I just finished reading Milton's Paradise Lost. It was outstanding. It is an extremely well-written and highly poetic (epic poetry) account of many gospel events and doctrines, especially The War In Heaven and The Fall of Man. The author takes a lot of liberties by adding all kinds of information to the Biblical accounts, but most if it is excellent. There are a few errors, but what is right far outweighs what is wrong. I also recently read Dostoevsky's The Brothers Karamozov and just started reading Salinger's The Catcher in the Rye. After years of restricting myself to reading only psychology books and articles, and never having been much of a reader in general, I am now addicted to reading high quality literature. I was deluded for a few years into thinking that works of fiction weren't worthwhile. That was a mistake. The great works of "fiction" are just as meaningful as the great works of "fact".
I'm also addicted to pizza, as usual. I'm still on the Atkins diet, but I regularly cheat by eating pizza. Papa Murphy's take-and-bake is my favorite.
I recently wrote a little poetry-like thing in honor of my 13th wedding anniversary. Here it is:
This Friday, 13th
13 laps around the sun
Some say is far for two to run
13 circles of the globe
For some is pain like unto Job
But what to them is dev’lish trial
Is our love’s season most fertile
And as May 1st our love re-Spring’th
We celebrate this Friday, 13th
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
The Mighty Artichoke
We love artichokes at our house. I don't know if there are any others who feel this way about this particular vegetable but we do. Every once in a while, some food item will really catch my imagination and I will embark on an iron chef like quest to involve that particular food into almost anything. This has been the case with the artichoke. It's simply an amazing food! It can turn an omelet into something phenomenal; the lowly pot roast becomes exceptional; pair it with its friends sweet bell pepper and olive oil, and you have something close to ambrosia. It's even a beautiful thing to behold! Such a lovely, symmetrical work of art. I would pay money (assuming I had some someday) for a beautiful artichoke sculpture or painting if I came across one. There are even legends about the lovely artichoke blossom. What an amazing food! I guess today it was a strong desire to eat the said choke that sparked this ode. If you haven't tried artichoke yet, may I suggest that you do so post haste! You haven't lived until you've experienced it.
Sunday, March 8, 2009
Weekend Funnies
This weekend, Dylan was on one. He said a few funny and somewhat shocking things that I thought would be amusing to share:On Friday afternoon, it was hot! I mean 90 degree desert hot. When I picked Dylan up from school, we decided that it was hot enough for a half price drink from Sonic. (Diet blue ocean water please!) After Dylan drew deeply from his straw, he said "Mom. There's two things that you need on a hot day. A good air conditioner in your car and a blue ocean water!" Indeed!
Later that same afternoon, we were talking about super heroes and Owen said "Dylan, what superhero would you be?" Said Dylan: "I'd be Nacho Man! I'd ZOT! (making a magical looking gesture with his hands) and there'd be all the nachos you could eat and then I'd SHLAM! (pointing dramatically with his finger) cover them with cheese! YUM!" I bet you can guess who was hungry for junk food!
Tonight, we were reading from section 18 of the D&C for family scripture study. Owen took the opportunity to discuss what it means to cry repentance and bring one soul unto God. He then explained what it means to be "saved" by Jesus Christ. I guess Dylan stopped listening after he heard the word "saved" because at the end of this discussion Dylan said "If I saw someone who needed to be saved, I'd run over as fast as I could and give my best Karate kick in the crotch to the bad guy and then I could save people like Jesus!" Oh my! At this point I'd lost it and had to bury my face in my arms. Owen, with his indestructible poker face, helped Dylan to understand better what being "saved" really meant in this context.
On another note, I'll be blogging later this week about school, work, and Dylan's re-entry into the public school system. Until then...
Monday, February 23, 2009
Update From Owen
Until now, Becky was entirely responsible for the content of this blog. No longer. For better or (probably) for worse I will now directly contribute to this blog by posting entries from time to time. I decided to join this blog because it's devoted to the family, and I am an important part of the family - husband and father. My personal blog (www.deadundead.blogspot.com) will now be entirely devoted to my reviews of horror movies. All that I want to blog about (besides horror movies) will be included here, on the family blog. Here's an update about me:
1. I continue to slowly lose weight on the Atkins Diet. People have commented that I look thinner. I recently figured out how to make a very tasty soy pancake-omelette. (Combine eggs, milk, and soy flour. Cook it like an omellete. Apply generous amounts of butter and sugar-free syrup). I also eat a lot of jalapeno flavored sausages, bunless burgers, bacon, vegetables, and nuts.
