Last Trading Day

As I watched the stock market open down slightly, with CNBC hosts reflecting on the passing year, the thought occurred to me that I should trade old habits and ways, for better ones next year –or maybe tomorrow!  (Why not today?)  I also thought Sunday, our day of rest, the first day of the week and the new year, will be the perfect time to solidify positive changes in my life.  May we all thus find greater happiness in 2012.

A Birthday Remembered

Often lost in the last-minute hustle of Christmas shopping and parties, is the birthday of a modern-day prophet named Joseph Smith.  I quote from page 33 of the book by George Q. Cannon, published in 1888, titled The Life of Joseph Smith The Prophet: 
"The circumstances and surroundings of the elder Joseph were of the humblest, when unto his house was born, on the 23rd of December, 1805, Joseph, the Prophet of the Last Dispensation.  The family were still living in the little town of Sharon, in Windsor County, Vermont; and were, at the time, greatly impoverished.  Very early, therefore, was the future Prophet compelled to learn the lessons of labor, patience, and self-denial."

"Happy Holidays"

The imperative (for some) of the politically correct, inclusive greeting, "Happy holidays", and celebration of the winter solstice (certainly a "celestial event") have once again come upon us.  I don't have a problem with that.  A fast Google search yields more than a few results, as usual.

www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/.../winter-solstice-2011-
"The winter season will officially begin in the northern hemisphere on Dec. 22 with the annual celestial event known as the winter solstice."  "Shortest Day Of The Year ..."

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winter_solstice
"This article is about the astronomical and cultural event of winter solstice, also known as midwinter."

http://www.timeanddate.com/ › Calendar
"The December solstice will occur at 05:30 UTC on December 22, 2011. The December solstice is also known as the winter solstice in the northern hemisphere ..."

news.nationalpost.com/2011/.../winter-solstice-2011-
"Depending on where you are in the world, December 21 or 22 marks the winter solstice in the northern hemisphere: the official beginning of ..."

Time to Accept Change

My wife Kay, an English teacher by profession, seems to have accepted the new 21^st-Century English grammar;  I am still struggling to toss out some rules drilled into my brain during grade school and strictly followed ever since.  I’m just glad our family values and religious principles have not been “degraded”* like rules of English grammar have, according to common usage over so many years; (*that’s my opinion, anyway.)

Kay claims the Modern Language Association (MLA) is the ultimate authority on English language evolution.  Searching their mla.org website, I found no information to verify that, or examples to confirm any changes that have disturbed me for many years, especially in advertising and otherwise intelligent TV/radio talk.  The MLA organization is obviously for helping teachers and other professionals, and seems authoritative enough.  Don’t worry – I’m not losing any sleep over this; I just find it very interesting.  Maybe it's just me; (I'm accepting!) 

“Founded in 1883 by teachers and scholars, the Modern Language Association (MLA) promotes the study and teaching of language …”  -- www.mla.org

If you was me, what would you do?  There are lots of examples, and I may add another here.  As I’ve lamented before, “I guess this is us now.”  (Ouch!)  There went a fast lunch break.

Gratitude Attitude

A text message I received anonymously this morning started my day right:
"Happy Thanksgiving I am so thankful for all the amazing family and friends that I have” 6:52AM
--(perfectly understood without punctuation.)  Of course, I had to find out who sent it; so I searched my current NedNote (Notepad) file for the last 4 digits of the phone number, and found my young neighbor.  (I wish it were that easy to find certain other things in our home.)  I replied with thanks, and passed it forward to my close friend in St. George, Utah, and to family in Riverton.

Recalling my thoughts from two years ago (thanks again to Microsoft Notepad):

9:33 PM 11/29/2009 Sunday  ... Grateful to be alive after all these years!

[Previous] Thurs. Thanksgiving was a nice quiet day with Katie & Jared here; we all had a lot to be thankful for, including great food!  Sat. we hosted the whole family (except Angie & Chris.)  A family walk at GSL Shorelands Preserve was wonderful -just what we needed.

Watched with Quinn & family: "The First Thanksgiving" animated video from Living Scriptures; grateful for the Pilgrims' sacrifices and faith.

Teens Do Family History

How do you use the extra hour when we “fall back”?  I catch up on sleep and my writing.  It’s nice to have time returned which was taken from us last spring for daylight savings.  Thanks to a mobile phone being connected, I remembered this morning when my unconnected wristwatch and clock were clueless.

When I heard Elder David A. Bednar's 10/1/11 LDS General Conference talk on teenagers connecting with family history ("The Hearts of the Children ..."), I knew that was something our neighborhood teens should do.  A few years ago, I volunteered at the Ogden Regional Family History Center (ORFHC.org), mainly helping the youth get started using the old DOS program and converting to PAF.  They were excited!  Now technology is advanced and kids are even more skilled.  So I have been promoting the idea with our youth leaders and our teenage grandchildren since October conference.

On my first look at the November Ensign (a monthly magazine of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints), I started with the last page, and this news instantly got my attention:  

“New Site to Help Teens Start Family History:  The new FamilySearch Youth and Family History section of youth.lds.org (lds.org/familyhistoryyouth) aims to help youth discover family history and serve their ancestors by seeking out their records.  The site features resources that teach teens how to get started using FamilySearch. In five simple steps youth are taught how to research their family tree, make family records, and prepare names to take to the temple. The site also includes ideas on how classes and quorums can use family history as a means to serve others.”  --- http://lds.org/ensign/2011/11/new-site-to-help-teens-start-family-history?lang=eng

If teens can do family history, so can I.  As I improve my skills and get up to speed with this, maybe I can feel young again!

1st or 2nd Biggest Holiday?

On a quick morning break, I wonder if Halloween is the 1st or 2nd biggest U.S. holiday of the year.  Some of our fun-loving young neighbors apparently think it is #1, judging by graveyards, zombies, and other decorations set up in front yards.  I love to see it, but fortunately my wife and I are past that stage, so we can sit back and enjoy the work of others.

