The Secret Scriptures

I was perusing  a list of recommended books from a journal in England and crossed The Secret scripture by Sebastian Barry, I didn't read a review , I simply picked it up at the library and read it. Usually such indiscriminate reading turns out poorly, but this had several bright moments. It is an historic novel of sorts, covering 100 years of Irish history revealing the weird and dramatic politics of religion, Great Britain'ness, mental illness and aging; all by themselves compelling subjects and as a bouillabaisse a flavorful experience. "Casting doubt upon the reliability of human perceptions and, indeed, the very nature of truth, it also upholds the possibilities of dignity and redemption." So a said one review - it s good read

The story line was a bramble  but the writing was a delight including :

• The terror and hurt in my story happened because when I was young I thought others were then authors of my fortune or misfortune
• But Fr Gaunt was so clipped and trimmed he had no antennae at all for grief
• He was like a singer who knows the words and can sing, but cannot sing the song as conceived in the heart of the composer
• We have neglected the tiny sentences of life and now the big ones are beyond our reach
• ...  My mother's wits were now in the attic of her head which had neither door nor stair, or at least none that I could find
• Little sins of omission that loom large now
• The Arabs say that everything is already written in the book of life, our job is merely to fulfill the narrative already there, invisible, unknown
• It is always worth itemizing happiness, there is always so much of the other thing in life, you had better put down the markers for happiness while you can.
• There has never been a person in an old person's home that hasn't looked dubiously at the other inhabitants. They are the old ones, they are the club no one wants to join.but we are never old to ourselves. That is because at the close of the day the ship we sail in is the soul not the body.
• ... Time passing is just a trick, a convenience. Everything is always there, still unfolding, still happening. The past, the present, the future, in the noggin eternally, like brushes, combs and ribbons in a handbag
• ... Who was obviously sane to such a degree it makes sanity almost undesirable 

I appreciate phraseology that ports me somewhere and becomes the nugget of a new thought or moment to ponder. I then craft the story I want to hear more than the story perhaps intended by the author.

A very helpful Venn diagram

http://www.flickr.com/photos/buriednexttoyou/5095255302/


I'm having problems posting images so I'm just good for links these days.
This is a visual after the zuckerman sister got snagged by the Facebook privacy settings

Steal like an artist

A great little book that brigham introduced me to. a few kernels that reminded me to: be curious, have passion, and continue to be an agent of change and ideas.

 Steal like an artist    
By -Austin kleon

Eccles. 1:9  - there is nothing new under the sun

"What is originality ? Undetected plagiarism" wm Inge

You are a mash up of what you chose to let into your life

You're only as good as the ideas you surround yourself with

* Steal from anywhere that speaks to your soul

Climb the idea tree - look to the sources of those who inspired an idea, then push back to their sources, and so on - read bibliographies

Whether you're in school or not its always your job to get an education

Google everything - before you ask a question;
Either you'll get your answer or a better question

* Don't wait to know who you are to get started  - it's in the act of making things and doing our work that we figure out who we are

*You don't want to look like your heroes you want to see like them

* Write the book you want to read

* use your hands

*The work you do while you procrastinate is probably the work you should be doing for the rest of your life

* Don't throw your passions away

* Do good work and share it with people

* You should wonder at the things nobody else is wondering about

* Enjoy solitude

There's only one rule I know of:you've got to be kind - Kurt Vonnegut

* The art of holding on to Money is all about saying no to modern culture. Live within your means - Do with less

* Get a calendar and log - Track best thing that happened to you all day

Dig deeper and read

Anne Lamont -  bird by bird

Lynda Barry - what it is

Mihaly csikszentmihalyl - flow

Merry Christmas

 For unto us a ^achild is ^bborn, unto us a ^cson is given: and the ^dgovernment shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, ^eCounsellor, The ^fmighty ^gGod^•, The^heverlasting Father, The Prince of ⁱPeace.

