. The socks are a special touch on that one.

And I have to say, I absolutely love November. I love Thanksgiving and the feeling of reflection. For some reason, it hits in November more than any other time of year. Maybe it's just the thought of family getting together for the big feast and the great food preparations beforehand. Anyway, I'm pretty excited for it this year. I've been put in charge of the favors/place cards this year. Maybe that's because everyone knows I've been stockpiling scrapbooking supplies that I will never use up. Check back later for a picture of the complete projects. In the meantime, if you have any really great (and fairly short) gratitude or Thanksgiving quotes that would come in handy, let me know.

Anticipation

2007-10-25T11:54:00.000-06:00

Well, I'm afraid it's been a busy couple of weeks, hence no post. We officially have a functioning stove again. (woo hoo!) I have used it once since it started working again, and all's well so far, but I couldn't help but flinch just a little bit when I turned that burner on, hoping no infernal flames would come shooting out.

Heather, Graham, Sammy, and I spent one heck of a cold afternoon in P-town last weekend watching our dear Cougs oust the opponent amidst a lot of snow (particularly in the 3rd and 4th quarters). I love the anticipation of the snow and the upcoming holidays, but I'll admit, standing in the wet cold for that long wasn't very pleasant. I'll remember to be inside when the next storm hits, maybe.

It seems I'm embarking on that sentimental journey a little early this year. Perhaps it's because working for a magazine forces you to think six months ahead. Do you remember as a kid the crazy anticipation that led to any holiday? It didn't matter what it was, you were always excited. But you were doubly so when it came to holidays like Halloween and Christmas. We used to have really great extended family Halloween parties when I was a kid, and everyone dressed up in really great costumes. All of the kids would go trick-or-treating together and then come back to the party where we were on a sugar high for the next two weeks, depending on how long the candy would last.

And then there was the supreme magic that surrounded the entire Christmas season. You just never thought Christmas would ever come. Honestly, I hope some of that magic still exists in me somewhere--that hope of good things to come. I heard this broadcast from the Tabernacle Choir last year and have never forgotten it. On a more general scope in life, anticipation is that longing for good things. How interesting. Perhaps we ought to more frequently sense that feeling of anticipation, anxiously waiting, for those good things yet to come.

Holy Smokes! It's the Fire Department!

2007-10-12T09:01:00.000-06:00

As life ebbs and flows onward, it's interesting to see how when certain events beyond your control take hold, they come not in solitary incidences, but in masses of big events. Those I have talked with recently know it has been a busy few weeks at work culminating in a rather tumultuous few days this week. I'll spare you the details, but let's just say it took some time and energy to get everything taken care of.
On top of that, I was cooking some quick dinner last night--some good ol' Mac and Cheese. I'll admit I have a weakness for the stuff. Perhaps it stems from being raised on it as a child. There's an interesting resurgence, it seems. You can read about it on Blueprint's blog from a little while ago. But I digress. As I was sitting in the living room waiting for the proverbial (or perhaps literal) pot to boil, my roommate and I heard this loud noise and looked around to see a large blow-torch-like flame spewing from the burner. My reflexes weren't quite as fast as my roommate's, who ran to the kitchen just to see the flame die back. All that was left was a smoldering, red spot on the burner where it also melted, a pot with a pretty good scorch mark, smoke and smoke alarms beeping, and a horrible stench. She quickly turned off the burner, but the light indicating a surface unit is in use was still on. So we decided to unplug the possessed oven to keep it from swallowing us whole. Here are a couple of pictures to prove the event happened.

(This is the offending burner)

(and the pot that had to suffer through the ordeal)
The fire department didn't actually come (but it makes for a good title, doesn't it? Thanks for that, Heather). But needless to say, we are now ovenless until we inform the manufacturer just what we think of their product. The funny thing is the oven is relatively new. My roommate bought the place and moved in in June. Everything was brand new at that point.
Thank goodness today is Friday. I don't know if I can handle much more of this kind-of drama in my life.

