Monday, May 30, 2011
Friday, May 27, 2011
The church is not so much concerned with whether the thoughts of its members are orthodox or heterodox as it is that they shall have thoughts.
Last night I heard yet another NPR piece about "Book of Mormon: the musical" (they love it, of course) which featured some rather misplaced humor from the show's producer, Scott Rudin, in discussing an experience he had with a former member while watching the show (the man became very emotional and Rudin laughed about the silliness of it on the air). Anyways, they played a clip from one of the songs right after the interview, in which the end of the chorus goes a little like this: "I am a Mormoooooon/and Mormons just believe!"
This, more than anything else I've heard about this show, riles me up and tells me that as many times as Trey Parker and Matt Stone claim they've read the actual Book of Mormon and as much as they claim to have studied Mormon culture, they still understand nothing about the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. I consider myself a fairly intelligent type of person, and I have never, not since I left the mists of childhood and became a sentient adult, been the sort to "just believe". I know dozens of highly educated, reasonable individuals, who nevertheless believe strongly in the Church and especially in the doctrines of Jesus Christ. Have we all fallen victim to blind belief? Does the Church itself encourage that kind of following?
To answer that, I'll quote Hugh B. Brown, who was a member of the Quorum of the Twelve during most of the middle of the last century-
"There are altogether too many people in the world who are willing to accept as true whatever is printed in a book or delivered from a pulpit. Their faith never goes below the surface soil of authority. I plead with everyone I meet that they may drive their faith down through that soil and get hold of the solid truth, that they may be able to withstand the winds and storms of indecision and of doubt, of opposition and persecution...
"I have been very grateful that the freedom, dignity, and integrity of the individual are basic in church doctrine. We are free to think and express our opinions in the church. Fear will not stifle thought. God himself refuses to trammel free agency even though its exercise somtimes teaches painful lessons. Both creative science and revealed religion find their fullest and truest expression in the climate of freedom.
"I admire men and women who have developed the questing spirit, who are unafraid of new ideas as stepping stones to progress. We should, of course, respect the opinions of others, but we should also be unafraid to dissent - if we are informed. Thoughts and expressions compete in the marketplace of thought, and in that competition truth emerges triumphant. Only error fears freedom of expression.
"We should be dauntless in our pursuit of truth and resist all demands for unthinking conformity. No one would have us become mere tape recorders of other people's thoughts. We should be modest and teachable and seek to know the truth by study and faith...We must preserve freedom of the mind in the church and resist all efforts to suppress it. The church is not so much concerned with whether the thoughts of its members are orthodox or heterodox as it is that they shall have thoughts."
And that's all I have to say about that.
This, more than anything else I've heard about this show, riles me up and tells me that as many times as Trey Parker and Matt Stone claim they've read the actual Book of Mormon and as much as they claim to have studied Mormon culture, they still understand nothing about the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. I consider myself a fairly intelligent type of person, and I have never, not since I left the mists of childhood and became a sentient adult, been the sort to "just believe". I know dozens of highly educated, reasonable individuals, who nevertheless believe strongly in the Church and especially in the doctrines of Jesus Christ. Have we all fallen victim to blind belief? Does the Church itself encourage that kind of following?
To answer that, I'll quote Hugh B. Brown, who was a member of the Quorum of the Twelve during most of the middle of the last century-
"There are altogether too many people in the world who are willing to accept as true whatever is printed in a book or delivered from a pulpit. Their faith never goes below the surface soil of authority. I plead with everyone I meet that they may drive their faith down through that soil and get hold of the solid truth, that they may be able to withstand the winds and storms of indecision and of doubt, of opposition and persecution...
"I have been very grateful that the freedom, dignity, and integrity of the individual are basic in church doctrine. We are free to think and express our opinions in the church. Fear will not stifle thought. God himself refuses to trammel free agency even though its exercise somtimes teaches painful lessons. Both creative science and revealed religion find their fullest and truest expression in the climate of freedom.
