Name-the-Costume Contest

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For Halloween this year I went as a Name-the-Costume Contest. I intended to have about a thousand more clothespins than I actually ended up with but so what. I had a pen and pieces of paper and people entered the contest. And now, having been through all the entries, I now know what I was for Halloween.

But first! Some of the runners-up!

First, the people who chose names closely associated with the clothespins, such as Clothespin Man! (and Clothesline Man!) Thteed Pin Man! Clothespin Scarecrow! (as well as more than one plain Scarecrow!) The Clothesline Helper! Human Clothesline!

Similar to this category are those that play on the idea of clotheslines or clothespins a bit more indirectly, eg: "Pinned up", Wong Dry Cleaning, A Man Hung Out to Dry, and Husband Who Didn't Do the Laundry He Was Supposed To. Two of these came very close to winning.

Another category of entry I call Animals and Whatsits. Scarecrow fits in here as do Gorilla, Mailman, Lion, and, oh, let's throw Freak in this category as well.

The final category was the tightest competitively and the one from which I ultimately chose the winner. This group was the most metaphorical and includes Fall Leaf, Chip Bag, Fashion Designer on Steroids, and Homespun Rambo. (That last one I ultimately could not choose because as I was putting the pins on, I also thought they looked like ammo belts and so I was worried I would be rewarding the enterer for thinking like I do.)

And the winner?

"Want Ta Be" Xylophone

Thank you, Mr Rooter!

So. Did I make the right choice?

Discuss.

Scout for Halloween 2010 Edition

previous dry-erase incarnation

Thmazing tells you how to vote on Props 20 and 27

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In case you're new here, redistricting is kind of a big deal to me. I talked up Prop 11 to anyone who would listen and I even felt strongly enough to show some civic responsibility and apply for the citizens' redistricting commission.

People deserve to be properly represented and Prop 11 was the first real attempt to give California voters' a voice in their state legislature.

But Prop 11 has not ended the battle for fair representation. Not even close. In December, the Census will deliver numbers to the President and the next month he will deliver the new House numbers (that is, how many reps each state gets). In April 2011 redistricting for the House of Representatives will begin. And Prop 11 left that particular body as susceptible to corruption as ever.

Enter Prop 20.

Prop 20 will bring the same reforms to the House that Prop 11 brought to Sacramento. This is too important to take Election Day off, California! Even if you hate both Jerry Brown and Meg Whitman (and who doesn't?), at least pop in to make Prop 20 law. Your state needs you.

Now. How about Prop 27?

Prop 27 is e*v*i*l in proposition form. It's only goal is to return corruption to Sacramento and keep it in Washington. Prop 27 will erase Prop 11 before it has a chance to do any good and prevent our state's people from having any say in whom they elect to the House. Prop 27 is the supervillain of ballot measures. Kill it before it kills your children. (And let no one say that I did not pull our my rhetorical tricks in trying to shoot 27 in the face.)

Billy Corgan Loves Cheesy 80s Pop (but hey! so do I!)

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Smashing Pumpkins has had some great songs and some catchy mediocre songs and some crap songs over the year; the new single (if you're okay with calling the band Smashing Pumpkins) fits in that middle category. But what strikes me as particularly notable is that it quotes Spandau Ballet.

What surprises me is that I can't find anything online about it.

So let me be the first.

Listen to the first little bit of "Freak" (spec. 0:10-14):

Now listen to the main riff in "True" (see for instance 0:11-14):

embedding disabled by request
[so click to listen]

It's not just me, right?

Svithe: The Mormon-Money Bomb

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Disclaimer: This post has a number of problems. It overgeneralizes for one. It assumes something is true of one group of people that is not true of another. Also, I will make a number of statements that will feel very much like I am judging you or someone you know. I don't intend them that way, but it won't make you feel any better.


Since last week's svithe generated so much discussion on the righteousness of money, I thought we would revisit the topic today. I believe it has been established that money can be a force for good even if we don't always use it very well and I believe a lot of other points are still unsettled (and remained so as of 6am this morning; see comments).

Something that has bothered me for years is how people can casually dismiss the fourth commandment because their job requires it. I always made the gag that prostitution, by the same logic, is also fine. (And then I learned there is a play by Scott Parkin or Eric Samuelsen or Scott Bronson or someone [if you know who, please tell me in the comments] about a husband dropping his wife off at work, their everyday conversation, then they kiss goodbye and she walks into the Mustang Ranch.)

