Tuesday, July 25, 2006
Coming Soon: The End of the World As We Know It
When I was ten or eleven, I had a very vivid dream in which the Second Coming was going to be on July 25th--I knew this because it was announced on billboards and tv commercials. Since then, I'm always a little nervous when July 25th rolls around. It looks like we've made it through another uneventful one, though. Phew.
The Invisible Fob
Today I did a presentation on graphic novels for the teen summer reading group at the library. It went great--about fifteen teens attended, and they all seemed to enjoy the presentation. After the presentation, one kid showed me the comic book he's making.
This evening I led a book discussion group on Ralph Ellison's Invisible Man, also at the library (the same one). It went not so well. Another librarian and I spent half an hour talking about library school and careers and housing before we decided that no one was going to show up. This was a wee bit frustrating, as I spent much of the past week scrambling to make it through the 580-page book (I'm a slow reader), but ultimately I don't regret having read the book and put in the effort to prepare for a discussion. I got paid for the actual preparation and I would have liked to read the book anyway, but probably never would have without this impetus.
Invisible Man tells the story of a black man's search for identity in early twentieth-century America (I'm foggy on the exact time, but I got the feel that it was set in the twenties or thereabout). Regardless of race or culture, the process of finding one's identity is a struggle for everyone, I think, but I particularly identified with the unnamed narrator at a point toward the end of the book when he discovers his true place in the political organization he's been working in:
"You were not hired to think," says Brother Jack, the leader of the Brotherhood. And a bit later, "Let us handle the theory and the business of strategy."
The narrator argues that because he works closely with the people of Harlem, he can best represent their interests to the Brotherhood. What the people want, he says, is not what the Brotherhood thinks they want.
Brother Jack dismisses this notion, reprimanding the narrator for giving "undue importance to the mistaken notions of the people."
At one of my jobs--or better yet, at one of the many jobs that I have had at some point in my life--I too have felt that I was not hired to think. At this job I was highly valued as an effective worker ant, but the administration let me know on several occasions that my job description did not include thinking about the way we did things and ways we could improve. Not only was my opinion undervalued, but I also got the impression that the administration felt they knew better than the public, whose interests I felt I represented, what the public wanted. They would never say this, in fact they might argue otherwise, but this is certainly the message that was communicated.
Reading the Invisible Man's description of his frustration at realizing just what his superiors thought of him, was an Emerson Moment for me. Upon seeing his own invisibility, the narrator decides the situation is unacceptable. He gives up everything he has--his job, his home, the relatively comfortable life he leads--in order to escape the helplessness of being in a position where he is expected to help people but cannot because he is not allowed to think for himself. Admittedly, my position was never quite so extreme as his, but I wonder if I would sacrifice my job, home, and comfortable lifestyle in order to be in a place where my ability to think was respected. I suppose we'll just have to wait and see.
This evening I led a book discussion group on Ralph Ellison's Invisible Man, also at the library (the same one). It went not so well. Another librarian and I spent half an hour talking about library school and careers and housing before we decided that no one was going to show up. This was a wee bit frustrating, as I spent much of the past week scrambling to make it through the 580-page book (I'm a slow reader), but ultimately I don't regret having read the book and put in the effort to prepare for a discussion. I got paid for the actual preparation and I would have liked to read the book anyway, but probably never would have without this impetus.
Invisible Man tells the story of a black man's search for identity in early twentieth-century America (I'm foggy on the exact time, but I got the feel that it was set in the twenties or thereabout). Regardless of race or culture, the process of finding one's identity is a struggle for everyone, I think, but I particularly identified with the unnamed narrator at a point toward the end of the book when he discovers his true place in the political organization he's been working in:
"You were not hired to think," says Brother Jack, the leader of the Brotherhood. And a bit later, "Let us handle the theory and the business of strategy."
The narrator argues that because he works closely with the people of Harlem, he can best represent their interests to the Brotherhood. What the people want, he says, is not what the Brotherhood thinks they want.
Brother Jack dismisses this notion, reprimanding the narrator for giving "undue importance to the mistaken notions of the people."
At one of my jobs--or better yet, at one of the many jobs that I have had at some point in my life--I too have felt that I was not hired to think. At this job I was highly valued as an effective worker ant, but the administration let me know on several occasions that my job description did not include thinking about the way we did things and ways we could improve. Not only was my opinion undervalued, but I also got the impression that the administration felt they knew better than the public, whose interests I felt I represented, what the public wanted. They would never say this, in fact they might argue otherwise, but this is certainly the message that was communicated.
