Dixon Family

Summertime Travel

2011-07-14T19:43:00.009-06:00

We have been all over the place this summer! After coming back from Syracuse, we flew to Washington to visit my sister Sarah and her family in Duvall. We also saw my dear friend Pamela and her family while we were there. Our trip was most enjoyable. We saw so many beautiful places and loved just being with the wonderful Harpers! We returned from Washington and had a day to do laundry before driving to Brian Head, Utah for a Dixon family reunion. Cameron's parents invited their children and grandchildren to stay together at a cabin for almost a week. We took turns fishing out at Panguitch lake, went to a 4th of July parade in Parawon, played games and just had fun together. Recognizing this was our last time to be together with the Dixons for a while we tried to soak up every minute. We are now home and just packing before our departure to upstate NY on July 25th. The adventures are just beginning! (Unfortunately, the pictures are all out of order. I'm still figuring out blogger... It doesn't work how I wish it would.)

SYRACUSE!

2011-06-20T14:46:00.004-06:00

We are moving to upstate New York at the end of July. Thanks to some buddy passes on Jet Blue, Cameron and I were able to go out there and after hard work and seeing way too many junky places, we secured a great place to live. The picture shows our front door. Open it and go upstairs to find where we are. We will be living just 10-15 minutes from campus where Cameron will be taking courses in the Telecommunications and Network Management graduate program. He was awarded a full ride through Scholarship for Service and in exchange will work for a government agency for two years following his program. We will miss being close to family! If you're ever in New York and want to come see us you are more than welcome!

Below: Roses and our side yard

Our backyard

Eleanor Esme Dixon

2010-07-15T22:13:00.004-06:00

She's here! In fact she has been here for over a month. Eleanor came to us early Friday the 4th of June. (Exactly 6 years from the night Cameron and I met.) We are glad that she waited for me to finish teaching first grade. She didn't wait for us to move into our new place however, so she was in on that fun just 2 days after she was born. There wasn't a whole lot of recovery time...or getting used to a newborn, but we are grateful for our beautiful little one and our lovely home. Eleanor has brought so much joy into our family. We are excited to watch her grow!

Eleanor meets Grandma and Grandpa Dixon

Cameron's 2009

2010-01-01T14:04:00.001-07:00

2009 By the numbers:

1791 tasks completed (tracked by Remember the Milk)
--> 669 personal tasks, 422 for school

52 credits taken/18 courses
-->GPA for year 3.8055

Books read (not school):

Life of Joseph Smith the Prophet
Book of Mormon
Doctrine and Covenants (twice)
The Character of Jesus
A Better Pencil
Letting Go of the Words
How to Lie With Statistics
The Elements of User Experience

~17 times running (ouch)
-->avg. distance 4.5 miles
-->1 10k, 1 5k

7794 times my computer says I've checked Gmail (this must be wrong)
1929 @ lds.org (homepage, this is probably correct)

3 '09 New Years goals actually met (out of 10, ouch)
1 baby expected (girl)

'Elloh Grandfahtha

2009-11-13T01:36:00.002-07:00

Hi Internet.

We are crazy busy people! Emily is feeling so adequate at teaching first grade that she decided to get a job for half an hour today at McDonald's (This is a true story). Unrelated to McDonald's, Emily has been somewhat sickly because of the snot-filled, nose-pickin', bum-grabbing, swine-flu infested AHEM very cute 1st graders.

Cameron loves good music, good books, and the Internet.

Real Frogs

2009-09-24T03:27:00.002-06:00

No fake ones here. Go meet my internet friend at www.real-frogs.com.

And Now, Abandonware

2009-07-25T20:25:00.007-06:00

I've noted twice before instances under which I'll "violate" current copyright law. Here's another.

Emily has a teacher friend who helped her out by giving her hundreds of 1st grade lesson plans, homework packets, and other teaching resources. Sadly, the vast majority of these files were created in AppleWorks, the previous incarnation of Apple's iWork line, which was abandoned by Apple about two years ago.

Hmm. Maybe if we just open the files in a text editor. Gobbledigook.

Hmm. Maybe we could just try Word or OpenOffice. Looks like the quadratic formula exploded.

No problem, I thought. Hit up cometdocs.com and convert the files to .doc's. Might take awhile, but it's do able.

No go. Cometdocs can't do it. And there does not exist a free converter for .cwk files.

Why free, you ask?

Article I, Section 8, Clause 8 of the Constitution gives the purpose of copyright and patents:

To promote the Progress of Science and useful Arts, by securing for limited Times to Authors and Inventors the exclusive Right to their respective Writings and Discoveries.

The purpose is to promote progress; that's the goal. How? Secure monetary incentive for discoveries for a limited time. This provides creators with a reason to create, protects the incentive, and ultimately moves technology forward. The Founders were Inspired Men.

So what money is Apple making from AppleWorks? ...I'm sure if it existed, they'd find it.

Enter Google. A few torrent searches, a 20 minute download, and TA-DA, AppleWorks is up and running.

Need AppleWorks? Grab the torrent here.

An Ode

2009-06-27T01:37:00.004-06:00

I've had a lot of math homework lately, which means I've had lots of "I hate mathematics" moments-- which really means that I've had lots of alone time, lost in thought. Besides the 'not-actually-doing-math 'math time'', Emily has been away 11 of the past 19 days.

It's human nature to throw around superlatives. Stay with me.

Homie at the car wash tonight heard The Man Who Invented Soul coming from my open door, and, half-smiling, half-thuggin', said (twice, very fast) "You don't know about that."

No one knows Emily better than I do. This is to be expected; we're married.

This being true, I get to see how misunderstood she is by many people. Honestly, the first things I heard about her from others after we met were not positive. In their own way, these individuals sparked in me a retaliation against how I felt many people viewed me. I've always been partial to Brother Joseph's statement, "You don’t know me; you never knew my heart."

Nothing I can say will really change those who already have their mind made, but I want to give an affirmation of what I see from my perspective.

Emily is the least self-concerned person I know. She actively seeks those who need a friend.

Emily is perceptive and recognizes good opportunities.

Emily is forgiving, and a quick forgiver at that. She isn't interested in making a man an offender for a word, in scoring points for her ego, or gratifying pride, vain ambition, etc.

Emily cares about things that are important, and leaves no room for things that don't.

Emily is not a quick study. She masks this very well. The box to the game Othello I'd see in the closet growing up said something like "A minute to learn. A lifetime to master." Yeah.

Emily is a fast learner. I think she sometimes feels unknowledgeable, but I'll take her wisdom over any dude's info-fluffhead brain.

Emily would never tell you how stupid you are being, even when you deserve it.

Emily inately exemplifies the 13th Article of Faith.

Emily enjoys the simple, but isn't blind to complexity.

I could continue.

Emily is a beautiful woman. I'm lucky enough to know her very well, and invite you to as well.

A Question of Morals

2009-05-18T16:44:00.005-06:00

I am a big fan of the internet. This medium affects my everyday life, much more than traditional radio, print media, or television ever has. It permits me to communicate easily. It allows me to manage a whole lot of information, from research to music to pictures. It enables me to learn about anything and everything. Whatever I do for a career, the internet will play a major role in it.

The internet has created some serious ethical concerns as well. Here's one from today.

In two weeks, I'll start a class called "The Economics of Discrimination". Though it's a required class (multicultural credit; sounded better than taking some dumb women's studies class), it looks pretty promising.

