Bookstore Ambiance

I hung out at a bookstore today. I had met a friend for lunch, then we wanted to find a place to chat so we walked over to Borders and sat at a table outside for an hour or so. I suppose we could easily have found a park bench, but there was something about being so close to all those books that we found strangely appealing.

Do you have a place like that - a place you comforting because of what you associate with it?

Priorities

I volunteered to be on the national bone marrow donor registry today. I wasn’t aware there was such a thing until a few weeks ago. Twin baby boys in a nearby stake have a blood disease that will claim their lives if a suitable bone marrow donor is not found soon, so all the surrounding stakes are holding drives for people to find out if their bone marrow is similar enough to the twins’ to be of use. The test is simple enough: you rub cotton swabs on the inside of your cheeks, then the swabs are sent to a lab to find out if your tissue is similar enough to that of any patients needing donors. Even if I’m not a suitable donor for the twins, my data will be kept in a registry in case it matches someone else who needs a donor.

When the drive was initially announced in church, I understood that I would need to donate blood in order to be tested. We were later informed that that wouldn't be necessary, but before I learned that I was prepared to give blood in order to be on the registry. That was a big decision for me. I absolutely-from-the-bottom-of-my-soul hate needles, and the only time I ever tried to give blood it was a traumatic and fruitless experience (they couldn’t even get enough to use what they took), but I was determined to be tested no matter what I had to go through. If my baby was sick I would be desperate for anyone and everyone to be tested, and with that on my mind there was no question that I had to go today. The odds of finding a suitable donor are long, but with God all things are possible.

Book Review - #7

Sorry I haven't posted in a while. I've spend the last couple days hanging out with a guy named Potter. Harry Potter. Maybe you've heard of him.

I'd have to say this final book is my favorite one of the bunch. It is suspenseful, sometimes heart-wrenching, and above all fascinating to see how Rowlings weaves old and new elements together into complex yet captivating story. It always surprises me how minute details and events from past books are later revealed to have enormous importance.

I think one of the most brilliant things about Rowlings' work is the balance she strikes between imperfection and inspiration. The characters’ human foibles make them both engaging and unpredictable, yet the values those imperfect protagonists strive to emulate are inspiring: family, loyalty, compassion, duty, faith.

Interestingly, the final chapters made me very grateful for the Resurrection. Whether we die young or live full lives, it is comforting to know that if we live right we will eventually find rest and be reunited with those we love.

Define "Accomplish"

Update on the bonking: I've been making brief to-do lists and trying to accept my limits, which seems to be helping. However, I often find that I'm busy all day, yet don't feel I accomplish much. I think I've finally figured out why: my definition of “accomplishing” no longer applies in my current situation.

I used to assume that finishing meant you completed a project, then set it aside forever as you moved on to something new. As a student, I finished papers, then finished classes, then finished my degrees, and so on. I also finished my mission, and finished my quest for eternal companionship.

Life isn’t so linear now that I’m a stay-home mom. The things I finish each day (study scriptures, play with Baby, tidy up, make dinner, hug husband, etc.) are right back on my to-do list the next morning. By my old definition of progress, I don’t seem to be getting anything done because I never move on to the "next thing." The new circular arrangement isn’t necessarily bad, but I need to adjust my mindset if I want to stop having weekly meltdowns.

Delish Dessert

I like food that is delicious and easy to make. Any recipe that meets those two criteria is a definite keeper in my book (assuming it's fairly good for you, too). I encountered such a recipe tonight. It's called Five Minute Fruit Parfaits from "How to Cook Without a Book" by Pam Anderson:

Five Minute Fruit Parfaits

4 cups berries, or peeled and sliced peaches
1/2 c plain yogurt (the original called for sour cream)
1/4 c brown sugar

Put 1/2 cup of fruit in each of 4 stemmed goblets or small bowls. Top each with 2 T yogurt then sprinkle each with 2 t brown sugar. Repeat layering of fruit, yogurt, and brown sugar. I like to reserve one berry for each parfait and put it on top of the last layer. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes or up to 2 hours. Serves 4.
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OK, so it's a bit of a misnomer since they're supposed to chill a lot longer than 5 minutes, but I'm not complaining. You can throw these together and pop them in the fridge before you start making dinner, and by the time you're ready for dessert you have a refreshing treat waiting for you. These were so good that if raspberries are still on sale when I drop by Vons tomorrow, I'll probably make them again. And again. And again. Mmmm . . . raspberries . . .

Bonk

I hit the wall today, figuratively speaking. It seems to happen about once a week - I think about all the things I need to do, want to do, really ought to do, ad infinitum, and it all just weighs me down like ten tons of dust bunnies and unread books. Then I cry for a few minutes, my dear husband gives supportive hugs and asks how he can help (bless his heart - as if he isn't busy enough already), then I wipe my eyes and get back to work. If I'm having a particularly rough day, we go out for dinner (you know I'm in bad shape if I don't feel like cooking).

Fortunately these minor breakdowns never last long, but the fact that they occur on such a regular basis just doesn't seem like a good thing to me. I think the best solution would be to plan my time better, so I have a clear idea what I need to do and when I'm going to do it. When I don't write my to-do list down I always imagine it's five times longer than it really is, and I live in constant fear of forgetting something--two sources of stress that could easily be avoided. Plus, planning would allow me to prioritize, so I would at least get the most crucial things done.

Of course, this is just a theory I'm still testing. If you have any thoughts, advice, jokes to lift my spirits, etc., they would be most welcome.

Movie Review - Ratatouille

Phillip and I have had terrible luck with movie theaters during our marriage. We did manage to see Narnia with my family once, but we’ve been foiled every time we’ve tried to go on our own. Either tickets are sold out, or the only seats left were on the very front row, etc. Considering how hard it is for us to find a film we both even want to see, the continual thwarting of our plans was extremely frustrating.

Bad movie luck notwithstanding, I decided to tempt fate this week and try seeing a movie with Phillip for my birthday. I was curious to see Ratatouille, a computer-animated film about a rat who wants to be a chef. It seemed a safe bet: the G rating meant no offensive junk, and Pixar has yet to produce a film I didn’t enjoy.

This time we played it safe and bought our tickets ahead of time, but we still barely made it. It took a while to find parking, and when we hurried up to the box office window they told us we were at the wrong theater. Fortunately, the right one was just down the block. We made it to our seats just as the previews began (good thing - sometimes the previews are better than the movie).

The film's moral about being yourself and trying new things was a bit heavy-handed in spots, but other than that I loved the film. Being a food enthusiast myself, I enjoyed watching the main character’s discovery and exploration of good food. I also liked the way the film encourages you to pursue your passion, whatever it may be.

One of my passions is cooking, and though I don’t necessarily aspire to be a gourmet chef, I did feel inspired to learn how to make food taste and even look better. I believe that the secret to good cooking is just mastering the fundamentals of technique and flavor coordination. That being the case, why survive on mediocre food when a little effort and know-how could make it delicious, and even beautiful?

A final note on the film: One of the characters I most identified with was a person I wholeheartedly disliked at the film’s outset. He tried to demonstrate superior knowledge through criticism, which is something I used to do and still struggle to avoid. In the end, though, the character learns to stop criticizing and start savoring both food and life. He ended up being my favorite member of the cast. I guess there’s hope for all of us.