"I admire men and women who have developed the questing spirit, who are unafraid of new ideas as stepping stones to progress. We should, of course, respect the opinions of others, but we should also be unafraid to dissent - if we are informed. Thoughts and expressions compete in the marketplace of thought, and in that competition truth emerges triumphant. Only error fears freedom of expression.
"We should be dauntless in our pursuit of truth and resist all demands for unthinking conformity. No one would have us become mere tape recorders of other people's thoughts. We should be modest and teachable and seek to know the truth by study and faith...We must preserve freedom of the mind in the church and resist all efforts to suppress it. The church is not so much concerned with whether the thoughts of its members are orthodox or heterodox as it is that they shall have thoughts."
And that's all I have to say about that.
Thursday, May 26, 2011
I finally got to see the "Cave of Forgotten Dreams". I love going to the downtown theater by myself (even though it seems hopelessly pathetic). It's close enough that I can go on my bike and breeze past all the diners and trade-conference-attendees that generally clog the streets in that part of town.
(quick summary for those who have never heard of it, this is a documentary about Chauvet cave in Southern France where, in the early 90s, three hikers discovered a pristine cave containing by far the oldest (32,000 yrs old) cave paintings known. Since its discovery, the cave has been sealed- only a few researchers have been allowed access- to preserve the environment within the cave that has kept the paintings in such good condition for so long)
Anyways, I enjoyed it. I think I had maybe glanced at some photos before of the cave before, but never really paid attention. That's probably a good thing though because I, in my state of ignorance, felt like I was discovering it for the first time with Werner Herzog and his supporting cast of anthropologists and paleontologists as my guides. This is worth seeing just for the footage of the paintings. They are spectacularly beautiful, painted with an understanding of their subjects as well as an artistic interpretation that we tend to think can only be displayed by our modern artists. I think that a lot of our shock and awe at the beauty of the images themselves comes because we forget or can't possibly understand that the people who painted them were probably very similar to us. Sure, different lifestyle, they still had Neanderthals to contend with, etc...but fundamentally I'm positive that they were motivated by the same things that we are. No amount of technology can change the nature of our basic concerns as human beings- survival, relationships, etc...
Herzog manages, even with this epically fascinating (and at times rather dry) subject, to find little flashes of humor. What I love though is that he presents to us the absurdities of some of the guest stars without derision- it seems he's rather fond of the old perfumer with the crazy eyes and the anthropologist who dresses like a mountain cave man in furs and leather (for no apparent reason). There's an interesting parallel between the interest in the lives of the creators of the paintings and the lives of these modern characters- it's the same interest, and we (I) feel the same drive to know more about/understand more about both groups.
At one point, Herzog is interviewing an anthropologist who used to be a circus performer (which is kind of fabulous) who is surprisingly eloquent. He makes what for me was the most poignant point in the film. He says that "past is lost". That, to me, is the greatest tragedy of any profession dealing with the past (like I do, though the more recent past)- the loss of those lives and their lessons. It is painful and it is hard to accept.
Though that was the lesson that stuck with me the most, I think the point Herzog tries to make is exactly the opposite- that the past is not truly lost, not in this case at least, because those ancient artists left behind something of themselves in their paintings. They left evidence that they lived, and they left evidence that they interacted with the world in which they lived, and they left evidence that they understood the world as it is- full of wonder.
(All of the pictures I've added to this post come from the French Ministry of Culture's website dedicated to the cave. Go there to explore a map and images of the cave, as well as to find out more about its history)
(quick summary for those who have never heard of it, this is a documentary about Chauvet cave in Southern France where, in the early 90s, three hikers discovered a pristine cave containing by far the oldest (32,000 yrs old) cave paintings known. Since its discovery, the cave has been sealed- only a few researchers have been allowed access- to preserve the environment within the cave that has kept the paintings in such good condition for so long)
Anyways, I enjoyed it. I think I had maybe glanced at some photos before of the cave before, but never really paid attention. That's probably a good thing though because I, in my state of ignorance, felt like I was discovering it for the first time with Werner Herzog and his supporting cast of anthropologists and paleontologists as my guides. This is worth seeing just for the footage of the paintings. They are spectacularly beautiful, painted with an understanding of their subjects as well as an artistic interpretation that we tend to think can only be displayed by our modern artists. I think that a lot of our shock and awe at the beauty of the images themselves comes because we forget or can't possibly understand that the people who painted them were probably very similar to us. Sure, different lifestyle, they still had Neanderthals to contend with, etc...but fundamentally I'm positive that they were motivated by the same things that we are. No amount of technology can change the nature of our basic concerns as human beings- survival, relationships, etc...
Herzog manages, even with this epically fascinating (and at times rather dry) subject, to find little flashes of humor. What I love though is that he presents to us the absurdities of some of the guest stars without derision- it seems he's rather fond of the old perfumer with the crazy eyes and the anthropologist who dresses like a mountain cave man in furs and leather (for no apparent reason). There's an interesting parallel between the interest in the lives of the creators of the paintings and the lives of these modern characters- it's the same interest, and we (I) feel the same drive to know more about/understand more about both groups.
At one point, Herzog is interviewing an anthropologist who used to be a circus performer (which is kind of fabulous) who is surprisingly eloquent. He makes what for me was the most poignant point in the film. He says that "past is lost". That, to me, is the greatest tragedy of any profession dealing with the past (like I do, though the more recent past)- the loss of those lives and their lessons. It is painful and it is hard to accept.
Though that was the lesson that stuck with me the most, I think the point Herzog tries to make is exactly the opposite- that the past is not truly lost, not in this case at least, because those ancient artists left behind something of themselves in their paintings. They left evidence that they lived, and they left evidence that they interacted with the world in which they lived, and they left evidence that they understood the world as it is- full of wonder.
(All of the pictures I've added to this post come from the French Ministry of Culture's website dedicated to the cave. Go there to explore a map and images of the cave, as well as to find out more about its history)
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Yes, my world revolves around food.
I'm feeling really excited about tonight. "Why?", you ask? Well mainly all of the excitement revolves around my own pitifulness, but I will attempt to explain.
The other night, I went to Settebello (awesome authentic Neopolitan pizza place downtown- if you haven't been, you need to go, and make sure you order something covered in pancetta and arugula, they just make everything better) with my fall-back friend. It was amazing. That is not the point of this story. It's attached to a gelato shop where they serve gelato that is good but not amazing (although if you go, have the ricotta w/balsamic glaze- sweet and tangy and, ok, kind of spectacular)- after having been to Pitango gelateria in DC's Chinatown, I don't think anything else will ever compare (so I add here, if you're ever in DC, please do yourself a favor and go- hopefully it will be the end of summer and they'll have their seasonal pear sorbet which tastes like fresh pears fallen from heaven and carried to your mouth on a soft summer breeze...and I don't even like pears).
ANYways, after dinner we got gelato (because we are gluttons) and walked around the block while we ate it. It was a beautiful night. Unfortunately, this is not the most awesome block in town- the other three sides are empty lots and apartments that seem to belong more in the slums of Rio than downtown Salt Lake. When we got to the North side of the block (200 N. between 200 and 300 East) we noticed a narrow Victorian brick house stranded in the middle of this wasteland of a block. On the front was a sign that read "Bread Paradise". Yes please. I want to go to there. It's a tiny German bakery that (according to the internet and its wealth of reviews) is amazing. So ever since that day I've been wanting and trying to go but it's always been closed.
Finally I got it right- I went today during lunch and got a pretzel roll/stick/thing with cheese, a chocolate pastry, and a french baguette. Needless to say, it lived up to all the internet had been telling me, and I think that I've found my new addiction with the pretzel stick.
Anyways, having that baguette, and spending more time on the interwebz than anyone should, I got to thinking. A friend posted a recipe she had made from a blog called "Smitten Kitchen" the other day, and as I was browsing around, I found a recipe for onion soup that (despite the fact that I had just eaten) had me drooling. See it (and the fabulous pictures of cheese covered soup) here.
Oh, brief interlude here to say that a girl with whom I work loaned me seasons three and four of the BBC period-dramedy series "Lark Rise to Candlefor". Think Cranford meets...well Cranford. Kind of an ongoing and slightly sillier version, but I love it. Since I got it I have been super-excited to just coze-up on the watch and gorge myself on it.
I think you can see where this is going by now, and if you can't, then you obviously need to spend more time around me because I am very predictable.
Anyways...onion soup (super cheap to make)...awesome baguette (for croutons for mah soup)...period television show (because I don't have ENOUGH escapist tendencies)...It's going to be an awesome night.
All I'm missing is the cheese. Good thing Whole Foods is nearby...
The other night, I went to Settebello (awesome authentic Neopolitan pizza place downtown- if you haven't been, you need to go, and make sure you order something covered in pancetta and arugula, they just make everything better) with my fall-back friend. It was amazing. That is not the point of this story. It's attached to a gelato shop where they serve gelato that is good but not amazing (although if you go, have the ricotta w/balsamic glaze- sweet and tangy and, ok, kind of spectacular)- after having been to Pitango gelateria in DC's Chinatown, I don't think anything else will ever compare (so I add here, if you're ever in DC, please do yourself a favor and go- hopefully it will be the end of summer and they'll have their seasonal pear sorbet which tastes like fresh pears fallen from heaven and carried to your mouth on a soft summer breeze...and I don't even like pears).
ANYways, after dinner we got gelato (because we are gluttons) and walked around the block while we ate it. It was a beautiful night. Unfortunately, this is not the most awesome block in town- the other three sides are empty lots and apartments that seem to belong more in the slums of Rio than downtown Salt Lake. When we got to the North side of the block (200 N. between 200 and 300 East) we noticed a narrow Victorian brick house stranded in the middle of this wasteland of a block. On the front was a sign that read "Bread Paradise". Yes please. I want to go to there. It's a tiny German bakery that (according to the internet and its wealth of reviews) is amazing. So ever since that day I've been wanting and trying to go but it's always been closed.
Finally I got it right- I went today during lunch and got a pretzel roll/stick/thing with cheese, a chocolate pastry, and a french baguette. Needless to say, it lived up to all the internet had been telling me, and I think that I've found my new addiction with the pretzel stick.
Anyways, having that baguette, and spending more time on the interwebz than anyone should, I got to thinking. A friend posted a recipe she had made from a blog called "Smitten Kitchen" the other day, and as I was browsing around, I found a recipe for onion soup that (despite the fact that I had just eaten) had me drooling. See it (and the fabulous pictures of cheese covered soup) here.
Oh, brief interlude here to say that a girl with whom I work loaned me seasons three and four of the BBC period-dramedy series "Lark Rise to Candlefor". Think Cranford meets...well Cranford. Kind of an ongoing and slightly sillier version, but I love it. Since I got it I have been super-excited to just coze-up on the watch and gorge myself on it.
I think you can see where this is going by now, and if you can't, then you obviously need to spend more time around me because I am very predictable.
Anyways...onion soup (super cheap to make)...awesome baguette (for croutons for mah soup)...period television show (because I don't have ENOUGH escapist tendencies)...It's going to be an awesome night.
All I'm missing is the cheese. Good thing Whole Foods is nearby...
Friday, May 20, 2011
Thursday, May 19, 2011
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Note to self: never donate blood at work again! I had an appointment for 2:15 and didn't get out until 4- that is WAY too long to spend waiting to bleed for 6 minutes. That's right- only 6 of the 120 minutes I took away from my desk were spent at the purpose for which I went. Useless, chatty phlebotomists. On top of that, I'll probably end up passing out later this evening- I realized that it's probably been almost 10 years since I donated...that just doesn't seem right because I've always been so pro-donation, but that was the last time they had me in the system- 2002, when my address was still Whispering Pines, NC. That seems like a thousand years ago now. High school...
ANYways, Cave of Forgotten Dreams is playing now at the theater here downtown- I'm super excited to see it- look it up! It's about a cave in France where, in the early 90s, some...I don't know what they were...random cave explorers- oh I just remembered- it was something crazy where they were hiking or chilling in another cave and felt a breeze coming through what they thought was a solid wall- they went searching and found this huge cavern that contains what are thought to be not only the oldest, but the best preserved and most beautiful cave paintings in the world. Soon after, the French government restricted access to only a lucky few, basically locking up the cave (and probably with good reason- to prevent damage to the paintings). Rumor is they're getting ready to create a sort of park centered around the cave and opening it to public access and (one would think this was related) so opened up the cave to Werner Herzog and a small film crew so he could make a documentary (in 3d no less!) of the cave. Something about this cave seems fabulous and mysterious and i want to go to there, so I'm excited to go see that here in the next week or so.
ANYways, Cave of Forgotten Dreams is playing now at the theater here downtown- I'm super excited to see it- look it up! It's about a cave in France where, in the early 90s, some...I don't know what they were...random cave explorers- oh I just remembered- it was something crazy where they were hiking or chilling in another cave and felt a breeze coming through what they thought was a solid wall- they went searching and found this huge cavern that contains what are thought to be not only the oldest, but the best preserved and most beautiful cave paintings in the world. Soon after, the French government restricted access to only a lucky few, basically locking up the cave (and probably with good reason- to prevent damage to the paintings). Rumor is they're getting ready to create a sort of park centered around the cave and opening it to public access and (one would think this was related) so opened up the cave to Werner Herzog and a small film crew so he could make a documentary (in 3d no less!) of the cave. Something about this cave seems fabulous and mysterious and i want to go to there, so I'm excited to go see that here in the next week or so.
Monday, May 16, 2011
My student loans aren't small, but listening to stories about kids graduating with 60,000-100,000 dollars of college debt, it makes me feel SO MUCH BETTER about myself and the choice I made to go to UT. I'll already be paying this off for years to come, but i can't imagine the burden I would be feeling right now if I had to pay back four times what I have to. Go me.
Now as long as I can resist getting a credit card, I'll be pretty good to go. As long as I can get another job when this one is over.
Now as long as I can resist getting a credit card, I'll be pretty good to go. As long as I can get another job when this one is over.
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
Coffee...erm I mean...Hot Chocolate Talk
Have you ever become friends with someone out of the goodness of your heart and had it turn against you? Discuss.
(I feel like this has happened a disproportionate number of times in the last year and it ticks me off)
(I feel like this has happened a disproportionate number of times in the last year and it ticks me off)
Sunday, May 1, 2011
So...
When I was in D.C. last summer, I was as bad as keeping up with my blog as I always am, partly because I was *way* too busy being a self-important city-dweller.
So instead of blogging, I kept memos on my phone of things to blog about when I had the time. I just remembered this as I went through and deleted old memos that have built up and found this:
"Title: Fff [side note, you have to give it a title or it won't save.]
Rude fitting room attendant
Cry me a river [this is presumably about some time I heard someone blasting this song and it reminded me of one of my first college roomates who, after breaking up with her boyfriend from home, locked herself in our room for three days and listened to this song constantly.]
Man steals gfs socks
Communist chic bag says "let us build, not destroy" [apparently I saw this and thought it was ironic, considering the end result of most Communist governments]
Tortilla cafe in Eastern Market [an area of D.C. maybe I wanted to go there]"
So there you go, a glimpse into my life last summer.
So instead of blogging, I kept memos on my phone of things to blog about when I had the time. I just remembered this as I went through and deleted old memos that have built up and found this:
"Title: Fff [side note, you have to give it a title or it won't save.]
Rude fitting room attendant
Cry me a river [this is presumably about some time I heard someone blasting this song and it reminded me of one of my first college roomates who, after breaking up with her boyfriend from home, locked herself in our room for three days and listened to this song constantly.]
Man steals gfs socks
Communist chic bag says "let us build, not destroy" [apparently I saw this and thought it was ironic, considering the end result of most Communist governments]
Tortilla cafe in Eastern Market [an area of D.C. maybe I wanted to go there]"
So there you go, a glimpse into my life last summer.
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