He was born

He lives

He wants you, me, us to find joy and return


Great music video - the piano guys - o come Emmanuel 

http://m.youtube.com/#/watch?v=iO7ySn-Swwc&desktop_uri=%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DiO7ySn-Swwc

Playing for Pizza

It's not even a holiday book.
Nor was it the John Grisham attorney, lawyerly book I anticipated
It wasn't even incredibly written like my favorite Italian novel:The Name of the Rose, by Umberto Eco.

I found it on a list of notable books and thought I'd give it a try.

It was one part "a room with a view" by Forster
One part  Frommer's Italy 
One part "Rudy"

Bizarrely it's the story of an NFL star quarterback gone goat. To say that Italy—the land of fine wines, extremely small cars, and football americano—holds a few surprises for Rick Dockery would be something of an understatement. It is all about the discovery of someone totally new to Italy.  He adapts to the food, the history, the culture, his dislocated passion for football, american students abroad and more.

It is a library book, so I didn't have a lot vested in it. Nonetheless , it was such a simple read that it really didn't consume a lot of time. Would I recommend it probably not unless you have a trip already for Parma .

Well I haven't read Grisham for over a decade and it seems reassonable to assume that will lbusiness another decade before I do again.

Sing it out

A few years back the New Era had an interesting article a few years back entitled – Using Hymn to Know Him. I love Christmas music. It leaves the spirit, lightens the load and makes me smile.

Here are some ways you can use music to draw closer to Christ this Christmas.

• Watch a replay of First Presidency Christmas Devotional broadcast at www.lds.org orhttp://www.byu.tv/ 

• Study the scriptures listed under a Christmas song in the hymnbook. Ponder the words of that song during the day.

• Gather a group to go caroling so you can bring the joy of music to others who might need some cheer.

• Learn a new Christmas hymn ALL the verses not just the first stanza

• Have 12 days of true Christmas music. Listen to and sing songs about Christ for the 12 days leading up to Christmas.(still have time to get ready for this one)

• Look in the Topics index of the hymnbook under “Jesus Christ,” find a favorite hymn about the Savior, and memorize it.

• Learn the history of one of your favorite Christmas carols. Who wrote it? Why was it written? Share what you learn with your family or a friend.

• Sing a Christmas hymn when you are trying to have good, positive thoughts.

• Check for free Christmas concerts in your area that you can attend.

• Organize a trio or quartet to learn a Christmas carol people don’t hear very often, and offer to sing it at church – a nursing home – perform it somewhere.

• Listen to a tape or CD of sacred Christmas music, and then write in your journal about how it made you feel.

 

My favorite this season

- call my mom and sing a Christmas song along with her on the phone 

- go to the stake Christmas carol and Handel's messiah sing along

- pandora wherever you go,  listening to Christmas music  it lifts the soul.

 HAPPY HO HO HO TO YOU

Thanksgiving Friday

A new trend, dare we call it a tradition, is feasting and having Thanksgiving on Friday.
It's has worked for people's schedules, and had made for a richer, calmer celebration.
So Thursday becomes a very stress free day - we linger at home. We finish cleaning with no rush, we prepare the foods that need prep, no rush, we linger and play games, no rush, we do a few chores, no rush, we went for a walk, no rush. Did I mention no rush, no stress.

So Friday becomes a great day to celebrate. I get up early and do a bit of work and go do store checks because it is Black Friday and I do work retail, but no rush. I even had time to hit the gymn for my daily workout. Got home to help with the final prep work. Ok, let's be candid, it helps to be married to an incredible cook and hostess. Anyhow, come 3 pm we are gathered in and ready to dine. The family is gathered, the cousins who are home are gathered, the food is ready and served, we feast. A simple combination for one of the most delightful holidays of the year.

Happy Friday thanksgiving. Come join us next year.

(Having problems posting photos)

FLASHBACK - An Armstrong Thanksgiving

Life still happpened before I blogged - so here is a favorite flashback

There are many people that question the value of public high schools in our communities both the institutions and the students. At this Thanksgiving time of year our family would be very ungrateful indeed not to share for the incredible Fall our son has had at Armstrong High School. The students, the coaches, and the teachers have combined to show a huge amount of kindness, acceptance and embracing of diversity.

