Interesting reads and flaccid television

It's one of my ambitions to butcher my own meat, at least once in my life. I want to run the whole gauntlet of meats; beef, pork, chicken, and venison (I stick to land animals because I have no taste for fish). The whole reason I want to do this is to understand where my meat comes from and up to this point I didn't know how to describe this desire. Part of the allure of this article is that I helps me to better form this line of thinking and perhaps peg a name for it, "Ethical butchering". In part this stems from my dad choosing not to eat meat (really he's a pescatarian) and the poring over the reasons why. Heck it also wouldn't hurt when things hit the fan and we're hunting down beasts for food, then I will know how to cut an nice t-bone. Check out the Ethical Butchers blog.


http://wweek.com/editorial/3552/13275/

One of the most important priorities I see in America is education. Bar none, the resources that we have in a person's mind is limitless and using education can help tap that marvelous resource. We have long seen minds go to waste due a lack of opportunity and this article inspired me to desire change. It's one of those things that in the scheme of things will require a lot of investment up front but will pay dividends for years to come.

http://www.oregonlive.com/news/oregonian/steve_duin/index.ssf/2009/11/greg_goodman_wants_hope_schola.html

What's up with Heroes? Brynn and I caught up with it all through our love of watching shows on Netflix but now I almost wished I hadn't. Spoiler alert, no one (important) ever dies! And the show drags on... and the plot is convoluted (and mind you I understand that going into it but I chose to ignore it because "Look! There are people with superpowers on tv!") Oh, did I mention no one ever dies? And Zachary Quinto you're so full of yourself. Just answer me why won't anyone die?

The weekend and pizza

I love Mississippi Pizza. They offer some of the best pizza in the city (though like a lot of the specialty shops they are grossly expensive, twenty one bucks for a pepperoni when you can get a cheese from Rovente's for a mere eight) and one of the most eclectic lineups for entertainment choices. I know that throughout the week they offer karaokee (at least they used to as I have some firsthand knowledge), quiz shows, and a spelling bee but every once and while bands sneak in there to play shows. This is is what (for me) Portland is about. Any night of the week is open (once Brynn has her birthday) to go out and enjoy the sounds of the city. What makes these dulcet tones better are when your friends are the ones producing them as you can take pride in their sublime skills (yes you do detect a hint of jealousy). On a night usually reserved for work, Brynn and I found ourselves with no commitments and at the Atlantis Lounge (part of Mississippi Pizza) listening to Canoe (or half of). I got to know Matt and Sofia back when (there were part of "If bears were bees")we were in the branch and with interest have been able to follow them (as much as one can with the whole mission thing, exile in Salem, etc) so it was good to reconnect with them and what they have been up to. They played a wonderful set, trying out a few new songs and I think that Brynn and I agree that Matt's voice is one that would lull you to a sweet dreamy sleep. So glad we went after a year of quiet (last concert was Mason Jennings in Eugene).
Speaking of returns to old haunts, Sunday saw a special event occur that may happen only once in a lifetime. A papal eclipse. While I was sharing my feelings of gratitude Frank (acting Pope) entered the Vatican creating the ultimate line of power during the Vatican's Thanksgiving. After years of plans, dreams, backstabbing, wars, and empty promises (roller coaster in the front yard, anyone?) it was good to be back among friends giving and receiveing a little love (also known as Marion Berry pie and just about every delicious food that I could stuff in my mouth), the Vatican will always have a special place in my heart.
Have a Happy Thanksgiving my peeps. Perhaps a leftovers potluck this weekend?

Odds and Ends

My life is pretty simple. Consisting of school, riding the bus, work, riding the bus, and home. Oh yeah and riding the bus. One of my favorite things about bus culture is the fact that you can almost always find a newspaper free on the bus. It's an unspoken code amongst readers that when you're done with it, get rid of it. Just the other day as I was waiting for the bus at Fred Meyer I decided to kill time by eating and reading, after I had plunked down Mr. Washington for a paper I approached the deli only to find some kind reader had left their paper for the next traveler. Dang it. But with the advent and implementation of new technologies such as e-readers and smart phones, where will the beloved tradition end up?
Our nephew Michael is so cute. Audrey has habit of sending me pictures and videos (I think because I am the only one who can receive them that actually cares about the whipper snapper, though my dad would be all over that i'm sure). I am very excited for Thanksgiving so we can go and hang out with the family. Oh yeah, and so I can eat my heart out. Mmmmm.... food.
Read an article in the paper yesterday (which I got for free) about the HOPE scholarship, a program in Georgia which guarantees that any graduating senior with at least a 3.0 would have a full ride to any one of the state schools. Meaning F-R-E-E. The author of the article was suggesting the Oregon do what it takes to implement a similar program like the twenty other states who modeled their program after Georgia's. In comparing spending (the money comes from state lottery dollars) they showed that Georgia spent nearly FIVE times as much on higher education than Oregon (nearly half a billion dollars). Now that's impressive but what was more impressive was the feeling I got when finishing the article the author mentioned that if we wanted to get involved that all we had to do was call his friend, who's number he listed. I had never felt as I did when I read this article, the newspaper is much for stirring feelings for me, but without I doubt this is the kind of vision I want for Oregon (and really the world). I believe everyone who works hard in High School (and really... a 3.0 isn't that hard) should have that opportunity. I knew at one time Philomath did this for it's graduating seniors thanks to a generous grant from some wealthy townspeople but I would love to see the barriers to education be lowered, that money shouldn't be the deciding factor if they are willing to put in the work. Anyway I think i'll be calling this guy up and trying to help any way I can.