2. I am writing my dissertation proposal. I will use "real-time data collection" to study how exercise influences mood/affect among severely obese individuals (and whether stressors and general health symptoms function as moderators).
3. I recently read Dostoevsky's Crime and Punishment. It was incredible. I am now halfway through The Prophets by Abraham J. Heschel. It is very educational and enlightening. I recently started reading Foundation by Isaac Asimov, but I quit after a few chapters because it wasn't interesting enough. I read it several years ago, but I forgot most of it. It is a very influential book, but you need to be a fan of science fiction novels in order to fully appreciate it. I am VERY selective about what I read. In general, I stick to stuff that is "real" or otherwise very educational and/or profound. For some reason I feel this way about books, but when it comes to movies I'll watch all kinds of crap.
1. I continue to slowly lose weight on the Atkins Diet. People have commented that I look thinner. I recently figured out how to make a very tasty soy pancake-omelette. (Combine eggs, milk, and soy flour. Cook it like an omellete. Apply generous amounts of butter and sugar-free syrup). I also eat a lot of jalapeno flavored sausages, bunless burgers, bacon, vegetables, and nuts.
2. I am writing my dissertation proposal. I will use "real-time data collection" to study how exercise influences mood/affect among severely obese individuals (and whether stressors and general health symptoms function as moderators).
3. I recently read Dostoevsky's Crime and Punishment. It was incredible. I am now halfway through The Prophets by Abraham J. Heschel. It is very educational and enlightening. I recently started reading Foundation by Isaac Asimov, but I quit after a few chapters because it wasn't interesting enough. I read it several years ago, but I forgot most of it. It is a very influential book, but you need to be a fan of science fiction novels in order to fully appreciate it. I am VERY selective about what I read. In general, I stick to stuff that is "real" or otherwise very educational and/or profound. For some reason I feel this way about books, but when it comes to movies I'll watch all kinds of crap.
Sunday, February 22, 2009
First 4
This post is in response to a tag from Michelle...
If you are tagged, you must post the picture that is found in the 4th picture file on your computer; it will also be the the 4th picture in that file then you tag 4 people to follow suit. So without further adieu, here is mine:
This is a picture Owen took of our dog Chimi. He was playing with a new alien toy and Owen was trying to capture the cuteness. For the record, this is not the cutest shot but it's not bad either.
Liz M., Heidi P., Heidi Lynn C., and Teresa you're tagged.
If you are tagged, you must post the picture that is found in the 4th picture file on your computer; it will also be the the 4th picture in that file then you tag 4 people to follow suit. So without further adieu, here is mine:
This is a picture Owen took of our dog Chimi. He was playing with a new alien toy and Owen was trying to capture the cuteness. For the record, this is not the cutest shot but it's not bad either.
Liz M., Heidi P., Heidi Lynn C., and Teresa you're tagged.
Saturday, February 21, 2009
Paying it Forward
I am a craft junkie. I love to make things, and I've found a few things that I wanted to make this year but I find that it's more fun to make something for someone else than to make it just for yourself. My s-i-l Heidi posted this on her blog and I thought that this was a good idea and also would give me some fabulous people to make goodies for.
The first 3 people to leave a comment on this post will receive a totally customized hand made gift from me during this year. When and what will be a surprise.
There's a small catch...You knew there would be didn't you? Post this on your blog then come back and leave a comment, telling me you're in. Fun, huh? Remember, only the first 3 comments receive the gift.Sounds like fun, huh, huh, huh? ;)
The first 3 people to leave a comment on this post will receive a totally customized hand made gift from me during this year. When and what will be a surprise.
There's a small catch...You knew there would be didn't you? Post this on your blog then come back and leave a comment, telling me you're in. Fun, huh? Remember, only the first 3 comments receive the gift.Sounds like fun, huh, huh, huh? ;)
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
The Darkness and the Light
A couple of weeks ago in Gospel Doctrine, our talented teacher shared a talk given in 1978 by Bruce R McConkie regarding the restoration of the gospel. The talk in context was wonderful but it was the poetic opening of the talk that was the most striking to me and has laced my thoughts ever since. Here's the excerpt:
When the sun goes down and the dusk of day deepens into night, then darkness reigns. During the night, darkness is everywhere and the vision of all is dimmed; none can see afar off. Though the heavens teem with stars—an uncounted host of them—and though the moon—she who rules the night—reflects her rays of borrowed light, yet the darkness is not pierced; the blackness of the night continues.