Reading the Invisible Man's description of his frustration at realizing just what his superiors thought of him, was an Emerson Moment for me. Upon seeing his own invisibility, the narrator decides the situation is unacceptable. He gives up everything he has--his job, his home, the relatively comfortable life he leads--in order to escape the helplessness of being in a position where he is expected to help people but cannot because he is not allowed to think for himself. Admittedly, my position was never quite so extreme as his, but I wonder if I would sacrifice my job, home, and comfortable lifestyle in order to be in a place where my ability to think was respected. I suppose we'll just have to wait and see.
Monday, July 24, 2006
Five hours and fifteen minutes
from my in-laws' house in Vegas to the Smith's parking lot in Orem, including a fifteen-minute stop in Mesquite for gas and snacks. I'd taken a cooler full of grapes, carrots, cheese, water, and a ham sandwich, which I ate while driving to save time. At the gas station I decided to make a preemptive attack on potential sleepiness with some kind of caffeine, but the problem is that I really don't like any carbonated beverages and, though I briefly considered the frapuccinos available, I hate the taste of coffee. I opted then for sugar and the small amount of caffeine available in chocolate; I was happy to discover a little bottle of Ben & Jerry's Chocolate Fudge Brownie Milkshake. It was, as the bottle says, "a euphoric milk beverage." It was also a bit costly for its size, but Milob had given me a little bit of cash so I wouldn't feel guilty about buying myself a treat, so I splurged.
At Smith's I prepared for the coming week of feeding myself. I'm embarrassed at all the already-prepared food I bought--I fear Foxy J has managed in the past five years to domesticate me, turning me into the typical male incapable of cooking his own meals--but the truth is that I don't have time to prepare meals. I am going to make lasagna sometime this week, though, as that's the only dish I remembered all the ingredients to and knew I could make successfully. I'm also proud of myself for buying a decent selection of healthy foods like fresh fruits and veggies.
Today was the first time I'd made a drive longer than an hour by myself, and the coming week will be one of the very few times in my life that I've lived completely alone, with neither family nor roommates. While I will miss Foxy and Boogie and LD, I am looking forward to this week. I have always valued my alone time and I've not had much of it in the past few years. I imagine about the beginning of next week I'll have had enough of myself and will be more than happy to have my family back. Until then, though, I'm going to enjoy hanging around the apartment in my underwear (which is not to say that I can't or don't usually do so). I hope Foxy and the kids continue to enjoy their stay in Vegas, and I'll be watching S-Boogie's blog for pics.
At Smith's I prepared for the coming week of feeding myself. I'm embarrassed at all the already-prepared food I bought--I fear Foxy J has managed in the past five years to domesticate me, turning me into the typical male incapable of cooking his own meals--but the truth is that I don't have time to prepare meals. I am going to make lasagna sometime this week, though, as that's the only dish I remembered all the ingredients to and knew I could make successfully. I'm also proud of myself for buying a decent selection of healthy foods like fresh fruits and veggies.
Today was the first time I'd made a drive longer than an hour by myself, and the coming week will be one of the very few times in my life that I've lived completely alone, with neither family nor roommates. While I will miss Foxy and Boogie and LD, I am looking forward to this week. I have always valued my alone time and I've not had much of it in the past few years. I imagine about the beginning of next week I'll have had enough of myself and will be more than happy to have my family back. Until then, though, I'm going to enjoy hanging around the apartment in my underwear (which is not to say that I can't or don't usually do so). I hope Foxy and the kids continue to enjoy their stay in Vegas, and I'll be watching S-Boogie's blog for pics.
Sunday, July 23, 2006
Fobsvithing Hopefully
My brother-in-law reported today on his LDS mission to Russia. In his talk he cited a scripture from the Book of Mormon, Ether 12:4: "Wherefore, whoso believeth in God might with surety hope for a better world, yea, even a place at the right hand of God, which hope cometh of faith, maketh an anchor to the souls of men, which would make them sure and steadfast, always abounding in good works, being led to glorify God." Bilob then went on to say, "One of the reasons I wanted to serve a mission was--" and, based on my interpretation of the scripture I expected him to say something along the lines of so I could earn the right to be in a better world with God after I leave this one (i.e. being good gives me hope that I'll go to heaven). But he didn't say that. Instead, he said, "--so that I could help make this world better."
