Uglies, Pretties, Specials

Synopsis: In a highly technologically advanced city in a future North America, everyone undergoes a major (even this is an understatement) operation at age 16 to make them "pretty." People are given the same types of features with very little variation; muscles, immune systems, weight, everything is adjusted to fit a kind of stereotype defended by scientific research and dictated by "evolution." But, what happens if someone doesn't want to be pretty?

Given my recent fascination with recognizing and breaking free from the ways in which my cultural assumptions have been inherited from a whole universe of past ideas, this series grabbed my attention from the outset. I liked seeing the characters struggle with the divide between the beliefs they inherit and the experiences that they have that challenge their assumptions about the world and themselves.

I generally liked the trilogy, although there were some disappointing aspects to it as well, many of which came along in the third book, which was my least favorite of the three. Then of course, there is a challenge with sci-fi that I felt these books struggled with. To be really successful, sci-fi has to make the science both unbelievable and incredibly believable at the same time. The science has to be out there enough that it is still beyond the reach of what the reader experiences, but still within conceivable reach of the possible. There were moments where the science in these books faltered on the latter. It walked a fine line between making it fantastic and maintaining it as believable.

That said, I did like the issues that the author raised (although I felt by the end he was kind of force feeding some of his ideas to you and hammering them in to get the point across, which I believe is completely unnecessary in a really well written work - when the ideas come across in a somewhat unconscious and natural manner, I believe, is genius in writing). The ideas and concerns he raises for what a society values are pertinent, and got my brain spinning - always a good sign.

My favorite concept that the reader encounters is that of the effect of individual freedom on societies as a whole and on the individuals within them. When we are allowed to choose our own destinies and we allow others to do the same, we are accepting the fact that people may not make good choices - in fact, they may make choices that have serious repercussions for both themselves, their families, others, and communities at large. The question is, then, is it more important for people to have the ability to choose, or to avoid the negative consequences of the choices they may make? And more importantly, why? I, for one, favor choice. This angle of the story could send me into a whole realm of interesting discussion, but I'll spare you as it could get quite long and involved rather quickly.

"Everyone in the world was programmed by the place they were born, hemmed in by their beliefs, but you had to at least try to grow your own brain." ~from Pretties

Catching Fire

A fantastic sequel to Suzanne Collins "The Hunger Games." I am pretty bummed that I have to wait another year or so to finish off the trilogy.

I am going to skip the synopsis on this one just in case you haven't read the first installment yet.

As with "The Hunger Games", Suzanne Collins delivers. The story keeps getting better, although perhaps the second installment is not quite as striking as the first (for instance, the reader has already been introduced to the Hunger Games, so though variations on the horrific are unexpected, unique, and keep the reader on the edge of his/her seat, the reader has already experienced some desensitization to the way the government of Panem works). Still, the storyline pulls you in completely and continues to evolve in brilliant ways. Collins kept me guessing throughout - I never really saw what was coming, and what she comes up with is generally so much better than the different options I try to play out in my head. Again, a well written and well crafted book. The present tense is engaging and makes the events feel more immediate.

It also continued to engage my mind with ideas about agency, freedom, equality, the list goes on. I favor any story that makes me think seriously about complex ideas and issues that are highly relevant to the human experience. I highly recommend this series.

"In that one slight motion, I see the end of hope, the beginning of destruction of everything I hold dear in the world. I can't guess what form my punishment will take, how wide the net will be cast, but when it is finished there most likely be nothing left. So you would think that at this moment, I would be in utter despair."

The Hunger Games

Synopsis: A post-apocalyptic story set on the future North American continent in a country called Panem, which is made up of a capital and 12 surrounding districts. As a reminder of the control of the capital over the districts and to deter rebellion, a yearly tribute of one girl and one boy ages 12-18 is required from each district for competition in the annual Hunger Games, a fight to the death on live TV. When Katniss' younger sister Prim is chosen as tribute during the reaping, Katniss, knowing it is a death sentence for 12 year old Prim, volunteers to take her place.