I went to UNLV's bookstore website where I can find all the books I'll need for a class. Turns out I'll need Freakonomics. Knowing that this is a pretty popular book, I immediately searched the UNLV library and the nearby Sahara library databases for its presence. Both databases showed that the book was available. They also showed that I could download an "electronic" version of the book.

For Christmas, I received an iPod touch. Love the thing. I maintain notes from gospel study when away from my notebooks, as well as scriptures, tons of PDF's (including many church manuals), a dictionary, my daily planner, and of course, music (really enjoying They Might Be Giant's Flood and parts of John Vanderslice's new record).

All kinds of companies employ some sort of digital rights management, or DRM. For the most part, this kind of protectionism is understandable, but the 'management' quickly becomes 'containment' or 'annoyance' or 'really, really dumb idea'. Like: I found Freakonomics on the Sahara library website, but can only read the book on my PC using Adobe software (can't print to a PDF either, tried that). Another instance is that the library will allow me to download the audio from the book, but it can only be played on the computer using the proprietary (Microsoft) .wma format, and if you try to convert it to mp3, it'll sound like children singing Disney songs underwater, recorded on cassette and glitched up by Autechre. The Man says: "You can only listen at home. No where else. Dude."

So at this point I google "Freakonomics pdf", and of course, find the book immediately.

I really like to carry very few things on my person. My iPod lets me carry a whole lot in a little package.

What would be wrong about downloading the PDF of Freakonomics and putting it on my iPod if the library will let me download the book for my PC? I'll even delete the book and buy a copy if it's good at the end of the class.

What would you do?

(By the way, E. Bednar's recent talk on digital media was excellent. I watched it on my iPod.)

Introducing...

2009-04-24T16:56:00.005-06:00

We don't own a TV.

We've been given strange looks and really hilarious comments about that one ("So, what do you guys do?"). It certainly has been a matter of choice: we have been offered one, twice I think.

We aren't anti-TV, and may own one in the future. I'd like to create a set-top box, for which we'd need a screen or a projector.

Speaking for myself, I feel that there's so much more I can be doing with my time and my life than watching 24. I want to read great literature. I want to develop technical and practical skills. I want to strengthen my almost-not-there cooking skills. I want to be creative.

I don't mean to assume that folks who love their television are not and do not want the above.

We like our culture like we like our music- no genre excluded as long as it is constructive, clean, and inventive.

What have you been enjoying lately? Books, music, movies, games, whatever.

Here it is.

2009-04-18T21:24:00.005-06:00

Hello all! I should be dutifully planning for next week, but who wants to do that?! So here I am writing on our blog. I think I can count all of the times I have posted on half of one hand...sorry. I don't know what it is, but I don't like to write publicly. Hopefully, you will still be excited when news does come and still check in on us Dixon's every once in a while. (Yes, this is Emily talking.)

I am still teaching in 3rd grade...but not for long. School is almost out and I can't wait!! The kids are wild and I'm just ready for a fresh start. Well, I'm going to get one. My principal came to me on the playground a few weeks ago and after our brief conversation about some children playing silent ball, just came out and said, "I'm moving you to 1st grade." I was in complete shock as it was out of nowhere and only March. I had no idea that next year's changes were already in the works. Ultimately, I am excited. I think that I have more to give the younger kids of this world. I feel that my personality is better suited for that age. I hope that I can figure it out and do a good job. 1st grade is a big year. I will say I am a little nervous to teach them how to read.

What else can I say...I have the greatest husband. I don't know how I got so lucky, but Cameron is wonderful at helping me do the dishes. I make dinner and he cleans up the kitchen. I can't express how much that means to me. Cooking is actually something I enjoy and doing dishes is not my favorite, so I got the best deal!

This morning we had the opportunity to help a couple move. It might seem crazy, but I love to serve. I would much rather worry about someone else than to worry about what I have going on. I love to make people happy and lighten their load. The couple was moved to tears to see the help that turned out to assist them during their time of need. I'm just glad I could help.

I don't want to get too long and bore someone, so that is what I will say. Leave me a comment so I can see that there really are people who visit our blog.

We're glad you're our friends!

Spring Broke

2009-04-11T12:15:00.003-06:00

I started an online scripture journal to bring together all of my notebooks into one ready place, but that's not why I'm writing today. I feel some thoughts from James and brief quotes from my studies might summarize our spring break:

James 1:2-3

2 My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;
3 Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.

"Adversity is a gift from God, offered to help me grow."

James 5:10

10 Take, my brethren, the prophets, who have spoken in the name of the Lord, for an example of suffering affliction, and of patience.

"I'm in good company when called to suffer."

1. Emily's car's A/C died. The shop said it would cost 2k to fix. Obviously we felt slight hesitation about this, and probably because...

2. The same day we took her car in, my car died. Probably a fuel pump problem, says Dad Powell. It is currently in the shop thanks to a tow from Dad Dixon.

3. We borrowed Hayddawg's Corolla for a few days. It died because of battery failure. Thanks to Dad Powell teaching me on the van a few months ago, I pulled out the old battery and installed a new one.

4. Because of car problems, Cameron was forced to call in to work both his scheduled days.

OK, the last one wasn't disheartening.

Tapes

2009-03-26T23:04:00.009-06:00

I recently sent out a request to various older, established members of my family for any cassette tapes of general conference. I was looking particularly for October 1983-84. Two talks that have come to mean a lot to me were there: Boyd K. Packer's "The Pattern of Our Parentage" and Bruce R. McConkie's "What Think Ye of the Book of Mormon?" The latter I read at least once a transfer with every missionary companion. It, to me, was exactly what Okies/Arkies/Missourians needed to hear. I stole E. McConkie's one-liner's frequently:

"Sir, what can I do for you to read the Book of Mormon yourself and not simply believe what other people have to say about it?"

"Why drink downsteam from the muddy, roily, poison-filled waters when you can drink from the source itself?"

"Either the Book of Mormon came from heaven or from hell. It is either true or it is false. There is no middle ground."

"The more you know about the Bible, the greater you'll appreciate the Book of Mormon."

"As you're reading, I want you to ask yourself 'Could any man have written this book?'."

/close paraphrase

Well, I got no response from the fam-damily.

I recently, and kind of wantonly, found the tapes at the institute building at UNLV. I'm rarely nearby, but had forgot my lunch that day, and my stomach brought me to the student union building. I felt to stop by the institute building, mainly because I had to use the facilities. Leaving the bathroom, I noticed a room on the far end of the hall that had large bookshelves. They had it all! A real gospel library there, including all the old general conference tapes.

The lady (as opposed to 'sister') missionaries were slightly weirded to the fact that I wanted to check out these old tapes. "Nobody's ever done that before. I don't even think we are supposed to loan these." I filled out some 3x5 with my biography, got hassled for my Temple recommend number (I think they were kidding), and to my computer the tapes went.

When you're led by nature, you'll often not know beforehand the things you will find.

Elder Packers' has a similar amount of quotables.

MP3: Elder Bruce R. McConkie - "What Think Ye of the Book of Mormon?" (Right-click to save)

MP3: Elder Boyd K. Packer - "The Pattern of Our Parentage" (Right-click to save)

"We're gonna be in the Hudson"

2009-03-24T11:30:00.003-06:00

Listen to what Hudson-landing pilot said and watch a re-creation. Amazing.

