Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Best of 2009 - December 31
December 31 – Resolution you wish you'd stuck with
I could pretty much list every resolution, since I didn’t really stick with any this year. The one I really wish I had stuck with is reading my scriptures regularly (or, really, at all). I am really bad about this. Maybe I should go ask our bishop if I can be a gospel doctrine teacher again. Somehow, I don’t think he’ll give me the calling I want… This is going to be my resolution again this year, and maybe I’ll do better. The biggest factor, once again, is finding time in my schedule.
I could pretty much list every resolution, since I didn’t really stick with any this year. The one I really wish I had stuck with is reading my scriptures regularly (or, really, at all). I am really bad about this. Maybe I should go ask our bishop if I can be a gospel doctrine teacher again. Somehow, I don’t think he’ll give me the calling I want… This is going to be my resolution again this year, and maybe I’ll do better. The biggest factor, once again, is finding time in my schedule.
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Best of 2009 - December 30
December 30 – Ad (What advertisement made you think this year?
Since I don't have TV, I don't really see ads anymore. So, while the following isn't an "ad" per se, it did make me think. (The original video is no longer on YouTube, so I am posting a video that shows the original but with commentary on top.)
This video makes me think about two main topics.
First, I think it's sad that we care about celebrities so much and put them on pedestals. Who cares if a celebrity pledges to be a better person? First, they should stop being such bad examples to children by making inappropriate movies and dressing like porn starts, and then they should quietly make changes to their private behavior. That's great if you pledge not to give someone the finger (though, honestly, you probably have a chauffeur and don't even pay attention to the road anyway), or if you want to donate money to a worthy charity. But posting about it for the whole world to see how great you are doesn't count. It then becomes a publicity stunt and not true charity. But, I guess it doesn't really matter, since I expect that someone wrote this script and the celebrities are just reading it, which make their "pledges" even less valuable.
That rant aside, this video also made me think in another way about how I can improve my own personal citizenship. Lately, I've been frustrated at the growing lack of civility (which is partially why this talk on anger and this talk on basic civility and values are so good), especially between those on opposite sides of a political issue (examples: Glenn Beck and followers vs. "the czars" or supporters of gay marriage vs the conservative religions). I personally believe it is entirely possible to disagree with someone and still be polite. As an example, there is a neighbor of mine with whom I almost entirely disagree on political/religious matters: gay marriage, health care reform, religion, creationism/evolution, etc. But yet, we are friends, and any discussion we have on these matters is informative, interesting, but most of all civil. I personally feel that I leave our discussions uplifted with new viewpoints to ponder, but not attacked or resentful. So, I think instead of celebrities telling us to swear to be a servant of Barack Obama, we should all try to find ways to be better citizens, whether that be actually voting in local, state, and national elections; cleaning up the trash in our neighborhoods; volunteering to sit on community boards, the PTA, or volunteering in classrooms; being more polite and civil to those with whom we disagree; or whatever improvement we feel we need to make. While I can see the benefit of displaying these goals (it helps increase responsibility to follow through), we should also make sure that posting any need to improve should not be for the purpose of saying, "Look at me and watch the great things I will do."
Since I don't have TV, I don't really see ads anymore. So, while the following isn't an "ad" per se, it did make me think. (The original video is no longer on YouTube, so I am posting a video that shows the original but with commentary on top.)
This video makes me think about two main topics.
First, I think it's sad that we care about celebrities so much and put them on pedestals. Who cares if a celebrity pledges to be a better person? First, they should stop being such bad examples to children by making inappropriate movies and dressing like porn starts, and then they should quietly make changes to their private behavior. That's great if you pledge not to give someone the finger (though, honestly, you probably have a chauffeur and don't even pay attention to the road anyway), or if you want to donate money to a worthy charity. But posting about it for the whole world to see how great you are doesn't count. It then becomes a publicity stunt and not true charity. But, I guess it doesn't really matter, since I expect that someone wrote this script and the celebrities are just reading it, which make their "pledges" even less valuable.