Deep shadows hide the beasts of forest and field. Wildcats stalk their prey in silence. Packs of hunger-maddened wolves strike terror in their victims as their howling calls draw nearer and nearer. Coyotes are baying in the distance; somewhere a lion roars; and in that deepest shadow a jackal lurks, awaiting his chance to steal the slain game of another. The terrors of the night are real.
But finally a distant dawn is heralded. The morning stars shine forth more brightly than their fellows. A few rays of light part the darkness of the eastern sky, a sky still spotted with clouds. Beyond the mountains, not many leagues away, a new day is gestating in the womb of nature. As the earth turns slowly on its decreed course, the dawn brightens; the light of the morning increases; darkness flees. The stars no longer shine; the moon hides her face; their reflected glimmerings no longer pierce the blackness of the night. The sun rises. The blazing light of heaven covers the earth.
When the dawn comes and the sun shines, the doleful creatures of the night begin to retire. The lions return to their lair and the foxes to their holes; the baying of the coyotes is no longer heard; and the howling wolves are silent. The terrors that lurked in the shadows are now hidden in the rocks and in the caves.
With the new dawn the flowers in the field and the trees in the forest take on new life. The oxen in their stalls and the sheep in their cotes awake from sleep, while the fowls of heaven sing praises to the Lord of Sabaoth, to the Creator of the first day. The blessings of life and light are everywhere seen. It is a new day—a day of joy and rejoicing and light.
For me this description of the darkness precisely describes how several spans of my own history have felt like. I myself have been one of the doleful creatures crying out in terror- begging for the darkness to cease. Hope does spring eternal however, when you at last can sense the sinister blackness evaporating and the song of day piercing your darkest shadow and bathing your soul in light. Its breathtaking and wonderful to feel the shackles of the darkness fall from your shoulders. Anyway, I hope you have no idea what I'm talking about. I hope you've never felt this. But if you have, I thought that you would appreciate the above quote.
When the sun goes down and the dusk of day deepens into night, then darkness reigns. During the night, darkness is everywhere and the vision of all is dimmed; none can see afar off. Though the heavens teem with stars—an uncounted host of them—and though the moon—she who rules the night—reflects her rays of borrowed light, yet the darkness is not pierced; the blackness of the night continues.
Deep shadows hide the beasts of forest and field. Wildcats stalk their prey in silence. Packs of hunger-maddened wolves strike terror in their victims as their howling calls draw nearer and nearer. Coyotes are baying in the distance; somewhere a lion roars; and in that deepest shadow a jackal lurks, awaiting his chance to steal the slain game of another. The terrors of the night are real.
But finally a distant dawn is heralded. The morning stars shine forth more brightly than their fellows. A few rays of light part the darkness of the eastern sky, a sky still spotted with clouds. Beyond the mountains, not many leagues away, a new day is gestating in the womb of nature. As the earth turns slowly on its decreed course, the dawn brightens; the light of the morning increases; darkness flees. The stars no longer shine; the moon hides her face; their reflected glimmerings no longer pierce the blackness of the night. The sun rises. The blazing light of heaven covers the earth.
When the dawn comes and the sun shines, the doleful creatures of the night begin to retire. The lions return to their lair and the foxes to their holes; the baying of the coyotes is no longer heard; and the howling wolves are silent. The terrors that lurked in the shadows are now hidden in the rocks and in the caves.
With the new dawn the flowers in the field and the trees in the forest take on new life. The oxen in their stalls and the sheep in their cotes awake from sleep, while the fowls of heaven sing praises to the Lord of Sabaoth, to the Creator of the first day. The blessings of life and light are everywhere seen. It is a new day—a day of joy and rejoicing and light.
For me this description of the darkness precisely describes how several spans of my own history have felt like. I myself have been one of the doleful creatures crying out in terror- begging for the darkness to cease. Hope does spring eternal however, when you at last can sense the sinister blackness evaporating and the song of day piercing your darkest shadow and bathing your soul in light. Its breathtaking and wonderful to feel the shackles of the darkness fall from your shoulders. Anyway, I hope you have no idea what I'm talking about. I hope you've never felt this. But if you have, I thought that you would appreciate the above quote.
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