Google home page has a cute video of huge pumpkins being carved & lighted by the G team with costumes at headquarters, I suppose.  Then it automatically searched Halloween; (that’s spooky, like it somehow knew! (j.k.))  Here’s what it found (I’m sure everyone wants to know:)

"Halloween (or Hallowe'en), a contraction of All-Hallows-Eve (as in the day before 'All Hallows' or 'All Souls' Day), is an annual festival observed on October 31. ..."  -- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/...

The stock market was spooked at the open this morning, with all major indices or averages down –scary! (except for my put-options trick, which just now covered our holiday cost.)

My favorite fast food today?  Halloween candy I expect would be left over when trick-or-treating is done tonight.  (With the huge growth of our young neighborhood since last October, I could be in trouble!)

Have fun and be safe!  Watch out for the little ones flying around!

Who Are You? See TV

Last night in the first conference of our new LDS stake, President Daren Stevenson gave us a simple challenge: “Do family history work.”  It’s easy to say, but sometimes overwhelming just to think about doing.

“WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE? How would you answer that question? ...  What is my heritage? Who are my ancestors, and what stories of their life experiences are etched in my blood? What legacy have they left me and what legacy am I leaving to my posterity? These are the questions that are the beginnings of a life-changing adventure.”

“It is perhaps this curiosity that has spawned a loyal audience for a new type [of] “reality TV” — family history television. Shows like Faces of America, Who Do You Think You Are?, and The Generations Project are becoming more popular … These shows provide a wide variety of inspiring examples of how people just like you begin their search to discover their past … and learn more about themselves in the process.”  --- familysearch.org/learn/wiki/en/Television_Shows_and_Family_History

[For example:]  “2010 – The Generations Project -- explores the family histories of everyday people to uncover extraordinary stories.  --- byutv.org/thegenerationsproject

The more I get into family history, the more intrigued and excited I become about the hunt, and the sacred work that follows.

Happy Anniversary, LFF!

One year ago today, I wrote my first post:

“Sensing that many other readers are pressed for time, or may not be intensely interested in my shared journal [I found that to be true], I decided to blog with ‘language fast food’.”  And what an adventure it has been!

My second-year focus will be on (language of) personal history & family history from an LDS perspective.  I will include some related basic beliefs of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and make it a fast read.  Some posts will clean up leftover ideas from the first year (maybe improved with age, like fine wine and cheese), including occasional side orders of global economics, current events, English language exploration, etc.

And as I expressed a year ago, "Thank you for your interest.

Wishing you success and happiness,

and a little healthy fast food."

Happy first anniversary, Language Fast Food!

Battlegrounds

 

War against terror world-wide

Afghanistan

Battleground states

Presidential race: GOP vs. GOP, Dems vs. GOP;

--any battle fatigue yet?

Social networking: Google+ vs. Facebook

Tablets: Amazon Kindle Fire vs. Apple iPad2

Movie streaming: Netflix vs. Amazon, Hulu, MSFT Xbox 360

Bulls vs. bears

European financial crisis

Boeing vs. NLRB over the right to survive financially

War on poverty

Fight for jobs --the jobs front

What's happening on the illiteracy front?

Intra-family fights and inter-family feuds

Families united against evil

“Battle of the bulge”

Drug wars, street gangs, and gun-running gone amok

OWS (new initialism for Occupy Wall Street) vs. whatever!?

Muslim Brotherhood vs. Coptic Christians in Egypt

Born-again Christians vs. other Christians

God vs. Satan

High Noon (analogy)

The Language of 9/11

Remembering September 11^th

Ten years later

Memorials

Terrorist attacks

Twin Towers

World Trade Center, Lower Manhattan, New York City

The Pentagon, Washington, D.C.

Shanksville, Pennsylvania

“Let's roll.” --the last known words

Singular event, tragedy

Patriotism

American flags

Red, white & blue

United States of America

Heroes and victims

Survivors and people missing

NYPD police

FDNY firefighters

Port Authority of NY & NJ

US Department of Defense

Response justified

Anger, resolve, trying to cope

Moment of silence

Mourning the dead

Ground Zero (workers called it "the pile")

Covered in ash

Like a war zone

Search & rescue/recovery

Hoping to save

Family and friends

I was watching CNBC when it happened.

Ten years ago.

August Rush

The end of summer doesn’t come soon enough for me.  As another month ends, I recall the rush of yard work, fighting mosquitoes and brutal heat, stock market volatility, short secondary vacations, and preparation for a new school year.  Borrowing the title of a 2007 drama film that entertained me in spite of Robin Williams’ disturbing character, the words “August Rush” characterize the month in my mind. 

Some think there’s a lot to get done before September, as if things can’t wait for a pause to enjoy the simple life.  As profoundly stated by young Mr. Bueller on his day off, “Life moves pretty fast --if you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.”  (1986 film --imdb.com) 

Welcome, September!

Good-by, July

The 4^th – Independence Day

The annual big family ranch reunion was short and sweet; Brother Russ did a fantastic job!  Fireworks in the city seemed twice as big as 2010 -- no passing fad; our expense: $0.

“The Crossing” (I gave 4.4 stars) was inspiring, as we recalled our visit to Valley Forge last month.  “1776” (I gave 2.0 stars) had too much satire/comedy/frivolity for a sobering declaration of independence.

The 24^th – Pioneer Day
Our family summer "camp" on the 22^nd and 23^rd, including a game marathon and work party, was a success.  We finished cleaning up after the family was gone, then actually relaxed and watched the sunset from the deck.  After the
4-day weekend, we loved the movie “17 Miracles”, and highly recommend it.

Three grandchildren marked their one-year birthday (all born the same day) and celebrated together with us yesterday in Canyon Rim, SLC; plus two other birthdays.  Then we drove to Holladay for a 50^th-wedding backyard BBQ for my sister-in-law and her husband.  He sang the love song he wrote for her and performed on their wedding day.  And we won’t forget going down the scary old slide that Lon salvaged from Grandpa's farm!

So-long, hottest month with the toughest yard work!  After widespread damage by pests elsewhere, I thank the Lord for this tender mercy:  a nearly perfect, bountiful harvest of the best apricots I have ever eaten.

June Is Gone?!