That rant aside, this video also made me think in another way about how I can improve my own personal citizenship. Lately, I've been frustrated at the growing lack of civility (which is partially why this talk on anger and this talk on basic civility and values are so good), especially between those on opposite sides of a political issue (examples: Glenn Beck and followers vs. "the czars" or supporters of gay marriage vs the conservative religions). I personally believe it is entirely possible to disagree with someone and still be polite. As an example, there is a neighbor of mine with whom I almost entirely disagree on political/religious matters: gay marriage, health care reform, religion, creationism/evolution, etc. But yet, we are friends, and any discussion we have on these matters is informative, interesting, but most of all civil. I personally feel that I leave our discussions uplifted with new viewpoints to ponder, but not attacked or resentful. So, I think instead of celebrities telling us to swear to be a servant of Barack Obama, we should all try to find ways to be better citizens, whether that be actually voting in local, state, and national elections; cleaning up the trash in our neighborhoods; volunteering to sit on community boards, the PTA, or volunteering in classrooms; being more polite and civil to those with whom we disagree; or whatever improvement we feel we need to make. While I can see the benefit of displaying these goals (it helps increase responsibility to follow through), we should also make sure that posting any need to improve should not be for the purpose of saying, "Look at me and watch the great things I will do."
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
Best of 2009 - December 29
December 29 – Laugh (What was your biggest belly laugh of the year?)I’m not sure who remembers all their laughs for the whole year, but I digress. One good laugh I had this year was at our company Christmas party. The boss hired Comedy Sportz in Provo to be our entertainment. Between their hilarious improv and our yearly dumb-stuff-we-do,-sometimes-for-money videos, my cheeks were hurting by the end. My company is awesome!
Monday, December 28, 2009
Best of 2009 - December 28
December 28 – Stationery
I don’t use stationery, so this doesn’t really apply. So, instead, I’m going to say “Computer Program.” This year I discovered PhotoShop, and I love it! I wouldn’t by any means say I’m an expert, but I love playing around with it. I’ve also started shooting all my photos in RAW format, so I can better edit them with PhotoShop. It’s great! Where once I could only take mediocre pictures due to lighting or other issues, now I can correct all those flaws and make even a blah photo look awesome!
I don’t use stationery, so this doesn’t really apply. So, instead, I’m going to say “Computer Program.” This year I discovered PhotoShop, and I love it! I wouldn’t by any means say I’m an expert, but I love playing around with it. I’ve also started shooting all my photos in RAW format, so I can better edit them with PhotoShop. It’s great! Where once I could only take mediocre pictures due to lighting or other issues, now I can correct all those flaws and make even a blah photo look awesome!
Sunday, December 27, 2009
Best of 2009 - December 27
December 27 – Social web moment
My social networking moment of the year was just a few weeks ago, when I found B1’s old roommate Jake on Facebook. Jake and I haven't spoken since shortly after B1 and I were married. We had tried reaching him several times when we held “roommate dinners,” when we invited over all of B1’s old roomies for dinner. But, after a brief time, we lost touch, losing Jake’s phone number and having no other way to reach him. But, I just found him on Facebook this month, and discovered that he’s married with one daughter, another baby on the way, and deployed to Iraq!
My social networking moment of the year was just a few weeks ago, when I found B1’s old roommate Jake on Facebook. Jake and I haven't spoken since shortly after B1 and I were married. We had tried reaching him several times when we held “roommate dinners,” when we invited over all of B1’s old roomies for dinner. But, after a brief time, we lost touch, losing Jake’s phone number and having no other way to reach him. But, I just found him on Facebook this month, and discovered that he’s married with one daughter, another baby on the way, and deployed to Iraq!
Saturday, December 26, 2009
Best of 2009 - December 26
December 26 – Insight or aha! moment
I can't remember too much of an insight moment, though I have had several prayers answered in ways that were like that. Although I don't want to sound boring, they are a little too personal of experiences to talk about here. So, I'll just say that I know that our Heavenly Father answers prayers, even when he does it in ways we don't like or weren't expecting.
I can't remember too much of an insight moment, though I have had several prayers answered in ways that were like that. Although I don't want to sound boring, they are a little too personal of experiences to talk about here. So, I'll just say that I know that our Heavenly Father answers prayers, even when he does it in ways we don't like or weren't expecting.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)