Someone once asked Ralph Waldo Emerson, "What's your favorite book?" His alleged response was "I can no more remember the books I have read than I can remember the meals I have eaten, but both have made me.
I feel the same way about my personal style. I can't remember all the books and articles I have read throughout my short life, but I do know they have affected me and made my style what it is today.
Betimes I tend to use big words, even when they aren't needed. I share with Neal A. Maxwell a friendly faddish for alliteration. I write songs and sing, so rhyme and rhythm are engrained in my psyche.
These are all important elements of my style. What is interesting to ponder is that we as college freshman aren't done growing up yet. Is our style already set for life? Or are we going to change over time? I guess only time can tell.
Friday, October 31, 2008
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
It's.....great!
As there is no particular assigned topic this week to blog about, I am going to relate a few instances of particularly horrible food concoctions that occurred during my childhood.
When I was a young boy, our babysitter asked us what kind of sandwich we would like for lunch. I said "peanut butter and mayonaisse!" to be funny. It wasn't that funny. I would seriously not recommend it to anyone.
A few years ago, my dear (pregnant) mother had a brownie craving. She was tired and probably not thinking all that clearly. We had a box of Cheesecake brownie mix. She started making it, and then she realized that we didn't have the necessary cream cheese the recipe called for. So, she used.....sharp cheddar, shredded.
Yeh.
Brownies are not meant to include shredded cheddar cheese. The consistency was wrong. It was too runny. To thicken the mixture, she thought to add flour. But we were out of flour too. So she used....famous Idaho potato flakes.
It was one of the wierder things I've ever experienced. In my mother's defense, she is a great cook and makes us fine meals all the time. She was just in a funny mood that day. All the same, I can't recommend potato flake cheddar brownies in good conscience to anyone with more than two tastebuds.
As a postnote, I read an insightful letter to the editor today, called "redistribution of grades." Give it a read! Twas very good.
In this random smorgisborg blog, I conclude with a question; did you ever notice how the words fishy, cheesy, and corny all mean near the same thing, and all have to do with food? I wonder where they originated.
When I was a young boy, our babysitter asked us what kind of sandwich we would like for lunch. I said "peanut butter and mayonaisse!" to be funny. It wasn't that funny. I would seriously not recommend it to anyone.
A few years ago, my dear (pregnant) mother had a brownie craving. She was tired and probably not thinking all that clearly. We had a box of Cheesecake brownie mix. She started making it, and then she realized that we didn't have the necessary cream cheese the recipe called for. So, she used.....sharp cheddar, shredded.
Yeh.
Brownies are not meant to include shredded cheddar cheese. The consistency was wrong. It was too runny. To thicken the mixture, she thought to add flour. But we were out of flour too. So she used....famous Idaho potato flakes.
It was one of the wierder things I've ever experienced. In my mother's defense, she is a great cook and makes us fine meals all the time. She was just in a funny mood that day. All the same, I can't recommend potato flake cheddar brownies in good conscience to anyone with more than two tastebuds.
As a postnote, I read an insightful letter to the editor today, called "redistribution of grades." Give it a read! Twas very good.
In this random smorgisborg blog, I conclude with a question; did you ever notice how the words fishy, cheesy, and corny all mean near the same thing, and all have to do with food? I wonder where they originated.
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Health and Food
I can definitely tell that my health is affected by what I eat. Whose isn't? Skipping breakfast makes me weak and shaky, a huge lunch makes me fall asleep in afternoon classes, and too much junk food makes me feel like junk. I am reminded of the story of the "Very Hungry Caterpillar," who ate a whole load of junk food on Saturday and felt sick. The next day he ate thru one very green leaf, and "then he felt better." I have days like that, where salad just sounds good.
How is the health of those around us affected by what we eat? I can think of a few ways. I set a goal to only eat desserts from the Cannon Center on weekends. I can stick to it and stay healthy most of the time, but when all my friends get dessert and then tell me how good it is, it's difficult not to cave to peer pressure. Their unhealthy decisions influence me to be unhealthy. On the flip side, when I see someone eating right or sticking to their goals, I am inspired to do likewise.
This is even truer in families, where everybody eats dinner together. You are to some degree forced to share the same eating habits as your family, eat on their schedule, and partake of the same food. It's important to keep tabs on what you eat personally and how what you eat affects those around you, because we can lead eachother toward health or down to physical degradation.
How is the health of those around us affected by what we eat? I can think of a few ways. I set a goal to only eat desserts from the Cannon Center on weekends. I can stick to it and stay healthy most of the time, but when all my friends get dessert and then tell me how good it is, it's difficult not to cave to peer pressure. Their unhealthy decisions influence me to be unhealthy. On the flip side, when I see someone eating right or sticking to their goals, I am inspired to do likewise.
This is even truer in families, where everybody eats dinner together. You are to some degree forced to share the same eating habits as your family, eat on their schedule, and partake of the same food. It's important to keep tabs on what you eat personally and how what you eat affects those around you, because we can lead eachother toward health or down to physical degradation.
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Food Ditties
Well, we don't have a specified topic to blog on this week. Therefore, I am going to compose a few ditties on my personal favorite topic, food. :) I hope you enjoy this as much as I hope I am going to.