We've been away in the Northeast.  My, how time flies when you're having fun!
So much to write about; so little time left after leisure and family activities.  (Incomplete sentences work here.)  I hope you too are enjoying your summer.

Memorial Thoughts

5:55am Awoke with phone alarm (too early for a holiday?) ... thoughts about Uncle Robert Russell, a hero in my youth (to this day), visiting our  home in his awesome U.S. Air Force uniform (later flew in the Vietnam War) ... a memorable appearance at the height of action in Orville's Air Force (not Wright) and "missions" I "flew" (Avenues) ...  Years later, the Army ROTC in high school and U of U ...
Dad's WWII service as handsome Lt. Cannon, Renegotiation Officer, Quartermaster Corps, U.S. Army; and Arza's service as a productive farmer supporting the war effort ... our close friend, Hayle Buchanan, who was in the Battle of the Bulge (1944) as an army radio operator in Europe ...
Grandfather Russell's WWI service (Mother's Together book has the photo of dignified "Lt. George Oscar Russell, U.S. Army Intelligence Corps, 1918, before the 11 November armistice) ...
... and others in my life who served valiantly to preserve our freedom.
My gratitude goes to all veterans and their families ... God bless our military troops currently serving ... thank you for your sacrifices.

[Quick clue about my attempted writing style:]
"Stream of consciousness may refer to: Ostensibly unedited, spontaneous ..."
-- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/...

And thanks to the Boy Scouts and leaders for getting up early and setting up flags in our neighborhood.  God bless America!

CNBC / Mark Haines

"Mark Haines (April 19, 1946 – May 24, 2011) was the former host of the CNBC shows Squawk Box and Squawk on the Street (which airs from 9-11am ET). ...  On May 25, 2011, Mark Haines' wife Cindy reported that Mr. Haines passed away at home on the evening of May 24, 2011.  He left behind his wife, a son and a daughter."  
-- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Haines

I am one of the many common people who have never made a lot of money on the stock market, but nevertheless have had the good fortune of being educated, enlightened, energized, and entertained by our beloved leader, Mark Haines.  I will seriously miss him every weekday morning, but cheerfully treasure memories of his great humor, honesty, and unique personality.  I envy those on the other side, who must be blessed by his presence there, at the top of his game and livelier than ever. 

I happened to be watching CNBC on the morning of 9/11 when the towers were hit, and could not leave the news for days afterward.  In contrast, I was watching Erin Burnett's last session with Mark recently, and shed tears then as well.  For me, since 1997, it's been an unforgettable ride.  Thank you, Mark Haines, and everyone at CNBC.  May the family feel comfort and the love of Mark’s admiring associates.

The Thirteenth

Early this morning I tried to do a quick post for Friday ...  (You know the date.)
This is what came up (I've never seen before):
"Blogger is unavailable right now. We apologize for this interruption in service."
Now that Blogger is back to normal (lucky for me), I want to share an excerpt from an interesting blog post that Google found for me.  I credit The Washington Post and Elizabeth for her good work:

"Friday the 13th phobias, and the five strangest fears you never knew existed"
By Elizabeth Flock         Posted at 9:22 AM ET, 5/13/2011
"Today’s date will send cold shivers of fear down the spines of those suffering from Friggatriskaidekaphobia. (Also known as Paraskevidekatriaphobia)  It’s a mouthful for a simple phobia: fear of Friday the 13th.
The names of conditions in which a sufferer is plagued by a persistent, irrational fear are usually derived from Greek words and not the easiest to get your mouth around. Don’t believe us? Try to pronounce the word for the fear of long words:
Hippopotomonstrosesquipedaliophobia.  ..."
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/blogpost/post/friday-the-13th-phobias-and-the-five-strangest-fears-you-never-knew-existed/2011/05/13/AFJdaO2G_blog.html

"You know, it's me"

This one has to be like really fast food for my 10-minute break.  I just couldn't wait to vent my feelings about a couple of things, so I don't lose sleep tonight.

To radio and TV interviewers' questions, I frequently hear answers that begin with, "You know, ...".  Whenever I hear that, I automatically respond, as if I were the person asking the question, "No, I don't know -- that's why I asked!"  So much for "talking heads".  (Yes, I recognize incomplete sentences.)

The gentlemanly "Hey, ... it's me" ad on TV this morning reminded me of my longing for the good old days (50 years ago?) when proper English grammar was important and acceptable -- even in advertising.  And so much for that.  I guess "this is us" now.  (Ouch -- it still hurts, nevertheless.)

Resurrection

Yesterday was remarkable.  Our second son and his wife were away to adopt another daughter.  Our first son, his son, our first daughter and her husband were helping our third son move to SLC.  Meanwhile, my wife and I took our grandchildren to a private Easter egg hunt.  It was fun and wisely organized for Saturday, helping Easter Sunday be more special.

More often than I would admit, I have looked up the spelling of resurrection, just to be sure (mostly before word processors with spell-check).  It’s convenient to know how to spell, and heavenly to know that it’s true.

George Q. Cannon (11 Jan 1827 – 12 Apr 1901) wrote:  “Concerning the resurrection of the dead, the word of the Lord is very clear and definite.  It leaves no room to doubt that through the redemption of the Son of God, all the children of men will be resurrected.  …  The deeds of men, whether good or evil, cannot prevent the resurrection of their bodies.  …”  -- Gospel Truth, page 32, compiled by Jerreld Newquist, c. 1957

Yes, there is life after death, and families can be forever.  I know that Jesus Christ lives, and is the Savior of the world.  I will be eternally grateful for His sacrifice.

Earth Day Recalled

To honor this cool Earth Day, I have the furnace turned down, lights off, and the shutters open for warm sunshine.   I try to conserve words and time by avoiding verbosity.  These tidbits (M-W Dictionary: choice morsels) from my 20^th-Century files will help me recycle and preserve memories of Earth Day:

The BSA merit badge book ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE, 1983 revision, explains on page 5:  “It is the space age and all that goes with it that have made an understanding of ecology very important to us all.”  The Careers chapter on page 61 (incorrectly as 63 in Contents) advises, “Before deciding … you should ask yourself three things:  Do I really like science?  Do I like the outdoors?  Do I like people?”  The careers list includes agronomists, plant morphologists & pathologists, horticulturists, forestry technicians, entomologists, geneticists, oceanographers, and fishery aides.