The bubble

Brynn is sick, all I say is boooooooooooooo! It's our first real sick day and she had to call in which made her feel bad because she's not practically dying. I totally understand the desire to work but then again I am the stickler for trying to get others healthy. Always the double standard that i've lived by, hacking and sputtering around doing whatever needs to be done but it's pains me when others are ill because of the helplessness that it brings to me, not being able to fix the problem a feeling of impotence creeps through my system. Darn germs.
The bubble burst today as a guy talked to me on the bus, headphones and all. We boarded the bus and apparently i've ridden with him before because I was informed of a pretty extensive medical history including the stress that sitting down for prolonged periods of time puts upon your bladder. Go figure.

In God We Trust

The evolution of the country, of humanity in general is an interesting thing. Because in this day and age you never know what will be important or who will make an impact upon mankind, I've always wanted to be a time traveler so that I could experience what life had to offer when "giants walked the earth". We can only get so much from our daily intake of movies, television, music, and print and while I appreciate the outstanding efforts of Paul Giamatti, I can't help but ponder what was the real John Adams like? Which brings me to the point of the Founding Fathers and God.
It has been a concern of mine that as we progress further and the years roll away, mankind is losing their way. When I served a mission I went to Oklahoma which is firmly entrenched in the Bible Belt or so I thought. Though the great majority of people do belong to a church and the things I saw lead me to believe that on the whole they follow Christ, there was a surprising number of people who didn't believe in anything. And I feel that this a trend that continues to grow. I had one young man (when I was serving in Norman, OK) who told me at the doorstep that he was atheist and that unless we could show him proof from a book that he wanted no part of it (coincidentally missionaries love to share the Book of Mormon, just ask any of them). Now this was always one of the hardest arguments for me to accept because of my beliefs. I know there is a God. He is our Father and it is his plan for us to return to Him. That is something that I know. Obviously there is much confusion out there and people are allowed to make their own choice. But when I look out into this world and see the wonders of it I cannot help but feel there is something more to all of this. It is so spectacular the intricacies of the human body down to smallest molecule and the grandeur of the universe about us. God created this. When you sit down and think about what you have been through, the happiness and suffering that combine to form human existence, the mundane things you have to do to subsist and the titillating moments that bring you joy. This is part of God's plan. Our forefathers left their countries in search of something better. For freedom to pursue happiness. And then they were part of something bigger, helping to found a great country that allows this freedom to all of it's inhabitants. And that happiness, true happiness, can be found as we come to know who created to us and who loves us enough to give us His son. Our Father in Heaven has put us here on this earth to allow us to become as He is, to experience the spectrum of human emotions so that we can mature and know what He knows. A father who loves His children. Where the current trend might be to pursue freedom from religion, I know that coming to know God is true freedom. Not bound by religion often under the guise as the philosophy of man. It is the wholehearted pursuit of coming to know your creator and taking comfort that there is a purpose to life. I have no doubt about that. I only hope that others can find that answer in time.

Grumble, grumble, grumble.

I just don't like politics, talking heads, or politicos. I don't like CNN, Fox, MSNBC, or whatever other political channels dominate the airwaves today. Politics for a long time has made me sick to my stomach because I often see a disregard for the well being of Americans when important decisions are compromised by some representative who feels pressured by their constituency back home.
I have my own values, informed by my experiences, my goals, and my views. I may share one or two of them with my neighbor here in the city or with a rural cotton farmer in Oklahoma. But they are my own values. Belonging neither to the Democrat, Republican, or any other party that espouses to represent what the people want.
When I vote for the President of the United States, I go to the polls (in a manner of speaking, yay vote by mail!) with the desire to select the person best suited for the job of representing me to the world. Someone who can spear head initiatives that will allow me to pursue to the best of my abilities "The American Dream". They may serve one or two terms but in the end they will be successful by the measure of whether or not they left America better than they found it.
The reason I write this is because on the internet there is no shortage of vitriol to read. Now I won't go into my feelings about him but one thing that is bugging me is a incident (if it can be called that) in Japan where Obama choose to bow to the Emperor of Japan. My personal feelings are that you can never show enough respect to others. Previously representatives of our government have chosen not to bow but rather offer a handshake but the way I see it is that when you go into someone's home you abide by their rules. An example of this is the shoe policy. Some people have you take off your shoes when you come into their homes. Others let you choose. It's not a horrible thing to show respect and follow the custom of the household. You are not demonstrating weakness by choosing to do so. But what bugs me the most is that this is even an issue. A waste of time. Look even i'm posting on it. Anyway... grumble, grumble, grumble. Politics, who needs them?