Sometimes I feel like I'm seeing the same thing with money. Some Mormons seem (seem) to have their spiritual set of ethics and their money set of ethics. And maybe their money set of ethics is excellent, but is doesn't quite live up to Sunday School standards.

I see it in other fields also. I'm now moving further into risky lines of inquiry as I hardly have that many facts, but the Mormon lawyer who approved torture --- is that part of his "testimony"?

Am I right in suspecting that many Mormons build fences around their faith and don't let it wander into their work?

Now, I have to close this post before proofreading if I want to shower before Church, so please be gentle with whatever idiocies stand in this rough draft. But let's have it: Money and Mormonism --- do we keep them fenced off?



(last week's svithe)

There's no money in world peace (a svithe)

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I had a conversation the other night and although the other fellow was (sorta) joking, he did say and mean that since there is no money in world peace, he ain't interested.

Now, I think there's plenty of room to argue the world peace ≠ any money, but mostly I am unsettled by the idea that the only reason, ultimately, to do anything is to turn a profit. Is that really the best we have to aim for? Money?

Is that all life has to offer?

last week's svithe

I'm at a stage in life where both these poems now feel true.

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When I Have Fears

John Keats

When I have fears that I may cease to be
  Before my pen has glean’d my teeming brain,
Before high-piled books, in charactery,
  Hold like rich garners the full ripen’d grain;
When I behold, upon the night’s starr’d face,
  Huge cloudy symbols of a high romance,
And think that I may never live to trace
  Their shadows, with the magic hand of chance;
And when I feel, fair creature of an hour,
  That I shall never look upon thee more,
Never have relish in the faery power
  Of unreflecting love;—then on the shore
Of the wide world I stand alone, and think
  Till love and fame to nothingness do sink.

Mezzo Cammin

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Half of my life is gone, and I have let
  The years slip from me and have not fulfilled
  The aspiration of my youth, to build
  Some tower of song with lofty parapet.
Not indolence, nor pleasure, nor the fret
  Of restless passions that would not be stilled,
  But sorrow, and a care that almost killed,
  Kept me from what I may accomplish yet;
Though, half-way up the hill, I see the Past
  Lying beneath me with its sounds and sights,—
  A city in the twilight dim and vast,
With smoking roofs, soft bells, and gleaming lights,—
  And hear above me on the autumnal blast
The cataract of Death far thundering from the heights.


(See also: Stephen Crane.)

Whateverth five books

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030) Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson, finished October 4


My big regret is not reading this in high school, when it was new and fresh, and right after I read Neuromancer. That would have been ideal, I think. As it is, it's taken me a long long time to finally get around to reading it. And I liked it, but I'm also rather grossly disappointed.

I'm not disappointed because it is not a satire of cyberpunk as I had been led to believe. It's actually a satire of modern America and it's pretty spot-on.

Neither am I disappointed because it takes place in what is now a past that never happened.

And I'm not disappointed because the book fell short in terms of action or ideas, neither of which would be true. (In fact, the ideas are so strong that it took me quite a while to realize how utterly ridiculous they are. Which makes me wonder if I had read it in high school and, being younger, had not realized they were ridiculous, if I would have liked the book better.)

No, the real reason I'm disappointed is because this is my first Neal Stephenson book and it was a fun read but it didn't change my life which means I'm unlikely to ever read, say, Cryptinomicon. I'll probably try him again with something shorter (assuming such a thing exists) someday and go from there, but for a book that was supposed to recreate my interactions with reality and fiction, well, it just couldn't live up to that kind of billing and so I am left disappointed.

My fault.

two or three weeks



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029) Song/Cycles by Mormon Artists Group, finished Sept. 15


Unlike Mormoniana, this book of commissioned art music by MAG does not come with an included cd. Which is tragic, of course, but understandable. Properly recording all this music is substantially more complex than having one pianist who can just run through everything a couple times and call it good. But you should still listen the the clips they've placed online because they are lovely: (click).

The copy I have is the not-expensive version (it belongs to the one-and-only Recession Cone who is a proper musiciany-type fellow and even he didn't understand all the notation herein) and I'm sorry to say that the printing is lousy. The music is pixelated --- not to the point where it can't be read, but badly enough to be annoying.

