Happy Thanksgiving!

I'm grateful for many things. But most especially for 1980s exercise videos. Enjoy!

VHS Gold Exercise Video

This One is NOT a Twi-Hard

Okay. I might be the only girl in the world who got bored with the "Twilight" series. At least it seems that way to me. But I just never really loved them. I don't think Stephanie Meyer is a good writer at all. Her frequent use of synonyms for the word "sparkle" grew old, and constantly made me laugh, but NOT because they were supposed to be funny. And Bella just bugged me. Smile, just once please, honey! But then again, I'm an English major, and I've been trained to analyze and break apart literature. However, I gave them a chance and read the first two. So here is what I think. This is just my opinion. Feel free to agree or disagree with me.

Here's my issue. I admit, I am a Harry Potter nut. I've read the books countless times (J.K. Rowling is SO much more talented than Meyer in my opinion), and the movies are wonderful. My point, however, is about the stark difference between the two series'. Harry Potter is a series about magic and enchantment. It's about watching good prevail over evil. Harry Potter wins in the end (sorry if you haven't read the last book and I gave it away). "Twilight," I feel, is about obsessive love and unrealistic expectations.

I know I haven't read the entire series, but I feel as though I've read enough to know what it's about, and I've heard what happens in the end. Yes, it's some easy summer reading, without much thought or concentration involved. That's all well and good. So if you choose to read it, great.

What worries me is watching how young girls and older women (mothers and grandmothers) are obsessed. If you're a teenage or college girl, fine. Be obsessed. But why in the world are MOTHERS (who have husbands of their own) lusting (yes, I said "lusting") after a 17 year old werewolf? Gross. I feel like "Twilight" gives girls and women an expectation of what perfect men should be like. And guess what? They don't exist! Yes, Taylor Lautner has a good body. But to get that body he gave his life to the gym for a long time. And he will be paid millions of dollars to do so. It's just not reality.

Today in my French class we were discussing this topic, and a girl mentioned that in her home stake, Elder and Sister Oaks came to speak to the youth and their parents recently. Sister Oaks told the audience that "Twilight" is almost like pornography is some ways. Not in what is said or what is happening in the books and movies, but in the same way that men get addicted to pornography, women and girls get addicted to these books. Both give an unrealistic expectation of what men and women should be, and people begin to lust after those things. Maybe that's a drastic example, but is it far from the truth? I know not every girl is like this, but I do know girls who compare guys they know to Edward or Jacob, and no one is ever good enough. "He's a nice person, but he's just no Edward." Really? REALLY? Yes, that's a true story.

I just feel that it's an unhealthy story for girls. Bella is obsessed with Edward, and when he leaves she can't move on. What does this show girls? Certainly not that they can be strong and enjoy their lives after a break-up. I feel as though it's teaching them that they have to have a boy, and when they don't life might as well end.

How is it unhealthy for mothers? Maybe I'm weird but I would be disturbed if I saw my own mother freak out over how hot Jacob is. Daughters look to their mothers as examples, even from a young age, and when they see moms get excited about teenage boys instead of their own husbands, what will they think?

I found this article on CNN.com that expresses some interesting points better than I can. Enjoy!


"Some Parents Wary of 'New Moon'"

Happiness

I've been thinking a lot about what makes me happy lately, and someone told me to write everything down, because that way when I'm sad I can look at my list and remember all the blessings I've been given. So here are just a few things, even though I have tons!

1. The gospel and the ability to pray to my Heavenly Father
2. My family. They are the best!
3. True friends. Sometimes they are rare and hard to find, so I appreciate the ones I have!
4. Starbucks hot chocolate. It is the cure for everything.
5. Deep, heart-wrenching, thought-provoking books (Les Miserables, not Twilight)
6. Christmas!!!
7. Rainy or snowy days when I get to stay home
8. Motorcycle rides with my dad and Slurpee stops at 7-11
9. Michael Buble. He and I have a great relationship that consists of him singing to me while I make dinner
10. My BYU education
12. Cookbooks, cooking magazines, food blogs, etc.
13. J. Crew sales
14. Target. It is my true love
15. My job. I get to work with some incredibly intelligent people
16. London and the amazing things I was able to do while I was there
17. My homemade Mac N' Cheese. I invented the recipe and it's the closest thing to Noodles & Co. Mac N' Cheese you will find
18. Baking cakes, cookies, and cupcakes
19. My mom's cooking. I know everyone says this, but really, no one can beat my mom
20. Classy, well-dressed, successful women - someone that I aspire to be one day
21. Babies and the new baby smell
22. Gerber daisies
23. Chocolate chips, Craisins, and almonds
24. Vacations in Cancun, Mexico
25. Laughing at silly things, and just being silly in general

What makes you happy?

Feminism

Yesterday in the Daily Universe (BYU's newspaper), someone wrote a letter to the editor about the topic of feminism. Now, before I get into a rant, I honestly believe that feminism is a great thing. I love that I have the opportunity to vote and attend a university that provides equal opportunities for its male and female students. I love knowing that I can have a career that is equal to a man's if I chose to do so. I love that I have the option of wearing pants or a skirt. So for the most part I think feminism and fighting for women's rights is a wonderful and necessary thing, and I wish more countries around the world embraced it.