Our son, Evan, is a 16-year-old sophomore at Armstrong High School. Like many boys his age he is on the football, wrestling and track teams; he struggles a little with his social and science classes, and loves singing in the Varsity choir. He loves both the social and academic parts of school. He thrives on the vibrancy of a large high school with the multitude of opportunities for all students. One difference with Evan is that he was born with Down Syndrome.

A few weeks ago Evan was nominated for homecoming royalty. He, we, were thrilled and delighted by the inclusion and the honor. We attended the Homecoming pep fest and with other parents watched our youth participate. Evan was introduced and he carried himself well, head held high with an arm extended to his female counter-part. We were genuinely delighted by the round of applause he received. At the end of the pep fest when the royalty winners were announced, we were thrilled to hear announced Evan’s name. Then even more thrilling was the roar of approbation. The crowd screamed, clapped, stood and stomped and we as Evan’s parents sat and cried. Tears of gratitude for a school and community that embraces diversity and inclusion. Yes, a reason for an Armstrong Thanksgiving.

This was no fluke; a few weeks later another outpouring of kindness and acceptance occurred. . Evan has been a member of the Sophomore B-squad football team. Coach Dave Hansen and Coach Dan Enna have made it an incredible season. If you’ve ever had a son play football you know what a religion it can be. Evan is a zealous convert to the sport. He trained daily with the team in a safe environment, carefully orchestrated by the coaches. Fast-forward to the Minnetonka B-squad game. Game situation is 4^th quarter, 2^nd and goal from the 8^-yard line, Minnetonka is ahead. Armstrong calls time out. The coach runs out onto the field and has a conversation so that the refs, the Minnetonka coaches and players are all on the same page. After the time-out, Evan goes in as halfback and his number is called. The snap, the hand-off, Armstrong forms a type of wedge up the middle Evan goes high-stepping up the middle crossing the goal-line as the Minnetonka players deliberately move back. He SCORES! All celebrate as Evan runs off the field. The clock – records no change; the scoreboard - records no change; the yard markers - record no change. But a change there has been: another outpouring of graciousness and kindness by the officials, the coaches, and the players of Minnetonka and Armstrong. They gave a minute of fame and glory to a young man who loves football, and loves playing the game with “the guys” but who clearly can’t compete on the same field. Thank you to coaches who train and lead our young men and who are willing to set an example of inclusion and kindness.

Evan stands a little taller, Evan speaks a little clearer, Evan celebrates a little more. This November 25^th is for us an Armstrong Thanksgiving.

The Time Keeper

Quick reads, enjoyable reads, interesting reads with a simple thought behind them; Mitch Albom has written another, not dissimilar, to his previous best sellers of "Tuesdays with Morrie" and "The Five People You Meet in Heaven" . A book that isn't necessarily deep but has enough thought behind it to cause some reflection. This time the subject is TIME.

Time and how it affects our lives - from those who have too much to those who have too little and the dilema of choosing how to deal with our time. Most of us are preoccupied with its measurement, in fact you could set your clock by it. Dor one of three main characters of the narrative is the original measurer of time and we see how that 'curse' impacts both him and characters from our time. Saturday as I set in the Temple, I was reflecting how nice it is to be in a room without a clock, without a watch and let time be suspended. I think of Parker  trying to focus on being in the present, being a finisher and not focusing on the end of his service. I think of our conversation with our home teacher this month where we spoke of enjoying the moment we are in with our children and family and not anticipating the next phase before the current experience has even finished. What would life be like without the constraints of time?

A warning against the pitfalls of obsession with work, or nothingness, or anything that one might focus on to the exclusion of family, friends, and engaging in a  truly fulfilling life. How does one best optimize the time one is allotted. Take the time to think about it.

Blair shared a great video regarding how we engage in when we are, where we are

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-XiSIGPIi7s&sns=em

The Hub

An oft repeated theme in our annals of Naperville is gratitude for Chicago being the hub of so many activities and that with those activities brings along many of our favorite people . And these people are gracious enough to stop by, visit, and stay the night.

This weekend we welcomed a cousin and friend Lynne Wilson from palo alto. She is in town for a theological seminar downtown but has commuted out to the burbs for a visit. Great to hear of the new ideas she is thinking, share family updates, and chat.