A great read. Not only was it well crafted (which was particularly impressive considering the author chose to write it in the present tense!), but it made me think about the complexities of topics from survival to the ethics of reality television. People today may not watch gladiator-like fights to the death on tv, but they do indulge in what we could call the emotional slaughter of other people for the sake of "entertainment." They laugh when people are purposefully made fun of, shamed, and demeaned. Many argue that this is acceptable behavior on our part because those who are appearing on reality television programs have freely chosen to be there. They have given away their right to...what, exactly? I still find this attitude towards the treatment of others in our modern society disturbing. Mostly because I feel that this goes far beyond reality television. The belittling of people as a form of entertainment is really problematic. Alas, I digress...

This book got my brain going on all sorts of topics from reality television to the affects of fear-based government to how humans cope with conflicting emotions in survival situations. The list goes on. Of course, like so many books that I like, it also deals with agency. I especially loved seeing which characters played the game on their own terms, and which allowed themselves to be manipulated into playing to the crowd, as well as what the consequences of either choice could mean in terms of survival.

Really a fantastic read.

Quote: "I don't want them to change me in there. Turn me into some kind of monster I'm not."

The Remains of the Day

Synopsis: "The novel's narrator, Stevens, is a perfect English butler who tries to give his narrow existence form and meaning through the self-effacing, almost mystical practice of his profession. In a career that spans the second World War, Stevens is oblivious of the real life that goes on around him -- oblivious, for instance, of the fact that his aristocrat employer is a Nazi sympathizer. Still, there are even larger matters at stake in this heartbreaking, pitch-perfect novel -- namely, Stevens' own ability to allow some bit of life-affirming love into his tightly repressed existence."

This book aches with all that goes unsaid. It is quite a feat in this medium to adequately convey the emotion behind everything that is left unexpressed, especially when the narrator himself seems unaware. This book is really artistically crafted around the apparent disinterest of Stevens in anything beyond his profession and the "dignity" that he strives for therein and what lies beneath the words and events on the page. What is really expert about it is that though Stevens appears unaware (I have to say "appears," because there is always a sense that there is some kind of unmentioned denial of anything of consequence going on throughout the whole narrative) the reader still clearly sees everything that is going on that Steven's does not and it is heartbreaking. A really tragic tale of what can be forever lost when people fail to see what lies right before them and to seize the moments and opportunities that make life meaningful.

A taste of the sad tale (even more so when you read the book and see what he's talking about):
"What is the point in worrying oneself too much about what one could or could not have done to control the course one’s life took? Surely it is enough that the likes of you and I at least try to make our small contribution count for something true and worthy. And if some of us are prepared to sacrifice much in life in order to pursue such aspirations, surely that is in itself, whatever the outcome, cause for pride and contentment."

"Tagged"

Generally, I protest doing these. Mostly because I get way to many of those emails that ask us to fill out the same questions time and time again. Those kind of drive me crazy. Oh well, I guess I was gonna give in eventually. So... I was tagged by my sister Allison. I think she would be a hit as a stand-up comedian. If you don't believe me, you should check out her blog.

Okay, so seven weird facts. Hmmm...

This is tough. Maybe I am just not that random or weird. Or maybe I am and I just haven't realized it yet. Hmmm....

1. I have a horrible habit of giving people too much information. Mostly in the category of toddler motherhood, which includes runny noses and dirty diapers, among other topics. This can be quite nauseating for listening parties. Of course, even when I avoid Hunteresque topics I still talk about snot-cicles and the like, so I guess I am not as limited in my choices of gross chatter as I'd like to believe. Every once in a while (take the other day, for example) someone reminds me of just how disgusting my choice of topic is. Mostly that someone will be someone without kids. I think having a kid has desensitized me to a lot of things regarding bodily functions. Dang, I thought I might be getting better.

2. I have crazy dreams. I suppose this is true of everyone, but I have always had some weird belief that other people have somewhat normal dreams. Tom Cruise makes random appearances. This greatly disturbs me. My dreams are also frequented by vampires. And werewolves. And no, it has NOTHING to do with Twilight, thank you very much. Once my whole family was vampires. That was fun. People I know also make appearances in my dreams in odd contexts. If you want to know if any of my dreams have included you, feel free to ask (See #1). Sometimes, I'll just tell you without you asking. Hopefully you won't mind (again, see #1).