On the 1991 survey conducted by the Earth Day Utah Recycling Subcommittee,
I noted, “Many people don’t understand ‘waste to energy plants’.“  (Maybe hyphenation would’ve helped.)

Earth Day Fair was held at Trolley Square in SLC, April 19-21, 1991.  A contest for
K-12 students was entitled “Previously Loved Materials”.

Earth Day Fair 1992 was at Valley Fair Mall in West Valley City.

“K.O.P.E. Kronical” by Hawthorne Elementary students (Kids Organized to Protect our Environment)

In 2007, KeyBank ran an ad:  “Win $5,000. And save a tree. Enroll in Online Statements …”

Google did a cool logo, and some local news stations talked about Earth Day this morning -- nice token recognitions of a huge need to “protect her!” (child’s paper drawing anonymously posted on our garage door last April 22nd – worth filing and sharing, I thought at the time.)

Nauvoo Spring

Despite recent snowstorms and a good chance of more this week, the weather today is great and the huge nursery parking lot is full.  Looking at the calendar, I'm certain the Wasatch Front is nearing the end of spring snow and the beginning of more popular weather.  (Snow skiers are in the minority by now.)

In a flash of family-history curiosity, I pulled out my parents' letters from Nauvoo, Illinois, which were typed and handwritten in the late 80's.  Janath Cannon, accomplished writer and hard-working missionary, found time to type this on March 31, 1988, describing signs of spring there:

"March is going out today like a somewhat shaggy lamb, with mild air but a threatening rain. ...  Yesterday was lovely here.  The squirrels, cardinals, woodpeckers, bluejays, blackbirds, and assorted other birds patronize Ted's tree-side feeder in ever increasing numbers.  We have plenty of corn for them -- we shoveled up several boxfuls from a bunch that was spilled on the road to the grain elevators.  Some tulips and violets are showing promise in our yard, and the grass is turning green all over the park.  Barges rumble past our front yard again and occasionally tie up by the granary."

"Gorbachev the Cat has become a wanderer and sometimes fails to come home at night.  Ted frets a little about that, and leaves the porch light on to entice him home.  (I think Ted misses that warm body on his chest during the morning news.)  But at least it's not like worrying about children still out after midnight."

"... Nonie and Maynard Sorensen are settled in.  The woodcarving studio is set up in the basement of the Cultural Hall and Maynard is scheduling evening classes open to the public, as well as his regular tour for tourists.  Nonie is working on her new production."

As usual, Mother closed with a handwritten P.S.:  "We hope you had a lovely Easter, ...  Please excuse our fractious xerox machine -- at least the computer and I are getting along these days.  Love you all, ..."

Ya Gotta Believe Me

Woke up at 5am, thinkin about my new pc laptop still in the box (already dubbed acer2) -- couldnt sleep!  Got right to work, following the kids' qwik-start directions (just look at the pictures.)  Barely containing my excitement, I put the battry pak in.  Then while pulling the pkg celofane off a hinge, I touched a button and accidently turned it on!  Wo! -- I'm not ready for Win7 until I plug the thing in like the picture shows!  A msft warning flashed on the 15.6" HD LED LCD: "You fool! Now look what you've done! What part of 'Connect to external power' don't you understand? See the picture, you dummy?!"  Trying to regain my confidence, I raced to unpak the cord and plug it in.  The sparks were impressive -- got power!  Hope it didn't do too much damage.  The bootup said "2 min." but I forgot to time it -- seemed longer than that, maybe because of that surge hitting the procesor.

Dutiflee letting the new sys take the lead, I named my pc NedAcer2, put in a clever password (myacer2) which no one would ever guess, and beheld the new desktop with little icons on the left side, kinda like this 5-yr-old acer1 which is still working (as we speak), and pics of 3 big acer laptops, like a permanent ad -- how do I change that?  Think it's called wallpaper, so search Help for that.  Then I thot the machine should be turned off while the battry charges up (who knows how long that takes?!) but I could not find a way to shut down like good old XP does.  So I chose the next best thing and put it to sleep; (how is that different than hibernation?)  So many questions, so few ansers.

So much for my latest 21st-century adventure outa my comfurt zone -- which reminds me: I skipped brekfast, so it's time for fast comfurt food to calm me down, like the mountain-biker muffins I got by snail-mail from Ogden last Monday -- very healthy and tasty! -- honest -- no joke this time! 
Now will someone explane all the little red squigly lines on my word doc?  Maybe a warm boot will get rid of 'em.

Irish Place-names

Just my luck -- I forgot to wear green for Saint Patrick's Day; but I did take time to read an appropriate blog post for the occasion.  It was written with Ireland in mind, by Juan José Valdés, The Geographer, Director of Editorial and Research for National Geographic Maps.  I recommend you go read the complete text and see the map at blogs.ngm.com (NGM Blog Central).

"English or Gaelic — What's in a [Place] Name?"

"... our maps generally list official place-names first, followed by their secondary name or names in parentheses. Take Ireland for example…"

"According to the Republic of Ireland's constitution, the Irish and English languages share official status. In the Gaeltacht, or predominantly Irish-speaking regions, only Irish place-names have official status. ... In the non-Gaeltacht areas, you will find that English is the official language. Simply put, just about every single place-name in Ireland has a dual name: Gaelic (English) in the Gaeltacht regions or English (Gaelic) in the non-Gaeltacht regions. That equates to nearly 1,000 place-names displayed ... [for] Ireland."  -- blogs.ngm.com

Again, I thank Wikipedia for providing an easy reminder:

"Saint Patrick's Day ... is a religious holiday celebrated internationally on 17 March. It is named after Saint Patrick (c. AD 387–461), the most commonly recognised of the patron saints of Ireland."  -- en.wikipedia.org/wiki

I hope you're wearing green, and enjoying healthy green food (probably not the fast type today, although I did enjoy a quick, leftover tossed green salad.)