tags of many sorts

2007-10-05T15:50:00.000-06:00

Well, I've been tagged by the creatively illustrious Jill (admit it--you have more creative talent than I can ever hope to possess), and this is a good one. So, without further ado:
1. Your rock start name (first pet and current car): Caramel Roxcy (seriously, my car's name is Roxcy).
Wow, sounds like a spice girl or something
2. Your gansta name (fav ice cream flavor, favorite cookie): Bunny Tracks Chocolate
Hmm, could be a whole lot better
3. Your "fly guy/girl" name (first initial of first name, first three letters of last name): M Dun
Jill, very similar! We're "Dun" fly girls at heart. :)
4. Your Detective name (favorite color, favorite animal): Red Panda
Isn't that a real animal?
5. Your soap opera name (middle name, city where you were born): no middle name, so simply "Salt Lake"
6. Your Star Wars name (first 3 letters of your last name, first 2 letters of your first): Dunma
7. Superhero name (2nd favorite color, favorite drink put "The"): The Pink Lemonade
Sounds fierce and formidable, doesn't it?
8. Nascar name (the first names of your grandfathers): Seth Reed
9. Stripper name (the name of your favorite perfume/cologne, favorite candy): um . . . *feigns shock* Jill, I'm surprised and shocked. :)
10. Witness protection name (mother's and father's middle names): Anderson Willis
Sweet. I'm liking that one. It almost makes me feel as cool as Anderson Cooper is--almost
And to continue the fun, I tag Heather, Marissa, Brooke, Caron, Christy, and whomever else is lurking in the "admiring bog" out there.

And on to pun-esque related news (i.e., tags of another sort), I have recently discovered another cool website: Paper Source. It's a great one. I highly recommend it to all. In particular, I am seriously considering these darling tags for Christmas presents. It almost makes me want to give to everyone I have ever met so I can use more of them!

Okay, seriously. Have you ever seen anything so cute? I doubt it.

the facelift and the first musing

2007-10-01T22:16:00.000-06:00

Welcome to the new look! Hopefully this is much improved to the tacky red and gray disaster this blog was before. I think it still needs some tweaking, but at least I can stand to look at it now. Just for your information, this painting is an ever-famous one in the local community--it is by John Hafen, and it's entitled "Girl among the Hollyhocks."

Since I have renamed this blog to encompass my musings, allow me share the first musing under the new guise. The fam has already heard this, but that's okay. I was thinking recently about one of the reasons I became interested in the writing aspect of my college degree, and it makes me once again want to write a book or at least something that is lasting. There's a fantastic address given my Orson F. Whitney entitled, "Home Literature." It's a fascinating read, if you're interested in that sort of thing, but I love what he has to say about the literature of the Mormon people: he says "We will yet have Shakespeares and Miltons of our own." That's a pretty bold statement in 1888 when most of the people were just trying to survive in a barren land where the government still hated them. I'm guessing most didn't have time for extensive courses in rhetoric or the art of writing. Yet he states that "In God's name and by his help we will build up a literature whose top shall touch heaven, though its foundations may now be low in earth." I think there are many wonderful writers and philosophers of our time and in this religion, but we are not nearing Shakespeare, Milton, or Carlyle just yet. Wouldn't it be wonderful to be part of that great work--at least at getting closer to that goal of having some of the finest literature ever produced coming from this history and background?

Susan Cooper (a well-known children's author) once said in a speech I attended that you must write from "a deep longing for home"--a concept the Welsh talk about. How interesting that she would talk of that and her own "deep longing" in her highly acclaimed writing. If you write from that deep longing, then what a reservoir the Mormon people must have to draw on! Perhaps one day (soon, I hope) I will stop musing on such things and start working towards them instead.