The poetry (also pixelated) is excellent. Sadly, I can't really comment on the music because I can't really look at a piece of music and hear it, but the poetry is topnotch. I was particularly impressed by Susan Howe's and Elaine M. Craig's poetry, but maybe that's just because they were the first two poets. By the time I got to the others (Glen Nelson, Javen Tanner, Lance Larsen, Will Reger), I had come to expect brilliance of a Howe/Craigesque nature so was merely not disappointed? Perhaps.

The composers are Harriet Petherick Bushman, David H. Sargent, Murray Boren, Lansing McLoskey, Daniel Bradshaw and Charis Bean Duke.

Check it out.

(Note: I will be discussing this soon with different details on A Motley Vision.)

four days



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028) The Complete Peanuts 1973-1974 by Charles M. Schulz, finished September 6


The experience of reading these books has changed over the years. In the early volumes, I was always giddy with excitement when, say, Linus was introduced. Or the first time Snoopy had a thought. Or stood up. Now that excitement has passed. And I can only appreciate the strips for what they are meant to be: witty, insightful, cutting, sweet, charming, dangerous, hilarious, timely, timeless, terrific.

This particular volume contained a lot of the strips I had in books growing up. I had a couple inherited from older cousins and read them over and over again, so Sally's conversations with the school had a sweet familiarity, etc. In about fifteen more years we'll arrive in the era where I read every single strip as it hit newspapers and I'm curious to discover how I will feel about those strips. Ones I may have read only once, but that exist somewhere deep inside of me.

When I was about 12, for a few years I cut the best strip of the day from the newspaper and kept them in a box. Peanuts, Calvin, The Far Side --- these were the strongest competitors. Clearly I had good taste. But I'm curious if I would select the same strips now. Anyway, off topic. The point is, I'm still enjoying these books.

1950-1952
1953-1954
1955-1956
1957-1958
1959-1960
1961-1962
1963-1964
1965-1966
1967-1968
1969-1970
1971-1972

a month



===========================================================



027) Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins, finished September 5


I just can't decide how I feel about these books. Sure, they're a hopalong read and this and that, but they're also filled with logistical holes and cheap tricks. I certainly don't blame anyone for loving them because as entertainment they're nonstop funfunfun of the most horrifying sort. But . . . .

Yet I can't just dismiss them because, in some ways, its most dissatisfying attributes are its greatest strength and the more thrilling portions are often holey.

two days



===========================================================



026) Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins, finished September 2


It's kind of fun to prioritize a book that I'm reading purely for pleasure. Although this one wasn't very pleasurable. Collins yanks her readers a lot in this one, including, at one point, making me extremely angry at her.

For a long time in this book, I could not figure out what the heck the story arc was going to be. When I did find out, I was pissed off. And then it failed to be as thrilling as book one. In other words, this volume suffers from a serious case of middle-of-the-trilogy syndrome. And I'm still not sure I believe any of it. And I'm a big believer in working hard to suspend disbelief.

All that said, these books are still too fun/frustrating to leave alone. I'll read the last volume, probably starting tonight. But I'm less interested in Underland now.

Here's the thing. Collins comes out with brilliant moments. Just genius. Then she turns to cheap tricks next. And although I like the world she's built, I'm not convinced she's really thought it out thoroughly. You know, how they get by on what resources, etc. I'm not big on books needing maps, but in this case it would give me some more confidence that she's actually thought these things through. For instance, MAJOR SPOILER, how's the Capitol supposed to function without coal, which seems to be their only energy source, huh?

But, again, there's one book left. I'll withhold judgment till then.

two days although possible under twenty-four hours





Previously in 2010 . . . . :

• First Five • Second Five • Third Five • Fourth Five • Fifth Five • Sixth Five • Seventh Five •Eighth Five •