I appreciate his interpretation of the scripture. A responsible understanding of faith does not lead one to sit around and hope for a better world to come, but to hope for a better world and therefore work to make our world better.
I appreciate his interpretation of the scripture. A responsible understanding of faith does not lead one to sit around and hope for a better world to come, but to hope for a better world and therefore work to make our world better.
Friday, July 21, 2006
No More Dead Dogs
by Gordon Korman
Wallace Wallace always tells the truth, and he is tired of reading books about dogs who die in the end. So when he has to write a review of Old Shep, My Pal for English class, he lets the teacher know exactly what he thinks. Unfortunately, Old Shep is the teacher's favorite book, so he doesn't take Wallace's negative review very well. Too stubborn to say anything nice about the book he hates, Wallace ends up in detention for months, which leads to his unwilling involvement in the drama club's adaptation of Old Shep.
This book is full of unique characters with great voices, a fact the audiobook version we listened to yesterday took advantage of by having different readers perform each of the four narrators' parts.
Wallace Wallace always tells the truth, and he is tired of reading books about dogs who die in the end. So when he has to write a review of Old Shep, My Pal for English class, he lets the teacher know exactly what he thinks. Unfortunately, Old Shep is the teacher's favorite book, so he doesn't take Wallace's negative review very well. Too stubborn to say anything nice about the book he hates, Wallace ends up in detention for months, which leads to his unwilling involvement in the drama club's adaptation of Old Shep.
This book is full of unique characters with great voices, a fact the audiobook version we listened to yesterday took advantage of by having different readers perform each of the four narrators' parts.
Dear Cicada,
I have found your people: they are here in Las Vegas, living in the tree outside my in-laws' house, making a very annoying mating call. Please respond to their call soon so they'll shut up.
Sincerely,
Master Fob
Sincerely,
Master Fob
Monday, July 17, 2006
Fobsvithing Faithfully
For some reason I always end up svithing on Mondays. Perhaps when I start my own religion I'll make Monday the holy day. Then again, maybe I'll make every day a holy day so no one ever has to go to work.
But that is not what I want to svithe about. What I want to svithe about is this:
Yesterday I submitted three job applications--one in Orem and two in Seattle. Today I did a phone interview for a third Seattle possibility. Meanwhile, I love both of my jobs here in Utah Valley, despite the fact that working 45 hours a week without the pay and benefits of a full-time job kind of sucks.
After submitting the third application yesterday, my first thought was that my fate is now in other people's hands. Where I am and what I'm doing in a month and a half and then for the next few years is dependent on what job offers I receive.
My second thought was that this is not quite true. My fate is in God's hands--not because he is some master puppeteer working behind the scenes to control people, but because regardless of what job offers I receive, whether here, in Washington, or in Zimbabwe (I forgot to mention the job in Zimbabwe, didn't I?), Foxy and I will choose to do what we feel God tells us is best for our family.
The truth is, I'm a little anxious to find out where I'm going to be in September and what I'll be doing, but I'm not worried. Somehow, it'll work out and we'll be where we need to be. I suppose what I'm trying to say is this:
But that is not what I want to svithe about. What I want to svithe about is this:
Yesterday I submitted three job applications--one in Orem and two in Seattle. Today I did a phone interview for a third Seattle possibility. Meanwhile, I love both of my jobs here in Utah Valley, despite the fact that working 45 hours a week without the pay and benefits of a full-time job kind of sucks.
After submitting the third application yesterday, my first thought was that my fate is now in other people's hands. Where I am and what I'm doing in a month and a half and then for the next few years is dependent on what job offers I receive.
My second thought was that this is not quite true. My fate is in God's hands--not because he is some master puppeteer working behind the scenes to control people, but because regardless of what job offers I receive, whether here, in Washington, or in Zimbabwe (I forgot to mention the job in Zimbabwe, didn't I?), Foxy and I will choose to do what we feel God tells us is best for our family.
The truth is, I'm a little anxious to find out where I'm going to be in September and what I'll be doing, but I'm not worried. Somehow, it'll work out and we'll be where we need to be. I suppose what I'm trying to say is this:
Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct your paths.And I'll leave it at that.
- Proverbs 3:5,6
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