the fam and grommets

2007-09-27T13:18:00.001-06:00

So, the fam has a new website: www.ididntcometoeat.com. It's a great place. Now, you non-family readers (are there any of you out there?), let me explain. You may be wondering, "why in the world would they choose 'I didn't come to eat' as their url?" Well, let me give a little background. It helps to understand this great family I'm genetically tied to. Ever since I can remember, my family has gone down to a small town in central Utah every summer to spend some time. It's where my grandfather grew up. My great uncle, my grandfather's brother was also down there frequently and later, he and his wife lived down there. Well, my great uncle often came to visit while we were there, but he always came, curiously around mealtime--whether it be breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Well, we always invited him to eat with us, but his reply was always, "Well, I didn't come to eat." He would then proceed to accept the invitation and break bread with us. That's exactly how it went ever time, and it was a very endearing, yet predictable event.
Well, upon further discussion, as my family often discusses such odd and random topics, we realized that whenever we get together, we actually do come to eat. There is always food, and it's usually the center focus of the get together. So, no one denys it these days. But the fact remains that the story is one of those things that we all find enormously humorous even today.
In other (although probably not more interesting) news, I'm going to my first official crop tomorrow. What's a crop, you ask? Yeah, I didn't know until a few months ago. It's a party where a bunch of people get together and scrapbook. Just ask Christy (thanks for the list of acronyms, hah. It's so true!), this whole scrapbooking industry is a world all its own. My coworkers and I are going to scrapbook and chat with others--they are the audience for the magazine, so it's good to get their perspective. But that's just it--we're going to scrapbook with them. That will be interesting. So, I guess I'll be packing up my patterned paper, ribbon, grommet tool (I still don't know how that thing works) for one big barrel of laughs tomorrow! It'll be fun. Maybe I'll actually get a page or two scrapbooked!

One past postscript: I realize this blog is very ugly. I keep experimenting with the templates available, and have decided I need to customize it. One of these days, I'll have enough time to do that. Really, I promise.

still alive

2007-08-27T23:21:00.000-06:00

I know, it has been a long time since I posted here, and I even promised to be better about that. So much for good intentions . . . Well, life has changed quite a bit in the past few months. I am currently working for an awesome magazine, C reating Keepsakes.

Believe me when I say I have learned a lot about scrapbooking, especially for someone who hasn't really been into it in the past. I still haven't figured out how to use the grommet tool, or really what a grommet even is (isn't that the dog that hangs out with Wallace?) but I guess there's still lots to learn. :)

One thing I am sure of these days: I love working for a magazine. It's great to be able to see your ideas come to fruition. In fact, my first feature article was recently published in the October issue. Woo hoo! It won't win any journalism Pulitzer Prizes, but I'm okay with that.

I've also upgraded my living situation--from an apartment with two roommates to a townhouse with one roommate. I'm slowly getting there. Who knows, I may actually own my own place someday!

The summer has been fabulous. I've been able to spend sometime in the great outdoors, and the little bro returned from his mission a few weeks ago. And, in the spirit of summer festivities, here's a great pic from a couple of years ago (just before the bro left) of him, the sister, and me during a rousing game of miniature golf. Good times!
And while we're at it, ignore the fact that the sunburned kid is wearing a shirt he wore when he was in first grade (or earlier). Let's hope that phase has passed since he's been wearing suits for the past two years.

Winter, a lingering season

2007-01-20T19:44:00.000-07:00

After dealing with many days of smog and cold, it's hard not to wish, and yearn with your whole soul, for spring. However, I was reminded a few days ago by my sister of a quote that helps us get through these days. I keep telling myself winter helps us appreciate the spring. John Boswell said, "Winter, a lingering season, is a time to gather golden moments, embark upon a sentimental journey, and enjoy every idle hour." I think I find much more time to read during the winter months. Or, perhaps it's the recent barrage of new books that lends itself to that. I don't complain. I find escaping into a fictional world or being enlightened with new knowledge a very envigorating experience.
In fact, I have wondered a lot lately about acquring truth and how it is done. (*warning: this may lead to something philosophical and boring. You may stop reading here, if you wish.) I find it interesting that many, particularly those who try to disprove religion, are not in the pursuit of gaining knowledge. Rather, they are in the pursuit of proving something wrong. I wonder, what have the disprovers gained? Not knowledge, for sure. An absence of knowledge perhaps. In fact, I would venture to say many "philosophers" and "critics" use proving something false as an escape from seeking real knowledge. It is much harder to find truth than it is to find an absence of truth, I think.
I may be completely off my rocker on this one, but I heard an interesting discussion the other day about Alma 32. Instead of the usual faith reading, which is wonderful in itself, the speaker used the symbol of a growing seed to gaining truth. It is much like the scientific method, he said. We start with a hypothesis, we experiment, and then we draw a conclusion. If our first experiement seems to lend us to believe our hypothesis is true, we continue to experiment to make sure. It's a never-ending process. If we find our hypothesis is false, we adjust the hypothesis and continue to experiment. You never see to prove something is not true using this method. How interesing. All of the phases the seed goes through as it grows can be compared to our different senses of knowing truth. If the seed is good, it swells (v. 28), which may be compared to a swelling within us--a spiritual and physical response that tells us it's true. It enlarges our soul (v. 28) which may be compared to a behavioral change in us. We want to act a different way because we believe something is true. It enlightens (v. 28, 34), which may be an intellectual response. Our view has been broadened and our minds enlightened. And last, it begins to be delicious (v. 28), which means we desire more truth.

