This is a good song by Gotye, but my favorite is this video, which is a cover by a different band. I got this link from somebody at work:
http://www.walkofftheearth.com/video/somebody-i-used-know-gotye-cover
It is really cool beans!
Saturday, October 27, 2012
Books books books
I finally got a Logan library card a couple of months ago. Before I was just borrowing Jesse and Justin's card, which by the way I think I still have and need to give back to them. But anyway, since I started working at Conservice and since I was so busy dating Trevor and then being engaged and then getting married -- I didn't really have a lot of time to read. I was rereading the Harry Potter books which took me forever and I reread other books here and there. But NOW I have gotten back into the swing of book reading! And I've found new books lately that are pretty good.
First, I was googling and found out that the author who wrote The Giver, Lois Lowry, wrote some other books from the same "universe". There are four and the last one just came out this year sometime.
The Giver
Gathering Blue
Messenger
Son
I've only read Messenger, other than the Giver. Accidentally skipped Gathering Blue. Messenger was alright -- pretty interesting story but I didn't like the ending. Which it seems like I never do like the endings of books. Maybe because in my mind I'm imagining what the ending will be like or what "should" happen and then when it doesn't I'm disappointed. But I'm excited to read the other ones soon!
Then on the Logan Library website there's an Employee Suggestion of the Month, or something like that. And this suggestion I saw was Crossed, which is actually the second book in a trilogy. The trilogy is about a "dystopian future" - where the government basically controls everything and they have programs or something that match you with your perfect mate. So they pick your spouse. And then they analyze your behaviors and pick your career and tell you where to live and relocate you if they want. They've done it long enough that they've weeded out unwanted diseases and stuff. Anyway, I read the first book Matched, which is when the main character gets her match. When they are matched, since most of the time they don't know each other before they're matched, they get a chip that tells them about their future spouse. But the main character when she reads her chip there are two guys on it, the one she was matched with and a neighbor of hers. So the story is about her realizing the society isn't perfect and she realizes she wants to be able to choose instead of have everything dictated. That's the first book. I haven't gotten the second book quite yet, but it should be interesting. It starts out a little slow, but it isn't so ... over-dramatic or ridiculous as the Twilight books, like with this "love triangle" -- which is what I worried about.
Lastly, I've been reading a series called The Space Trilogy by C.S. Lewis. Can I just say that he writes SOO well. There's nothing wrong with modern books, but they are written to be easily read. Like Twilight or Matched -- modern language, simple language, fun to read, easy to connect with I guess. Which is good, but C.S. Lewis is like a legitimate WRITER. There are all kinds of words that I don't know or have never heard of before. It's really fun for me since I haven't been in school for a while and haven't had to read books like his.
Anyway, the Space Trilogy is brilliant. The main character is a philologist named Ransom. Which is a word I had to look up. It means a person who studies language, mostly old languages, or written texts, according to google. The first book is Out of the Silent Planet, which tells how Ransom is kidnapped to Mars. Then Perelandra, which is told on Venus. The last book is That Hideous Strength, which I'm almost done reading.
I think the thing I like the most is that C.S. Lewis is writing about real good vs evil. He is laying out God is good and there's something else that's influencing for the bad side. The characters have to make moral decisions and overcome temptation. Maybe that's more the last book. The first book is kinda like an introduction. It's a good story and really interesting. The second book is really kinda creepy. Ransom meets the devil, basically, or one of the devil's angels, and has to fight him. And then this third book is on Earth. I don't want to give too much away. But the books are written so well and I just LOVE them!
**Fair warning: That Hideous Strength ends really weird and creepy.
Also from the library, we've been checking out movies and music. It's been fun!
First, I was googling and found out that the author who wrote The Giver, Lois Lowry, wrote some other books from the same "universe". There are four and the last one just came out this year sometime.
The Giver
Gathering Blue
Messenger
Son
I've only read Messenger, other than the Giver. Accidentally skipped Gathering Blue. Messenger was alright -- pretty interesting story but I didn't like the ending. Which it seems like I never do like the endings of books. Maybe because in my mind I'm imagining what the ending will be like or what "should" happen and then when it doesn't I'm disappointed. But I'm excited to read the other ones soon!
Then on the Logan Library website there's an Employee Suggestion of the Month, or something like that. And this suggestion I saw was Crossed, which is actually the second book in a trilogy. The trilogy is about a "dystopian future" - where the government basically controls everything and they have programs or something that match you with your perfect mate. So they pick your spouse. And then they analyze your behaviors and pick your career and tell you where to live and relocate you if they want. They've done it long enough that they've weeded out unwanted diseases and stuff. Anyway, I read the first book Matched, which is when the main character gets her match. When they are matched, since most of the time they don't know each other before they're matched, they get a chip that tells them about their future spouse. But the main character when she reads her chip there are two guys on it, the one she was matched with and a neighbor of hers. So the story is about her realizing the society isn't perfect and she realizes she wants to be able to choose instead of have everything dictated. That's the first book. I haven't gotten the second book quite yet, but it should be interesting. It starts out a little slow, but it isn't so ... over-dramatic or ridiculous as the Twilight books, like with this "love triangle" -- which is what I worried about.