Dropbox

2009-03-22T22:32:00.005-06:00

Lifehacker has turned me on to some great services, but none do I use as often as I use Dropbox.

Do you use more than one computer, frequently (school, work, whatever)? Tired of carrying around that flash drive that you are frequently forgetting? I suppose these questions could be nullified by owning a laptop, which I don't. But Dropbox works seamlessly for what I need it to do.

Dropbox allows me to create public links; i.e., they actually HOST files that I need others to have. Instead of emailing or sending by some other medium, I can give them a link, which with they can then download at their will.

The most helpful feature of Dropbox is it's ability to share folders and track changes. This is huge. Get this:

When I had time to work with Grandpa on family history, I needed a way to be able to keep in sync with him without having him send me his PAF file everytime he updated it (which was basically daily). That's too much for him to worry about. Instead, I installed the D-box on his machine, stuck it in a shared folder, linked it with my own, and VOILA, I can see immediately anytime Grandpa makes a change. It is accesible in my Dropbox, which is in the "My Documents" folder. Besides this, if Grandpa accidentally deleted the file (just happened), I can restore it. Beyond that, I can restore it to ANY POINT that Grandpa made changes to it. Every time a file in Dropbox is saved, only the actual info that was changed is updated. This means I can go back to the way the file was in the original, the way it was two weeks ago, or yesterday, all with a simple restore.

I like Dropbox. If you check it out with my invite, I get more space, and better than that, you do too. Intro offering is at 2GB, which is pretty generous.

Works on Mac/Windows/Linux. Accessible via the web or an installed app. Learn more here.

Pow! Pow! Now! Now!

2009-03-15T04:20:00.004-06:00

I decided it's not Christmas anymore here.

Above is a new find. (Ignore the video and just listen.) There's a Half-Handed Cloud song that mentions Emitt Rhodes, but I never really caught the reference. He's an interesting case. When he was like 16, he signed all of his works away for perpetuity, and so of course no one's heard him. His first record, released in 1970 on LP, sounds a bit like McCartney, and has never had an American CD release. Not being able to buy it on quality vinyl, I torrented it. And not being able to buy it, I don't feel the least sorrow in bypassing America's ridiculous copyright stance. I mean, 50 years + life? This stuff might as well be an orphaned work.

Life Potporri

2009-02-06T01:15:00.008-07:00

Potporri's are about as much as I've got time for.

1. Yes, we're alive.
2. Java programming is hard.
3. Dude spiritual boxing right in front of the library didn't want anything to do with my Book of Mormon, but was keen on peddling "The Mormon's: Inspiration or Deception?" around. See past post You like money, dontcha? on trying to trick people into reading your garbage. It's probably a problem when the man says he wants answers to his questions but then refuses all answers, even the possibility of an answer. See James 1:8.
4. There's Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, The Glow, pt 2, Coquelicot Asleep in the Poppies: A Variety of Whimsical Verse, We Haven't Just Been Told, We've Been Loved; Person Pitch, more. New top-level contender for Cameron's favorite records : Animal Collective's Merriweather Post Pavillion. Wow. This is electronic soulpop. And the whole record really seems to be about family: taking care of your own, making sure your kid has got a jacket, spending time with your spouse, calling shout out's in supporting your brother. Check it.
5. Math is hard.
6. Emily is so great.
7. Yes, it's still Christmas.
8. These are seriously cool.

Tagged

2009-01-27T01:04:00.003-07:00

Ryan tagged me, my Remember the Milk tells me, 16 days ago, as that is how many times I have postponed the event. Today I push complete, though only partially fulfill what Ryan requested. It began a tag from a cousin that read "post 5 pictures where [you] see Christ in our country". Well, I'm going for one.

"And he answered, Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them." 2 Kings 6:16

Also, yes, it is still Christmas here. Someday.

Christmas Potporri

2008-12-19T11:46:00.002-07:00

1. Cameron got a B in math. Hallelujah!

2. No joke, UNLV's registration website (the one to add classes, check semester grades, etc.) is only open certain hours. It closes nightly at 8pm.

3. I don't think I have a 'best records of the year' list this year, owing to the fact that I didn't buy many records this year that were also made this year. That said, I probably listened to these the most (in no order):

0. Hymns
1. Panda Bear - Person Pitch
2. Fleet Foxes - s/t & Sun Giant
3. Love - Forever Changes
4. Spoon - all their records
5. Animal Collective - et al.
6. Half-Handed Cloud - Halos & Lassos
7. Punch Brothers - Punch
8. The Essex Green - Everything is Green/The Long Goodbye
9. Kanye West - 808s & Heartbreak
10. Sufjan Stevens - Seven Swans/Illinoise
11. NPR & Classic Country radio

4. Yes, it snowed in Vegas. Either global warming is to blame or we should thanks Obama.

5. I'm gonna have some sweet white elephant gifts.

6. I started work this last week at UNLV (I know) at the Office of International Students & Scholars as an assistant database manager. I'll deal a lot with immigration issues, which are interesting. We have no idea how lucky we Americans are. These students pay thousands to attend an American school. Even UNLV can give 'em that.

7. Christmas has snuck upon us! We just read "The Best Christmas Pageant Ever", a Dixon family semi-tradition. Herod Herdman, ham as a gift for the newborn king, and "HEY! Unto you a child is born!" are a few of the hilarious things in store.

8. "The Best Christmas Pageant Ever" was made into a 80's made-for-TV movie. I found an abridged youtube version.

9. Merry Christmas.

"Heaven is a bit more musical this week, don't you think Gabriel?"

2008-12-19T00:04:00.004-07:00

My great-uncle passed away this past Sunday. I don't ever recall meeting him, but Grandma Waite always had lots of good things to say about him. Also, not any schmoe directs the Mormon Tabernacle Choir.

Info at the jump.

Salt Lake Tribune Obituary

The Missionary Journal Project

2008-12-13T18:58:00.005-07:00

Besides Grandpa Dixon, Emily, and my parents, no one really knows about a passion I've developed this year: family history. While I don't spend as much time reading about it, expanding it, cataloging it, or creating it as I should and would like, I have begun an ambitious project. My great-great-grandfather, John Frederick Dixon, wrote four journal volumes over the course of his mission (1904-1906). He wrote a solid 200 pages of his testimony, recreation, misgivings, "journeyings...sufferings...sorrows...afflictions... and incomprehensible joy" (Alma 28:8, though the joy part has yet to be spotlighted by him; I remember the early months of missionary work all too well).

As apparent, Double G-Grandpa's handwriting can be confusticating. His t's look like l's with a hyphen after it, his f's and p's are only identified by word cues, and the writing in general, refined though it is, gives me a headache after half an hour. But what a treasure this is!: two years of a Mormon missionary's every-day; two years of a Christian preacher's struggles; two years of an ancestor's life documented, open to searching scrutiny and personality-recognizing for posterity.

I plan to make both the scans and the text available to family. If there is a desire, it would be an adventure to publish the thing in binded glory.

I would love to know whether family would prefer a readable, modernized journal over a true to life, misspelled, crazy capitalizationized, warts-and-all version.

