Quote of the Day: Lighthouse

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Blogging is Time Consuming

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Blogging is time consuming. Even for someone unencumbered by responsibilities like spouses, offspring, or pets, there are only so many hours in the day to balance the many demands placed, or self-imposed, upon me. I am invariably dropping one ball or another in the great juggling act of life (sorry friends). I also want to experience things and be present in my life and not a slave to social media and this blog.

As technology has shifted to new mediums, I have seen some blogs shift completely away from this forum and/or be taken down from the Internet (I really hope they saved them in one form or another). Other have managed to somehow integrate networking streams and their lives a little more successfully than me. It's hard not to compare and contrast lots in life and to feel inferior to other people and their many accomplishments, presented both in real life and on the web.

I keep coming  back to my reasons for doing this in the first place - documenting my life for future generations.

It is not for revenue streams.
It is not for readership statistics.
It is not to compete in a popularity contests.
It is not a platform for a book/television/movie deal.
It is for my nieces and nephews and their offspring.

Yesterday evening, between the baking marathon that helps me de-stress and honestly, to bribe various people to like me, and the phone calls to some friends and family, I managed to catch up on some reading of an online periodical. I SHOULD have been finishing the Refrigerator Roll Recipe and/or "banking" more posts for the week, but I was prompted (I realize now) to catch up on my reading.

It was to find this article in the Deseret News. It was to extract these quotes to keep me on track and remember WHY I am doing this -- to keep me motivated to keep this blog going despite time constraints, writer's block, the dearth of readers, and the fact that it this a very public forum and I am actually a very private person.

Now, I don't usually post too many faith-heavy entries, but this one will definitely have a Mormon-slant, and I'll do my best to post links to explain the jaragon. The themes, however, are universal.

With thanks to the article’s writer, Trent Toone. The full article was published on February 21, 2013, and may be found at http://www.deseretnews.com/article/print/865573684/Tips-guidelines-and-principles-How-to-write-a-personal-history-your-posterity-cant-put-down.html 

Copyright 2013, Deseret News Publishing Company

Extracted for length and pertinence, all phrases bolded for emphasis are done by me and not in the original article. 

Tips, guidelines and principles: How to write a personal history your posterity can't put down

By Trent Toone, Deseret News, February 21, 2013

Regarding the book: “More To Your Story: Discover the Powerful Experiences You’re Already Having” by LDS Church leader, Elder W. Craig Zwick and his wife, Jan. Elder Zwick is a member of the First Quorum of the Seventy [See the hyperlinks for definitions of these LDS terms].

“…We believe it is impossible to overestimate the influence our own stories can have on us, our children and future generations,” the Zwicks wrote in the book’s introduction. “But if we and those we love are to benefit from these moments, we would be wise to ‘Treasure up … the words of life’ (Doctrine and Covenants 84:85), write them down and frequently recount them — thus making them part of our family lore and heritage.”

“There is power in teaching true principles the same way we learned them,” Elder Zwick said. “The purpose of all of us in mortality is to learn through our experiences, whatever they may be. Stories infuse our life with meaning. We are here to learn from our experiences. … For the experience to be meaningful to you, it needs to be verbalized or written. … Until you speak or write about it, it doesn’t have power in your life.”

Once an experience has been identified, don’t get too hung up on details or flowery words, focus on the feelings that were felt, Elder Zwick said.

“The real essence of the experience is what we felt in our heart,” Elder Zwick said. “It is not so much what you write, but the idea is to convey a feeling.”

For help on deciding what is appropriate and what isn’t, Elder Zwick pointed out two scriptures in the Book of Mormon.

Alma 37:8 states, “And now, it has hitherto been wisdom in God that these things should be preserved; for behold, they have enlarged the memory of this people, yea, and convinced many of the error of their ways, and brought them to the knowledge of their God unto the salvation of their souls.”

In 3 Nephi 27:23, it reads: “Write the things which ye have seen and heard, save it be those which are forbidden.”...

Notable author, Lee Nelson also has this wisdom about documenting your life …

… Nelson wrote: “How many departed souls are regretting that they didn’t write something down before it was too late? How frustrated are they that the too-brief stories of their lives, often written by people who didn’t know them, miss the mark by such a great distance?”

As he wrote his own story, his life made more sense.

“I began to see pattern and purpose instead of accidents and dead ends,” Nelson wrote. “As I wrote about regrets and mistakes … I began to see some of these events as wonderful learning opportunities preparing me for future events.”

Writing a personal history is not like writing an algebra textbook, he wrote, it is nothing more, or less, than telling stories of your life. Some are short and funny and some are longer and more serious. Sometimes you explain at the end of a story what you learned, sometimes you don’t, he wrote.

“There is no secret,” Nelson wrote, “It’s not hard, but it does take time and attention, usually over several years. It might go faster if I do it for you, but it might be better if you do it yourself. After all, you are the one who did all the research.

“The elements in great stories, the stories that never die, are the same elements we see in our own lives. The great stories parallel the lives of human beings. All of us are reluctant heroes or heroines engaged in life’s journey.”

Also from the News:

Elder Dennis B. Neuenschwander
"A life that is not documented is a life that within a generation or two will largely be lost to memory. What a tragedy this can be in the history of a family. Knowledge of our ancestors shapes us and instills within us values that give direction and meaning to our lives." (General Conference, April 1999) [AN note: emphasis my own]

And so, onward ... to keep trying to keep this up, to keep writing the stories, documenting the milestones, and articulating the oddities that are my life.