Ben Stein and Christmas

2006-12-13T22:32:00.000-07:00

So, I've decided to rejoin the blogging world. It's funny that I choose that on an evening I have no energy whatsoever, and I really need to be in bed. However, looking through some other friends' postings elsewhere, it reminded me of a great experience (and photos to prove it!) I had last year about this time as some friends and I were leaving a Jazz game. We walked through Temple Square to get to our car, and who happened to cross our path? None other than Ben Stein. We had the shameless audacity to go introduce ourselves and confirm that's who it was. Just so you all know, he was very congenial and kind. He insisted on shaking each of our hands and knowing each of our names. We wished him a happy holiday season and went on our way. But really, how many people can say they ran into Ben Stein anywhere, let alone on Temple Square? It was great.

Is it over?

2006-10-03T19:20:00.000-06:00

As I sat listening to General Conference this weekend, I just revelled in the opportunity to hear from living prophets, but I also thought about years and seasons past when the weather has been less than desirable for the event. Fortunately, it was good weather this weekend, but it made me realize that summer is really over! Where did it go? I guess a large part of it I spent in a large classroom in New York City. Another large part I spent reading pages and pages of magazines, articles, and books in a less-than-luxurious dorm room. Another portion was spent attending and preparing for festivities surrounding a certain sister's wedding. That was all definitely worth it, but I guess I didn't have too many picnics in the park or even too many lunch hours outside. Perhaps I'll just have to make the most of what good weather is left.
In the meantime, my thoughts have turned to Halloween. I think I have a good idea for a costume--the devil who wears Prada. Unfortunately, I don't actually wear a pair of Pradas. Maybe my other red heels will have to do. Any stellar ideas out there for how to make this the best costume ever? And the answer to the question running through your head is, yes, I'm still obsessed with the crazy people in the New York publishing industry. The farther removed I am, the more amazing it is, really.

way too long!

2006-09-07T18:06:00.000-06:00

I realize it has been way too long since I posted! What with returning from New York, being involved with my sister's wedding, and life in general, it has escaped me. I could say a lot about a lot of things that have been going on, but I think pictures perhaps tell the best story. Particularly for the wedding, the best place to look is Jill's beautiful pictures at the temple. I can't take any credit except for being in one or two of them. However, to amuse probably no one but myself I am following in the footsteps of the one and only melissamerica (thanks for the idea!). I don't know why I feel like this list needs a disclaimer, but I have to say the scriptures are excluded from the list because they fit into many catergories here--most especially number 1. So, here goes :

1. One book that changed your life: The Peacegiver by James Ferrell.

2. One book that you have read more than once: Laddie by Gene Stratton Porter. This is such a great children's book! It hails from the era of innocence, and I love it.

3. One book you would want on a desert island: David Copperfield by Charles Dickens. Yup, I could read that one over and over again.

4. One book that made you laugh out loud: Eats, Shoots, and Leaves by Lynne Truss. It's true. The inner (or not so inner) pedant comes out.

5. One book that made you cry: Great Expectations by Charles Dickens. I have to admit I had tears streaming down my cheeks at the end.

6. One book you wish had been written: So many books by the early members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. There is so much personal thought and reaction of those faithful people we just don't have written down.

7. One book you wish had never been written: Tess of the d'Urbervilles by Thomas Hardy. I can't stand that book.

8. One book you are currently reading: Just one? No. Adam Bede by George Eliot, Joseph Smith: Rough Stone Rolling by Richard Bushman,Sesame and Lilies by John Ruskin, 1776 by David McCullough, and Learning in the Light of Truth by Merrill J. Bateman. Yeah, I'm determined to get through them all!

9. One book you have been meaning to read: Les Miserables by Victor Hugo. It will happen one of these days.

Rochester fun

2006-07-26T15:53:00.000-06:00

So, Rochester was such great fun. It was great to hang out with the fam, even if they do enjoy sitting around, picking their noses. Heh.

