Sunday, February 21, 2010
Gray February
I'm ready for spring. It's not just the snow - we really haven't had that much. It's the cold and the sort of lethargy that sets in every year by this time. I was happy to see that our violets have already bloomed and braved the cold weather. But I miss having our willow tree - it was the first one to start turning green, and it's gone now.
Sunday, February 14, 2010
New Furniture!
We have been making do with fewer chairs than we needed after rearranging our computers. It seems like we are always one short for dinner, with only 4 chairs around the table and 5 bottoms needing a place to sit. So I came up with this wacky idea that maybe we could go to IKEA and buy a couple of chairs. Yesterday after I got after work and after Will's birthday party (pictures later), we took the big trip to IKEA. Yeah, we're real thrill seekers around here.
And we came home with two new chairs for the desks! Here is one:
This one is upstairs. We thought of our neighbors, since this chair is named Moses! Here's the one for the downstairs computer:
We took them home in their boxes and Randy left to go to the grocery store. When he got home, Ellen was at work assembling one chair downstairs and Will was assembling the one upstairs. He was pretty impressed with his do-it-yourselfers! They are both comfy chairs, but I like the one with arms best.
And we came home with two new chairs for the desks! Here is one:
This one is upstairs. We thought of our neighbors, since this chair is named Moses! Here's the one for the downstairs computer:
We took them home in their boxes and Randy left to go to the grocery store. When he got home, Ellen was at work assembling one chair downstairs and Will was assembling the one upstairs. He was pretty impressed with his do-it-yourselfers! They are both comfy chairs, but I like the one with arms best.
Friday, February 12, 2010
Movie Review for Percy Jackson - Spoilers Ahead!
Spoilers ahead - read at your own risk!
I know I'm probably the first to see this one, but I wanted to start a thread and organize my thoughts.
We went to the midnight release. (As an aside, never again. My kids are so crabby. I'm kind of mad about it. They promised to get up for school if I took them to the midnight showing. Didn't happen.)
Liked:
The casting. Well done all around. Although Zeus is way hotter than Poseidon. I loved Uma Thurman as a creepy Medusa.
The monsters. Very well done. That minotaur was scary!
The quest. They were all well done. I think the Lotus Casino was the very best, but they were all exciting.
Percy. He was very good. (and my 15 year old said he was very hot as well.) And his chemistry with Annabeth was really good.
Dislikes:
Camp Half-Blood. OK, the part they kept from the book was good, but they left out so much here! I really wanted to see Percy discover who is father was, rather than have it worked out for him! And no oracle? What's with that? I guess they must not be planning any more movies, because the prophecy is really important!
Ending. Well, not the very ending, but the part at Olympus was kind of cheesy. Disappointing.
Overall:
Well worth watching. I would love to see it again. However, I am disappointed that they chose to leave out so much from the book. I know that movies always have to leave things out, but it seems to me that they could have added more and made the movie MORE suspenseful and exciting. I would say this movie is appropriate for ages 6 or 7 and up. Some violence, not much swearing, a few 'adult' references that will go over their heads and aren't that bad anyway (Percy objects to some things his stepdad says about his mom, Persephone comes on to Grover).
In short, a great action-packed movie for the family. You don't have to have read the books to enjoy it.
I know I'm probably the first to see this one, but I wanted to start a thread and organize my thoughts.
We went to the midnight release. (As an aside, never again. My kids are so crabby. I'm kind of mad about it. They promised to get up for school if I took them to the midnight showing. Didn't happen.)
Liked:
The casting. Well done all around. Although Zeus is way hotter than Poseidon. I loved Uma Thurman as a creepy Medusa.
The monsters. Very well done. That minotaur was scary!
The quest. They were all well done. I think the Lotus Casino was the very best, but they were all exciting.
Percy. He was very good. (and my 15 year old said he was very hot as well.) And his chemistry with Annabeth was really good.
Dislikes:
Camp Half-Blood. OK, the part they kept from the book was good, but they left out so much here! I really wanted to see Percy discover who is father was, rather than have it worked out for him! And no oracle? What's with that? I guess they must not be planning any more movies, because the prophecy is really important!
Ending. Well, not the very ending, but the part at Olympus was kind of cheesy. Disappointing.
Overall:
Well worth watching. I would love to see it again. However, I am disappointed that they chose to leave out so much from the book. I know that movies always have to leave things out, but it seems to me that they could have added more and made the movie MORE suspenseful and exciting. I would say this movie is appropriate for ages 6 or 7 and up. Some violence, not much swearing, a few 'adult' references that will go over their heads and aren't that bad anyway (Percy objects to some things his stepdad says about his mom, Persephone comes on to Grover).
In short, a great action-packed movie for the family. You don't have to have read the books to enjoy it.
Sunday, February 7, 2010
Why I Fast
In the LDS Church, we are encouraged to fast for two consecutive meals on the first Sunday of every month. It's not just 'going hungry' - we are to ask for spiritual help with something, or to bless someone else, and to pray for an increased measure of the Spirit as we fast. Then we take the money we would have spent on those meals and donate it to the Church for the support of the poor in our area.