CWD

Knowing the renown - isn't that just about as good as being renown. Rindy gets a regular email update from Houzz a home decorating and idea site. Saturday's email was :

you would have to scroll down to get to the relevant part of the email , but once you followed its link
 led to this:

which discuss the renown Caitlin Wilson wife of my cousin's son Brigham
and proprietor of a design business. Caitlin Wilson Design

Good job Caitlin - fun to see you receive acclaim for great work and design.

 

Let the Holidays begin

The Signs of the times are around us:

The cousins gathered for breakfast. It's a blessing to have them close and convenient to enjoy family time. I do enjoy the natural,congenial, and engaged conversation and interaction.  I enjoy the energy and activity of the kids. I enjoy the shared beliefs and values. I enjoy the food. The Holiday season is a time for family gatherings. We gathered.

What a beautiful, sunny, and temperate day we had; ideal for changing the look of the front porch. Last weekend we put away the couch and chairs and today we pulled out the outdoor tree, the moose, the led and skis. The Holiday season is a time for decorations. We decorated.

Mackey had things to do this day - people to meet, places to go. No sooner had she departed from home but I received a call. Excitedly she told me of 93.9. Normally, Saturday mornings are made for listening to NPR; but this was big news. The local all day Christmas music channel had begun. The Holiday season is a time to listen to the sounds of Christmas. We listened.

Confederates in the Attic

Not a new book but one which I recently read and enjoyed is CONFEDERATES IN THE ATTIC: DISPATCHES FROM THE UNFINISHED CIVIL WAR by Tony Horwitz. it is a well-wriiten , engaging, and compelling book. Not a quick read for me but a thoughtful read. He explores his own fixation with the Civil War and the book is part exploration of his fascination and part historic review of the south.

Those who know me, know that I have been challenged by southerners and their life view. True there are many a great individual southerners (read Honor), and many a good  attribute and lifestyle to the south ; but the under currents as explored by Horwitzz are things that challenge me. He  "refers to regional memory, the importance or lack thereof yet attached to this momentous national event. As Horwitz visits the sites throughout the South, he encounters unreconstructed rebels who still hold to outdated beliefs. He also meets groups of “reenactors,” devotees who attempt to relive the experience of the soldier’s life and death. One of his most disheartening and yet unsurprising realizations is that attitudes towards the war divide along racial lines. Too many whites wrap the memory in nostalgia, refusing to look beneath the myth. Too many blacks dismiss the war as meaningless to them or to their present existence."

Some insightful quotes include:

" You Wear Your X, I'll Wear Mine" ( the one the X in the rebel flag and the other Malcolm X)

" The two men had walled themselves inside a stockade or their own creation and erected around it an ideological deadline?"

"The  issues at stake in the Civil War - race in particular- remain raw and unresolved, as did the broad question the conflict posed: would America remain One Nation?"

"The  past had poisoned the present and the present, in turn, now poisoned remembrance of things past."

Veterans Day

Neither my father nor my father-in law, nor for that matter my mother-in-law ever made a big deal about their years of service during World War 2. Nasty times and long service. I am grateful for their sacrifice and safety. I've never had the interest, desire, motivation to join one of the armed services. Again, I am grateful for the many who have and do. They deserve more than a day.

Naperville has a nice salute with a community hill with 2012 flags and a short service. There are five veteran memorials in Naperville , these photos are from earlier in the day before the rain.

Thanks Vets.

End of the Volleyball Season

Rindy is one of the most productive people I know. Not busy for the sake of being busy but always actively engaged in adding value and  creating. Mackey has played many a volleyball game as her high school volleyball draws to a close; and those games have created opportunities for many a stitch. The fruits of which our in our home. For those who have seen her stitching - here is evidence of closure. The Crab and The Lobster - lovely companions. Its more than just spread sheets, sheet rock, seminary, and spades full of dirt for this talented woman.

Holidays On the Way

The snow isn't flying
The porch furniture has been put away
The family has not gathered
The calendar is filling.