040) The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, finished September 1
039) Buy Ketchup in May and Fly at Noon: A Guide to the Best Time to Buy This, Do That and Go There by Mark Di Vincenzo, finished August 28
038) Bluebeard by Kurt Vonnegut, finished August 25
037) In the Void by Michael R. Collings, finished August 21
036) Three Men on the Bummel by Jerome K. Jerome, finished August 18
035) Utah: Sex and Travel Guide by Calvin Grondahl, finished August 10
034) E Pluribus Unicorn by Theodore Sturgeon, finished August 9
033) The Complete Peanuts, 1971 to 1972 by Charles M. Schulz, finished August 6
032) I Am Not a Serial Killer by Dan Wells, finished August 6
031) Rogue Clone by Steven L. Kent, finished July 26
030) Servant of a Dark God by John Brown, finished July 21
029) Drink Me, or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Blog by James Goldberg, finished June 9
028) Out of the Mount (tentative title) edited by Davey Morrison, finished June 8
027) Madman Boogaloo! by Mike Allred, Mike Baron, Bernie Mireault, Steve Rude; finished June 2
026) The Education of Robert Nifkin by Daniel Pinkwater, finished May 22
025) True Grit by Charles Portis, finished May 21
024) Old Man's War by John Scalzi, finished May 15
023) Pandora's Nightmare: Horror Unleashed, finished May 13
022) Anthem by Ayn Rand, finished May 11
021) Look! It's Jesus!: Amazing Holy Visions in Everyday Life by Harry Choron and Sandra Choron, finished May 9
020) Travels in the Scriptorium: A Novel by Paul Auster, finished May 5
019) Suburban Folklore by Steven Walters, finished May 4
018) The Lonely Polygamist by Brady Udall, finished April 30
017) Gracie: A Love Story by George Burns by George Burns, finished April 20
016) The Autobiography of Malcolm X as told to Alex Haley, finished April 15
015) Dispensation: Latter-Day Fiction edited by Angela Hallstrom, finished March 24
014) The Best American Comics 2009 edited by Charles Burns, finished March 22
013) Icon: A Hero's Welcome by Dwayne McDuffie and MD Bright, finished March 17
012) There's Treasure Everywhere by Bill Watterson, finished March 15
011) Static Shock: Rebirth of the Cool. Finished right at midnight between March 13 and 14
010) Teen Titans: Year One by Amy Wolfram et al, finished March 7
009) The Complete Calvin and Hobbes, Book One by Bill Watterson, finished March 6
008) Apparition & Late Fictions: A Novella and Stories by Thomas Lynch, finished March 5
007) Stone Rabbit #1: BC Mambo by Erik Craddock, finished March 2
006) The Selected Works of T. S. Spivet by Reif Larsen, finished February 23
005) Missile Mouse 2 by Jake Parker (MS POLICY), finished February 5
004) Heroes of the Fallen by David J. West, finished February 4
003) Still Life in Milford by Thomas Lynch, finished January 19
002) Rapunzel's Revenge by Hales Shannon Dean and Nathan, finished January 16
001) Mormoniana by Mormon Artists Group, finished January 13

Svithetacular October 2010

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Special thanks to Lady Steed who took many of these notes.

SATURDAY MORNING

Due to my inability to understand how timezones work, we are starting conference late. Elder Holland has been talking about love and he might be (but probably is not) the first speaker.

Sister W, Primary President

I apologize. I'm still prioritizing my physical hunger over my spiritual hunger. This one seems to be about how parents can share their faith with their children: bearing testimony, giving prayers, holding them as a frontier doctor cuts out part of their leg. That sort of thing.

=====================================
Elder Claudio Costa

Something about prophets. (I've been setting up General Conference Bingo.)

Two-digit inflation every month! Which makes it easier to believe in dead prophets rather than the living? I wish the background yelling would cease....

The prophets tell us what we need to know rather than what we need to know.

Accents are funny: "Thomas S. Monson is the leaving prophet of God."

=====================================
Brother McConkie of the SSPres

To those who teach in no matter the organization.

The HOW of Learning

The difference between what a teacher may say and what actually might be learned

=====================================
This is Christoffersen, right?

Man, I'm doing a terrible job this session. I apologize.

God has designed this Earthlife thing to require pretty much constant trouble.

Recreation. Some good, some brainnumbing waste.

What? Know ye not that your body is the temple of god?

Or french fries!

Let's wash each other's feet.

Integrity is not naivite. What is naive is disbelieving in accountability to God.

=====================================
Dieter Uchtdorf

On the growth of trees
Normal years, normal growth
Dry years, less growth, focus on survival
Which is all well and good, but what does it have to do with airplanes?
"Well, let me tell you."
Think: turbulence
Slow down a little, steady the course, focus on the essentials
when dealing with adverse conditions.

Leonardo: Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.

Lombardi started training his players by describing what exactly a football is.

Can't become great without mastering the fundamentals.

Woh. Is that a communal glass of water there under the pulpit?

"I lost my voice.
This is one of the foundational things I need to have."