Lastly, I've been reading a series called The Space Trilogy by C.S. Lewis. Can I just say that he writes SOO well. There's nothing wrong with modern books, but they are written to be easily read. Like Twilight or Matched -- modern language, simple language, fun to read, easy to connect with I guess. Which is good, but C.S. Lewis is like a legitimate WRITER. There are all kinds of words that I don't know or have never heard of before. It's really fun for me since I haven't been in school for a while and haven't had to read books like his.
Anyway, the Space Trilogy is brilliant. The main character is a philologist named Ransom. Which is a word I had to look up. It means a person who studies language, mostly old languages, or written texts, according to google. The first book is Out of the Silent Planet, which tells how Ransom is kidnapped to Mars. Then Perelandra, which is told on Venus. The last book is That Hideous Strength, which I'm almost done reading.
I think the thing I like the most is that C.S. Lewis is writing about real good vs evil. He is laying out God is good and there's something else that's influencing for the bad side. The characters have to make moral decisions and overcome temptation. Maybe that's more the last book. The first book is kinda like an introduction. It's a good story and really interesting. The second book is really kinda creepy. Ransom meets the devil, basically, or one of the devil's angels, and has to fight him. And then this third book is on Earth. I don't want to give too much away. But the books are written so well and I just LOVE them!
**Fair warning: That Hideous Strength ends really weird and creepy.
Also from the library, we've been checking out movies and music. It's been fun!
Institute
This semester Trevor and me decided to take an institute class together. We picked Evidences of the Book of Mormon, which has turned out to be a really great class! One of the coolest things we've learned about was about this guy who decided to go back to Jerusalem and Saudi Arabia and find the path that Lehi and his family followed when they traveled in the wilderness and he made a video about it. So our teacher explained that Saudi Arabia is the driest area in the world. That there are hardly any inlets into the Red Sea and the country hasn't changed much since those times. In 1 Ne 2:5-10 Nephi describes the beginning of their journey:
6. And it came to pass that when he had traveled three days in the wilderness, he pitched his tent in a valley by the side of a river of water.
7. And it came to pass that he built an altar of stones...
8. And it came to pass that he called the name of the river, Laman, and it emptied into the Red Sea; and the valley was in the borders near the mouth thereof.
9. ... emptied into the fountain of the Red Sea
10. ... like unto this valley, firm and steadfast, and immovable...
The video talks about three days by camel is about 60-70 miles, so they know they have to find a valley by a river within that distance. Through some high-tech language translating they talked about how in verse 5 Nephi says "came down by the borders" and borders means mountains. So there is in fact a mountain range there, which they go through and FIND a valley and a river of water. And my teacher said that this guy went back to the area different times of the year and multiple years and every time he went there this river was running and it actually empties into the Red Sea. The valley is in these really high granite mountains that are "firm and steadfast" you know. So they do find this place that matches all of these descriptions! And not only THAT but they find some ruins there and some pottery that dates back to 600 BC. And they also find the ruins of an altar. The place really exists!! And the video goes on to follow the other places in the next couple of chapters and those places exist too! It's so cool!
Another my teacher talks about is the change in missionary age that Pres Monson announced this past conference. Our teacher is in the stake presidency of a singles stake so he does interviews and such. This last class period he said that there have been 87 missionaries in his stake alone since conference and only 10 of those are Elders. He also said that in the past the church has processed about 700 missionaries a week, so given out those many callings. And they are now processing 4,000 a week. So there is an explosion of missionaries! Which is really fun to hear about.
Institute rocks socks!
6. And it came to pass that when he had traveled three days in the wilderness, he pitched his tent in a valley by the side of a river of water.
7. And it came to pass that he built an altar of stones...
8. And it came to pass that he called the name of the river, Laman, and it emptied into the Red Sea; and the valley was in the borders near the mouth thereof.
9. ... emptied into the fountain of the Red Sea
10. ... like unto this valley, firm and steadfast, and immovable...
