Great news

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints often announces its three-fold mission:

1. Preach the Gospel
2. Perfect the Saints
3. Redeem the Dead

Every nonprofit organization has a mission statement and this unofficial one coined by Spencer W. Kimball has guided church funding and activities since 1981. It has been confirmed that the church is adding a fourth fold to its already three-fold mission of the church:

4. Help the Poor and the Needy

Because it's hard to feel the spirit or of God's love when your most basic needs are not met
Because the act of helping others in need perfects us as we fulfill our baptismal covenants
Because Christ did, and asked us to do likewise

I would love to delve into the political implications of such a statement, and thrash any of those morons who believe in any level of deserved poverty crap, but I'm going to simply say that I'm excited. "Caring for the poor and needy has always been a basic tenet of the Church," said LDS Church spokesman Scott Trotter, this is simply a reminder that it is our responsibility.

Traveling Responsibly in Burma

I'm going to Burma in 19 days and it's giving me anxiety. I don't usually get too stressed about travel itineraries and over-planning when I go abroad. I never buy guidebooks and cringe at the idea of booking a tour operator. Give me a good 3-4 days of internet surfing and I have a handful of possible travel routes worked out. But not with Burma. 12 days there is stressing me out. I'm not worried about safety (I'm well connected and well protected), or expenses (I'm more or less rolling in dough) or hitting all the sites in my limited amount of time (seen one or two, seen 'em all... sort of).

Here's the thing. I believe that as citizens of the world, we have a duty to travel responsibly. We shouldn't flaunt our wealth or enforce our culture upon the areas we visit. We should make an effort to at least learn Hello and Thank You in whatever languages we can, and then some. And we shouldn't go to places we're not welcome.

That last one is what's got me all riled up and ready for a guilt complex. Aung San Suu Kyi (Burmese political leader [and Nobel Peace Prize Laureate] currently under house arrest [for fighting for democracy. How dare she!] made a statement requesting that tourists stay out of Burma for now. Travel money goes straight to the hands of the military junta running the place.

72% of people polled here said travelers should avoid Burma. Another report cites, "The military dictatorship is eager to encourage tourism, and tries hard to present an attractive image to the world." (link) I don't want my money spent on ammunition, oppression or the lavish wedding of General Than Shwe's daughter.

But there is a flip side. Many pro-Burma organizations (like the Free Burma Coalition) say that travel to Myanmar, when done responsibly, is a good thing. It brings outside influence to an otherwise isolated people (good, not in an ethnocentric way, but in that they can see that what they endure is not normal and shouldn't be accepted), awareness to the outside (as long as travelers are aware and spread the word upon their return home), and if done right, some say that just 2 percent of travel funds could end up in the hands of the junta. Lu Maw, one of the Mustache Brothers (famous Burmese satirists) said, "We need many ears, many eyes. The regime is rich - if tourists don't come it makes no difference to them. But it does to us." (link)

So I'm going. And planning, more than I ever have for a trip, to make sure that I do it right.


This Damien Rice song was written for Aung San Suu Kyi. There used to be a great video on YouTube with video of her in action interposed with Damien and Lisa singing (their voices sounded better too) but alas, copyright issues and this live version isn't bad.

Go Damien and hygiene. Maybe that's why Lisa Hannigan left you for a decent (US-Bound) solo career.

All I want for Christmas..

How is it that this is still and will always be the best non-hymn Christmas song?


An added bonus to the video is a pre-skanky Mariah Carey and go-go dancers in lit Christmas tree frames.

Bring On The Christmas Cheer

I always resent finals season, not for (should-be) long study hours (or actual study escape daytime TV binges) but because it takes away from the Christmas season. Growing up, Thanksgiving 'til New Years was guaranteed to be filled with Christmas spirit/activities and now I have to work a lot more for it. Energy that should be spent doorbell ditching goodies and building gingerbread mansions is spent reading, reviewing and testing. It might also have something to do with crap college apartment decorations that don't measure up to home, having the season split in two with traveling home, and the fact that my last four Christmases I've been in kind of a funk (just home from Africa and angry at materialism, in Thailand where there isn't Christmas, just home from Thailand and depressed at post-mission life, and round one of empty nester parents/post-dramatic breakup).

The Christmas season this year has had the potential of being very bah humbug but I'm not going to let it. I'm not going home, but rather working a ton (time and half at the MTC means oodles of play money in Asia) and spending it with my sister and her family (my favorite people on earth). I get to prep for my trip, hibernate with Brooke and for the first time in my life, I may have a White Christmas (I saw that movie last week by the way, and it is not that good, nor is it really much about Christmas. Lame.)