They often say the surest way to a man's heart is thru his stomach,
and though it sounds legit, I find I have to disagree
In anatomy class last year we did some work with some cadavers,
and there's a surer way, take it from me!!
Hmm don't think about it too hard. Hey! I said don't! :)
I wonder now, is chocolate milk
made from milk chocolate?
Or does it come the other way around?
I guess the world may never know
The only one who could tell us so
would probably have to be a chocolate cow.
Alright, this is getting obscure. I'll let one more fly and then I'm done. A sonnet? A sonnet!
Iambic Pentameter! Shakespear would roll over in his grave. Here goes:
But soft! I think of when we first did meet.
The cannon center was the place, I think.
I passed you by and gave a little wink;
I'd never seen another look so sweet.
I gained the guts to walk up and say hi,
when HE came by and stole your glance instead!
Oh, In my mind I wished the fellow dead
He you took with him and you both passed by.
You sat down at a table side by side,
and softly did he bring you to his lips
I saw the sensual melt of chocolate chips
While I was left with nasty cherry pie.
Next time I see a cookie sweet as you
I'll grab it fast, but you are gone. Adieu!
Wow I am really tripping out on Dayquil right now! I imagine I am going to laugh at this ridiculousness when I recover, but that's enough bloggage for today.
Adieu, yo!
They often say the surest way to a man's heart is thru his stomach,
and though it sounds legit, I find I have to disagree
In anatomy class last year we did some work with some cadavers,
and there's a surer way, take it from me!!
Hmm don't think about it too hard. Hey! I said don't! :)
I wonder now, is chocolate milk
made from milk chocolate?
Or does it come the other way around?
I guess the world may never know
The only one who could tell us so
would probably have to be a chocolate cow.
Alright, this is getting obscure. I'll let one more fly and then I'm done. A sonnet? A sonnet!
Iambic Pentameter! Shakespear would roll over in his grave. Here goes:
But soft! I think of when we first did meet.
The cannon center was the place, I think.
I passed you by and gave a little wink;
I'd never seen another look so sweet.
I gained the guts to walk up and say hi,
when HE came by and stole your glance instead!
Oh, In my mind I wished the fellow dead
He you took with him and you both passed by.
You sat down at a table side by side,
and softly did he bring you to his lips
I saw the sensual melt of chocolate chips
While I was left with nasty cherry pie.
Next time I see a cookie sweet as you
I'll grab it fast, but you are gone. Adieu!
Wow I am really tripping out on Dayquil right now! I imagine I am going to laugh at this ridiculousness when I recover, but that's enough bloggage for today.
Adieu, yo!
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
Conference in General
What a wonderful weekend! Conference was absolutely inspiring. I was humbled and uplifted and motivated to excel. I did pay attention to the speakers' diction and "lard" content. I felt a little hypocritical, like a second-grader criticizing rhetorical giants. But I did notice how straightforward and simple many of the talks were. The speakers didn't use fluff or extra wording. You could tell they had put a lot of work into prepare these talks, and President Monson informed us on Saturday morning that the speakers had prayed much to know what to say.
Passive tense was avoided. :) just kidding. The speakers seemed to avoid passive tense carefully, with the blatant exception of President Monson, who is famous for his parallelisms. "Hearts were touched, testimonies were strengthened, memories were made..." This is forgiveable (of course!) because the emphasis President Monson intended was on the actions and not the people. This parallel structure also makes for more interesting listening.
These Brethren are superb rhetoricians. They have our hearts and employ expert pathos with humor, warmth, and empathy. They have ethos that comes with their calling and demeanor. But more than that, there is another factor in their talks. The Spirit truly bears witness that they are teaching the truth. This cannot come from their own rhetorical skills. I bear testimony of that; I've tried to teach people the gospel, and without the Holy Ghost teaching them it is impossible. I sustain these prophets not because they are great speakers, (and indeed, not all are. Some of the foreign ones struggled a great deal) but because of the Holy Ghost which witnesses of their message.
I have three tiny regrets from this weekend: 1. I didn't stay awake the entire time. 2. I could sit with my family at home. 3. I miss the home cooking, the roast and mashed potatoes we usually have on a Sunday. That's my tie to food. :)
Passive tense was avoided. :) just kidding. The speakers seemed to avoid passive tense carefully, with the blatant exception of President Monson, who is famous for his parallelisms. "Hearts were touched, testimonies were strengthened, memories were made..." This is forgiveable (of course!) because the emphasis President Monson intended was on the actions and not the people. This parallel structure also makes for more interesting listening.
These Brethren are superb rhetoricians. They have our hearts and employ expert pathos with humor, warmth, and empathy. They have ethos that comes with their calling and demeanor. But more than that, there is another factor in their talks. The Spirit truly bears witness that they are teaching the truth. This cannot come from their own rhetorical skills. I bear testimony of that; I've tried to teach people the gospel, and without the Holy Ghost teaching them it is impossible. I sustain these prophets not because they are great speakers, (and indeed, not all are. Some of the foreign ones struggled a great deal) but because of the Holy Ghost which witnesses of their message.
I have three tiny regrets from this weekend: 1. I didn't stay awake the entire time. 2. I could sit with my family at home. 3. I miss the home cooking, the roast and mashed potatoes we usually have on a Sunday. That's my tie to food. :)
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