Today marks the one year anniversary of my return from my mission. It has both come and gone quietly. I didn't even realize that it was here until this morning actually.
I think that these are really the best moments to think about progress and life in general. I know that there are holidays in place for these sorts of things but they tend to get swallowed up in celebration. At New Years, we are supposed to look forward to how we will improve in the next year. At Thanksgiving, we are supposed to look backwards to what we have been given. Even birthdays have a bit of reflection involved, but I have a rotten habit of ignoring that part in the rumbling of food, games, and family.
Not that any of those things are bad things, but I'm certainly grateful for days like today that I just get to think about what I've become. It isn't exactly what I wished that I would, but quiet reflection has reminded me that I am moving forward. And I'm just fine with that. Celebrating alone allows for remorse and joy, and both feed a dedication for continued efforts.
In any case, happy anniversary to me, and good night to all those who have patiently put up with my little reflection.
Friday, January 25, 2008
locked
I've been locked out of my email account. I don't understand what is going on. One moment I was just sending emails, and the next it told me I wasn't allowed to any more.
I'm actually in a state of mild panic. What if someone wants to contact me? Not that I'm expecting anything in particular, but when there's a campus emergency, don't they notify everyone by email. What if someone accidentally hit the campus self-destruct button and the whole thing is going to blow in 20 minutes or less and so they send out an email to warn us but I don't get it because I'm sitting here in the library complaining that I've been locked out.
Mostly it's just irritating. If anyone wants to get a hold of me, you may just have to rely on the good old US Postal Service.
I'm actually in a state of mild panic. What if someone wants to contact me? Not that I'm expecting anything in particular, but when there's a campus emergency, don't they notify everyone by email. What if someone accidentally hit the campus self-destruct button and the whole thing is going to blow in 20 minutes or less and so they send out an email to warn us but I don't get it because I'm sitting here in the library complaining that I've been locked out.
Mostly it's just irritating. If anyone wants to get a hold of me, you may just have to rely on the good old US Postal Service.
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
Pahree, Frahnce
Today a certain member of Men's Chorus stood up to say the prayer and he gave the usual introduction before he prayed: his name, his major, how long he had been in Men's Chorus, and where his served his mission. This man had apparently served in "Cheelay."
It occurred to me that whenever return missionaries who serve their mission in South America speak about where they served, they pronounce it with the pronunciation of the mission-language. This is also true about "tone-gah." I don't think that this is true for any other places. I have never told someone that I served in "Pahree, Frahnce" but that's just probably because they might worry that I'm strangling if I used the real French pronunciation. People don't say they served in "Doich-land" or "Espanya" or "Jong-gwoa" either though.
I have on occasion told people that I served in "Gay Pahree."
I thought at first that maybe it was just because Americans are notorious for the rotten geography skills, and maybe the first time they ever heard someone say the name of the country where they served was when they got there. If this were the case though, we'd probably be getting a lot more reports of people who served in "Ahrlund" for example.
I guess this is just one of those mysteries that we will just have to wait until the other side to get answered.
It occurred to me that whenever return missionaries who serve their mission in South America speak about where they served, they pronounce it with the pronunciation of the mission-language. This is also true about "tone-gah." I don't think that this is true for any other places. I have never told someone that I served in "Pahree, Frahnce" but that's just probably because they might worry that I'm strangling if I used the real French pronunciation. People don't say they served in "Doich-land" or "Espanya" or "Jong-gwoa" either though.
I have on occasion told people that I served in "Gay Pahree."
I thought at first that maybe it was just because Americans are notorious for the rotten geography skills, and maybe the first time they ever heard someone say the name of the country where they served was when they got there. If this were the case though, we'd probably be getting a lot more reports of people who served in "Ahrlund" for example.
I guess this is just one of those mysteries that we will just have to wait until the other side to get answered.
Friday, January 4, 2008
Life's little paradoxes
Or is it paradoces?
So I'm a bit stuck here. I have a big project that I need to get done over the break and I have tons of time. I even have the project out and would love to work on it more than just about any other reasonable thing that I could be doing right now. I have one problem though. I am at work and don't have the resources here to get it done.
During Christmas break, we have needed to cover the office just it case some decides to call. I supposed it's great that I'm here taking the time to make sure that a few people are taken care of, but in the 20 hours that I have worked over the last 2 weeks, I have received perhaps 6 phone calls. That comes to about 25 dollars a phone call. I think that it's kind of my office to be willing to spend so much as a campus service.
I guess I have directed about 20 people to the traffic office down the hall while I have been here as well.
It's not so bad though. As it turns out, the computer lab that has the programs I need to move forward is also closed for Christmas break and it will be open again when classes start on Monday.
Once I no longer have time any more.
So I'm a bit stuck here. I have a big project that I need to get done over the break and I have tons of time. I even have the project out and would love to work on it more than just about any other reasonable thing that I could be doing right now. I have one problem though. I am at work and don't have the resources here to get it done.
During Christmas break, we have needed to cover the office just it case some decides to call. I supposed it's great that I'm here taking the time to make sure that a few people are taken care of, but in the 20 hours that I have worked over the last 2 weeks, I have received perhaps 6 phone calls. That comes to about 25 dollars a phone call. I think that it's kind of my office to be willing to spend so much as a campus service.
I guess I have directed about 20 people to the traffic office down the hall while I have been here as well.
It's not so bad though. As it turns out, the computer lab that has the programs I need to move forward is also closed for Christmas break and it will be open again when classes start on Monday.
Once I no longer have time any more.
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