We need quite quality time ALONE with our Heavenly Father to develop our realtionship with HiIm.

In family relationships LOVE is spelt t-i-m-e It takes time to build family bonds.

Third relationship is with our fellow man, this also takes time.

Fourth key relationship is with ourselves. Some can not get along with their selves. They criticize self till they eventually hate themselves. Spend time alone and get to know yourself. Learn to see yourself as Heavenly Father sees you, as a daughter or son with divine potential.

Simplify.

Change life to focus on the simple divine path to God.

SATURDAY AFTERNOON

Choir (missed where this choir is from, it is interesting becasue it appears to be an all ages choir, maybe it's youth and thier parents?). Prayer. Choir 'Beautiful Zion'. President Eyring conducting this session

Presentation of First Presidency, apostles, church officers etc. for sustaining
(I always think that if you decided to be 'opposed' your vote of opposition would not be noticed and you would have to jump up and down and yell in order to get noticed. )

=====================================
Elder Robert D. Hales

Mormons have their own vocabulary. Should give investigators a sheet with this vocabulary.

Agency is the ability and privlige god gives us to choose and act for ourselves and not be acted upon. bBut we must take resposibility for our agency.

With agency we can make right choice and progress or make wrong choices and move away from God. Thus we needed a Savior. Also need mercy to appease justice.

We choose to have faith in Jesus, the Savior and so we chose Heavenly Father's Plan and not Lucifer's. THose that followed Satan got no body and now chance for progression. THe only power they have it is to tempt and try those of us with bodies. Their only happines comes when we are disobiedient to the Lord's commandments.

We must continue to choose to follow the Savior.

Jesus excersised his agency to be our Savior.

Our wrong choices limit our agency. WHen we disobey we are captive to our choices.

Repentance is not easy, but returning to the LORD is worth it.

Obedience to commandments protects us. Homes are incubators for children's spiritual growth (FHE, family prayer scripture study, etc.)

to obey is better than sacrifice. Selective obedience--not good.

Hales looks awful. He's lost a ton of weight.


=====================================
Elder Q Cook

As Latter-day Saints we need to save the light!

Vera Lynn and blacking out windows to keep out bombs.

"devastating moral explosions"

let your light so shine

Hang on. The metaphor has flipflopped. Or does it just seem that way because I have fuzzy sickbrain?

the majority of people are respectful of basic moral values

if the time comes when the voice of the people do choose iniquity . . . .

honesty

the role of religion in teaching that all are brothers and sisters

=====================================
Bishop Edgeley

action words: choose, come, knock

Choose faith over fear, over pessimism.

Faith is a choice and it must be sought after and developed.

We are also responsible for our lack of faith. The choice is ours.

What I don't know or do not completely understand can be bridged through my faith.

if your testimony is young or immature or untested, choose to experiment thereupon

=====================================
Duncan

Upon arrival, some Saints refused to leave their wagon. #surelyyourejoking #wheresSamBRannonwhenyouneedhim

That argument: Not the strongest I've ever heard.

We have easy access to the words of the prophets.

The prophet is not limited to mortal reasoning.

I'm hearing a lot of comments on the nonsexual aspects of Prop 8.

That was a long list.....

=====================================
Gerrit W Gong

The bread was wonderful. Keep me in mind if things don't work out between you and Mr Gong.

Funny: I was just reading about another religious tradition where double mirrors are a symbol of damnation. Pit I can't remember which religion it was.

First Dragon Gong born 837AD

Knows how to comfort us no matter the pitiable circumstances

=====================================
Elder Anderson

Weird that there can be an apostle I don't recognize on sight. I don't think I can blame that on my fuzzy sickbrain, either.

Life is no spiritual picnic. We must each ask Lord, is it I?

"offended" and "ashamed" signal trouble on the road ahead

Does this offend you?
When tribulation or persecution arises, he is offended.

Frederick G. Williams: a single moral decision can leave lasting effects

(His wife is a Williams. I wonder if it's the same family.)

Unto whom much is given....

Thou mayest choose for thyself.

=====================================
Richard G. Scott

Jesus Christ uses faith in his capacity under his Father to create galaxies and quarks.

The weirdly opposing definitions of faith we use often confuse me.

