Under the Skin

I had a very jam-packed week, and the next one won't be much different.  However, it's not that much longer before I will be released from craziness, so I can make it.  In the mean time, there isn't much better than books to keep me sane.  And because of that, we have some book reviews.  In my younger years, I really liked the Spiderwick Chronicles.  I thought they were fun and fast, and I also liked how the fantasy had more than just "perfect life" kids on an adventure.  The family situation added a whole level to it, and the personalities of the three children's response to their father leaving them was masterful.  However, when I learned that there was a spin-off series being written, I must say I was not super enthused.  I felt like The Spiderwick Chronicles ended it in a good place, and I wasn't too interested in another series.  And yet, I read the second series.  These are easy-reader chapter books, so it wasn't much of a time investmen

At the end of my college life, I impart what wisdom I gained.  Here's my wisdom:  go outside of the box.  Never again will so many opportunities just ask to be taken advantage of.  Here are ten out of the box things that I don't regret having done in college (actually 20, because there are two groups). First, Ten Courses I Took In College That Were Not Required For My Major that I Have Never For a Second Regretted Taking 1. Advanced Ethnic Irish Dance :  I love Irish dance.  But I majored in Medical Lab Science.  At the same time, this was an opportunity to really indulge in my hobbies and learn a lot more about Irish Dance.  And get college credit for it. 2. The Old Testament:  We all know how much I love the Old Testament. This class only helped solidify it, and helped me to understand it so much better.  To have a man who has dedicated his life to the study of the Old Testament sit up there and explain Ezekiel to you?  There's nothing better. 3. World Religions

As many of you know, I am a big fan of the Old Testament.  It is actually my favorite standard work.  At BYU, you kind of got dirty looks if you ranked any of the standard works above The Book of Mormon, but it's true.  I still believe in The Book of Mormon, and love it dearly.  However, I identify with the people of the Old Testament more and it speaks to me. I think part of why people don't like the Old Testament as much is that they don't think that it is as relevant to them.  I beg to differ.  You just have to know where to look in the Old Testament. Today, I share an important lesson from the Old Testament.  It's a lesson that answers what I think is the most-commonly asked question in the LDS Church:  How do I know when the Holy Ghost is giving me inspiration, verses me just wanting it and imagining the inspiration?  It's a very valid question.  I know sometimes I have asked it. However, the answer is given in Chronicles 17.  So, backstory:  David is the

So we talked about fictional characters that won’t die.   However, sometimes fictional characters will die.   And I am a crier, so I usually get hit pretty hard by these deaths. For me, it’s easier to be emotionally involved in fiction, than it is to be emotionally involved in real life.   Pathetic, but true.   Most of the time, I cry the first time; but then I get over it and each time I read it, or watch the movie, it becomes more acceptable.   On the other hand, some of those deaths, I want to cry just thinking about it.   And here are some of those deaths.   WARNING:   If you hate spoilers---there will be spoilers.   Don’t read if you don’t want spoilers.   I’m talking about characters that will die.   I’m going to spoil things.   Oddly, I’ve heard that a lot of people feel this way about a lot of Hunger Games characters, but I don’t.   I think it’s because the deaths in Hunger Games are so quick and then the story moves on.   Apparently many people feel this way about (Spo

"I told Mr. McIntyre to tell you to trust no one.  This was good advice for the beginning of the clue hunt, when so much would be unknown to you.  But I hope you realize that I do not want you to go through life with that philosophy.  Many people have failed you--I myself have failed you, though I love you more than my own life.  I can tell you that you will have your hearts broken more by the people you love than by the people you hate.  But you must still dare to love.  The rewards are worth far more than the risks." I'm starting to receive recommendations for book reviews, and that makes me ecstatic!  I will definitely do so, as soon as I obtain copies of the books to read.  Today's Book Review is not a recommendation, unless you count the goodreads.com recommendation system.  It takes that books that you like and recommends similar ones, and that's how I was introduced to the 39 Clues series. The 39 Clues are about Amy and Dan Cahill (ages fourteen

I don't have a lot to say today.  And it's kind of disorganized, but I just wanted to say something to all of you out there: I am a happy person.  I am a happy person because I am. The world is a better place when you're happy anyways.  My happiness does not stem from just "being young."  To people who say that it does, here's what I'll say to you:  I'm sorry that you're not happy.  Why not try pretending you're happy? Sometimes, it's the best way to become happy. Make the benign assumption.  Assume that everyone has the best intentions and is not trying to be mean.  Assume that everyone is kind.  Assume that everything will go well.  Always find the good part about the situation.  It's not really that hard.  And being more than twenty-five doesn't mean that you can't be happy. I'm easy to amuse, I  know that.  I take joy in very simple things.  I am aware.  And I like it that way.  And I won't grow out of it.  And

“Whenever you look back and say "if" you know you're in trouble. There is no such thing as "if". The only thing that matters is what really happened.”  Today, it snowed.  And Grandpa and I turned all the sprinklers and such off to avoid the freezing.  It was an interesting process, but I gut-er-done, even if I did get fairly wet! Anyways, sometimes I read a book because the thought struck me.  Not because I had it recommended to me or anything like that.  And that was the case with this book, Pendragon: The Merchant of Death . I have to start with a disclaimer:  this book is quite sci-fi.  I don't like Sci-Fi, so take my review with a grain of salt. Actually, for science fiction, I liked this book pretty well.  Here's my problem biggest problem with this book, and science fiction in general.  They try to explain impossible things with science, and usually they misuse science, or their understanding of the science is thready at best.  In

Perhaps I am a very naive person.  In fact, that's fairly doubtless.  And yet, I somehow like being naive.  Because naivete is possibly the best way to live.  By this, I mean naivete in the way people use the word and not it's actual Merriam-Webster definition. The actual Merriam-Webster definition is "lacking experience, wisdom or judgment;" however, people seem to use it to mean, "lacking edginess and grit." I have been accused of being naive many times in my life.  Here, I answer the questions of "Do you really believe..." with which I'm constantly inundated. 1. Do you really believe that people are good? Yes, I really believe that people are generally good.  I believe that our purest selves are goodness, and that we only become bad when we allow it to be so.  Light is more powerful than dark.  I really believe that.  Today, I read The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (book review to follow), and in the book,  Mr. Hyde is a re

When I was teaching American Heritage, we taught a political science concept called the Human Predicament Cycle.  This is the idea that most of human history, with some notable exceptions, has fluctuated between periods of tyranny and anarchy.  It also hypothesizes that, given the choice between the two, most humans would readily pick tyranny over anarchy.  Tyranny is the proverbial devil you know, whereas anarchy is just unstable and unpredictable, and we'd rather be oppressed the same way everyday rather than not knowing who would oppress you tomorrow and how. Eventually, according to the Human Predicament Cycle, those under tyranny will forget that that was their compromise for stability and revolt.  This revolution will usually devolve into anarchy.  This power vacuum will bring competing groups, all grabbing for the power in the power vacuum.  Then, a competing group will come up and a tyrant.  This is why most revolutions to leave tyranny end up back where they started: wit