I must admit that I am not great about following this practice. When I was growing up, my father was diabetic and so he couldn't fast. The rest of us struggled to find the motivation to stick to it. Then after I got married, my husband and one of my children had blood sugar issues where they shouldn't be fasting either. I don't have that excuse. Sure, I get grumpy and sometimes get a headache, but that shouldn't be reason enough not to fast.
We have always been faithful in the payment of our fast offerings, donating as much as we could, much more than the cost of the food itself, whenever we can. Then a few years ago, when my husband was out of work, we were the ones who received help from the Church. We would go to the Bishop's Storehouse, where volunteers would help us with selecting meat, vegetables, pasta, bread, fruit, and other needed items. At Christmas we got a turkey and candy and nuts for the stockings. It is a beautifully simple idea, but it works.
This weekend I grabbed a library book that will forever change how I look at the fast. It's called "The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind," by William Kambewamba. William grew up in the African nation of Malawi, the son of a farmer. His family would grow maize, or corn, and tobacco every year, milling the food they needed for themselves and using the money they earned to provide for their needs for the year. One year they had planted their maize, as usual, but the rains didn't come. For weeks the crop struggled along, with the seeds barely breaking through the soil. Then the rains came, but all once. The seeds were washed away in a flood. William's family planted again, but they couldn't afford fertilizer and the crop didn't have enough time to grow before the harvest. The entire nation was affected.
His family got their pititful harvest of grain milled, one bag at a time, but they had only five bags to last them all year. At first, they hoped that the government would come through with the food they needed. But instead, corrupt officials sold what grain they could and the surplus disappeared. So people starved. When the grain was almost gone, the hungry people took the husks of the corn, the green part I throw away every time I cook corn, and ground that up and ate it. When it began to run out, they mixed the husks with sawdust and at that. They ate the leaves of the pumpkin vines. They even ate the seed corn, scrubbing off as much insecticide as they could. William's family saved their seed corn, but they were down to a tablespoon of food or so a day. Then it was time to plant. With their bellies aching from hunger, and sometimes too dizzy to stand and temporarily blinded, they found the strength to plant their seeds. And then they prayed. The rains came, and the people had food again.
As I read William's story, and his desperate attempts to gain an education and break this cycle of subsistence farming, I found myself thinking about my cupboard full of food. All those stories of 'children starving in Africa' and how I needed to clean my plate ran through my head. And yet, what would William have done with my breakfast cereal, my mashed potatoes and meat loaf, my tuna casserole? They wouldn't have even known what it was, much less how to cook it.
Last night I prepared for my fast today with a completely different attitude. It wasn't that by fasting I could somehow bless those who are hungry in suffering nations across the world. It wasn't even that I could somehow alleviate the hunger of those in this country. It was because I needed to remember that food is a blessing, that I am lucky to have enough to eat. If we run out of food and money again, I know that I can count on my church, on my government, on my family. The stores have plenty of food. But over the history of the world, most people were not that lucky. So my fast becomes an act of gratitude that I am blessed, and a reminder that I need to help others who are not so lucky.
This was an amazing book. William's father ran out of money so could not pay for his son's education. William had to quit school and go to work on the farm. He tried to keep up with what his classmates were learning and found the local library. There he found books on electricity, physics, and energy. He decided to build a windmill. He scrounged parts from the junkyard, took apart radios and engines, and got help from his friends, but he succeeded. He was able to use his windmill to provide energy for little light bulbs in his house so he could see to read at night. Soon word of his project got out and he attracted the attention of journalists and scientists. They helped him make his windmill stronger and safer, dig a well so his family could have clean water, replace his grass roof with a tin one, and provide electricity for his entire village. It is an amazing story of determination and triumph over adversity that will inspire anyone. And it changed the way I look at what I have. I have a cupboard full of food, clean water with the turn of the faucet, a sturdy house, electricity and heating, a way to keep myself and my clothing clean. I am not afraid of soldiers with guns taking what I have. I can send my children to school for free. I can go to the doctor when I am sick.
I am blessed. And I need to remember that.
I must admit that I am not great about following this practice. When I was growing up, my father was diabetic and so he couldn't fast. The rest of us struggled to find the motivation to stick to it. Then after I got married, my husband and one of my children had blood sugar issues where they shouldn't be fasting either. I don't have that excuse. Sure, I get grumpy and sometimes get a headache, but that shouldn't be reason enough not to fast.
We have always been faithful in the payment of our fast offerings, donating as much as we could, much more than the cost of the food itself, whenever we can. Then a few years ago, when my husband was out of work, we were the ones who received help from the Church. We would go to the Bishop's Storehouse, where volunteers would help us with selecting meat, vegetables, pasta, bread, fruit, and other needed items. At Christmas we got a turkey and candy and nuts for the stockings. It is a beautifully simple idea, but it works.
This weekend I grabbed a library book that will forever change how I look at the fast. It's called "The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind," by William Kambewamba. William grew up in the African nation of Malawi, the son of a farmer. His family would grow maize, or corn, and tobacco every year, milling the food they needed for themselves and using the money they earned to provide for their needs for the year. One year they had planted their maize, as usual, but the rains didn't come. For weeks the crop struggled along, with the seeds barely breaking through the soil. Then the rains came, but all once. The seeds were washed away in a flood. William's family planted again, but they couldn't afford fertilizer and the crop didn't have enough time to grow before the harvest. The entire nation was affected.