3. I really really like kids. I think it is mostly because being around kids gives me a good excuse to act like one. Oh, and every time I see Cheaper by the Dozen I want to have twelve of them. Really. I'm not kidding.

This is a long list.

4. I really love hot chocolate. I think I could drink it every day. Even in the summer. Even in the Chicago summer. It's just that good. I have a hot cocoa maker. It was voted the most useless gift of the year when it came out. Ha! I find that hilarious. Someday I'll have a kitchen where I have room for my hot cocoa maker to be out year round. Oh, that'll be wonderful.

5. I tend to be fairly gullible. I believe pretty much everything anyone tells me. Until proven otherwise. This can be nice when people are telling the truth and quite horrible when people are lying. I believed in Santa Claus until I was in the 6th grade. Yeah, you read that right.

This is a really really long list.

6. On the flip side, I was quite the little liar as a child. Now, if there was a list for seven weird things about my childhood I could do that in no time at all. That would feel like a short list. I had someone tell me once that I should write a children's book series based on funny stories from my childhood. I think my sister and I could do that together. Then it would be that much funnier. I used to be able to convince school bus drivers to let me get on any bus I wanted, or get off at any stop I wanted without a note. Keep in mind, that this was when I was 5 and 6 years old (as in Kindergarten and 1st grade). I would then wander all over town. I think I must be responsible for at least half of my mother's gray hairs. If you want to know more details about those funny stories, or more funny stories in general from my younger years, just ask (again, see #1).

7. Finally, the last one. Hmmm... I have an obsession with making the bed. Everything else in my house could be clean, or a disaster, but if my bed's not made, my house is a disaster regardless. I feel there is some connection between the state of my bed and my overall state of laziness and/or wellbeing. Kind of like I believe getting a new haircut somehow defines or redefines me. By the way, I got a new one. Haircut, that is. Pictures to come.

Okay, so now I guess I get to torture seven more of you. Oh, what fun! I would tag my sister, but she tagged me. So, I tag:
Erin
Claire
Madelyn
Brenda
Melanie
Candice
Liesl

Prophetic Counsel

This will be a very short post, but this statement from Neal A. Maxwell in 1978 truly struck me as not only incredibly pertinent to current moral and social issues and events in our country, but as a truly powerful reminder of the necessity to take a resolute stand in a world with a shifting moral center.

"Make no mistake about it, brothers and sisters, in the months and years ahead, events are likely to require each member to decide whether or not he will follow the First Presidency. Members will find it more difficult to halt longer between two opinions. President Marion G. Romney said, many years ago, that he had 'never hesitated to follow the counsel of the Authorities of the Church even though it crossed my social, professional or political life.' This is hard doctrine, but it is particularly vital doctrine in a society which is becoming more wicked. In short, brothers and sisters, not being ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ includes not being ashamed of the prophets of Jesus Christ. . . . Your discipleship may see the time when such religious convictions are discounted. . . . This new irreligious imperialism seeks to disallow certain opinions simply because those opinions grow out of religious convictions. Resistance to abortion will be seen as primitive. Concern over the institution of the family will be viewed as un-trendy and unenlightened.... Before the ultimate victory of the forces of righteousness, some skirmishes will be lost. Even in these, however, let us leave a record so that the choices are clear, letting others do as they will in the face of prophetic counsel. There will also be times, happily, when a minor defeat seems probable, but others will step forward, having been rallied to rightness by what we do. We will know the joy, on occasion, of having awakened a slumbering majority of the decent people of all races and creeds which was, till then, unconscious of itself. Jesus said that when the fig trees put forth their leaves, 'summer is nigh.' Thus warned that summer is upon us, let us not then complain of the heat."

Elder Neal A. Maxwell, Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints
"A More Determined Discipleship", Ensign, Feb. 1979 (emphasis mine)
*Thanks to my friend Madelyn for posting this quote on her blog.

