Wednesday, April 23, 2008

The Mormon View



Check this out. This article, written by a witty LDS reporter for Vanity Fair, The Mormon View, is a "great overview of what Mormon’s believe, Reader’s Digest Style. If you are ever asked as a member of the church for tips on polygamy or how we Mormon gals get our bangs to puff so high, (I think this photo speaks for itself) this is the post for you. " I loved it, especially since Mormons aren't really known for their sense of humor generally, kind of like CPAs. Don't even get me started on Mormon CPAs.

In other good news--Mike and I will be moving--about a quarter mile away to our old south campus neighborhood. We are going to manage a small female apartment complex (saying female like that makes it sound like a monkey exhibit...but oh well) starting in a few weeks.

Also--Mike got into the Business/Finance undegraduate program. It is very competitive and he starts this spring and should graduate next April. Bring it on capital budgeting, tempt me income statements, and blow me away cashflow analyses!

The other piece of resounding good news, tied together with the previous two, is that we are going home to Coeur d'Alene this summer! Yahoo for Idaho (the pretty part). We, hopefully, will spend about six weeks at home, working, playing, interning, sunning, swimming, family bond-ing, etc. It will be great to have my little brother home and to spend such quality time the family, maybe one of the last times we will have the chance. Topping the summer off as a bridesmaid for one of my best friend's weddings, I think summer 2008 will be fabulous.

Monday, April 14, 2008

Church Dates

I like reading Slate, especially the health section, which always has a nice roundup of health and science news from around the world (the kind of stuff from Universities and journals that I used to write and research). Although the articles are predictably slanted toward those who will either be voting for Hillary or Obama this November--it is a bit difficult to inject bias in a science article, not impossible, just more difficult.

I found this release interesting. It tells of a meta-study about how church attendance is the one significant variable in a group of churchy/spiritual variables that correlates with low infidelity among couples.

Shocker--going to church together as a couple (any church mind you, this isn't a BYU study or something) makes people not want to cheat on each other? Who knew?

I guess the sad part of it is that the other variables, which included a belief in God, prayer, etc., didn't correlate. I guess this could be fodder for the "faith without works is dead," lesson. It is great if you have a relationship with God and do tai-chi on the deck or feel in touch with the universe or whatever, but when push comes to shove, if you aren't making that trek to church with your spouse, your marriage isn't as protected as it could be.

Good news, I guess, for those who make it a priority to attend regularly, despite being distracted by a mass of children in a young family ward--children who pull on curtains, run laps around the pews, and eat enough snacks to rival a group of teenage boys playing Halo.

So, yeah for church dates. (like this one below...our Easter Sunday church date)


Monday, April 7, 2008

A visit from the take home chef

Fact: Kitchens have killed more people than the Iraq war.... Okay, maybe I exaggerate. We did however experience the destructive power of our broiler as Brittany graciously made cookies for her visiting teachees the other day. We were made an example of by every women's fantasy, Curtis Stone A.K.A. the take home cheff, as he pointed out the great dangers of the broiler...