Christmas music has been great respite from all the cold and school hating I've been doing, especially the Sufjan Stevens version of Holy, Holy, Holy (30+ plays this week alone). It talks (sings?) quite a bit about the Trinity, a belief which I don't ascribe to (I believe the Godhead are three separate personages), but I've taken the (non-copyright endorsed) liberty to change the lines about the Trinity to ones I actually believe in (I don't think the writer would be too happy about it because the song was actually written for Trinity Sunday, but this means a lot more to me). Actually, when I sing along (there's a really pretty, subtle harmony line), it's different every time. Adjusted lyrics go something like this:

Holy, holy, holy! Lord God Almighty
Early in the morning our song shall rise to Thee;
There is a sign at the sight of thee, merciful and mighty
Blessed Redeemer (x3) love for eternity

Holy, holy, holy! Though the darkness hide Thee,
Though the eye of sinful man Thy glory may not see;
Only Thou art holy; there is none beside Thee,
Perfect in pow’r (x3) in love, and purity

Holy, holy, holy! Lord God Almighty
All Thy works shall praise Thy Name, in earth, and sky, and sea;
Holy, holy, holy; merciful and mighty
Born Christmas morning (x3) in peace and humility
or Praising his mercy(x3) Faith, love and charity

Text: Reginald Heber (1783-1826)
Music: John Baccus Dykes

Merry Christmas Season!

The Whole Fam Damily, pt. 1

When Brent and Mia set the date for their wedding to be the Saturday after Thanksgiving, I immediately pictured long tables topped with mismatched tablecloths and Chinet event paper plates because we had to make room for everyone. Scratch that everyone, make that Everyone (the capital E makes a difference). Extended family and close friends from both sides were sure to be there. Sure enough, family and friends came in droves for the red-letter day and I got big hugs from cousins, sincere talks with aunts and uncles, and enough whirlwind chaos to last me a while. In fact, Thanksgiving was big enough that we had to have it at the church. Don't worry, my mom made about a hundred trips to Safeway and I think we came home from the meal with a full turkey, cooked and ready for leftovers.

The best part of Thanksgiving day was Karaoke. Yes, Karaoke. Brent and Brian are always talking about it (it was even all set up for after Grandpa's funeral. It didn't make it into the program, not for lack of appropriateness to the occasion but rather a lack of adequate sound system). I don't think I've ever really sung karaoke but I got first run as the boys were setting it up. We are the Champions. What better karaoke is there than Queen, right? The further I got into the song (and more dramatically I sang), heads popped into the room one by one until I had a bonafide crowd. I won't go into the setlist for the Karaoke party but rest assured, it was awesome- and I'm positive Mia's family thinks we're crazy.

It was a party. Pictures:

My debut

Boys rocking out (I think also to Queen)

Dad and Aunt Paula

Babies playing house

Cute Hart girls

Pt. 2 might take a while.

Diamond Dan and my exceptional driving

Side note: Driving back from the airport tonight there was a moment where I signaled to change lanes one lane to the left. At the same time, a van two lanes over signaled right to move to the same spot I was headed. Both vehicles waited for a moment, waiting for the other to make the more aggressive move. After that moment, both vehicles unblinkered and the van sped up and I slowed down and then proceeded to change lanes. I though to myself first, how great that cars have this built-in system of protection against collision; second, I'm glad we were both actually using it; and third, my handlebar mustachioed driver's ed instructor Dan (we called him Diamond Dan, named after the Driver's Ed School he ran [rhyme not on purpose]) and the chain-smoking drive-along supervisor, Margarita would be proud of me today.

**I have so much to do this week. Update on Thanksgiving and Brent's wedding are stewing**

pretty tree

There's a tree outside my window that is in all ways possible, perfect- just as tall as our house and wide enough at my second story level that I can't quite see how broad it stretches. I appreciated the tree when I moved in and it was green, mostly because it blocks the view of any potential pervs across the street from seeing into our bedroom. This means I can keep the blinds open and the room as light as I like it without worry of a peeping Tom. My appreciation of the tree has now sky-rocketed because it is not just a functional privacy-keeper, but because it is just beautiful. Fall changes have turned it deep red and at the risk of sounding cheesy, it really is comment-on-its-beauty-out-loud-to-no-one (and on a blog) breath-taking. All I've got is a camera-phone picture. It does it no justice, but it'll have to do now that winter has taken over.

H - A - Double L - O - W - Double E - N

I usually have high expectations for Halloween and I'll be honest, they are rarely met. It's a holiday, like New Year's Eve, that I imagine is way more fun with just a little bit of alcohol. This year though, I figured out that my problem isn't a lack of liquor but a lack of proper holiday spirit. When you grab leftover clothes from the back of your closet you feel like you're dressed up as a Goodwill grab bag, regardless of how much that bathrobe looks like a ninja robe or how much puff paint you add to your eye mask. So, in the spirit of Halloween- and to keep me on the sobriety wagon- this year I decided to put some effort into my costume.

The inspiration for my 80's rocker outfit was the badass pouf ponytail I've been dreaming about for months (think Rihanna big on a runway, but longer and 20 years ago). Throw in massive amounts of eyeliner, bright red lipstick that made it through two showers before it finally faded and some rockin wear (Thank you Forever 21 for still selling black and gold stretch pants in 2009) and voila! I'm a rockstar.

Brooke channeled Joan Jett in a Stones tee, Mary had a black and gold tutu and Dallas was in a one-piece racer costume and denim vest. My math tells me that that much spandex in one car makes a rock band.

I even look mean!
There are 2 curlers, 2 bent up toilet paper rolls and a half a can of hairspray keeping that volume

Less mean, but still hard core.

Oddly enough, the music playing in my head while dressing up was was less Heart and Pat Benatar and more Scissor Sisters, Music is the Victim and a lot of rockin Beck.

Happy Halloween.

And PS. I can't adequately describe how happy I am that it's not snowing yet.