However, it's letters like this one that I feel take the feminist ideology too far. I won't give the whole letter, but I'll quote some of it. Here we go: "I do not feel flattered when you awkwardly hold the door open for helpless little me." "I...have money. Women who allow men to pay for them on a date are prostituting their worth not only in the relationship, but also in a capitalistic society that strives to provide equal opportunities." "I am equally capable of finding my own mate. My agency need not be stifled by the whim of a male who finally decides that I am worthy to be by his side. I too can take a knee; I too can afford a ring."

I'll start with these before I finish with the rest of her letter. First, it's women like this one who confuse men. These poor guys don't know anymore if a girl expects them to hold a door for them, or if they will get offended! I know girls who feel both ways, so men take a risk in choosing to open or not open a door for them. And I view the door-opening thing as something called courtesy! Sometimes, if I am walking through a doorway and someone is coming behind me (even a man), I will hold the door open. And I appreciate the thoughtfulness of someone when they do the same for me. I don't ever take offense that they may be thinking I'm some poor helpless creature. It's called being polite, not domineering.

Next, apparently every women who has gone on a date and let the man pay is a prostitute. I only mean this as a joke, but in essence is that not what this writer is saying? I have always felt that dates mean that the man is interested and would like to treat the woman to something nice. Maybe I'm crazy, but I do not see what is wrong with this. If anything I feel that, if I am on a date with a good guy, he sees me for my good morals and kindness, not because he wants to rob me of my self-worth. I feel as though this woman thinks any type of charitable service is wrong. What if I rake leaves for an elderly woman? Well then, of course she will be angry at me because I assume, because she's elderly, she can't do it herself. Yes, that might be my assumption, but take it as an act of charity, not as an act of pity. If we look at service and assume that it will surely offend someone, or if we take an act of charity as an offense to ourselves, it will cease to exist!

Next, that's wonderful that she has money. I applaud women who have the desire to go out and provide for themselves. But I worry about her view of being married. If she thinks that a man just finally decides that she's worthy for him, she is dating the wrong guys. I want a man who feels that he needs to live to be worthy of me, and I will feel that I need to live to be worthy of him. It's all about equality. And I don't believe for one second that all men are like the way she describes them. She is only looking in the wrong places. Good, honest men, who respect and honor women, do exist. And I know there are many of them at BYU.

And finally, to top it all off, "Not only are skirts a safety hazard, preventing you from running away from danger, but they are a symbol of your submissiveness. So, zip up the pants and assume your position next to the man - not behind him."

Okay. Um, sometimes, I feel like skirts provide me more freedom. Do you know how constricting girl jeans are? I just don't see how choosing to wear skirts and dresses show my weakness. If anything, a woman in a great skirt suit and heels screams "powerful" to me! I also encourage her to read the LDS Church's Marriage Preparation handbook. In it, President Spencer W. Kimball stated, "The place of woman in the Church is to walk beside the man, not in front of him nor behind him. In the Church there is full equality between man and woman. The gospel, which is the only concern of the Church, was devised by the Lord for men and women alike" (Improvement Era, Mar. 1942, p. 161). I hope she knows that the Church would never support men having full authority in a marriage. Each person has their own, equal responsibilities within a relationship. Men and women are very different, but that is the way it is supposed to be. If we all do everything the exact same way, what is the point of gender? We each have our specific roles, and in their own way they do add up to be equal.

So, that was my rant. I feel that, with women who take this extreme-feminist position, the world is going to change. Like I stated earlier, many feminist causes have been for good, but this extreme pro-equality, anti-courtesy view on everything can most definitely be bad. Whoever said chivalry is dead may have seen the future. But the only reason I think it's dying is because we are all confused about who will be offended when we do something we assume to be thoughtful, whether it involves woman or not. As for me, I say, "Thank you for opening the door!"

The Berlin Wall

This past week I started reading a historical fiction series about a family living during the 1960s. I haven't ever really studied the 60s in depth, but in reading this book I've learned a lot about the Civil Rights movement, Communism in East Germany and Russia, and the assassination of JFK, among other things.

In the book some members of the family are living in East Berlin during the Communist reign. I didn't know much about what went on there, and this book has got me really interested. The people suffered through so much oppression and had no freedoms. Religions had to be renounced in order to receive decent jobs, and leaving the country, even for a trip, almost never happened. I thought it was kind of coincidental, and also really neat, that today is the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall.

While I was in London we went to the National War Museum, and in front of the museum there is an actual piece of the Wall, covered in graffiti that says, "Change Your Life." I thought this was such an optimistic piece. That's all the the people there wanted. Just a change from the oppression they had suffered through. This makes me realize once again how much I love history!

So if you're looking for a good historical fiction series about this era in history, Dean Hughes' "The Hearts of the Children" series is a great one.

Amazing

My roommates found this video, and I loved it so much I copied them and decided to share it. It just makes me want to be better. I hope you enjoy!

A Wise Quote

My sister shared this with me and I thought it was too funny and too true to keep to myself:

"Early to rise and early to bed makes a man healthy but socially dead."