4 times in one week...written by Emily (finally)

2008-12-07T00:02:00.006-07:00

Cameron and I were at Kohl's for the second trip today and I said, "This is bloggable." He has been wanting me to write something ~~so that someone will make comments~~ (edited by the editor). I don't think it matters whether it is me or Cameron writing, but whatever. We went to Kohl's four times in the past week. I don't care for shopping because I get worn out quickly (I usually go already exhausted) and I can never find anything that works. However, Cameron and I decided to check out the deals on Black Friday as I was in dire need of some new things. The weather was beautiful so we walked to the Kohl's just up the street. (I enjoyed the walk more than the actual shopping.) I tried on two pairs of pants and when I couldn't get them up over my hips, I said "Let's go." I didn't find anything, and whatever I could find wasn't going to be worth the wait in a choice of two lines that wrapped around the store. We left empty handed. The week came and went and nearly knocked me down. I'm glad I have Cameron to help me stand. Friday meant a night of freedom. Somehow we found ourselves at Kohl's again. I tried on 12 or so shirts and nothing worked! but after some more searching I left with a few new tops. Another trip on Saturday brought home a shirt I had second thoughts about originally. Then we were visiting with my parents and my mom said she had some Kohl's cash that had to be spent today. Again we went and I had a hard time spending $20. (I could never spend a million dollars.) We were there much longer than I had wanted to be there. The whole reason to post was to please Cameron and to share what Cameron is like while on a long shopping trip. He is so patient. I take forever to decide anything. He is very good at entertaining himself. We got separated for a bit and the next time I saw him he had two long rolls of wrapping paper. We don't need wrapping paper...he was using them to drum on everything! and wacking them together. Then he busied himself for a while by making faces in the mirror. It was entertaining for me to see his quirky creativity. That's it. Sorry no update on life, just some silly story that isn't quite representative of the past few months, so if you would like to know how things are going, send us an email, or give us a call. Hope life is well for you...I'm glad Christmas is upon us. Merry Christmas to you...and sometime I will tell you about the fishes I caught.

Longform Potporri

2008-12-04T00:08:00.012-07:00

Yeah, I lied about the other Christmas posts coming. Though maybe Santa will come a bit early. He actually showed up yesterday to deliver the final draft of the gay marriage paper I've been working on for 5 weeks. Glad it's done, though there was more I would've liked to have said. It turned out to be 21 pages (two pages were bibliographic). A decent read if you're interested.

Cameron is not good at math. That shouldn't news to you out there (Emily; who else reads this? Sometimes we conflate blog-reading for date night). But it turns out I'll need to take one more semester before that game ends.

My least favorite question has an answer: Cameron will major in Informatics, (probably minor in English), and is interested in an MBA/JD program if he can find one dumb enough for him. Yes, both.

So, the new Kanye West record is FANTASTIC. Not a fan of the Lil Wayne song, but everything else is worth checking out, especially if you avoid rap because of the sweary-swears. This one is clean. Check "Bad News" or "Street Lights".

In the router we got awhile back was attached a free eMusic 50 song trial. eMusic has some great stuff (this was my second trial; you just gotta know howto do it), and this time an audiobook was part of the deal. I started to read Moby Dick back in September, but life got crazy, so I stopped, but am glad to listen in again to the tale. I am completely stuck by its stark explicative narrative. Ishmael spends five pages on describing the a-bedding of the cannibal Queequeg and you're entranced. The book is hilarious. I love the biblical overtones thoughout.
Go read it.

I try to get Emily to write on this thing instead of just post pictures. She could use some motivation.

When not listening to MD/KW, I have been hooked to the AM "Country Classic" station in town- er, in Winchester. This leads me back to Christmas: Hayddawg, here's a list: Jim Reeves, Mr. Johnny Cash, Patsy Cline, Hank Williams, Emmylou Harris, or the album Will the Circle be Unbroken. Simple, honest, personal pop songs. Or a decent record cleaner like this one.

It's Christmas! Almost.

2008-11-21T16:01:00.004-07:00

(This is the first of a series of Christmas posts.)

Don't let the above named song fool you. It's one of the sweetest-sounding Christmas songs we know.

23!

2008-11-02T10:30:00.001-07:00

Happy Birthday Cameron! I love you!

Rehash from the Crazy Stash

2008-10-28T22:53:00.003-06:00

Maybe when I pass a math test, I will make the time to tell you all about how we are living on our own now (!), or how Emily has a job, or why Cameron doesn't, or all about the closet-studio, or about these great books that I'm reading (Sorry Moby Dick, someday I'll catch you), or about why family history is so inspiring, or why our families are wonderful, or about excellent podcasts, websites, betas, and strange/funny/heartrending fan translations of Japanese gaming staples, but until I pass a math test, none of that will happen. Maybe Emily, as the picturemaster, will throw up some pics. For now you get some interesting stats.

When Gay Rights and Religious Liberties Clash

by Barbara Bradley Hagerty
NPR

In recent years, some states have passed laws giving residents the right to same-sex unions in various forms. Gay couples may marry in Massachusetts and California. There are civil unions and domestic partnerships in Vermont, New Jersey, Connecticut, New Hampshire and Oregon. Other states give more limited rights.

Armed with those legal protections, same-sex couples are beginning to challenge policies of religious organizations that exclude them, claiming that a religious group's view that homosexual marriage is a sin cannot be used to violate their right to equal treatment. Now parochial schools, "parachurch" organizations such as Catholic Charities and businesses that refuse to serve gay couples are being sued — and so far, the religious groups are losing. Here are a few cases:

Adoption services: Catholic Charities in Massachusetts refused to place children with same-sex couples as required by Massachusetts law. After a legislative struggle — during which the Senate president said he could not support a bill "condoning discrimination" — Catholic Charities pulled out of the adoption business in 2006.

Housing: In New York City, Yeshiva University's Albert Einstein College of Medicine, a school under Orthodox Jewish auspices, banned same-sex couples from its married dormitory. New York does not recognize same-sex marriage, but in 2001, the state's highest court ruled Yeshiva violated New York City's ban on sexual orientation discrimination. Yeshiva now allows all couples in the dorm.

Parochial schools: California Lutheran High School, a Protestant school in Wildomar, holds that homosexuality is a sin. After the school suspended two girls who were allegedly in a lesbian relationship, the girls' parents sued, saying the school was violating the state's civil rights act protecting gay men and lesbians from discrimination. The case is before a state judge.

Medical services: A Christian gynecologist at North Coast Women's Care Medical Group in Vista, Calif., refused to give his patient in vitro fertilization treatment because she is in a lesbian relationship, and he claimed that doing so would violate his religious beliefs. (The doctor referred the patient to his partner, who agreed to do the treatment.) The woman sued under the state's civil rights act. The California Supreme Court heard oral arguments in May 2008, and legal experts believe that the woman's right to medical treatment will trump the doctor's religious beliefs. One justice suggested that the doctors take up a different line of business.

Psychological services: A mental health counselor at North Mississippi Health Services refused therapy for a woman who wanted help in improving her lesbian relationship. The counselor said doing so would violate her religious beliefs. The counselor was fired. In March 2001, the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit sided with the employer, ruling that the employee's religious beliefs could not be accommodated without causing undue hardship to the company.

Civil servants: A clerk in Vermont refused to perform a civil union ceremony after the state legalized them. In 2001, in a decision that side-stepped the religious liberties issue, the Vermont Supreme Court ruled that he did not need to perform the ceremony because there were other civil servants who would. However, the court did indicate that religious beliefs do not allow employees to discriminate against same-sex couples.

Adoption services: A same-sex couple in California applied to Adoption Profiles, an Internet service in Arizona that matches adoptive parents with newborns. The couple's application was denied based on the religious beliefs of the company's owners. The couple sued in federal district court in San Francisco. The two sides settled after the adoption company said it will no longer do business in California.