A Button Flavor for Everyone

Let me first state this post is not about making a political statement, so please don't get into a political frenzy in the comments. I tend to avoid that on my blog entirely, and if I was going to make some kind of real statement, you'd know it. Really,this is all in good fun and to give you a chuckle. I just think that these Obama buttons are hilarious. For the full spread (and trust me, there are many many more), click here. It's now official, no matter how Obama supporters choose to identify themselves, there is bound to be a button out there for them.

These are some of my favorites:

You can even choose to identify yourself by sign:

And for those whose votes REALLY count:

Teaching the Ideal

This is a post that I originally posted in August on another blog that I occasionally write on. I have heard several talks since then that have addressed the same issues. Just this past weekend at my parents' stake conference, Elder Marlin K. Jensen reminded those of us listening about the Savior's example as he taught the ideal. Christ said "Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect" (Matt. 5:48). Our Savior realizes that the only way we can fulfill this commandment is through our constant acceptance of and reliance on the Atonement in our lives. We are not perfect, but the Savior knew of and set an example regarding the importance of teaching the ideal. Since my original post on this subject, these ideas have continued to be on my mind. I was hoping for a little more discussion and insight on the topic (I learn so much more when other people share their thoughts with me), so I decided that I would post it here as well. So, here goes...


My sister recently pointed me in the direction of a question and answer session at the BYU law school with Sister Julie Beck on March 7, 2008. As a fair warning, the video is pretty long (maybe 40min to an hour), and apparently you can't pause it, so I would make sure you actually have time to sit and watch it. Also, the sound is pretty bad, but if you keep with it until Sister Beck starts talking, you can get used to it; besides, her comments really are worth hearing.

In this session, Julie Beck addresses women in the law school at BYU. So, it should come as no surprise that many of the questions they posed to her had to do with working outside the home, careers, the conflict in some Relief Societies between mothers who have chosen to stay at home and mothers who are working or furthering their education, and the conflict some women feel as they strive to follow personal revelation and come up against judgment and criticism in and out of the home and workplace, whether they choose to stay at home or not.

There was also, perhaps not surprisingly, mention of the talk Sister Beck gave at General Conference in October of 2007, "Mothers Who Know", to which a number of Latter-Day Saint women (and men) reacted defensively. Despite any grumblings some might have initially experienced from that talk, I know in my heart that those words came from the Lord and that any problem I might have with some of those principles is in trying to reconcile the imperfect state of my life with an ideal model. Of course, the problem with this is that no one is perfect, everyone has different circumstances in their lives, and everyone can receive their own personal revelation about these matters from the Lord. Julie Beck knows this - she is not presenting a "cookie cutter model" as my sister points out, along with several other valid points, in her blog post on the subject. Sister Beck addressed this with the law students as well. In the church, we teach the ideal as something to strive for, to remind us of the things in our lives that are most important and then we let the exceptions follow, because there are many exceptions. Life happens. I have a dear friend who strives continually to be at home with her young son, but the current situations of her life prevent her from doing so. In fact, this is the case pretty much anywhere else in the world. Outside of the US, women work. That is part of life. That doesn't mean that those women no longer have the same responsibility to nurture and raise children in Christ. One of the points about this that Sister Beck brings up and is absolutely true is that no one can fulfill the role to have, raise and nurture our own children except for us. We cannot delegate it to someone else.