~ Auntie Nettie

Photo of the Day: Hold to the Rod

Ye Olde Homestead, Connecticut House Decades of clasping to our family's own iron rod kept us safely passing up and down the stories of our home - sometimes with the tune echoing through our heads. (This stoop was also "my office" all through middle and high school, where I was allowed to make my 10-20 minute phone calls.) Boldly 1. To Nephi, seer of olden time, A vision came from God, Wherein the holy word sublime Was shown an iron rod. [Chorus] Hold to the rod, the iron rod; ’Tis strong, and bright, and true. The iron rod is the word of God; ’Twill safely guide us through. 2. While on our journey here below, Beneath temptation’s pow’r, Through mists of darkness we must go, In peril ev’ry hour. 3. And when temptation’s pow’r is nigh, Our pathway clouded o’er, Upon the rod we can rely, And heaven’s aid implore. 4. And, hand o’er hand, the rod along, Through each succeeding day, With earnest prayer and hopeful song, We’ll still pursue our way. 5. Afar we see the golden rest To which the rod will guide, Where, with the angels bright and blest, Forever we’ll abide. Text: Joseph L. Townsend, 1849–1942 Music: William Clayson, 1840–1887 1 Nephi 8:21–24
	21. And I saw numberless concourses of people, many of whom were pressing forward, that they might obtain the path which led unto the tree* by which I stood. 22. And it came to pass that they did come forth, and commence in the path which led to the tree.				23. And it came to pass that there arose a mist of darkness; yea, even an exceedingly great mist of darkness, insomuch that they who had commenced in the path did lose their way, that they wandered off and were lost. 24. And it came to pass that I beheld others pressing forward, and they came forth and caught hold of the end of the rod of iron; and they did press forward through the mist of darkness, clinging to the rod of iron, even until they did come forth and partake of the fruit of the tree. *The Tree of Life

Summer Scenes 2012: Commuting Views Part 3

Walking to the train has been a bit erratic lately, just like me, the weather, and my schedule. However, when I have been walking, it's been interesting to see the little things the Big Apple reveals along the way.

Things like this hidden park nestled in the midst of a busy Midtown set of office towers. Scenes like this make me wish I could paint. The waterfall wall and the summer light had such a glow that the moment really needs to be rendered like an Impressionist painting. The iTouch camera almost captures it that way, with no filters required.

Where were these crystal clear skies when I was walking during Summer Streets? No haze really shows off the various facets of the various kinds of architecture.

As you wander the streets you can get some wonderful decorating ideas for your home or office (If you don't fear picking up bedbugs or some other "thing," you could actually take the things home.)

Why cart around clothes in a suitcase? In New York, you carry around books (or bodies).

Within inches of this book sale, you could get a soda out of the fridge, and then take a seat. Literally. You could take a seat.

New Yorkers eke out as much liveable spaces as possible. If your landlord is lenient (or the Fire Marshall hasn't cracked down), your fire escape can become a garden. The tenants in the picture on the right has creaked a patio, complete with a picket fence, furniture, and a grill.

Sometimes the art you see is a bit hare-brained, but then you see a wall that you totally wish you could copy in your own home.

I walked by this charming piece twice before I actually remembered to stop and take a picture. It was meant to be sculptural, but you could create something like this from an old bike and baskets and spray paint. Look at the votive jars. The rear basket is filled with corks.

Typos aside, cute sign. New Yorkers love their dogs.

This pup had his own care bear to take care of his boo-boo.

What I also love about New Yorkers is that they just do their business anywhere, anytime, no matter what. Glare from ballerina reads: Just toting my tutu - you gotta problem widdat?

Advertising is not always representative of the quality of the dining experience or the food. Take Island Burgers and Shakes: nondescript marquee, apparently really good food. It's on my Island Hopping agenda for sure, but not the burgers, (darn you e coli), the chicken. On the other hand, sometime prioritizing your marketing message is important.

Too many drinks though, and anyone starts to look like a hard chiseled body. "Hey, I just met you, and this is crazy. But here's my number, so call me maybe"

Despite the name, I found a lot of religious message scattered throughout Hell's Kitchen.

I don't really hold much with horoscopes, though the day I wrote this up, two were pretty appropriate:

Whatever has transpired this week, it's time to let go of any intense or negative energy and clear your mind. During these periods of relaxation, when you allow your mind to go into a different space, you can subliminally sort through any issues.

Some things will never change and you need to accept that fact. You may be one of those people who want to improve the lives of others, but you've got to be sensible about it. Even an Aquarius can only do so much.

I do need to reflect upon these, and then let the exercise and the river wash away the stress.

Acts 2:19 And I will shew wonders in the heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath.

Signs from God

Even the sign is ministering ...

I just thought this was appropriate for a Friday the 13th.

Cool Cousins in the Media

So, I don't usually use this forum to proselytize so much, but I'm making an exception. Because this time it's about family, and when it come to family, you tend to want to brag.

Meet my cousin Josh. (Actually my mother's first cousin's son Josh. So, that makes him my cousin, once removed, or something like that. WHATEVS. He's family.)

My cousin Josh seems to be cooler than most of the whole extended family tree put together. Josh is a skateboarder and photographer, and one of the real people selected to put a face on Mormons in a new public relations campaign.

Ironically, although Josh and I both live and work in and near New York, we've never actually met. How sad is that? He's too cool for me anyway, so it's just as well.

Go here to learn more about my cousin Josh Maready, his/our faith, and to get more information about The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, aka Mormons.