Allegory/Parable/Proverb

This post is a work in progress with basic building blocks waiting for mortar and finishing touches.

This morning's Sunday School lesson on Matthew chapter 13 was educational.  Debra's list of words on the board got my attention:

Fable, Myth, Allegory, Parable, Proverb

(Here I add a word she used as somewhat related:) Mystery

Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary [I cannot copy & paste]:

fable (noun) : a fictitious narrative or statement: as

a: a legendary story of supernatural happenings

b: a narration intended to enforce a useful truth; expecially : one in which animals speak and act like human beings

WhiteSmoke Online Dictionary [easiest for me to use]

myth [noun] 1. a traditional story accepted as history; serves to explain the world view of a people

Synonyms: legend, fable, fairytale, allegory, parable, saga, story, fiction, tradition, fancy, fantasy, superstition

allegory [noun] 1. a short moral story (often with animal characters)

2. a visible symbol representing an abstract idea

3. an expressive style that uses fictional characters and events to describe some subject by suggestive resemblances; an extended metaphor 

-- WhiteSmoke

parable [noun] 1. a short moral story (often with animal characters)

2. (New Testament) any of the stories told by Jesus to convey his religious message; "the parable of the prodigal son"

Synonyms: fable, allegory, lesson, moral tale, story   -- WhiteSmoke

proverb [noun]

1. a condensed but memorable saying embodying some important fact of experience that is taken as true by many people   -- WhiteSmoke

lds.org / Scriptures / Study Helps / Bible Dictionary

(Parable and Mystery are the only words on the list that are defined in this Bible Dictionary.)

Parables. (1) Most teachers, especially Oriental teachers, have used some form of parable in their instruction, but none so exclusively as Jesus at one period of his ministry. During part of the Galilean ministry the record states that “without a parable spake he not unto them” (Mark 4:34). From our Lord’s words (Matt. 13:13–15; Mark 4:12; Luke 8:10) we learn the reason for this method. It was to veil the meaning. The parable conveys to the hearer religious truth exactly in proportion to his faith and intelligence; to the dull and uninspired it is a mere story, “seeing they see not,” while to the instructed and spiritual it reveals the mysteries or secrets of the kingdom of heaven. Thus it is that the parable exhibits the condition of all true knowledge. Only he who seeks finds.

(2) The word parable is Greek in origin, and means a setting side by side, a comparison. In parables divine truth is presented by comparison with material things. The Hebrew word, mashal, which parable is used to translate, has a wider significance, and is applied to the balanced metrical form in which teaching is conveyed in the poetical books of the Old Testament. See Matt. 13:35.

(3) ... The application of a parable may vary in every age and circumstance. But if the original meaning is to be grasped, it is important to consider its context and setting. The thought to which it is linked, the connection in which it is placed, the persons to whom it is addressed, all give the clue to the right interpretation.

John has no true parables, but presents two allegories: the good shepherd (10:1–16), and the vine and the branches (15:1–7).

Proverbs, Book of. The Heb. word rendered proverb is mashal, a similitude or parable, but the book contains many maxims and sayings not properly so called, and also connected poems of considerable length.

Mystery. Denotes in the New Testament a spiritual truth that was once hidden but now is revealed, and that, without special revelation, would have remained unknown. It is generally used along with words denoting revelation or publication ...   -- Bible Dictionary

All-around Alliteration

As a brief break from this mundane Monday morning, aforesaid alliteration is my free fast food for the day -- hopefully done without being awfully obnoxious.  It's like "Peter Piper picked a peck of ..." -- you know the rest of the always-alliterative story.  My mighty Merriam-Webster desktop dictionary defines it as "the repetition of initial sounds in adjacent words or syllables" -- (Twitter?)  WhiteSmoke's digital dictionary disappointingly defines the verb alliterate: "use alliteration as a form of poetry".

 A writer or group behind the scenes at CNBC is exceptionally eccentric, atrocious or adept at alliteration, depending on how you feel about it.  Cynical "Squawk on the Street" co-anchor Mark Haines tends to expand on it in jest, just barely tolerating it, including "Commodities Corner".  Then there's this morning's "Facebook Frenzy" Faber Report: some value the company at $65 billion!

Advertising apparently loses little love for alliteration -- as Angie's List, for example.  "Founder" Angie Hicks appears on a full-page ad in Fast Company 3/2011, headlining "Ridiculously reliable reviews on roofers, ..."  Productive products are named alliteratively, such as Fujitsu's ScanSnap S1500 scanner for documents (what I need for my proposed paperless office.)  In the Fast Company 3/2011 issue on "The World's 50 Most Innovative Companies", SynCardia places 20th "for giving artificial heart recipients room to roam".  Brett Beach and McCollum's Madecasse is 50th "for building a bean-to-bar chocolate company ..." (making my favorite fast food!)

For family fun sometime, have the children exercise their thinking with alliteration.  By not resisting research, they could learn engaging English or some splendid Spanish -- a paradisiacal, parental paradox.

Zig's "Lost Child"

Since 1978, Zig Ziglar has been one of my favorite writers/speakers.  That happens to be the year he wrote the book, Confessions of a Happy Christian. In my paper recycling process I found an old photocopy of a page with this subtitle, "A CHILD IS LOST".  It reminded me of a documentary I recently saw about the history of the national AMBER Alert; (nine-year-old Amber Hagerman was abducted in 1996.)

"My friend A. C. Carlson, from Minneapolis, sends this thought: When we hear the words 'a child is lost,' a chill falls over many loving, caring people. Hundreds of people who do not know the child will throw themselves into the search for that lost one. Many of them forget all other responsibilities and search for hours, sometimes throughout the night. They look in the wilderness, on mountaintops, in waterways, and any other place where they feel the child might be. Yes, the words[phrase] 'a child is lost' sends chills through many compassionate people. Yet, as A. C. points out, we're living in a world where there are millions of lost people, some of them next door. These lost people surely rate as much love and concern as the lost child. Yet, somehow, because the urgency is not there, we have a great tendency to ignore the lost, especially if they are 'lost' next door."   -- Confessions of a Happy Christian ©1978 by Zig Ziglar.