Maybe no one will notice it is us with the disguises.

Well, all good things must come to an end, and I had quite the experience trying to get back to Salt Lake last week. My flight from Rochester to JFK was delayed because of major storms in New York City, and after one of the airline employees assured me I wouldn't miss my connecting flight to Salt Lake, I got on the plane to JFK only to arrive an hour too late to catch my flight. After dealing with more than one very unhelpful person, I spent the night in the JFK airport attempting to get a little sleep. I then got on a flight to Las Vegas (which was also delayed an hour) and arrived with just enough time for me run to the gate of my last flight to Salt Lake. I was flying with a different airline and didn't have time to get my luggage. After I arrived in Salt Lake and tried to track down my luggage, it seems the incompetence on the JFK workers continuted because my luggage never made it to Las Vegas. After taking 23 hours to get home and finally receiving my luggage a full day after I arrived, I decided I don't really want to fly anywhere again anytime soon. So much for my good record of no incidents when flying.

Needless to say, it's good to be back, and it's good to get back to normal life.

all over

2006-07-14T17:37:00.000-06:00

So, it's finally (or already) over. It was quite the week, and it was quite the race to the finish. Our group gave a presentation on our magazine launch, Historic Home, Thursday afternoon. Let's just say we were printing off cover art and materials for the judges that morning. It was pretty close, but all of the judges seemed to think we did a good job--they were all very complimentary, and even the coordinator raved about our magazine. There are always a few things that could be improved, but overall, they thought we did a good job. This morning was a career fair with a lot of big-name publishers (book and magazine). Since I'm not staying in New York, I didn't find it extremely useful, but it was interesting to talk to some of the people to see how they view the publishing industry. This afternoon we had a final luncheon at the Princeton Club (ooh swanky) where the alcohol flowed freely. There were a couple of girls at my table that had more than one or two glasses of wine before the luncheon was over. It's always amusing to watch everyone around you get tipsy when you are completely sober.
Anyway, the crazy week is over. I had a chance to go up to the Manhattan temple this afternoon, and it was wonderful and relaxing. I was glad I was able to go before I left. There are a lot of neat places I'm going to miss seeing all of the time. I guess I'll just have to come back again as a "tourist." :)
Now, I'm on my way to Rochester tomorrow!! The New York adventure continues. . . .

rats and relaxation

2006-07-10T13:36:00.000-06:00

So it happened this past weekend--I saw a rat. I only have one more week in the city, and I thought I would make it without seeing one. Let's just say it wasn't a pleasant experience. We (me and some friends from Salt Lake who were here--hooray for having friends in New York!) were in a subway station in Brooklyn, and I saw this large, disgusting, repulsive rat saunter across the platform in front on one of the sets of stairs leading to the exit. I hate rats. Have I said that before? Because I do. I hate rats. They are a very close second in repulsion to snakes.
However, yesterday we went to the Conservatory Gardens in Central Park. It was absolutely beautiful! I wish I had discovered them earlier so I could take better advantage of them. But, I'm just glad I spent some time there. We also walked across the Brooklyn Bridge, which was beautiful.
It was great to see the cityscape at night. Here is one picture from the bridge. It's a little blurry, but you get the idea. It was a nice respite from the stress that my life has been the past couple of weeks. The stress picked up again full force today, but it will be over by Friday. I think I'm ready for it to be over. I have had so many aspects of book and magazine publishing pounded into my head over the past few weeks, that I don't know if I can cram much more in there and retain it. At any rate, that's all I think or dream about these days. Really, as in I am having stress dreams about our magazine launch presentation on Thursday.