Sister Beck has mentioned this before in an address to young single adults:

"Some of you women are deciding now whether you should marry and have a family or choose a career. You are bright and qualified, and you have opportunities your grandmothers never dreamed of. The possibilities for earning credentials and making a mark for yourselves on the world stage have never been greater. But I hope you are making your decisions with the blessings of Abraham in mind. Latter-day Saint women should understand that no matter how many other people they enlist to help them with their home and children, they cannot delegate their role as the primary nurturer and teacher of their families. Righteous motherhood will always stretch every reserve they have to meet the needs of their families. As a daughter of God who has made covenants with Him, each of you carries the vital and indispensable female half of the responsibility for fulfilling the Lord’s plan. Each of you has the agency to prayerfully and humbly choose how to approach your career opportunities. Every choice has a consequence. You cannot have everything and do everything. You must choose with eternal priorities in mind. I would hope that you will understand that there are no glamorous careers. Every form of employment has its own innate challenges. Many choices available in the world today compete with eternal goals and responsibilities. Many choices could persuade you to delay or limit the number of children you invite into your family. Many choices could rob you of critical time and energy necessary to adequately care for your spouse, your children, and your responsibilities in the Lord’s kingdom. These decisions are between you and the Lord. He knows the desires of your heart and your unique situation."

So, we teach the ideal. This is very apparent if you think about the other principles we are taught in the church. Take for example, reading your scriptures daily. Now, in a perfect world we would all study intently every day from our scriptures without interruptions in a nice, quiet area of the house where we could pray and ponder on the deep doctrines therein. We would have family scripture study where all the little children sit and listen and participate in heartfelt, spiritual discussion (no matter their age) and everyone feels the spirit and testifies to each other about how wonderful the scriptures are. Well, this is just not reality most of the time! Most children will not thank their parents for continuing to persevere with scripture study until they are much older - when they are young, they just don't generally express those kinds of feelings. "Ah, mom, do we have to? Can't we skip it just for today?" might be closer to a typical response. I have a 17 month old son and the only way I get my scripture study in every day is to do it in the morning (because if I wait I get busy and then I get tired and then I fall asleep in the middle of the second verse I read). Well, my husband leaves for work early and so my scripture study usually consists of reading over breakfast while my little one throws his food on the floor, whines for my attention, or crawls all over me. I would have to say, that I absolutely love when he tries to imitate me by marking my scriptures for me. What a doll! If you have any fantasies about family scripture study, I would invite you to watch this video (this entire collection of documentaries from Fit for the Kingdom is wonderful because it brings the reality of everyday life as a member of the church to the fore while building testimony - none of us are alone in our struggles, even if we feel like we are). So does the reality of scripture study mean we shouldn't strive for the ideal, or the better part? Of course not! We consistently strive for the Spirit to be there in our scripture study because we are taught the ideal and we know of its importance, but that does not negate or belittle the actual experiences we have while studying the scriptures on a regular basis while we have kids running and screaming through the house, or are constantly interrupted.

Okay, so perhaps that seems a little off topic, but the truth of the matter is that we teach the ideal to strengthen us in remembering the things in this life that are of the most worth, that are truly important in the eternal scheme of things. I know that I am doing what the Lord wants me to do by pursuing my PhD. Do I completely understand why? Not really. Do I sometime feel guilty for enjoying myself at school? Sometimes, perhaps, but that is my own weakness, and I get to have faith that the Lord will make a way for me to go to school and to fulfill my responsibilities as a wife and mother. I often realize that it is okay to enjoy myself in my scholarly endeavors. In fact, it makes me better at them! At the same time, I know without a doubt that the absolutely most important thing in my life is my family and I am constantly on guard against the things in my life that pull me away from my husband, child and home. Is my house always clean and optimally inviting to the Spirit of the Lord? Hmm... no, no it is not. But does that mean that I should worry about justifying why my house is not "perfect", cease to consistently strive to make my home a place where the Spirit can dwell, and cease to do the best I can to create a spiritual haven for my family? Of course not. Why is it that we women consistently put down the work that we do in our homes that brings the Spirit, feeds and clothes our children, and makes our homes a place where we can truly and lovingly teach the gospel of Jesus Christ by example to those who are most dear to us?