Dickens re. Christ

In May, 1956, Mother gave me a classic little book, The Life of Our Lord,
"written for his [eight young] children during the years 1846 to 1849 by Charles Dickens", never to be published. "He set it down in his own hand, for their eyes -- and their eyes alone -- ... at about the time he was completing 'David Copperfield.' " Hours before his death, Dickens wrote a letter ending with this statement: "I have always striven in my writings to express 'veneration for the life and lessons of Our Saviour, because I feel it; and because I rewrote that history for my children -- every one of whom knew it ..."

"For eighty-five years the resulting manuscript was sacredly guarded as a precious family secret."  Just before Christmas of 1933, Dickens' youngest and last living child died.  Sir Henry wrote in his will: "I ... bequeath to my wife the original manuscript ... on the following trusts: 'Being his son, I have felt constrained to act upon my father's expressed desire that it should not be published, ... but if they [my wife and children] decide by a majority that it should be published, ...'  [They] 'assumed the right to permit its publication, and 'The Life of Our Lord' by Charles Dickens is thus given to the world.

THE PUBLISHERS."

-- foreword (pages 3 - 8); "copyright, 1934, by Simon and Schuster"

As a personal letter, Dickens started the book with "MY DEAR CHILDREN,

I am very anxious that you should know something about the History of Jesus Christ. For everybody ought to know about Him. No one ever lived who was so good, so kind, so gentle, and so sorry for all people who did wrong, or were in any way ill or miserable, as He was. And as He is now in Heaven, where we hope to go, and all to meet each other ..."

This is one of my favorite examples of Dickens' style of writing in his "letter" to the children:

On the Sabbath, "... when Our Saviour went into one of their [the Pharisees'] churches -- they were called synagogues -- and looked compassionately on a poor man who had his hand all withered and wasted away, these Pharisees said, 'Is it right to cure people on a Sunday?'  Our Saviour answered them by saying, 'If any of you had a sheep and it fell into a pit, would you not take it out, even though it happened on a Sunday? And how much better is a man than a sheep!'  Then He said to the poor man, 'Stretch out thine hand!'  And it was cured immediately, and was smooth and useful like the other.  So Jesus Christ told them, 'You may always do good, no matter what the day is.' " (page 38)

George W. in '60 WB

When a beloved, priceless ($0 on eBay) family heirloom, our 1960 World Book encyclopedia set, finally went to recycling (ground up, I guess) at the DI about a year ago, I was able to save three of my favorite volumes, including the "W-X-Y-Z".  For George Washington's birthday lunch break today, I loved opening the book and seeing the pictures --like visiting an old friend.  It brought back memories of my school days, when it was my main source of information for essays and research papers I typed on my big black 1930's-vintage Underwood.

"George Washington was born on February 22, 1732, on an estate in Westmoreland County on the banks of Popes Creek, about 30 miles southeast of Fredericksburg, Va. The plantation later became known as Wakefield. Washington's birthday is now determined by the Gregorian or 'New Style' calendar. ... His parents were Augustine Washington and Mary Ball Washington. ... George was the first child of Augustine's second marriage. Three other sons and two daughters soon followed. ... Young George had little schooling in classrooms. ... George was eleven years old when his father died. ... He had two tutors, or private teachers [who] taught young George the arts of war. ..."

"The people of the United States and many other lands call George Washington the 'Father of His Country.' He looked after his country the way a good father would look after his son. ..."

-- The World Book Encyclopedia, copyright 1960, U.S.A., by Field Enterprises Educational Corporation

It's interesting to compare the 1960 version with today's ubiquitous resource.

"George Washington (February 22, 1732 – December 14, 1799) was the dominant military and political leader of the new United States of America from 1775 to 1799. ..."   -- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Washington

I also recall attending the 1964 National Scout Jamboree in Valley Forge, PA.

" 'Strengthen America's Heritage' was the theme for this Jamboree."

-- stadriemblems.com/scouting/blog/?p=42

The jamboree custom patch for that year (pictured on the Stadri blog) featured the famous Commander in Chief kneeling in prayer.

God bless America!

Green Light

I want to get a light thing off my chest, if you get my drift -- something that gets on my nerves.  ("If you get something off your chest, you confess to something that has been troubling you.  ...  If you get someone's drift, you understand what they are trying to say.  ...  If something gets on your nerves, it annoys or irritates you."   -- usingenglish.com/reference/idioms

"The incandescent light bulb, incandescent lamp ... makes light by heating a metal filament wire to a high temperature until it glows. ..."

[I couldn't find an initialism for incandescent lamp, so I made it up: IL.]

"... 22 inventors of [IL's] prior to Joseph Swan and Thomas Edison. ...

Edison began serious research into developing a practical [IL] in 1878. ... [One historian] has attributed Edison's success to the fact that he developed an entire, integrated system of electric lighting. ... [IL's] are gradually being replaced in many applications by other types of electric lights, such as fluorescent lamps, compact fluorescent lamps [CFL], ... and light-emitting diodes (LEDs). ... In the United States, federal law has scheduled [IL's] to be phased out by 2014, to be replaced with more energy-efficient light bulbs."

-- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Incandescent_light_bulb

My ready-to-be-recycled GE CFL box states: "They are perfect for hard-to-reach areas or where lights stay on for long periods." (Right you are, GE!

I've heard different times advised, from 20 minutes to one hour.)  Yet some folks want to force us to use CFL's in easy-to-reach areas where lights stay on for only 5 seconds or 2 minutes (like a walk-in pantry, for example).  Maybe they don't know (as GE obviously does) that it takes a while (I like instant light) and an extra burst of energy to start up those babies.  Some people see the amazing equation 13w=60w and hit the campaign trail, maybe because it supports their bigger agenda.  I have been replacing many two-bit IL's with expensive CFL's so I can feel OK about leaving some lights on for hours, and I make fewer trips up ladders to replace some others.  By the way, my rechargeable LED flashlight works great for 5-second visits to the garage, where the developer failed to add a window for natural light.