Wedding services: A same sex couple in Albuquerque asked a photographer, Elaine Huguenin, to shoot their commitment ceremony. The photographer declined, saying her Christian beliefs prevented her from sanctioning same-sex unions. The couple sued, and the New Mexico Human Rights Commission found the photographer guilty of discrimination. It ordered her to pay the lesbian couple's legal fees ($6,600). The photographer is appealing.

Wedding facilities: Ocean Grove Camp Meeting Association of New Jersey, a Methodist organization, refused to rent its boardwalk pavilion to a lesbian couple for their civil union ceremony. The couple filed a complaint with the New Jersey Division on Civil Rights. The division ruled that the boardwalk property was open for public use, therefore the Methodist group could not discriminate against gay couples using it. In the interim, the state's Department of Environmental Protection revoked a portion of the association's tax benefits. The case is ongoing.

Youth groups: The city of Berkeley, Calif., requested that the Sea Scouts (affiliated with the Boy Scouts) formally agree to not discriminate against gay men in exchange for free use of berths in the city's marina. The Sea Scouts sued, claiming this violated their beliefs and First Amendment right to the freedom to associate with other like-minded people. In 2006, the California Supreme Court ruled against the youth group. In San Diego, the Boy Scouts lost access to the city-owned aquatic center for the same reason. While these cases do not directly involve same-sex unions, they presage future conflicts about whether religiously oriented or parachurch organizations may prohibit, for example, gay couples from teaching at summer camp. In June 2008, the federal Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals asked the California Supreme Court to review the Boy Scouts' leases. Meanwhile, the mayor's office in Philadelphia revoked the Boy Scouts' $1-a-year lease for a city building.

2008-10-15T17:38:00.002-06:00

English

2008-10-07T10:06:00.002-06:00

1. Me on movies, written about watching "V for Vendetta" in class. Gotta love UNLV:
I suppose I’m a lot like Holden Caulfield: I think actors and the characters they portray are “phonies”. I have a hard time being objective about a storyline when things happen that just don’t in the real world. A claim I often hear is that folks watch movies to escape the real world. My response is that, in movies like V for Vendetta, the whole plot either (a) postulates that “This could really happen in the real world!” or (b) insinuates, if only by some allegorical notion, that “This is really happening in the real world!” I don’t doubt that censorship, hate speech, and fear-mongering in the name of God or other authority happens. I simply have a hard time watching it when the characters are kissing masked men that have tortured them (tortured “for their own good”) and have a backroom that looks like a torture chamber. (Who built the torture chamber? Wouldn’t some dude have told some other dude they built a crazy stone jail for some scary masked man? Where’s Eyewitness News?) For me, it’s credibility-killing. But I’m glad other people like movies. It means nobody bought the music I need when I go to the record store.

2. Closing paragraph of paper written on MLK's "Letter from Birmingham Jail":
Despite all these powerful examples, King is most effective because his words are like "the Word." Scripture is short, powerful, and usually has dual-ability. In Nephi's words, it can be likened. What has application in a story or an event often has real ethical and moral implications. Here is where his letter shines. On almost every page, King's proverbial observations can be harvested: the result of a lifetime mastery of spiritual horticulture. The reader reaps the seeds King has collected, studied, and sown. His pithy maxims contain truth-gems that, just like scripture, can engender repentance, embody difficult concepts simply, and enrich a sorry life.
"Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere."
"I submit that an individual who breaks a law that conscience tells him is unjust, and willingly accepts the penalty by staying in jail to arouse the conscience of the community over its injustice, is in reality expressing the very highest respect for law."
"Actually time is neutral. It can be used either destructively or constructively."
"Shallow understanding from people of goodwill is more frustrating than absolute misunderstanding from people of ill will. Lukewarm acceptance is much more bewildering than outright rejection."
"The nation and the world are in dire need of creative extremists".
"There can be no deep disappointment where there is not deep love."
Just like the sacred texts he loves, King's profundity would engrain itself in the minds and hearts of his hearers. And just like scripture does, Martin Luther King, Jr., aims to bring change to actions, attitude, beliefs, behavior, thoughts, and traditions.

3. Copyright

Stiff copyright protection is rightly directed by the copyright holder. It being their property, they may govern what they have authored. Yet increasingly, fair use has been relegated to the wealthy, while other uses and users are forced to make the most of a public domain that is landlocked and fading from view.
But, for culture’s sake, copyrights will at some point become again the property of all. Just as no one owns or controls performances or readings of Hamlet, Moby Dick, or Beethoven’s 5th, copyrightists’ works become again the public property. The fact that copyright is limited and is then subsequently made available in the public domain suggests that the creator did not create something entirely new, but combined various elements of what was already in their personal culture and then distilled elements to the favor of their plot, characters, or score. Property is often thought of as something one owns. “That is my house, my car, my pen.” It is predictably viewed as tangible and rivalrous. ‘Rivalrous’ means that if Jim owns something, then John cannot own that same thing. Intellectual ‘property’, however, is a bit of a misnomer. If Jim births an idea (or work), and shares it with John, Jim has not impoverished himself, yet has enlightened John. Thomas Jefferson put is best:

“If nature has made any one thing less susceptible than all others of exclusive property, it is the action of the thinking power called an idea, which an individual may exclusively possess as long as he keeps it to himself; but the moment it is divulged, it forces itself into the possession of every one, and the receiver cannot dispossess himself of it. Its peculiar character, too, is that no one possesses the less, because every other possesses the whole of it. He who receives an idea from me, receives instruction himself without lessening mine; as he who lights his taper at mine, receives light without darkening me. That ideas should freely spread from one to another over the globe, for the moral and mutual instruction of man, and improvement of his condition, seems to have been peculiarly and benevolently designed by nature.”

The Framers respected property and included in the Constitution that government could not take away land unless they provided just compensation for it, yet they did not feel to do the same for intellectual property. Even on physical property is a limit called “rule against perpetuities”. After twenty-one years, a will that proclaims a specific use of land is no longer valid, and allows a benefactor to do what they would with the land. The Framers saw the difficulties in English Feudalism, and did not wish for the dead to control the living. Intellectual property stands to benefit from the same principle. In current copyright law, the dead control their work and its future innovative thought- its culture- for 70 years after their death. In the strange world of copyright, life-after-death expectancy rates are longer than the rates for actual expectancy.

"He's a miniature/Philosopher/He writes essays on Voltaire

2008-09-02T09:31:00.007-06:00

But if he died no one would care."

I picked up a book in the UNLV library called "If God is Dead, Everything is Permitted?" The quotation comes from a semi-quoted statement in Dostoevsky's novel "The Brothers Karamazov", where the title character says that if God is dead, there is no virtue. A similar (but backwards) statement to the above is made by Lehi: "13 And if ye shall say there is no law, ye shall also say there is no sin. If ye shall say there is no sin, ye shall also say there is no righteousness. And if there be no righteousness there be no happiness. And if there be no righteousness nor happiness there be no punishment nor misery. And if these things are not there is no God. And if there is no God we are not, neither the earth; for there could have been no creation of things, neither to act nor to be acted upon; wherefore, all things must have vanished away. 14 And now, my sons, I speak unto you these things for your profit and learning; for there is a God".

