recap: 1 - Mapleton to Oregon

Remember this?

First stop, Oregon!

Because I would be leaving directly from Salt Lake after my friend's wedding in Oregon/Washington, I had to pack my car for the trip Wednesday night. I didn't even say goodbye to Matthew and Sarah. I'm a bad sister, I know. sorry. I kept telling myself, as soon as I'm done packing the car....

I finally just started shoving things everywhere except the dashboard and my seat; it was a pretty tight fit. But, it was approaching three in the morning and I still had to drive to SLC. I made it, with a small eyeball rest at Turkey Point.

Kate and I left early Thursday morning. We were dropped off at the airport for an early flight (thanks Auntie Marki!) and made it to Portland just fine and dandy. After all the cross-country flying lately, and sans transferring planes... wow, such a nice flight. And since I've learned how to force sleep on planes, it went by even faster. It's a talent that I have been developing; it can even include sleeping through snack time and kids with short legs who constantly kick your seat.

Finding the rental car was a bit of an adventure, but that's only because I forgot the company I rented from.





But, we got the car, and made our way to what ended up being quite the fancy schmancy hotel.





Even Kate approved.



The rest of day consisted of napping, blogging about a certain incident and then heading to Red Robin for din-din, and a grocery store for road trip supplies.

Next installment: wedding bells for Hermana Heighton!

lewis to the rescue

Sometimes after three hours of listening to people not listen to each other, you just need a breather.

Thank goodness for Shasta and Bree, Aravis and Wyn.

by the way

Well, in my attempt to be social and branch out and all those good things that I need to do, I went with three other girls from the Greensboro ward to a BBQ down in South Charlotte. It was even a Pool Party to boot. (I know, you should be proud of me!) AND, I even talked and socialized, etc. etc.

Well, after becoming chilled in the pool, and having dealt with an almost case of hypothermia before, I knew it was time to get into the hot-tub. Now, the hot-tub is not my favorite in these kind of social situations, because to me, it's a chance to show off the latest bathing suit or how much you work out. I blame this on growing up in Arizona where pools are for, well, swimming.

Anyhoo, not too long after I changed locales to the hot-tub, one of the guys looks at me and says,

"Do you know who you remind me of?"

(Nope, I sure don't.)

"Tilda Swinton."

"Ya, I've been told that before."

"You know, like the White Witch in Chronicles of Narnia. ... But not so scary, of course...."

It's as if it was Musicians Guild/Early Music Ensemble all over again.

What do you think?

Tilda Swinton photo taken from IMDB.

my friend, miss austen

A response to Travis' response:

I would argue that Jane Austin is not a Romance writer in the sense of the word and definitely is not the genesis of romance works. Northranger Abbey itself seems to indicate instead that she find Romance distasteful. I believe it is the film treatments that have perhaps made Jane's works appear to be that of what one would call Romance. It is true her works do speak of love and courtship but also of many other things as well.

I do notice something interesting though. When Jane is writing there is a distinct lack of mention of the War against France though many of her stories are contemporaneous to that conflict why is this?

I agree. Most heartily. I don't think Jane is a romance writer, especially in the modern sense of the Harlequin romances. And the movies have very much played off the romantic aspects within the novel, knowing that the viewing audience is looking for something easier to digest.

I love talking about Jane Austen, because she has had such a profound influence on my life. If you were to start the orthodox version of the movie, Pride and Prejudice, I could tell you exactly where they were in the story through sound only. I'm almost that good with Persuasion, as well.

The movies are one thing - they are beautiful to behold, and they've allowed millions of women to fall madly in love with Collin Firth's Mr Darcy.

But the books, oh those glorious books!

Miss Austen is quite witty. It's in the little asides, the things that can't truly be translated. For example, when Lizzy is explaining to her father why she is accepting Mr Darcy's proposal, she relates how Mr Darcy was instrumental is resolving Lydia's marriage to Wickham. Mr Bennet finds this most fortunate, for he can offer to repay Mr Darcy, or Fitwilliam (how utterly unromantic!) but he will storm about his love for Lizzy, and that will be the end of it!