So we get to the heart of the matter. Whether or not we work outside of our homes, the most important things we do are within those walls (take, for example, the little angel above). Sister Beck is absolutely right when she says that no matter what your choices, there is never enough woman to go around. And she has been there! She is an educated, professional woman too! She has stayed at home and she has worked outside of it. As have many of the women on the General Relief Society Board. Where did I, or anyone else for that matter (perhaps it is just me), ever get the idea that women in the General Presidencies are the perfect homemakers who never work, keep their homes tidy at all times, serve in every possible capacity, are always immediately there for their children, husbands, parents, neighbors, friends, strangers? Where did I get the idea that they are perfect? Hello! None of us are. There is the ideal in the principles we are taught, and then there is how we live our lives to the best of our ability in the face of the experiences that naturally are a part of this mortal existence. As Sister Beck mentioned at the law school, we should take each opportunity into account as it comes along into our lives, prayerfully consider our choices, and choose day to day with our eternal perspective in mind.

Okay, so there is so much more I could say, but I am going to stop there.

**As a side note, I have recently discovered that humming the theme song to Indiana Jones really does make cleaning the bathroom way more fun - don't believe me? You try it and see how long you can go without feeling incredibly adventurous or laughing hysterically! Never underestimate the power of music. :) "Dun da dun dunnnn, dun da dunnnnnn, dun da dun dunnnnnnnnn, dun da dun dun dun! Dun da dun dunnnnnn, dun da dunnnnnnnn, dun da daaaa da da daaaaa da da daaaa da da daaaaaaa dun da dunnnnn."

The Twilight Series

Well, after hearing so much about the Twilight Series, as well as attending a Twilight party without ever having read the books, I decided that I was going to form my own opinion by breaking down to see what everyone is talking about. Besides, a good friend of mine gave me a Twilight visor that she embroidered and that I love wearing. If I'm going to be wearing an item of Twilight publicity, I figure I really should read it first. I should be clear that I had heard wonderful things about the Twilight books, as well as horrible things, as well as opinions that hung out somewhere in the middle, so I felt that the whole reading experience could go in any direction. In the end, there were things I really liked and didn't like, but on the whole I liked the story. For one, it was nice to take a break from the reading to which I am accustomed (being in graduate school) to read something light, quick, and entertaining. Besides, I am a sucker for a love story and I do enjoy a variety of novels for young readers. Most of all, I think that this book appealed to the somewhat twisted fantasies of my Dracula-loving teenage years when I used to think that it would be so cool to fall in love with a vampire (and even cooler to be a vampire and spend eternity with said vampire). Then there's just the idea that everything that we do, no matter our nature/deepest desires, is a choice. That was one thing I really liked about the books. That no matter how much someone may desire (even overwhelmingly) to do something he or she feels is wrong, even when he or she feels that something is an intrinsic part of his or her essential nature, that someone can always choose something different, something better, and the rewards of the better choice long outlast and are far more rewarding than the temporary satisfaction of giving in.

That being said, at times I didn't feel that the writing itself was very good; there were a lot of pretty cheesy moments and some parts of the story kind of dropped off by the end into no man's land. There were also some quite macabre and disturbing parts to the storyline, and some of the story/characters were just downright irritable. Yet, I couldn't put the books down, so there you have it. I actually got very wrapped up in it, feeling like I was there in Forks sharing Bella's experiences. I really liked the fact that Meyer leaves a lot to your imagination, giving you just enough description to get you going on your own mental picture of the events. Plus, the story is very relatable. There were so many times when I thought, "Gee, I've felt exactly like that before," and I feel that to have that effect when you're writing about vampires, werewolves and things that go bump in the night is a pretty good sign that you're doing something right.

The relationship between human and vampire I pondered over a lot because it is pretty messed up and downright unhealthy if you think about it; he wants to kill her, but loves her, she only sees the good in him and wants to be with him forever, despite the whole thing about him wanting to kill her all the time. Still, I was cheering for them to end up together from the beginning. Meyer made immortality just way too desirable. I wouldn't mind being a vampire myself at this point. I mean, who doesn't want to look like a supermodel while also being able to leap over rivers, bound through the forest and have superhuman strength? Of course, the whole blood drinking thing kind of spoils the perks to some extent. So, there you have it. I truly can see why some of the people who really didn't like it feel the way they do, but I enjoyed it nonetheless. It was entertaining and Meyer was able to redeem some of the more disappointing aspects of the story by the end.