Many a philosopher or other has tried to state that morality is not dependent upon religion:

1. Those who say they live good, moral lives independent of religion fail to realize that though they may not believe in a Creator, they still espouse principles that are perfected in God: love, justice, mercy, forgiveness, patience.

2. And yet, I do believe that someone can have love, justice, mercy, etc., without a belief in God, but they certainly would have a greater understanding of why they should act this way if they had knowledge of and a conversion to God.

3. Though I think someone can have morality without religion, I believe that morality sinks lower and lower the further its proximity to true religion. Religion is needed for the instigation and steady perpetuation of morality.

What about Bob?

2008-08-22T16:18:00.005-06:00

"______, it looked ugly out there. You just lost the gold medal and pretty much everything you have trained towards for at least the last four years. Could you tell the audience at home how it feels?"

If I ever met this Bob Neymeyer guy, the man who is down on the track at the Bird's Nest and does the post-race interviews, I'd stick a millstone medal around his neck and find a close ocean. It's like these athletes owe the dude something.

"You did so well in the qualifying heats, but this time you hit a hurdle and couldn't catch up. What happened out there?"

"You won the gold in Athens four years ago, but changed coaches. Do you think that has anything to do with your loss?"

"Your injuries have hampered you all year, and now you just lost a chance at the podium. Are you really 100%?"

"Throughout the race, your progress seemed to be going between varying degrees of nothing and something. Why didn't you win, you loser?

I was glad of Jeremy Wariner walking away from his overbearing questioning, broadcasted last night.

End.

Dat's Luv

2008-07-28T19:31:00.005-06:00

Happy Anniversary! Cameron and I celebrated one year of marriage on July 20th. It has been more than wonderful. I'm grateful to have such a loving husband.
My older sister Sarah made our wedding cake and saved the top for us to eat on our anniversary. We brought the cake from Salt Lake to Provo then to Las Vegas, so we figured we had better try it. The cake actually tasted pretty good.
Enjoy some pictures...
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Also...I was called to post pictures of Cameron's fabulous race weeks ago...but then we moved and then my camera cord was nowhere to be found. Finally, I found it today, so you can scroll down to see some pictures of Cameron's big day!

Viva...viva...

2008-07-20T09:15:00.002-06:00

Las Vegas! We've arrived in our valley home so dear, or at least Emily's parents home so dear. We anticipate being here a few more weeks until Em finds employment as a teacher and we find somewhere close to her school to live.

I have started school, taking IS 101 and Phil 102. I do like school, but am downtrodden by the ineptitude of my professors, Philosophy especially. Reconfirms to me the truism that just because one knows a lot does not make him as a teacher.

But we got some new records and life is swell. And as soon as Insound catches up, we'll have more sweet sounds.

We also saw a neat movie last night called the "Singing Revolution", a film about the Estonian nation and the 50-year Soviet occupation of the country, and how the countries unique identity was kept alive by a (what's the word for every 5 years?) singing festival. After the propaganda socialist songs they were forced to sing, they would then sing the old Estonian songs, much to the distaste of the Soviets. The film was less about singing and more about a people's desire to become and remain free, and the lengths the human spirit will go to accomplish such a feat. I recommend it to all.

Pictures are still forthcoming, as soon as we figure out where we packed the cable-connector.

Close with a brief story: at the library the other day, and older gentleman came to the reference desk which I happened to be studying near (bad idea), and asked, "Do you guys have any books on DVD?" Gotta love that greatest generation.

You Like Money, Doncha?

2008-07-06T23:43:00.004-06:00

I have thought for two days about posting this, and weighed both why I should and why I shouldn't, but I think the thought has incubated enough now that I can tell it in condemnatory yet un-hateful language.

After the below-mentioned race, I threw my new (dry) race shirt on and Emily and I walked a rectangle to a watch the parade. I'm not one for decrying our modern times (<--- lie), but man, parades are not like I remember... or at least the start of parades are not what I remember. We turned North on University and encountered every other person reading the back of a dollar bill. As I could presently see the front of each bill, I noticed a replacement where Washington's face should be: the face of Joseph Smith. Being that my current state of residence is Utah County (oft called Happy Valley for its assumed rose-tinged, idealistic/lackadaisical outlook on life, speaking collectively), I immediately knew that this was anti-. No (active) member of the Church would do something so irreverent. Someone here was trying to make a statement.

There's a section on University where the sidewalk will shortly be destroyed to facilitate the building of, at my conjecture, some three-story parking facility. A temporary wooden sidewalk, complete with roof and side rail, has been installed, and this juts out where a turn lane should be. As we watched some more floats from inside this, I noticed a bill on the railing. It wasn't a one dollar bill, it was a million dollar bill. It looked in image and size very much like money, with accompanying color and border art. The "1,000,000" was in the right place; so was the image slightly off-center, like newer notes. I flipped it over, and it began: "If you're like most Mormons, you have no idea where you are going after this life. You don't know whether you are saved or not." And then I stopped. I've read the drivel before, and had my own battle with it. My answer lies in the fact that there is nothing biblical stating that one must have assurance of future salvation here on earth for salvation; also that often, the parties involved here are facing a semantic turnaround. What for a non- Latter-day Saint probably means "returning to the presence of God", Latter-day Saints have a different word, yet still use the former word. Having a sense of, as Brigham Young put it, "present salvation", is important as it can guide one's daily actions, but the lack of the sense- not its outcome; that's necessary- is not grounds for God's wrath in this life or the next.

Continuing our walk, I stewed about all this. It did not upset me that people were reading this tract; what upset me was the false pretenses under which it was given. This bill was a calculated attack on those who were not anticipating what they were handed. It was deceptive; no quid pro quo here. What these men were attempting to do was knock down someone's wall of faith by tricking them into paying attention to something that they thought was altogether something else. I am not implying that parade-goers assumed some money-endowed stranger was playing the money tree, but I do not think they got what they thought would be received. While serving as a missionary, I learned that it was my purpose to invite others to come unto Christ, not attempt to impel them or even prove to them what I was saying was true. We bore simple testimony and said "come and hear, and then find out for yourself. Ask God, not us." If these antagonists wish to sent out anti- missionaries who take a similar tone, that's fine by me. Let me state clearly I would be kind to them and seek to invite them myself, but that I would not spend much time listening to them. I have my own heaven-given witness, and they could too. But it disturbs me that one claiming to be an advocate for Christ missed the whole part about "do unto others", or"be wise as serpents, yet harmless as doves". Even if I had no testimony of the Restoration or Joseph Smith, I hope I'd be enlightened enough to know that a just and merciful God wants me to act of my own accord, not be tricked into hearing what he has to say so that He alone may benefit.

It was a testimony to me that the Church is not only true, but good, too. Our missionaries do not act this way, or should not; if they do they act without authority. The Church has one of the largest humanitarian outreaches in the world. The amount of content freely available on the Church website to believer and otherwise is staggering to me. The goal of the Church is for us to improve our lives by recognizing there is One who can improve us, our families, our communities, and not through empty rhetorical preaching, but through practical principles. The disconnect between what these few were doing and these noble objectives were clear and distinct to me, and I hope they were to others.

As we walked home, Emily actually saw the two men: bills in hand, broad smiles on faces, saying to a young boy "You like money, doncha?" as they handed him a million dollars. I felt but resisted the urge to say anything to them, because contention will not solve anything. But I hope those men will take another look and the practices and principles they espouse as they seek to speak in the name of God.