The video talks about three days by camel is about 60-70 miles, so they know they have to find a valley by a river within that distance. Through some high-tech language translating they talked about how in verse 5 Nephi says "came down by the borders" and borders means mountains. So there is in fact a mountain range there, which they go through and FIND a valley and a river of water. And my teacher said that this guy went back to the area different times of the year and multiple years and every time he went there this river was running and it actually empties into the Red Sea. The valley is in these really high granite mountains that are "firm and steadfast" you know. So they do find this place that matches all of these descriptions! And not only THAT but they find some ruins there and some pottery that dates back to 600 BC. And they also find the ruins of an altar. The place really exists!! And the video goes on to follow the other places in the next couple of chapters and those places exist too! It's so cool!
Another my teacher talks about is the change in missionary age that Pres Monson announced this past conference. Our teacher is in the stake presidency of a singles stake so he does interviews and such. This last class period he said that there have been 87 missionaries in his stake alone since conference and only 10 of those are Elders. He also said that in the past the church has processed about 700 missionaries a week, so given out those many callings. And they are now processing 4,000 a week. So there is an explosion of missionaries! Which is really fun to hear about.
Institute rocks socks!
Saturday, October 6, 2012
Hello Blogging World!
So it has been awhile. Yep.
Last night me and Trevor went to a mission reunion. Yay! I saw most of my companions, including my last companion from the field that just got home 3 days ago! Crazy! I have the best mission ever! We have so much fun together talking and joking and laughing. It was also nice to see President Hill and Sister Hill. Although, they both asked me if we had some "news" -- as in pattering feet on the way. No. Thank you, but not yet. That was a little weird, but otherwise a lot of fun!
Otherwise, we work work work. Trevor goes to school and does homework homework HOMEWORK! We've been to a bunch of football games for the Utah State Aggies! Go Aggies! It has been a lot of fun. The stadium was jampacked last game! And of course the one before that, when the Aggies beat the Utes. That was a really fun game. I admit that I get a little bored during 3rd Quarter, but usually people watching can get me through.
We also went to the Brigham City Temple dedication and to the Open House before that. The temple is really beautiful. I especially liked the baptismal font. And we LOVE Boyd K Packer, who grew up in Brigham City, and presided at the dedication. So that was also great. Since you guys may not have seen it, Elder Nelson and Elder Perry were also there. And Pres Packer let us know that Elder Nelson was born the DAY BEFORE Pres Packer. Oh, and Elder Perry visited Logan earlier this year, during the summer, because his dad was the Bishop back in the day, and oversaw the building of the church house we go to right now. Which was really neat.
Anyhow! This summer we went to Peach Days in Brigham City and the same day played Frisbee Golf for hours. We went and visited Idaho Falls the other week, just for fun. Had a great time playing Hand and Foot and seeing parentals and Michael and Laura. I got a Utah Driver's License, good thing I got to use the rulebook during the test! That made it really easy.
Right now we're staying at Trevor's parents' house for Conference weekend. That way we don't have to drive back and forth. Conference is so great! I was so excited about the announcement President Monson made about the change of age for missionaries to go out. It's exciting to see the Priesthood in action!
Well I can't think of anything else that's new!
Last night me and Trevor went to a mission reunion. Yay! I saw most of my companions, including my last companion from the field that just got home 3 days ago! Crazy! I have the best mission ever! We have so much fun together talking and joking and laughing. It was also nice to see President Hill and Sister Hill. Although, they both asked me if we had some "news" -- as in pattering feet on the way. No. Thank you, but not yet. That was a little weird, but otherwise a lot of fun!
Otherwise, we work work work. Trevor goes to school and does homework homework HOMEWORK! We've been to a bunch of football games for the Utah State Aggies! Go Aggies! It has been a lot of fun. The stadium was jampacked last game! And of course the one before that, when the Aggies beat the Utes. That was a really fun game. I admit that I get a little bored during 3rd Quarter, but usually people watching can get me through.
We also went to the Brigham City Temple dedication and to the Open House before that. The temple is really beautiful. I especially liked the baptismal font. And we LOVE Boyd K Packer, who grew up in Brigham City, and presided at the dedication. So that was also great. Since you guys may not have seen it, Elder Nelson and Elder Perry were also there. And Pres Packer let us know that Elder Nelson was born the DAY BEFORE Pres Packer. Oh, and Elder Perry visited Logan earlier this year, during the summer, because his dad was the Bishop back in the day, and oversaw the building of the church house we go to right now. Which was really neat.
Anyhow! This summer we went to Peach Days in Brigham City and the same day played Frisbee Golf for hours. We went and visited Idaho Falls the other week, just for fun. Had a great time playing Hand and Foot and seeing parentals and Michael and Laura. I got a Utah Driver's License, good thing I got to use the rulebook during the test! That made it really easy.
Right now we're staying at Trevor's parents' house for Conference weekend. That way we don't have to drive back and forth. Conference is so great! I was so excited about the announcement President Monson made about the change of age for missionaries to go out. It's exciting to see the Priesthood in action!
Well I can't think of anything else that's new!
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