devils and pradas

2006-06-30T10:54:00.000-06:00

So, I realize that my little notes in this blog are much like Fanny Trollope's and Charles Dickens's writings of their experiences in America in that they are of great interest to the author but probably not of much interest to others who have not experienced it first-hand. The only difference is that my writing isn't nearly as good as theirs, and mine will never be published. With that in mind, maybe I can offer at least one amusing comment: the man sitting next to me in the computer lab is talking to himself or to the computer. I can't tell which. When I say talking, I mean carrying on a full conversation. Hmm. You've got to wonder about that.
It has officially been one of the busiest weeks of my life. Because we get both this coming Monday and Tuesday off for the Fourth of July, the Magazine director has decided to work us until we are completely exhausted this week in order to make up for lost time. I haven't had a minute to think, but at least I know a LOT more about magazine publishing now than I did a week ago. It's an interesting industry in that it's "service" oriented, but everyone admits that at the end of the day, money is what matters most. If something or someone sells well on a cover, that's what you do. Of course, there are exceptions, but that is the way the mass market looks at the world.
The magazine director is an interesting woman herself. Let's just say she fits the stereotype that the cutthroat magazine industry is known for. Often, she isn't very tactful, and everyone is surprised if she actually compliments the group or an idea. In her defense, she really knows what she's talking about, and if you're not intimidated by her, you're okay. You've got to have a pretty tough skin, but I guess it's good to get used to now. As you probably all know, the movie, The Devil Wears Prada comes out today, and there are some striking resemblances to my life and that movie right now. Seeing and hearing from editors and directors of many well-known magazines has made the premise of this book and movie realistic, even if it is "fiction." I think everyone in the program agrees. I think it may be a good group therapy session to see this little movie as soon as we can.

whew, half way over

2006-06-23T13:27:00.000-06:00

Well, I just finished the first half of the publishing program today. We had our group presentations on the imprint we created. That included presenting our catalog of upcoming titles and our marketing plans for each one. It went well, but we had an interesting reaction from the judges. One of the judges really ripped us apart, and basically told us what was wrong with each title. It was a little harsh, but the information was good. However, another one of the judges praised us to the skies and said he thought our imprint had some really good titles and plans, and that he loved it. As it is, we didn't take first place, but we did get an award for our lead title, Generation whY Me: Most media potential, which can create bestsellers, so we were excited about that.
Today after our wine and bagels (man, the alcohol sure flows freely around here), we got our reading material for the Magazine section starting on Monday. Let me just say, it's going to be just as busy, if not busier. I now have two of the largest binders I have ever seen full of reading materials. I am excited, though. There are people from some pretty big magazines coming: People, In Style, Better Homes and Gardens, Martha Stewart Omnimedia, Reader's Digest, and the list goes on. It will be good. I don't really get much of a break because there is quite a bit of reading for Monday, and I still have to finishing the oh-so-scintillating book, The Magazine Publishing Industry. A weekend of reading--at least it's better than spending the time outside in the heat and humidity. Man, that isn't very fun.

heaven on earth

2006-06-16T14:39:00.000-06:00

So, today we had class at Barnes and Noble in Union Square. First of all, this isn't an ordinary bookstore. Just imagine four huge floors filled with books. We had the main guy over merchandising and one of the buyers talk about their end of the book business. It was interesting to hear because many people who work for publishers see B and N and Borders as the big bad chain store. (At what point do I find it freaky that my life very closely resembles You've Got Mail?) They really rolled out the red carpet for us. They provided morning treats from Starbucks. Wow, their orange juice and bagels are just as good as everyone says they are. Or was it something else they're known for? I can't remember. Anyway, they brought us in before the store opened, and we met in an area they have set aside for readings and author appearances. Afterward, they gave us all a $25 gift certificate. You should have seen the look on everyone's face. Giving free money for books to a bunch of book lovers? It was like the proverbial kid in a candy store.
To top it off, today was research day at all of the independent bookstores as well. It was so we could see where our theoretical books that our theoretical imprint is publishing would fit in. I went to Strand--famed for supposedly having 18 miles of books. Let me just say it was like Sam Weller's times ten. It was seriously cool.
Needless to say, I have bought a book or two in addition to the ones we have received for free while being here. Mom, I think I am going to need to ship some things home . . .

loving it

2006-06-14T11:43:00.000-06:00

So, I just want you all to know how much I love New York thus far. It's such a crazy city, and there are some many people everywhere, but there is also so much to do. Last night, a couple of my roommates and I went to the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The greatest part was that it was free. Apparently, they open up all of the museums on Museum Mile one night a year to the public for free. They close off 5th Avenue in that area, and there are all sorts of street performers and entertainment.
But really, the cream of the experience was going to that museum. I had planned to check out the Guggenheim as well, but I didn't have time. I loved their collection of paintings in particular--Matisse, Monet, Renoir, Picasso, Seraut, Cezanne, Degas. You know, the usuals. Their Rodin collection is pretty amazing too. I love it. I love it all. I really enjoy being able to live as a normal New Yorker during the week, and play tourist on the nights and weekends. It's pretty good. So, anyway, that doesn't say a whole lot, but there you have it. It's a good place to be.