Side note: in attempting to relate the above sequence, I realized that I do not have my own copy of Pride and Prejudice. gasp!

Lastly, Travis asks why is there no mention of the wars with France.

One biography I 'read' (audible.com is fabulous!) suggested this was because Jane writes of what happens in drawing room in the middle to upper class women of society. War was not really a subject talked about. It happened, and in Lydia's case, it brought 'all the officers' near her.

I think I'm inclined to agree with this perspective. After all, how often do we talk of the very real war that is occurring in Iraq and other parts of the Middle East? I would suggest that, well, not often.

Jane wrote about peoples lives. Their daily lives with all the little conversations that make people seem so conceited and not part of the world in general. The same question could be brought up why Austen speaks nothing of religion, and when there is a religious figure in the book, more often than not, he is the object of ridicule. This too, I believe can be answered with the above reason.

pink finger-nail polish

Story time!

I'd like you all to know that I've now played for an evening concert for the International Double Reed Society annual conference. (That was too easy to make it bigger than it really was!)

Well, here's closer to the truth.

In the end of July, BYU hosted the International Double Reed Society conference. It was very much overwhelming, even whilst having really nothing to do with it, or any of the planning.

The Sunday before on a broadcast, there were two guest artists: Gordon Hunt, and Frank Morelli. They were very gracious and played fabulously.

There was a cancellation/rescheduling for one of the pieces for the evening performance, so it was suggested that the two songs from the earlier broadcast be played for those in the audience.

During the song, A Poor Wayfaring Stranger, Mr Hunt had his solo, I had a short one phrase solo on the English horn, but I knew that I was going to be on screen because the camera man guy was right in front of my face. It's always a little unnerving to have a camera right in front of you when you're playing - I mean, what if you mess up on live TV?? (Thankfully I didn't. phew.)

The way the shot worked was a close-up of my fingers on the instrument. It then pulled out showing myself and most of the instrument. All of the previous instrument shots had been of Mr Hunt, for he was, after all, the soloist. Side note: oboe and English horn look quite similar. So, you first think that it was Mr Hunt. I had decided to paint my nails a bright pink the night before.

There were a lot of worried double-reed players in the audience for a moment thinking he had pink fingernail polish.

tee hee.

Thus my pink finger nails and I had our Double-Reed Society debut.

The end.








(These pictures were captured from the actual broadcast online. Looks like I got 'play' stuck in it, too.)

to recommend or no

Before I begin, I never even shared the part of the book that I found profound.

It says, "The mark of an immature man is that he wants to die nobly for a cause, while the mark of a mature man is that he wants to live humbly for a cause." (188)

I was asked whether I would recommend Catcher in the Rye, or not. I'm trying to decide whether I can recommend this book with a clear conscience or not.

There IS a lot lot lot of swearing. And a whole lot of sexual innuendos/desires etc. You are at least saved any depiction of the act.

I'm going to tell a story instead of recommending it or not....

Once upon a time I was to read Grapes of Wrath. I couldn't get past the swearing. I didn't/couldn't read it.

Not too long ago I was able to read Catcher in the Rye, Breaking Dawn and another book I still have to talk about, that have varying levels of swearing/crude behavior and/or 'intimate relations.'

I don't know if my levels of spirituality were different at the different times, if I've become desensitized to things that I shouldn't be desensitized to, I'm not sure.

I do know that in many passages I did not spend much time in, and other times I reread sections to try and understand everything that is going on.

In support of reading good books, no matter what, is yea, seek ye out of the best books words of wisdom

So, the question is can we define a book as the best? How are we to judge if something is best for us, and that we will be able to dig through the muck, and find words of wisdom?

Wherefore, take heed, my beloved brethren, that ye do not judge that which is aevil to be of God, or that which is good and of God to be of the devil.

