Under the Skin

Recently, I have found myself unable to hate some of those who we probably should.  It started with Adam Lanza.  I hated what he did.  The loss of six-year-old children is deplorable.  But the more that I learned about Lanza's life and trials and challenges, the less I hated him.  He seemed so helpless.  So lost.  When it all came down to it, I came to hate his mother and her inability to help her son much more than I could ever hate him. Then, my inability to hate came to a head with the Boston Marathon Bombings.  I first heard about them as I passed by the CNN TV in the Wilkinson Student Center.  It was at the very beginning of the incident.  It was still at the moment when no one was really sure what had happened--they didn't even know at that point if the explosions were accidents or what they were.  At that moment, they only knew that six people were injured, and that was merely from what they managed to hear from some passer...

So, I'm sure a lot of us have seen the Dove Real Beauty Sketches video .  Quite frankly, Dove doesn't actually care about women's self esteems.  They just want women to buy Dove products, but it's a very successful ad campaign, and it's a good thought all the same (even if their intentions are not).  However, someone made a spoof about this about how men view themselves has more beautiful than they really are. How is that acceptable?  Men have self esteem issues too, and just because they are not as commonly regarding image doesn't mean we can tell them that they should feel worse about themselves.

I have a confession to make.  More to my fiance than anyone else.  I have recently come to the conclusion that I am not cut-out to be a Mormon-mommy-homemaker.  I particularly came to this conclusion while reading my sister, Beth's, blog .  She builds and sews and makes all kinds of things.  I make...bacteria food.  And I can make...novels.  And I am quite good at making electrophoresis gels.  I can look at a blood smear and tell you if you're healthy or not.  But, I could never look at two colors and tell you if they even remotely matched.    I am told a lot that I'm good with kids.  And I do want to be a mother.  But, my daughters will probably have to go to school most days with ponytails in their hair, or simple braids.  When my girls go to prom, they will probably need to call their aunts to do their hair and makeup. My house will look clean, but never "cute."  If my children want to do a craft, they will pr...

Today, I was in the American Heritage Review Room just teaching a review.  Nothing new, nothing special.  I was teaching about the Great Depression.  A normal topic.  Nothing new, nothing special.  There was a student there who had his son in his arms as he listened and tried to take notes at that same time.  At BYU, this isn't that odd.  Nothing new, nothing special. But here's what is new.  There is an older man who is a student in American Heritage right now.  We will call him Scott (not his actual name). He is a sweet old man, but played for the NFL for many years and, due to many concussions, isn't completely there anymore. He spends several hours each day just wandering around our office.  He talks to the TAs and the office staff.  He reads the American History books that we have around.  Sometimes, he can be a little awkward, but he really is a kind man.  While I was teaching my review today, he went up to the stu...