A Heartbeat on the Danger Side

2008-07-04T19:39:00.004-06:00

Today I ran my first 10k, which began at Kiwanis Part in Provo. The morning air was edified by grey clouds, the hot-air balloons were out , and the blood got moving as myself and 1,125 of my new best friends ran as fast as our booties would let us go.

Cameron waiting in the masses of people ready for the race to start.
( I love the beautiful Y mountain in the background. )
CROSSING THE FINISH LINE!!!!!

I was so proud of my husband. He worked hard and ran a great race!!

Potporri Ten

2008-06-29T22:52:00.006-06:00

1. You don't know me from Adam, dude. Don't call me "Cam".

2. To me, education is more about having understanding at arm's length so as better to relate to someone and invite them to know God more fully than about money. And just because Life comes around, "deep thoughts" shouldn't be left in the cold. School starts in 2 weeks and I refuse to let school hold my education hostage.

3. Compy : Computer :: Lappy : Laptop

4. What are your experiences with removing a wart?

5. Good friends make life a joy. Holla's to Brad, Carly, Kenny, Lorin, (others, in alphabetical order).

6. I love nighttime alone-time.

7. Three cheers to home-teachees who invite their home teachers to Sunday dinner.

8. Creation > Consumption. D&C 58:27

9. eBay is ______.

10. "Hey, I just noticed, where is your guyses (sic) TV? I mean, what do you guys do?"

11. Recommend me a song. Yours: Love "Andmoreagain". Or Panda Bear "Comfy in Nautica".

The SL-1200 MK2

2008-06-15T22:03:00.008-06:00

Hello, my name is Technics SL-1200 MK2.

The Aftermath

That Sufjan record there is wonderful.

"Is this thing level?"

I've been in the market for a new turntable since I returned home and noticed that my records were playing too fast. Emily claims to not have noticed, but it would drive me crazy hearing of Montreal's "Everything Disappears When you Come Around" at 35 RPM instead of 33 1/3, and hearing Elliott Smith's "Division Day" at 48 1/2 instead of 45. Honestly, my thing with vinyl from the beginning was not with "cool", but with being able to listen to more music- cheaply, and in its original format. I can go to a record store and get used (and decently clean, or at least after a scrub) LP's for $3-4. I can find Paul Simon's Graceland in the way it was created to be listened to: from side A, a short intermission of flipping the record, then side B. (One might argue the circumstances of this playback method forced artists to fit into the box instead of creating the box, but certainly the limitations were considered in sequencing the album.) Another thing: no bonus tracks. Y'notice that when you buy a CD of an older album (read: more than 10 years, and getting exponentally shorter), there is tacked on bonus tracks, alternate mixes, and re-mixes with the hook ripped out of its habitat, playing over a drum machine bass and shotgun snares (and the wailing sirens in the background are a nice touch), which may do wonders for the record's hardcore fans, but newbie-me is not usually interested except in hearing the monaural vs. stereo versions. Most smaller labels are releasing LP's with a coupon inside for a free mp3 download of the album, realizing that music consumers are listening to music in multiple formats. But more than any of this, I wanted to hear what some of my favorite current groups were creating on one-off tracks released on vinyl: split 7'''s, EP's on side 4 of the album, B-sides on a great single.

Though for many that exclusive track or cheap record may not be worth the cost of a nice turntable, I enjoy having a high-quality way to enjoy something that I love. And now I could DJ!

Our Friend, Kenny King

2008-06-15T21:59:00.003-06:00

Left is Kenny King, the former Elder King. He and I served together in the New Haven Area in Tulsa, OK from May 26- July 1 2006. I am glad to be counted as one of his friends. Here we are from our Vegas trip a few weeks back at the Temple.

I love being a TURTLE!

The Shredder totally shredded us.

Emily loves to cook!

2008-06-15T21:44:00.010-06:00

In this, Emily's semester of being almost done, she took the required classes she needed to graduate and took some fun classes. One of them was a cooking course, and I am glad she took it! I have always thought Emily was a good cook, but her dinners now are at least twice as good. Must be the chocolate.

Here she is with her cooking group.

Eclair cake, made of whipped cream, vanilla pudding,

graham crackers, and chocolate frosting. And Love.

Here is a picture of an apple pie she made. Cored the apples and all!

Here is all the juices falling out of the pie while I took a picture.

Her final project was a carefully budgeted (I think she said under $20) meal for a family of six. I guess the lettuce wraps didn't turn out as well as she would've hoped, but the rest of the meal looks great.

Four Years!!

2008-06-15T21:06:00.005-06:00

Emily and I met on either the 3rd or 4th of June, 2004, when she said "Hello" to me. I say either because it was the middle of the night at a church activity. We celebrated the day by playing the same types of games we played the night we met.

We had a great time.

I got a hole-in-one!!! I am not a good golfer; I just like to have fun.

What is Conservatism?

2008-05-17T18:10:00.006-06:00

I often feel unqualified to make political statements, as I feel so unlearned. A wise man surely said "I don't even know enough to know that I don't know." But, some thoughts: I am reading an interesting book entitled The Devil Knows Latin- Why America Needs the Classical Tradition. In it, E. Christian Kopff writes in erudite, with lots of latin jargon, lots of greek root words, lots of references to intelligent thinkers that are way beyond me. Mostly, every few pages I have a new insight into history, politics, and thought in general. Today's chapter was called "The Ghost Dance: Liberalism in Crisis." He defines conservatism by defining liberalism:

That liberalism is in crisis has been clear for some time. Since the Enlightenment, liberalism has maintained a consistent antipathy to attitude rooted in tradition and supported by prejudice, especially religious tradition and prejudice. As a political theory, liberalism is closely tied to the possibility of a secular moral culture founded on something other than the controversial religious and metaphysical ideas of any particular group within that culture.
But independent of particular religious and metaphysical assumptions, can there be a nonarbitrary basis for making moral judgments? Without a positive answer to this question, liberalism must self-destruct as a coherent moral ideology. If it would be out of bounds for the liberal state to base moral arguments - and, in particular, to base its own claims to legitimacy- on the ultimate convictions of any particular group, then the liberal state is a logical monstrosity, and the problems it is now undergoing are a necessary and inevitable prelude to its own implosion. To state all this another way: if, in order to maintain neutrality among religious beliefs and metaphysical arguments, a liberal state must never claim any rational basis for values, then the foundational assumptions of the state undermine its very legitimacy, because any claims that can be made on behalf of the liberal state, including the claim to neutrality, are merely arbitrary. In other words, liberalism cannot even answer the question most important for it, "Why neutrality?"

Is it that a conservative is less a disciple of the dictionary definition of the word and more of one who is less willing to reject the past because it happened a long time ago? because it is old-fashioned? because it is not the norm now? My definition of the word "creativity" is more closely linked to "conservative" than I felt before reading: "combining various elements of what is already in one's personal culture and distilling elements to the favor of the creator".

Our Vegas Trip

2008-04-21T21:16:00.007-06:00

Together at the show.

Cameron has been wanting to change the brakes on our car. I admire his desire to learn how things work and be prepared for the future.

He got pretty dirty. My favorite part was before his face got all black; he had just a little smudge under his nose. :)

Many thanks to Dad Powell for being willing to get dirty and take the time and effort to teach a car novice like me. Once we found the allen key to remove the caliper, it really was a quick fix. Maybe 45 minutes actual working time and two shoes were changed.