Righteous character is a precious manifestation of what you are becoming.

anchored in a secure confidence that the desired results will be obtained

the more your character is fortified the more you are prepared to act upon faith

PRIESTHOOD SESSION

Elder Russel M Nelson

let no man despise they youth
but be thou and example of the believers
(not for misionaries only)

49 Nelson missionaries?

Can a joke be geniunely funny when I can see the punchline coming from the very beginning? ------> "Every member a missionary."

Many of our friends do not realize our buildings are open.
"Come and see" said the Savior.

Extend the hand of fellowship to at least one person you did not know before.

Whaddayamean thanksalot?

linking to mormon.org

(incidentally, after months of sluggish labor, I finally finished mine earlier today)

I wonder if outlier stories (of conversions) are more hopeful or discouraging in general?

=====================================
Patrick Kearon

(accent?)

at age 7 in Arabia, desert, camp
shoes, flipflops, scorpion
both lazy and rebellious, therefore scorpioned
apply gospel here
justification
"exactly obedient"
JEFaust: When obedience becomes our goal, it is no longer an irritation

=====================================
Juan A. Uredo

family morning scripture study
overcoming familial contention
Spirit of God in our honmes
go and say I'm Sorry

(natural man)

=====================================
President Uchtdorf

Benson's pride talk (21y young)

Sister U: "It is good that you talk about things you know so much about."

How we lost the word pride, how it became taboo.

differentiating between Being Proud Of and Being Prideful

Pride felled Lucifer (if it can bring down suchuwun as he, should we not examine our own souls?)
Pride breeds hate and competition
Pride is a gateway sin
"Thank God I am more special than you."

soccer hooligans as metaphor for politics, religion, etc

As children of God, we all wear the same jersey.

The members say nice things about the General Authorities.
JEFaust: Diester---be thankful for this, but don't you ever inhale it.

never believe your own press clippings

We are not given the priesthood so we can take our bows and revel in praise.

We must seek to be like the Savior therefore we must seek to do what the Father wants

Pride is a switch which turns off priesthood power.
Humility is a switch that turns it on.

We discover humility not by thinking less OF ourselves but by thinking less ABOUT ourselves.

lose theyself in service

sweet pen analogy

GREAT TALK!

=====================================
President Eyring

10s of 1000s of decendents in only 100 years! Impressive!

(more humility)

magnifying a calling means to build it up in dignity by doing the service that pertains to it (Monson?)

as you pray for help the Spirit will
calm your fears
you will know what to say
you will feel the approval of the Lord

Don't worry about knowing the right thing to do or to say once you get there.

=====================================
TSMonson

The Three Rs of Choice

The Right of Choice

next to life itself the right to direct that life is God's greatest gift to man --- DOMcK?

w/ Satan's plan, perhaps none would have been lost, but neither would they have been at all improved

that demonic impression was actually pretty unsettling in its friendliness

He's really pullling out the voices tonight. Pretty chilling.

I hope you're seeing this. Intense!

The courage to say no, the courage to say yes.
Decisions determine destiny.
(best alliteratuve GC sentence in recent memory)

the detour from which you may not return
no temptation can overcome us save we allow it

Brother Brigham: If Brother Brigham gets locked out of heaven then Brother Brigham will have no one to blame save Brother Brigham. Brother Brigham's the only one in heaven earth or hell with that power. And the same may be said of all of us.

an accumulation of wise choices
a consistency of purpose

2nd mention of Clayton Christensen in this Conference. This is his basketball story. It's online. You can look it up. I think he's quoting the moral-of-the-story pretty dang closely as well. Life is a series of extenuating circumstances, etc. It's a brilliant talk. I've tweeted it before.

Re: TSM's deliver --- the stake clerk, sitting next to me, says he was reminded a bit of William Shatner

=====================================

SUNDAY MORNING SESSION

=====================================
Pr Eyring

But behold I am a man and do sin in my wish for I ought to be happy with what the Lord hath allotted me. (My wandering mind has just applied this scripture to the transgendered.)

Trusting the direction of the Lord's prophet, from Jonah to Naaman.

1N3:7

He loved us enough to send us that Son to save us.
And I trust his prophet and his apostles today.
That trust has blessed my family.

Incredible story about selling a property through a San Francisco office.
Coincidence? I think not.

Listen for the details in the prophet's message that will bless our lives.

Go down the street. There is a Mormon lady there who will give you what you need.

She trusted the Lord enough to discover what he wanted her to do, then she did it.

That same trust in God can change nations.