charitable nuns

2006-06-08T17:35:00.000-06:00

Well, I had a pretty interesting experience the other day. I was eating lunch in City Hall park, which is just across the street from where my classes are and very close to the Brooklyn Bridge (very cool, by the way). I was chatting with another girl in the program when a nun came up to us and said something like "St. Joseph's orphanage" and stood there with a small basket of money. She just stood there and looked at my friend and said, "I can't hear you." She waited for a minute more and when my friend didn't respond she said again, "I can't hear you!" Finally my friend said, "Good afternoon." At that, the nun walked away muttering something and was obviously disgusted. To this friend, who is from Kenya, it wasn't a very favorable impression of Americans.
As it happened, there was a man sitting near us on an adjoining park bench and said, "Don't worry about her. I see her around here all of the time. She even came in to a restaurant where I was eating and went up to each table people we seated at, and asked them for money. When she came to me, I just stared at her and didn't say a word. She left because she knew I caught on to her."
As if that wasn't interesting enough, a younger man came up to us and said, "I heard you talking about the nun. She's a fake, right? I was here once and asked where the orphanage is located. It doesn't exist--I tried to look it up."
So, apparently the New Yorkers know this woman is a complete fake, but a lot of people fall into her trap because there are a lot of tourists in the area.
She goes up to everyone she sees and made quite a bit during the short time I was there. She must make a killing. What a charitable "nun."
By the way, I haven't seen any rats yet. :)

ID please

2006-06-05T16:18:00.000-06:00

Well, after the first day of classes, I have noticed that you need your school ID everywhere you go. You need it to get into every building associated with the university. I went to get my ID card today, and ironically, you need to show your ID to enter the ID center too. I had a temporary ID until I got my permanent one, but what do you do if you lose your ID card? I guess you're toast.
On a more interesting note, I passed (but haven't yet gone in) The Strand, a great book store that claims to have 18 miles of books. It looks like lots of fun and a couple of hours of perusing. Better yet, it's just a couple of blocks from where I'm staying!
Classes are really interesting too. The staff that produced the best-selling novel Marley and Me spoke about the process of publishing this book and the different promotions they put together for it. It was quite interesting. We also got advanced reader's copies. I'm excited to read it. This morning we also had the president of the AAP (Association of American Publishers) speak. It's quite the all-start cast every day.
By the way, this comment is for Heather: NYU's color is purple. They have a purple flag outside of each building, and many of the doors in the buildings are purple. Even the blinds in my bedroom window are purple. It's pretty good.
Also, here's the hideous fashion tip of the day: leggings with cowboy boots. It's quite the thing around here. Try it. Or don't.

cocktails, anyone?

2006-05-31T22:29:00.000-06:00

Well, the funny thing is, I haven't actually made it to New York yet, but I'm getting quite the list of preconceived notions about this experience already. There is an email list that all members of the Institute subscribe to. So far, there hasn't been a lot of communication back and forth except to send out assignments. However, today one of the girls sent out an invitation to all to go get cocktails after the orientation on Sunday. It's the first topic that has inspired a huge response. Everyone is excited to have a drink or two to get to know everyone. There's also a reception coming up in a couple of weeks where wine and cheese will be available. Hmm. Somehow I think one of these things is not like the other already. Tonight, my friend Kim suggested I ask them all if they would like to have a Munch and Mingle at my apartment instead. The great incentive would be that I would make homemade chocolate chip cookies. Heh. If only there were room in my suitcase for my pink pinafore. . . .
I can just imagine my new roommates' responses as I skip off to Church with my scripture bag in tow. We'll see how this goes over.

Welcome!

2006-05-29T19:33:00.000-06:00

Welcome to my blog! It was suggested by more than one person that I set up a blog to chronicle my adventures in New York this summer. So, just in case you're interested, here it is. If you're not interested at all, feel free to forget this blog exists.