For behold, my brethren, it is given unto you to judge, that ye may know good from evil; and the way to judge is as plain, that ye may know with a perfect knowledge, as the daylight is from the dark night.

For behold, the Spirit of Christ is given to every man, that he may know good from evil; wherefore, I show unto you the way to judge; for every thing which inviteth to do good, and to persuade to believe in Christ, is sent forth by the power and gift of Christ; wherefore ye may know with a perfect knowledge it is of God.

But whatsoever thing persuadeth men to do evil, and believe not in Christ, and deny him, and serve not God, then ye may know with a perfect knowledge it is of the devil; for after this manner doth the devil work, for he persuadeth no man to do good, no, not one; neither do his angels; neither do they who subject themselves unto him. Moroni 7:14-17

I still think that these individual judgements are just that - individual.

Personally, at the time that I read Catcher in the Rye, I was able to find words of wisdom within (we're assuming that I haven't become too desensitized), and not dwell on the dirtier elements. I know this won't always be the case at a different times in my life. But, at the same time, I could learn similar lessons, but in a different manner from another book.

What do you all think? I know many of you have experience from class where you probably had to read borderline books. What did you do, and how did you deal with things that very well could have been, or possibly were offensive? All advice is wanted!



For those who want more than philosophizing!

Nitty gritty details specifically about Catcher: If I were to rate the book, I'd definitely give it a PG13 rating for inordinate amounts of swearing, and sexuality by a 16 year old boy. Oh, and underage drinking and smoking. Possible instance of attempted pedophilia. The tone, too, is fairly depressing.

You can see why this is a book on the banned books list quite often, but it is also on lists for being taught quite often, too!

If you want more details, such as which words are used more often, etc. etc., let me know, and I can give you an even more specific idea of the book.

interesting thoughts

How to Be a Good Reader, part 1: the reader's responsibility, and part 2: the author's responsibility.

book: catcher in the rye

I read this one last Saturday night instead of going to sleep, which I really should of done, because we began 8:30am church the next day. (You read that right - 8:30AM!)

I kept telling myself, one more chapter, then stop, especially since I still had to write in my journal, read my scriptures and all those good things.

I've never really had much self control when it comes to reading. The only divisions in books that I'll possibly respect are books within the book, or the last page.

I had never read this book before, though I did recognize the title as a book that I probably should read at least once in my life. I think, having read it, I would like to reread it at some laster date, so perhaps I can find what the book was really all about.

But, there were some themes that I could definitely relate to, the biggest of which was to not be a phony.

It would be an interesting exercise to count the number of times Holden Caulfield says the word phony.

He has a good point, though. But there are times when we are all phonies, but if we could limit the time when acting so, life we would be much more pleasant and enjoyable.

Also, I really really dislike swearing. I've been inundated by foul language from every quarter, and nothing's Sacred. I was grateful that Holden at least didn't use F***. He had at least some class, going even so far as to remove it from walls at his old/his sister's current school.

I loved how the book didn't try to tie everything up - sometimes I like the neat tidy endings, but I think in this case it didn't need one. We know he has learned a lot about the world, and we know that he could very easily succeed in whatever he put his mind to - the question is if he will allow himself to do that, to begin to live again. I hope he does, for Allie's sake, and for his sake.

You know that for as messed up and depressed as he is, all he really wants to do is to help others. We learn this through his misquoting of the Burn's Poem. I read the Burns poem and didn't see what it had to do with the narrative, and I'm thinking nothing - it was the visual image he liked. Standing on the edge of a cliff, ready to catch any poor kid who come charging through the rye, not knowing about the cliff.

I read some wiki analyses of the book, and how at times he was the catcher, but he and his sister change roles, etc etc. I don't know if I agree with them, but I can't really remember what I thought, knowing that is was influenced by the other perspective as soon as I read it. Silly wikipedia. I really should stay away sometimes.