It looks like the IL industry will soon be very sick, if not dead, because of decreasing demand and lost economies of scale -- unless government regulation kills it first.  I'm for freedom of choice, and I love to have options (I'm thinkin' cruise buffet!)  On Friday 4/22 I will share positive thoughts about the apparent obsession with "green" technology and lifestyle, and our personal participation (since the 1980's) in that global pursuit of long-term happiness.  May you be blessed with options, and a "green light" to move forward with your own wise choices.

Roots Review

"Why didn't I know about RootsTech sooner?" I asked myself after seeing a small poster on a cluttered bulletin board Sunday 2/6.  I had stopped in my tracks while walking a twin baby.  The conference was that week in the Salt Palace, attracting a large number of family-history exhibitors (including Dell, Microsoft and FamilySearch), gurus and genealogists.  It was a real-life social networking opportunity.  (Without using Facebook, I actually ran into some old friends I had not seen in years!)

Wearing running shoes at the free expo, I quickly gathered literature to read later (yeah, right -- like OCH).  It was fascinating; and I loved the free candy (energy food) and the round-trip FrontRunner train ride -- my first!
A few samples:

 "Do you share hidden talents with long-forgotten ancestors? / Why learn ...?"
-- ancestry.com (one of the largest, most impressive exhibits)
"What's Behind Your Brick Wall?" -- Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy (in the Utah Genealogical Association)

"Nothing beats the original / Explore over 70 million historical documents"

-- footnote.com (and of course, their blog.footnote.com)

"Have You Been Digitized?" -- DMT Publishing (North Salt Lake, Utah) for preservation of priceless family histories and records; (several exhibitors recommended I visit DMT for eBook publishing, but they left early Friday.)

Only one exhibitor obviously didn't want to talk to me.  I won't mention the company name -- young hired help, apparently waiting "for a good time."

"Discover your family tree / It's fun, easy, and free." (poetic!)

-- FamilySearch ("... digital images from over 100 countries. Free research help online and in 4,600 local family history centers worldwide ..."

-- familysearch.org

"Premium Family History Software, Products and Services Since 1994" /

"Family History Products to Help Organize - Find - Share - Preserve" / "Easy to share on gift CD/DVD" (I learned to create and label hot spots on photos!)

-- HeritageCollector.com

The whole time, I thought of our close friend Hayle, who is the ultimate
"action man" when it comes to family history and follow-up work.  For decades he has tirelessly researched, and has published several hard-bound personal and family history books.  Hayle was an ordinance worker in his 80's , and later was teaching others how to research and compile information on 130 computers at the Ogden Regional Family History Center.  This avid mountain climber recently took a deserved break for a hip replacement.  Hayle has regularly taken his grandchildren to do temple work (that which they are able to do) with large numbers of names.  Their beloved ancestors have agency to accept or reject it; I have a feeling they've been eagerly waiting for a long time.

The Future

This quote from lds.org home page moved me to think about the future (under "Prophets and Apostles Speak Today" on the right side of home page):

“We cannot see the future with precision, but we can know what the Lord intends and what it will take [for] each of us to qualify personally to participate.” -- Henry B. Eyring

I will never forget hearing President Eyring's father speak on "Science and Religion" in the LDS West Institute chapel at his beloved University of Utah.  I can't remember the words (I know I ate them up), but the feeling was of admiration and awe.  Professor Eyring's "... views of science and religion were captured in this quote: 'Is there any conflict between science and religion? There is no conflict in the mind of God, but often there is conflict in the minds of men.' "  -- en.wikipedia.org

"... There seems no reasonable alternative to the conclusion that the Creator has methods of communication which travel by other means and at speeds unknown and perhaps unknowable to mortal man. Somehow, the universe is coordinated and regulated by influences which transcend the known laws of physics. Nor should this seem strange if one remembers that such marvels as radar, radio, and the telegraph were unimaginable a century and a half ago. What wonders can we hope to unravel in the endless eternity ahead? . . . Though our knowledge of the universe is always expanding, the fundamentals of the gospel endure unchanged." -- Henry Eyring (1901 - 1981)

-- Source: Science and Your Faith in God  -- Contributed by: Zaady

-- blog.gaiam.com/quotes/authors/henry-eyring

[Going back another generation:]  He took great comfort in the advice his father gave him when he left to study mining engineering at the University of Arizona in 1919: “In this Church you don’t have to believe anything that isn’t true, . . . Whatever is true is part of the gospel. ... [Henry] was not afraid of any scientific inquiry — it would only add to our understanding and eventual discovery of the truth.”  -- Henry Eyring, author  -- Reviewer: Ned C. Hill 

-- byustudies.byu.edu

So what surprising scientific discoveries lie in the future?  Will they make us question what we know to be true?

Sincere Repetitions

Most weeks I make a little progress in this year's reading of the New Testament; (obviously speed is not my priority here, but I promise to do better.)  Reviewing the Sermon on the Mount, I paused at one verse --
Matthew 6:7 "when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do ..."  Though I've read it many times, a different interpretation came to my mind --one which maybe never before occurred to me.

It's almost embarrassing to think of how frequently I have repeated many phrases since I started praying as a little boy.  My good friend recently told me his son Adam (age 8) frequently thanks Heavenly Father for what He will do for the family --in the future; (I wish my faith were that strong.)  Today I realize the value of sincere, humble, needed, meaningful repetitions in daily prayer, such as, "I love Thee."  As it relates to my thought about the language of prayer, I share an experience from my teenage years:

Many times throughout my adult life, I have recalled Bob Darger's simple, childlike manner of praying in church meetings.  It made a profound impression on me, and still does to this day. If his prayers included repetitions, I'm sure they were never vain.  Brother Darger was my Sunday School teacher when I was ~fourteen.  Bob gave us homework and a three-ring binder to keep it in; no one else ever did that.  He had a wonderful, talented family, and owned his own business with a one-man office in downtown SLC.  I think Bob lived a simple life, was always smiling, and probably never made an enemy.  He was truly a humble servant of God and his family.  I doubt that we rowdy guys appreciated his unique teaching style and sweet love for the Savior.  So teachers of teenagers, take heart -- 40 years later a student may look back and have an aha! moment because of you.