God does not rule the nations but he is aware of them.

Whether by my voice or the voice of my servants it is the same.

If you look for the voice of God in every sermon and song in this conference, You Will Find It.

This is another great talk. Wish I'd paid better attention.....

=====================================
Pr Packer

Danger! Confusion! Where shall the youth walk?

Come on. The devil did not make you do it. Be serious. He doesn't have that kind of power.

The power to create life comes with it the greatest joys and the most dangerous temptations.
In its righteous exercise we come closest to our Father in Heaven.
Exaltation as neverending orgasm?

I'm totally going to hell. And thanks to my notes, I clearly can't blame the devil either.

Boy and girl kitties. Let's vote on their sex. This is the clearest Prop 8 comment yet this conference. Voting against gravity yet? Laws irrevocably decreed in heaven cannot be changed. Which doesn't really recognize all the laws already in contrast with God's laws. But his point is that the path remains unchanged.

The key to the gate is labeled repentance.

"terrible plague"

=====================================
Jay E. Jensen

Holy Ghost
teaches and testifies of the Son
reveals truth
leads to do good

From the Holy Ghost a peace which passeth all understanding.

Joseph Smith's life parallels someone else's in many ways. But I didn't catch whose.
Oh! Lehi!
Visions, books, dangers.

love honor sustain

=====================================
Mary N Cook (YW1)

Stories of Mother Smith

holding fast to the rod of iron can be challenging

It's funny to me that her example of confusing examples was rather confused.

Be an example of the believers in Purity

We respect our bodies as temples and gifts of God

This reminds me of my brother's wedding reception. The clueless LDS djay played a version of "Buttercup" mixed with racy soundbites from There's Something About Mary. The fact that he played it three times proved he had NO capacity to understand adianoeta.

=====================================
Dallin H Oaks

Personal line of communication with God
Priesthood line of communication with God
We should all be guided by both. 'Tis vital.

Consider the sacrament prayer.

Family and personal governance are primarily influenced by the personal line.

Some members of the church underestimate the importance of the priesthood line.
Mirroring the modern hostility to "organized religion" -- which is, after all, the work of the Master

organized religion established by authority is essential cf Paul

the need for one line does not supercede the need for the other; both are vital

I like the way he's putting all this. Add this one to the Great Talks List October 2010

Joseph Smith could not translate when he was angry or upset
praying then asking Emma's forgiveness before able to continue
could do nothing save he was humble and faithful

I love Joseph Smith. I really do.

recent events in Chile demonstrate the needs for both lines
---food shelter etc provided through the priesthood lines workings
---members also needed to seek the Lord through prayer for comfort and guidance

scriptures require both lines
the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints provides both

re: The Restored Gospel and access to its truth through the precious personal line

=====================================
President Monson

He looks very grave.

Jokes.

He using the word "proud" is the way recently opened back up for us by Pr Uchtdorf.

Reminiscing on all the people he has loved who have passed. He seems to be looking forward to his own death.

Luke 17 (the ten lepers)

do we remember to give thanks or do we disappoint the Lord

gratitude unlocks the doors of heaven, helps us feel God's love

Hinckley: when we walk with gratitude we do not walk with arrogance and conceit and egotism but with . . . something nicer than those things. I can't type fast enough anymore.

gratitude is a divine principle

thank the lord thy god in all things
in nothing doth man offend god
or against none is his wrath kindled
save against those who confess not his hand in all things

A wonderful time to live on the Earth!

ingratitude among the vilest sins

gratitude the parent of all other virtues?

love overpowers jealousy

material things make us at best momentarily grateful

Aldous Huxley: Humans have an almost infinite capacity to take things for granted.

Let's not wait to show gratitude until it's too late

We never know how soon it will be too late.

cellar filled with apples, carrots in sand, preserves
count it all carefully
then: how many tons of hay, grain, geese
How richly God has blessed us. How he has smiled upon their hours of work. Let us feast.

Electricity! (to those who could afford it)

a bad year for agriculture
still room for gratitude

HIS life is a legacy of love

GO. Do thou likewise.

=====================================

SUNDAY AFTERNOON

Elder Perry

Woh. not sure I'ld call that kid lucky.

alotta entertainment not that wholesome
can destroy a sense of right and wrong

scripture stories never grow old

Was this grandkid named Terry Perry or was he through a daughter

That kid is so small....