Bus

I love the kids on the bus. They are just about the best thing ever invented as they provide the cutest moments imaginable riding good ole' Trimet. Just today a mom was reading out loud to her son (which would have proved very annoying had it been someone just reading) and it was just about the greatest. The last thing that could be heard coming from her son's mouth as we pulled away was "Thaaaaaaaaaaank you Mr. Bus Driver" to which driver said nothing and kept going (you can always count on the drivers being surly, in fact a nice one often prompts their fair share of suspicion) which then started a conversation between another boy and his father trying to decipher what the boy had yelled at the driver. Of Trimet, Brynn observed how it presents one of the most unique cultural arenas because everyone is equal but it is proper etiquette to sit next to a complete stranger (which I do frequently because i'm in no way proud enough to pass up a seat, so go ahead stand up if you want, sucker) and not have make eye contact nor do you have to utter a single sentence. Perhaps the perfect one ride stand. There are of course a surplus of stories of those uncomfortable rides where you get stuck with the crazy talking to you about the original design for the statue of liberty (ok that was actually at Rovente's but he totally was a bus guy).

Alas the mighty Zornanus has fallen!

My bad luck continues. No matter the cool event that I procure whether from the dark recesses of my mind or the shady corners of the web I just can't seem to get a cool adventure off the ground. Whether it's "mystery" soda at Safeway, a free show at the planetarium, or finding scaries at the Deaf school I think I can claim that I am the king of misadventure. Alas there was no screening Gentleman Broncos last night as the woman in the turquoise raincoat informed us that the studio had canceled it at the last minute. Darn, darn, darn! We did end up going to the most exquisite restaurant (to at least try one time, a bit on the expensive side but well worth the experience) the Claim Jumper. After bypassing the twenty minute wait by choosing to eat outside (not to bad considering the massive space heaters hanging over the table). Their food for the most part is anything to get excited about but the dessert... simply fantastic! We ordered the I declair eclair which is a massive eclair filled with custard, situated on a brick of ice cream, and surrounded by a fortress of whipped cream. Only ten dollars it's well worth the price (you are basically buying a cake) and definitely it's something you need a small army help to finish.

Worst of all as I typed post this morning I wandered over to Wilco's website to get info about their show in February at the Schnitz. SOLD the heck OUT! Which makes this day already rate a one. Maybe I shouldn't have even gotten out of bed. What makes me even more bitter (which I am prone to become) is the fact that other shows aren't sold out thus raising the sentiment that those cities don't deserve such a precious band. My message to Canada and the Midwest... a plague on both your houses.

A proposition about art

When we went to the Cox's house today we saw the most magnificent decoration in the world... HOMEMADE ART. What they had done was give some family members some canvases and asked them to paint. Now mind you the the family has something like six kids but what came out was so great because on one wall of their house are the "fruits" of their labor. Each of the kids and mom had painted a different piece of fruit on a piece of canvas including the great oranges that look like a) chili peppers or b) carrots. So here is our proposition, we only have two pieces of art hanging on our walls and we need your help to fill the wall. Heck I would love to go around and get different pieces of canvases to give to you if you want to help in this project since my artistic abilities are limited to my world renowned stick figures, will your painting be the next Mona Lisa?

Sunday dinner

Food is the quickest way to my heart. Bar none. One of the things that i've grown to love is spending Sunday with friends and having food, drinks, and games. This is a tradition that dates back to the days of Vatican I (ps very excited for the Vatican's Thanksgiving, Brynn and I are totally there) and one that remains dear to my heart. Hanging out around the firepit, kicking back a few, and relaxing. The week lying ahead never mattered because you were guaranteed to always be in good company. Now that tradition is revived in some form as we make our rounds in the Maplewood Ward, eating and greeting, getting to know the other couples of the ward. Granted the dynamics are a bit different with the odd kid thrown in here and there, negotiating bed times and shoe off rules, but it's just as great. The setting is reminiscent of the traditional American Sunday dinner, though admittedly growing up in my home we didn't have one, it was always guaranteed that we would be home to spend time with family because Sunday was usually a day that our busy bee activities didn't intrude to lure us away from the hive. I am so happy that we are in Portland, surrounded by so many friends and making new ones.