Thinking back on our quiet walk through the Sacred Grove in Palmyra, NY,
I believe a boy used simple language in his humble prayer.

Silver Lining

Jim Cramer ("Mad Money"show on CNBC) was unusually serious last night.  He's not always correct with his stock picks, but very entertaining.  The investment topic relating to the crisis in Egypt reminded me of this stormy view of our western frontier.  I love silver linings.

"Given that the media now blows everything out of proportion, and it seems like we get some terrifying new crisis every other week, you need to develop your own list ... [and] be ready to buy them when the futures take everything down, as they do ... as they did Friday morning."

"Finally, we really have to go completely counterintuitive, and we've got to ask, is it possible ... get this one ... that the event could actually have a positive economic outcome ... positive ...  I mean, could anything actually go right economically?  This is the hardest prism to adopt ... first of all, because we're not thinking economically, right?  We're a 24-hour news cycle that usually presumes everything is going to go wrong.  They're not thinking about money.  Believe me, I know this is really hard."

"It did get me thinking ... Hmm... what if everyone is too negative?  What could turn out right?  ... the situation there [in Egypt] looks a lot like, yes, Indonesia in 1965, after the year of living dangerously, where the government was overthrown.  It turned out to be a huge positive inflection point for fantastic economic growth in Indonesia."
"The bottom line:

If you know what you own ... or what you want to own ... you can watch the days of living dangerously and come out ahead, not behind, when these terrifying events begin.  There will be many more of these ... many, many more.  And we need to profit from them, not run from them."

-- Jim Cramer 1/31/11  -- madmoneyrecap.com

Fwd: WWII VHS

For my first attempt at posting a photo, I found this one I took of a video collection we were giving away to an ROTC instructor last year.  Several years ago our retired Ogden neighbor gave us two boxes of World War II video tapes, which helped us survive a summer (2009) without cable TV.

In our effort to lighten our load and "pay it forward", we donated most of them to our new neighbor here.  He was very appreciative, as he had been looking for historical films to show his students.  The photo is not complete, but shows enough to represent the genre.  The titles include "The Bridge on the River Kwai", "The Desert Fox", and "Von Ryan's Express".  We enjoyed them, learned valuable history, and hoped some young people do as well, while there are still some VCR's around to play these gems.  (As much as they are eager to learn, it's not likely teens will stream WWII movies from Netflix or anywhere else.)

It's nice to see some white space for a change.  Fill it in with some of your favorite WWII movies.  Then "count the days till Friday night", make your popcorn, cuddle up, and enjoy.

Magnetic Memories

Taking a lunch break, the aging Acer laptop captured my second favorite part of our kitchen (next to the food):  my wife's collection of fridge magnets.  The little souvenirs are cheap, but the memories are priceless.  Some of the photos, better than my toy Nikon ever took, really send me!  If the magnetic pictures weren't copyrighted, and if I were technical like my grandchildren,
I would post my digital photo of this amazing array.  As a famous Frenchman said, "A picture is worth a thousand words."

(From left to right, and top to bottom:)

Georgia Aquarium (waterfall above, fish & Asian Small-Clawed Otters below)

Mount St. Helens (with light clouds resting on it, after it blew its top)

  (I missed that trip, as I thought my busy boss wouldn't let me off work.)

Bryce Canyon National Park (This photo doesn't do justice to hoodoos.)

  "Each year the park is visited by more than 1.5 million visitors from all over the world. Languages as varied as the shapes and colors of the hoodoos express pleasure in the sights."   -- brycecanyon.com

Durango & Silverton Railroad  (solid pewter:  steam locomotive pulling a train across a steep slope in the San Juan Mountains of SW Colorado)

Lake Tahoe  (mountains and lake at sunset, reminding me of two trips!)

Arches National Park  (grand overview of landscape and La Sal Mountains)

Nauvoo -- The House of the Lord  (old Americana painting of the temple)

USS Arizona Memorial  (palm trees with water and memorial in distance)

Capitol Reef National Park  (massive natural bridge with moon above)

Arches National Park  (Delicate Arch over the moon)

The Butchart Gardens / Victoria, B.C.  (gorgeous gardens, people on path)

Canyonlands National Park (aerial-like photo, with storm clouds and awesome lightning in the distance)

Salt Lake City -- (2002 Olympics logo) The World is Welcome Here! 
  (Downtown and Wasatch Mountains at sunset)

Capilano Suspension Bridge -- Vancouver  (a few people walking across, evergreen trees, raging river below)

Hershey's / Cocoa and Milk Chocolate  (quaint painting of factories, town and roads, white clouds)

Hershey's / Vassar Gems / Special Vanilla Chocolate / A Rare Delicacy. /
-- Made By Hershey Chocolate Co. / Lancaster, PA. U.S.A.  (old-fashioned)

San Juan Islands  (romantic aerial photo of dark islands and golden water at sunset -- also two trips!)

The Astoria Column -- Astoria, Oregon  (laser-engraved wood with tower, evergreen trees at base) (Yes, we climbed to the top -- at least twice.)

Golden Spike National Historic Site  (graphic of two steam locomotives meeting, golden spike above)

Michigan  (photo composite of autumn trees, lake, waterfall, flowers)

  (We did not visit -- a gift from our traveling son-in-law.)

San Juan Islands (colorful enameled metal -- words alone cannot describe ...)

California / A Golden Opportunity  (shape of state; Golden Gate Bridge at top, movie camera by Hollywood, deep-sea fishing by San Diego)

Niagara Falls, USA / Willkommen - Benvenuto - Bienvenido - Bienvenue - Huan Ying - Aapka Swaagat Hai  (waterfall with tourist boat below)

Gettysburg  (hazy image of soldiers fighting at top; statue of commander on hilltop overlooking green battlefield)

Gettysburg, PA.  (shape of dark cannon pointing left, as if back in time)

Mount Rushmore (photo of four famous "heads of state" carved in mountain with huge pile of rock fragments below) (Let's keep it that way, and not add another head, if you know what I mean.)

So come on out to the frontier and see what I'm talking (I mean writing) about, unless we're away acquiring more magnets.  We'll have some healthy you-know-what for you.