If you heed the voice of the Holy Ghost, then ministering of angels, bringing power, glory, etc.

be worthy before it's time to serve a mission

=====================================
Elder Bednar

(diapertime)

"Receive the Holy Ghost" is not a passive statement. It is an injunction to act, not merely to be acted upon.

first we must sincerely desire his companionship

he cannot be coerced compelled or commanded

"holy habits" --- what are we, nuns?

we primarily meet together in order to invite instruction from the Holy Ghost

fundamentally, all gospel activities are centered on inviting the HG into our lives

the only "true" and "living" Church
true: because it is Jesus's church
living: because it is fueled by the Holy Ghost

you can tell the HG from all other spirits because it delivers peace and dispels negativity
if we follow that spirit, we will do right

Restored True Living

=====================================
Larrrrry R. Lawrrrrrence

stupid kid -- the real question is why is she on the tracks anyway? the parenting fail here started some time ago

Kids! Refrain from your iniquities!

Parents who love their children cannot afford to be intimidated by them.

"I love you too much to ignore these promptings."

this is great stuff --- a nice little parenting-by-the-Spirit manual

prematurely pairing off with a boy/girlfriend is dangerous
which is obvious
I don't know why parents don't hit on this one a little harder

Cynic's version of this talk: "Parent's! Give in to your crippling paranoia!"

It takes courage to turn off the tv to read scriptures
to avoid other Monday-night activities
to not overschedule.

You know, it occurs to me that a lot of Mondaynight and Sabbath advice comes from other people's experiences. For instance, I remember a talk once that said going to a ballgame Monday night was not appropriate. I'll bet that family did things like that all the time though. We almost never do fun things as a family so I think that doing them on Monday would be perfectly appropriate. It's all about creating separate and special experiences with the family, n'est ce pas?

Anyway. His talk ended a while ago.

=====================================
Per G. Malm

(first Swedish GA, meaning citizen thereof I imagine, not genetically)

The Hollow Tree (not the Spooky Old Tree, a different one)

saplings, fill soul with light understanding joy love

invitation extended to all, denieth none

lasting inner peace

a bad conscience is a blessing?

Lady Steed and I both spontaneously tried to copy the way he said becuuuuse

broken eggs
gentle response

the hollow tree no longer stands, victim of firecrackers
beware of things that would destroy from the inside out!

peas?

=====================================
Jairo Mazzagardi

little trees this time
near a barbed wire fence
little plants taking out a string-feeling post
plucked from the ground and held out of the ground
The Tree of Sin
*generalchuckling*

another talk about the dangerous stuff that happens after dark

Pornogriff?!?!

It (not that) comes from the Lord and brings me happiness.

confidential interviews

different tree whose fruit was desirable to make one happy

make good choices that will allow you to eat the fruit you want to eat
or at least would be better off eating

=====================================
Mervyn Arnold

poor parents
Hey! That sounds like us!
only they had nine kids in their two bedrooms
so we've got . . . room still. I guess.

at least they had some rifles

You know, if Lady Steed and I weren't so gentrified, we could probably feed our family on the fat squirrels in our neighborhood.

How can a teenager possibly enjoy life with all these dang restrictions?

You stupid cow!

Another fence metaphor! So . . . trees, fences, President Benson, nighttime, the Holy Ghost --- what else?

Repent and make necessary adjustments.

The most emotional speech so far. And he's not a pretty crier.

I have fought the good fight. I have finished the race.

=====================================
Elder Ballard yo

football?

Oh. Autumn trees. More trees.

trout snuff in conf

Given Eld Ballards' predilections, I bet in a future talk, the fisherman will be missionaries. Same metaphor, different applications.

addiction and sin : where are they the same, where do they diverge, where do they move each other along?

even just one (1) is a pretty terrible idea

Re prescription meds: Use as doctor says and keep them locked up.

Other addictive behaviors include gambling and pornography

All addiction is a surrendering of agency.

So add texting and gaming to the list.

Addiction is a disease of the brain, says medical research. But add to that Disease of the Spirit.

but no matter the cycle, there is always hope

it begins with prayer

spiritual help, and help from professionals; both good

The Counterfeit Fisher of Men: Lucifer
(nice phrasing!)

=====================================
President Monson, in closing

quotes Frost: miles to go before I sleep and promises to keep

deep appreciation from all members for the truths we've been taught

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you and you and you.

blessings

"Conference is now over."

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