A Response to Jamie

It’s been a very, very long time since I’ve put up a new post.  But Jamie left a comment on the “My Story” page, and my response got so long and involved, I thought it deserved its own post.  So Jamie, here are my thoughts:

Hooray Technology!

So… as a result of paying Uncle Sam too much in taxes this year, I received an artificial windfall this month (see, it’s artificial because it was my money all along, and if I’d figured my taxes more precisely, I could have stuck the same amount in the bank and earned interest myself instead of donating it to government pork; whether I actually would have done so is a topic we will leave for another day).   Anyway, we got some extra money, and I’d been wanting to get one of these little Eee PCs for months.  So Mrs. Sweet relented, and I ordered it.

With the exception of the funky right shift key, I am extremely pleased with this ultra-portable little wonder.  It’s just the right size to pull out and use on the short bus ride to work (the ride is short, not the bus).  Does that mean I will be posting more frequently, since now I can type up my posts while I pontificate on the bus?  Well, theoretically it does.  Even with the annoying right shift key, it’s certainly easier to use than the Blackberry.  Of course, even the two or three regular readers I had seem to have dropped off as my blogging became very irregular.  So I don’t know that anybody will read this.  But I’m fairly certain I still have some things to say.  In any case, I know that I still struggle with  gender issues, so my “journey” is not over yet.  So here we go…

Blogday PEC 24 Black President Memristor

I made my first post on Jan. 11, 2008, exactly one year ago yesterday.  And now, exactly 1 year, 1 week, and 2 days after my first post, we will be inaugurating our first black president.  Coincidence?  I think not, and here’s why.  For something to be a “coincidence,” there has to be at least some apparent connection.  In this case, there is nothing that even has the least hint of a connection.  So I cannot take (blame/credit) for the election of Barack Obama, or really any other important event of the past year, such as the invention (finally) of the memristor.

So You Had a Bad Day

Elder David A. Bednar was called to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles in October Conference of 2004, filling one of the two places vacated when Elders Neal A. Maxwell and David B. Haight passed away. Elder Bednar’s powerful and eloquent speaking style made him a favorite among Church members. And at the April 2005 Conference, Elder Bednar gave a talk titled “The Tender Mercies of the Lord,” that became an instant classic.

Crayola Doesn’t Make a Color for Your Eyes

So sometimes I have to go into work on Saturday to try to keep up with my hours. This is always a bummer, because I would much rather spend my Saturday with my family. But today was one of those Saturdays. And I was kind of down when I finally got off the bus at about 5:30 this afternoon. But in the approximately 5 minutes it takes me to drive from the bus stop to home, I was listening to NPR (yes, I actually have NPR as a preset on my radio—you have to know what the other side is thinking) and “A Prairie Home Companion” was on.

Proof

This is a new feature on my blog I call “Proof that despite gender issues, and despite knowing, for example, a wedge from a pump, Sweetisthepeace is not, in fact, a woman.” I expect this to be a regular feature (meaning as likely as not, this is the only time you’ll see it).

1. Sweetisthepeace cannot wrap Christmas presents. At least not prettily.

Concern for the One

I have seen many tributes to Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin in the last day and a half. I don’t know that I have a lot to add, but I’ll share my few thoughts. I see around me a world filled with hate. We have on the one hand certain right-wing groups that call themselves “Christians” but seem to hate everybody who does not look, think, act, and believe exactly as they do. On the other hand we have the left-wing groups who are vandalizing churches to protest intolerance (intolerance being defined as “anybody who does not share my world view”).

When Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin died, the world lost a much-needed voice of love and compassion.

Christmas Trees

For the past ten years, Christmas trees have been an ongoing source of friction between my wife and me. I always had a real tree growing up, and I love the smell, and the full, irregular look of real trees. She always had a fake tree, and since she’s about one step short of Adrian Monk, she REALLY likes that they don’t drop needles. Our first two Christmases, we had a little fake tree because we were just in a little apartment. But after we bought our first house, she consented to get a real tree since we had more room. And since then, I’ve managed to convince her to get a real tree. Every year, she says, “This is the last year I’m going to do this.” Fortunately, our kids have grown up with the real trees, so they like them, which gave me a little leverage to keep the tradition alive. The girls feel like regular connoisseurs as we poke through the trees, looking for just the right size, smell, and color.

This is the moment I finally and probably permanently lost the battle:

Butterfly Crossing

This is a story I first wrote in high school.  It has evolved since then, and has sat for a long time.  Recently, I was thinking about it, so I dusted it off, revised it, and decided to go ahead and publish it here.  I’m also including it as a PDF because I think it looks nicer that way.  So open it up and view it, or just read it below:  Butterfly Crossing (PDF)

Baptism

This past Saturday was one of those moments that defines your life as a parent.  I was privileged to baptize my oldest daughter, who had just turned eight the day before.  What a glorious experience!  Here was my own child, entering into the Church and Kingdom of God.  I felt for a moment how pleased the Father must be when we keep His commandments and strive to be like Him.