The lights are up in downtown  Naperville
Hence the holidays are coming

Round Table

The first Thursday of the month typically, as it has for years, will find me at RoundTable. Its name is derived from King Arthur's famous table in the round where the knights gathered to discuss the affairs of the nation. In these days it is used to describe the monthly training of the Boy Scouts of America. In candor, many is the night when I have come home from a training session and said the definition of Round Table is "why do in 5 minutes in what you can do in 50". Though I must admit I have felt that much less frequently here in Three Fires Council than up north in Northern Star Council.

Our Stake YoungMen Presidency instructs a Varsity Scout session each month. It is attended by LDS units and we usually get about 50% of our units in atttendance. They tend to be the same ones making it and the same ones missing it.

Tonight's  subject was pioneering with a focus on knots. There are multiple videos that you can use to refresh the skill.Knots have been an issue for me throughout the decades of scouting. I learn them; I practice them; I apply them; I teach them; I forget them. So its always a humbling experience having to relearn what I have theoretically learned before. I now have the added challenge that knots fall into the fine motor skills that I am impaired by P, a double strike. Nonetheless, as a group activity we did " Cross The Alligator Pit". In the midst of said our Stake President dropped by for a visit and so he volunteered to walk the A-frame across the pond.

All in a night's fun

D'Bears

Some opportunities are too fun , too much an adventure, too much an event that they are not to be missed.  Such was Monday night. Blair and I had the opportunity to attend Monday Night Football - where the Chicago Bears hosted theDetroit Lions in Soldiers Field

Sitting in a sky box is pretty cool by itself. One that feels suspended over the playing field is even cooler. The food was plentiful and satisfying.

But clearly the highlight was being on the field prior to the game. Like being court side at a basketball game - the dimension of the truly big men is enhanced being up clodse - they are BIG.

Blair and I also discussed what an ego boost being under the lights, being them focused of unbridled attention - week after week, would really be an ego boost thinking it was all about you.

It was a good night- even for erst while Vikings.

Home Coming

How does an away game feel like a home coming - go watch BYU play Notre Dame and you will see how. 6-8 thousand of our closest Cougar fans crawled out from every rock to attend.

I'm not an over-the -top football fan but ND knows how to host a football game. Thousands descend on their middle of nowhere campus to participate in a broad range of pre-game events. I was clearly enraptured by them - I like their style of pre-game.

The game was disappointing in that they loss but satisfying given I was sure they were going to be destroyed and they did just fine - thank you very much.

We saw family,
We saw friends,
We saw alumni,
We saw folks from Illinois, Minnesota, Utah, Virginia

It was an event.
The best of which was spending the day with Blair.

Row Ride Run

Our Stake Young Men sponsor two campouts a year expressly and exclusively for the Varsity Scouts (teacher quorum - 14- 15 year old). They serve several purposes: provide a spiritual teaching moment with a member of the stake presidency, model how to run a teacher's age outing, challenge the boys and have fun.

This activity met all the objectives. Friday night President Duffield spoke about Fighting and conquering our Goliaths - sharing a great story about confronting a downy red-pecker, and seeing and acknowledging the Lord's hand.

It was fresh but not cold as the boys kayaked 2 miles on the Fox, biked 10 mile through the forest reserve and then brought it home with a 3 mile run. there were skeptics but we had a good turnout and people were pleased.A challenging day but one which the boys enjoyed and rose to the challenge.

Je Me Souviens

So for our birthday, christmas, anniversary and miscellaneous presents Brigham gifted us with a airplane trip to Montreal- the land of the Mission - Quebec Canada. Rindy and I haven't taken a trip with just the two of us since forever. Thanks to Brigham, and Mackey juggling some things here alone, and Blair & Julie coming down to help Mackey with others - we were excited to go. Our goal wasn't per-se to do any particular thing but to spend time together and see a few things I had never seen before, and for Rindy all of Quebec was a first.

traveling partner

We started with Sharon Vermont and visiting Joseph Smith's birth place. Its in the middle of nowhere; but a lovely nowhere. its a peaceful, reverential place. One of the highlights was a new church video about the family that is part of their presentation. As the world debates the nature and definition of families - the Lord is constant and this video teaches the simple doctrine.

it was a beautiful day for a road trip

Thanks to the Internet we drove through Montpelier and search for the top restaurants. As rindy drove I read aloud the reviews and we voted. SALT.  It is a tiny 16-seater with locally sourced ingredients and a menu that changes regularly. Dad would have loved the short ribs and we loved everything we ate. A delightful and tasty choice. Equally in the middle of nowhere. But if you find yourself there - we recommend it and give it a 5 star rating.