His family got their pititful harvest of grain milled, one bag at a time, but they had only five bags to last them all year. At first, they hoped that the government would come through with the food they needed. But instead, corrupt officials sold what grain they could and the surplus disappeared. So people starved. When the grain was almost gone, the hungry people took the husks of the corn, the green part I throw away every time I cook corn, and ground that up and ate it. When it began to run out, they mixed the husks with sawdust and at that. They ate the leaves of the pumpkin vines. They even ate the seed corn, scrubbing off as much insecticide as they could. William's family saved their seed corn, but they were down to a tablespoon of food or so a day. Then it was time to plant. With their bellies aching from hunger, and sometimes too dizzy to stand and temporarily blinded, they found the strength to plant their seeds. And then they prayed. The rains came, and the people had food again.
As I read William's story, and his desperate attempts to gain an education and break this cycle of subsistence farming, I found myself thinking about my cupboard full of food. All those stories of 'children starving in Africa' and how I needed to clean my plate ran through my head. And yet, what would William have done with my breakfast cereal, my mashed potatoes and meat loaf, my tuna casserole? They wouldn't have even known what it was, much less how to cook it.
Last night I prepared for my fast today with a completely different attitude. It wasn't that by fasting I could somehow bless those who are hungry in suffering nations across the world. It wasn't even that I could somehow alleviate the hunger of those in this country. It was because I needed to remember that food is a blessing, that I am lucky to have enough to eat. If we run out of food and money again, I know that I can count on my church, on my government, on my family. The stores have plenty of food. But over the history of the world, most people were not that lucky. So my fast becomes an act of gratitude that I am blessed, and a reminder that I need to help others who are not so lucky.
This was an amazing book. William's father ran out of money so could not pay for his son's education. William had to quit school and go to work on the farm. He tried to keep up with what his classmates were learning and found the local library. There he found books on electricity, physics, and energy. He decided to build a windmill. He scrounged parts from the junkyard, took apart radios and engines, and got help from his friends, but he succeeded. He was able to use his windmill to provide energy for little light bulbs in his house so he could see to read at night. Soon word of his project got out and he attracted the attention of journalists and scientists. They helped him make his windmill stronger and safer, dig a well so his family could have clean water, replace his grass roof with a tin one, and provide electricity for his entire village. It is an amazing story of determination and triumph over adversity that will inspire anyone. And it changed the way I look at what I have. I have a cupboard full of food, clean water with the turn of the faucet, a sturdy house, electricity and heating, a way to keep myself and my clothing clean. I am not afraid of soldiers with guns taking what I have. I can send my children to school for free. I can go to the doctor when I am sick.
I am blessed. And I need to remember that.
Friday, February 5, 2010
Various Book Reviews
I've been reading like crazy so I thought I'd share a few recommendations.
Historical Fiction Pick: I *loved* Black Ships by Jo Graham. A retelling of the story of Aeneas. The main character is the daughter of a slave who became the Oracle of the Goddess of the Underworld. She is reunited with her mother's people and goes with them in their search for a new home.
For a Laugh: Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day by Winifred Watson. Miss Pettigrew is desperate for a new job. She winds up with a glamorous night club singer and her many loves. It's a middle-aged Cinderella story with a happy ending.
Mystery Pick: An Instance of the Fingerpost by Iain Pears. This one has been out for a few years, but I just got around to it. I wish I'd read it sooner! Set in the turbulent world of Restoration England. Realistic setting and three-dimensional characters. Super good.
I also picked a few losers, but why bother with those? Enjoy these three great books instead.
Historical Fiction Pick: I *loved* Black Ships by Jo Graham. A retelling of the story of Aeneas. The main character is the daughter of a slave who became the Oracle of the Goddess of the Underworld. She is reunited with her mother's people and goes with them in their search for a new home.
For a Laugh: Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day by Winifred Watson. Miss Pettigrew is desperate for a new job. She winds up with a glamorous night club singer and her many loves. It's a middle-aged Cinderella story with a happy ending.
Mystery Pick: An Instance of the Fingerpost by Iain Pears. This one has been out for a few years, but I just got around to it. I wish I'd read it sooner! Set in the turbulent world of Restoration England. Realistic setting and three-dimensional characters. Super good.
I also picked a few losers, but why bother with those? Enjoy these three great books instead.
Monday, February 1, 2010
Biggest Loser in Utah County!
My chiropractor is doing a Biggest Loser competition to help the patients - and staff - get rid of that holiday weight gain. I signed up last month and got the depressing facts. About 8 lbs. up since the week before Christmas, blood pressure up, Body Mass Index of obese, and a depressing body fat content.
A week later - 4 lbs. gone already! I'm very happy about that. Soon I will be back to a good shape and shopping for new clothes.
A week later - 4 lbs. gone already! I'm very happy about that. Soon I will be back to a good shape and shopping for new clothes.
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