The face of sickness

My mom was in the hospital this weekend. It has been a long week, necessitating two trips down to Salem to care for are she literally wasn't herself. All week long the woman who called herself my mother lied in bed, lethargic and without any energy to care for herself. As our family buzzed about her trying to get her drink the smallest sip of water, to get something into a system that was failing and rejecting everything at time I felt the deep despair that comes as we witness the twilight of one's life. Too often I have been party to scenes revolving the extinguishing of life so young, undetermined in it's course only to see it end before it began but this is altogether different and disheartening. Time has applied the Balm of Gilead to a wounded heart, the airs of change bringing me much more to experience and relish, laying aside pain enough for a lifetime. But this is my mother, someone who gave birth to me, I've admired, learned from. Death comes to all. This is a possibility and part of Heavenly Father's plan. Faith in the Atonement of Jesus Christ WILL bring peace in time but that being said I do fall to the weakness of being selfish and wanting a way out, a way for my mom to persist in this temporal plane. I think we all do. That's ok because it gives me the motivation to cherish every moment of my association with her and to wait with excitement at the fullfillment of the Holy Temple, where each and every one of us can be sealed as a family for time and all eternity. My mom is better now, the doctor diagnosing her with the flu and patching her up for another go. I am grateful for every moment.

PS Take care of yourself this winter, the flu is everywhere and the ER was jam packed with well worn people fighting with this very infectious disease. Don't panic but be sure to watch yourself and wash yourself.

Pound for pound

Brynn's been a wee bit sick lately with the aches and pain but she's a fighter and you can call us Mr. Mover and Mrs. Shaker. After a weekend full of pumpkin patches and zoos, it's been game week. Personally I love games so much because it's a easy way to get a conversation going, putting everyone at ease (that is if you aren't playing Monopoly) and have fun all wrapped up in an activity. That and I like to win. Not that it matters, but I do. A lot. Win, win, win. And having fun.... winning. It's a funny psyche because when it comes to matters with kids this a dangerous mentality and one that I abhor. Having refereed and coach I have seen the desire to win be put before the welfare and enjoyment of the child. That's a big no no in my book but when it comes to personal matters as an adult it's ok to want to be the best. It doesn't preclude me from having fun or ruin my night if I lose (except at Boom Blox when the game cheats you). We've thoroughly enjoyed the week thus far really getting to know and enjoy the company of others and hope that we do this much more often (because we've have spent a little too much time letting Netflix and Hulu become our best friends) so invite us out. Also I think I have come to the conclusion Beatles Rockband is probably one of the top five video games, EVER. Yeah I said it, yet my heart always has a place for board games, especially Monopoly (because I WILL WIN).

This weekend

Maybe we're not the biggest lame-o's

Pretty busy weekend including a little trip to the Roloff farm home of the stars of the Discovery Channel's, "Little People, Big World" a show about a family of little people. Take about schlock fest and a little full of themselves. One of my first impressions was the price of dirt has gone dramatically up with a small mason jar of apparently Oregon's finest is $8.00 a pop. Other than that the pumpkin patch wasn't too bad you could definitely tell that some of the money from the show had trickled down to the patch which considering it only cost two bucks to park was nice. Most people were there of course hoping to gawk at the Roloff's who fluttered about the patch and farm giving tours (that cost six bucks a piece and each time the trailers went out they were full to the brim) and posing for pictures, Bill got a picture with Amy (the mom). Cameras were a constant presence with signs posted in prominent places stating that by stepping onto the grounds you were giving consent to be on television. Don't think we'll be showing up anytime soon as the cameras spent most of the time up by the house. Funny thing though was that as soon as we stepped out of the car Brynn spotted Matt (the father) sitting in a gator chatting it up with a camera crew and had a total celebrity moment including the infamous "point". It was all I could do to not laugh/be embarrassed as I walked away. I love her but I do not think i'll let her live it down. One of my favorite features was the pumpkin fun house, whoever put that together is quite talented and pretty funny. It was one of the many features that made it a really decent patch. Craziest thing was the along with the standard petting zoo (which Brynn left deeming it too stinky) they had an exotic flair with Leo the lion, a cub of five months. Other than that Halloween was pretty low key with my call to slave labor with my first day alone at Soccerplex. Went pretty well though it was kind of a drag trying to find everything. Worst thing was was cleaning the women's bathroom and their extra "garbage" Grooooooooossssssss! I really dig the facility and everyone seems pretty cool, I like the prospect of helping grow the kids programs which will bring me a greater satisfaction to going to work everyday. This won't be our last Halloween and though it ended anti-climatic it brought the promise of busier Sundays to come. Today I was called to serve a teacher in the Elders Quorum. I am so grateful to be able to serve in the church and understandably somewhat antsy after not being able to do anything for a couple of months. Not that we should aspire for any position or calling but I know that has been my experience to grow giving me opportunity to strengthen my testimony in Jesus Christ.