Back to Montreal. In candor we drove many a mile, but our goal was to spend time together talking and once you get your 'Road Warrior" mindset. Its as easy to talk in a car as any where.

Montreal - did it look the same? Its funny how much I remembered and how much I forgot. The french slide back easily, my conjugation reeked, but the core was there. Remembering streets and roads, and areas just didn't happen for me. I remembered the teaching highlights of the mission.

We stayed in a downtown Marriott on the 34th floor and had a panoramic view of the City. It provided a quick orientation of where what was. Saturday morning we arose early and went walking the old city of Montreal. There is no better fashion, at least in our view, to quickly get a feel for a city than to walk it. WE came across the shooting of a movie set in the 19th century and they had quite a few buggies going back and forth; went to the cathedral and out to the harbor and though the town.

Afterward we drove over to the Temple and enjoyed  a session together;  Clearly, there was no temple there back in 73.It is the same make and model as the St Paul, only done right, with added space for coats, waiting, eating - go figure - glad to see them apply the acquired wisdom. I visited with a few people that I knew and enjoyed reconnecting.

We followed the temple with a drive up to Mont Tremblant. (check the link out their photos are better than mine)I never knew Quebec and such hilly (small mountainous) terrain. It was beautiful. The city itself was about 2 - 2 1/2 hours north of Montreal. We stayed in a small  village reminiscent to a vail or a park city but quainter and more european.

Might as well fess up here and now. We thoroughly enjoyed Quebec and would go back. It has multiple enjoyable venues and  has the benefit of being foreign all the while being very close. The shops were as they should be a once again we were more than pleased with the food. We were guided right and simply enjoyed .

the next leg of the journey was to another place I had never been - Quebec City. Lots of one-way roads made navigation a bit tricky but we figured it out. We stayed in the heart of the town and walked the evening in a light mist while finding an outdoor skating rink which in turn led to us discovering another great restaurant _ we did remarkably well in the food department this trip. The morning was spent wondering the old city, over looking the St Laurence, cathedrals and forts. It was great.

The trip reminded us once again that we are first and foremost friends who enjoy each other's company, we are complementary travel companions, and still in love. 

Mysteries of vernacular

Words have always had a fascination to me. I think the origin lies in my father having a large OED sitting in the kitchen adjacent the table; and so as we conversed at meal time he would and could drop a Bon mot whose meaning escaped me at which point he would refuse to define it but would insist that I dive into the dictionary and extract the true and contextual meaning from its depths.

My most remembered experience of this came on the morning of my taking the ACT. I was preparing eggs on the stove top and father corrected my use of tines in the process insisting that they be parallel to the bottom of the pan for optimal results. I foolishly asked what a tine was, I say foolishly for by this time his habit of sending me to the dictionary was well entrenched, and he sent me to the dictionary once again insisting that to do so would allow me to master and own the word - I did. Imagine my surprise when a few hours later, literally the first word in the vocabulary section of the ACT was to define tine. I knew that I would own that section of the test.

The interest in words continued in college where my senior year lunch group, would sit around the table and play stump the chump. We'd compete with each other to know a word that no one in the group could define. If you won the others bought your lunch. I won many a Monday lunch that way.
It was a great game. This game led to many another game of Boggle, Scrabble, Quiddler, and Words with Friends.

I enjoy reading about words, their etymology, usage or a well turned expressio. The Atlantic, long a source of engaging word articles recently review The Mysteries of vernacular. "Using paper cutouts and stop-motion animation, the delightful and informative Mysteries of Vernacular series brings the pages of antique books to life to tell the stories of everyday words." The article (click) is well worth the read.; but if you don't have time at least watch this video clip: