surprisingly accurate

today is my brother dave's birthday. so in celebration- my sister and i did a little experiment- the results of which were surprisingly accurate. (sorry to mom and dad for posting their least flattering moments)



What do you think about my little new baby Dave?
MakeMeBabies.com - What will your baby look like?


the actual product...



happy birthday dave.

dear mom again,

RE: The Holy Secret
by James L. Ferrell

this book was like a date with a boy who motivates you to be better without being preachy or condescending. he has a quiet goodness that doesn't ask you to explain yourself to anyone but the Lord. he probably doesn't wear fitted jeans and may or may not like indie rock- he just wants to sit outside under or in a tree and be grateful and say nice and funny things. and maybe get a chocolate milkshake if you are in the mood.

i.e. this book was good. through a tuesday's-with-morrie-esque conversation, the holy secret discusses the all too prevalent later day lack of sincerity amongst church members. it addresses some common sunday school topics (the scriptures, the temple & the sabbath) in ways that invite us to make these sacred things mean what they should to our hearts. this book is not a guilt trip, but rather a trip of mercy and hope and gladness.
not a literary masterpiece by any means but still effective in it's purposes.

quotes:

"I am able to make you holy" doctrine and covenants 60:7

cried: 0
laughed: 0
felt ok: 4

i have ever made

it seems to me that lots of people post about things that they make. so-in an effort to assimilate-here are some things that i have made. this is the first cake i have ever made.
this is one of the best memories i have ever made.

this is the most sincere platypus mouth i have ever made.
this is the most lifelike cheese likeness of the thinker i have ever made.
this is the best and last scrabble game i have ever made with my friend bradley.

this is the only longboard dave and i have ever made and silk screened together.
this is the worst tasting cake i have ever made.
this is the saddest face i have ever made.

dear britt,

RE: Kitchen Table Wisdom
by Rachel Naomi Remen

this book was not like a date. it was more like a late night trip to smith's when you don't need anything but once you are there you find things that you really need and didn't know it. things like answers and really funny jokes and directions and kindness and a renewed trust in humanity...etc

i.e. i really enjoyed and needed this. Kitchen Table Wisdom is a collection of experiences and stories from the author's life. mostly they tell of the physical and emotional struggle humans face when their lives are threatened. some of them live and some of them die. and it is ok.

quotes:

"when we wear a belief and look at life through it, it is difficult to convince ourselves that what we see is not what is real... according to a talmudic teaching, "we do not see things as they are. we see them as we are."

"The part in us that feels suffering is the same as the part that feels joy."

"and i say to god, 'god, is it ok to loff strangers?' and god says, 'yitzak, vat is dis strangers? you make strangers. i don't make strangers.'"

"it is often through the quality of our listening and not the wisdom of our words that we are able to effect the most profound changes in the people around us."

felt really grateful: 8
felt that i could be kinder: 13

so in an effort to feel productive and like i am not an unemployed waste of space i've gotten back into indexing. this is very fun. it's kind of like government data entry but for the Lord instead. you have likely all heard of indexing so i won't go into detail but just know that if you are looking for a way to stop feeling guilty about not doing genealogy- THIS is the answer (just click on volunteer in the bottom right hand corner to get started).

the cover of mistakes were made (below) reminded me of an old divine comedy mormonad.

dear mom,

RE: mistakes were made (but not by me)
by carol tavris and ellion aronson

this book was like a date with two social psychologists who secretly know something very personal about you but they won't say it outrightly because they want you to realize it for yourself- that way you are more ashamed. kind of like when your uncle finds out that you have a crush on a boy and keeps nudging you and winking because he wants you to know that he knows. and if he knows, every one knows.

i.e. it was a'ight. i've read a few other books on this topic and probably learned more from them than from this one. comparable in style to freakonomics, mistakes were made presents a series of examples that illustrate the very human need to be right. it's main focus is on the causes and effects of "disonance" or rather, a misalignment of one's perception of reality and reality as supported by contradicting evidence.

here are some books that do what this book tried to do but better:
the peacegiver
leadership and self-deception

quotes...

"people become more certain they are right about something if they can't undo it."

"we humans are creatures who spend our lives trying to convince ourselves that our existence is not absurd" (albert camus)

"a dog may appear contrite for having been caught peeing on the carpet but she will not try to think up a reason to justify her misbehavior."

wanted to stop reading about child abuse and crooked cops: 9