Cameron's brother Austin leaves for a mission (New Jersey Morristown) in a few weeks. We were blessed to be with him in the Temple. Isn't Grandpa Waite a cute little man? That's a good picture of him.

Grandpa telling stories about the Temple...

I asked Grandpa what the Northern interior of the Temple houses. He explained that several times a year, different stake leaders will hold meetings with their high counsel and auxiliary leaders in the Temple. He also told a great story that I hope is recorded in the Temple's history: when the Temple open house occurred in 1989, the California anti-'s shipped out their best and brightest to protest the event. The fall weather took an early turn for the chilly, leaving the short-sleeved travelers wishing the lake of fire was a tad nearer. The Temple staff reached out to the vagabonds, saying "Look, you are cold and hungry. Come in our tent and warm yourself with some hot chocolate and donuts." Grandpa's closing sentence: "The antagonists just didn't have much spirit in them after that." Br. Madsen once said something like 'there's nothing better than getting even in the Christlike way.'

We drove home from Las Vegas only to jump back in the car and go to Salt Lake City for a show. Cameron and I really like "Half-handed Cloud." It was a fun show. I especially liked the beautiful blossoms blowing on the tree outside the window.
John (Half-handed Cloud) is a Christian who creates art-damaged, obtuse, non-formulaic religious pop songs. His lyrics all have biblical overtones, but don't leave the believer feeling insulted by Christian imagery. My biggest problem with contemporary Christian music is that the repeated name of the Lord (and similarly obvious touchstones) is offensive to me for its lack of reverence, its inability to edify, and its triteness. It leaves me with nothing to ponder. Scripture, as well as good music, leaves me a little better than it found me. It adds something that I couldn't or wouldn't think myself. The best compliment I can give to his music is that, like the Gospel, it makes me happy.

We had a good trip.

Cameron knows how much I love to go on walks...

2008-03-27T21:19:00.006-06:00

Mother's Copyright Mustache

2008-03-20T09:07:00.028-06:00

I haven't been much of a video game player since returning home from Tulsa, and haven't really paid attention to modern consoles and their wares since the middling days of the GameCube. I've played the suddenly-huge Guitar Hero once (and determined it's a far cry from the real thing; I'm terrible) and my folks got a Wii for Christmas, the latter being forged somewhat covetously in my mind as genuinely cool. I suppose for me, my current economic and educational status (let's call both "searching") has hindered me from delving into this once-beloved world.

And now I've come across Mother 3. And I'm excited.

Mother 3 is a Japanese-only release, a sequel to what is certainly my second favorite game of all time. (Tetris Attack is no. 1) Earthbound was released on the SNES in 1995; it's a weird adventure/RPG that is not set in medieval times: battles take place between you and possessed trees, a crazed cult, and old hippies. And vomit. You erase corporeal pencil-shaped statues with a pencil eraser. You meet friends from around the world, including men that have heads, no bodies, and feet. Your next-door neighbor is your worst enemy. Your ATM card provides you with cash, and if you need to check your balance (and save the game), you just call your dear old dad. Your sister works for a pizza place and delivers when you need strength. At random times, a cameraman comes to take your picture, with no real reason. You shop at malls, go to concerts, and meet the Loch Ness monster. All while saving the modern world.

Earthbound sounds great, eh? (I've imeem'ed some tunes to the right for your listening pleasure.) So what is Mother 3? In Japan, Earthbound was called Mother 2 (1 was never released stateside, though manufactured). In the summer of 2006, the long-awaited sequel was released. In Japan. In Japanese. I don't know any Japanese other than ohayo gozaimasu and do-not-touch-my-mustache, or something.

Fans petitioned Nintendo for a US release to no avail. So what's a fan to do? DIY, of course.

These guys are working up a patch that will flip my Japanese Mother 3 ROM into English. And reading how they're doing it is simply amazing. It's more than just a translation, though I'm sure that was easy enough. Basically, the whole game has to be hacked and reprogrammed. This is dedication.

And potentially lawsuit inducing. Though these guys won't be distributing a ROM (the actual file that hold the game) they will be distributing the patch to update my (technically illegal) ROM. I sure hope nothing terrible befalls this crew (partly for their sake, partly for mine), yet I can see Nintendo's lawyers strong-arm this project. Without getting too much into copyright law: what they are doing falls into the four fair use caveats, especially the effect upon the original work's value (Mother 3 in Japanese). The so-called copyright clause in the Constitution allows a copyrightist to exploit their work for a limited time. Exploit means "to garner profit from". Unless Nintendo decides to market Mother 3 as Earthbound 2 in the U.S., these hackers are not theivering the earnings from Nintendo as Nintendo's current return on the game in the U.S. is nil.

Creativity like this gets me excited. Without the computer or the internet, none of this innovation would be possible or feasible. The internet breaks fetters on worldwide distribution methods, literally creating a world-wide web. It makes me consider what I can create and distribute, instead of just consuming others' works.

The Office

2008-03-11T14:58:00.004-06:00

No, this isn't about some silly television show.

Ah (Agh?), the office: that home away from home; that place where folks the next cubicle over think you can't actually hear them talking about you; a place where, when the fire alarm goes off, everyone stays put, eventually standing up to ask all: "Do you think this is a test?"

How to Get to our Home

2008-02-17T19:20:00.002-07:00

Instead of telling you where we live, we thought we'd just show you.

"Mormonism"

2008-02-12T23:16:00.008-07:00

While driving to work/school, Em and I will typically listen to Morning Edition on NPR. Sometimes thought-provoking, other times incredulous, today's lead story actually kind of shocked me. "Mormons Confront Negative Ideas About Their Faith" was the title posted online, and a similar one was read on air. The story was mostly gleaned from articles in the WSJ, NY Times, and others, and focused on how Romney's campaign incited "puffings" of those who can find nothing good in the faith to a public awareness nearly unheard of, and for the most part, unknown to most outside the Bible Belt. I for one have not really decided whom to vote for (no one's fault but my own), and felt Romney to be an interesting candidate, but really followed him closely to see what was said of the Church and faith that means so much to me. And what has been said has been really, really nasty, most of it. I remind myself near daily of some powerful words, "A patient disciple, for instance, will not be surprised nor undone when the Church is misrepresented," ...and Emily has chided me to stop reading before I blow up. The thoughtless errors baffle me, and this, at a time with the heretofore-unknown widespread archives of knowledge. "Go to the source," our parched mouth tells us, knowing of the roily, muddy, poison-filled stagnant waters of the far side of the pond. Yet, our rational minds says "Non-sequitur."

Which brings me to my thought. Truth has always, always, always, been hated and persecuted. Light always stirs up darkness. I have been loving Parley P. Pratt's Autobiography. I just read the prelude and dirge of Haun's Mill. And it shakes me that these people were murdered for nothing more than than being a "Mormon", as Parley puts it. Heartwrenching, but I love the in-quotes noun, meaning, "it's this, but not really". What is a "Mormon", used as appellate? Nothing more than that: a descriptive term stuck like a thumbtack by those on the outside looking in. (I am aware of Joseph's description of its Egyptian origin and his subsequent commentary; this is not what I'm typing about.) In Parley's eyes- and mine- he saw his faith as being the same as the ancients, none of the newfangledness of reformation or Reformation. And if Christ was persecuted, I can expect the same, scripture promising.

In all things

2008-02-08T09:09:00.000-07:00

And now, a friendly message from PETA.

"Dear President Monson:
On behalf of PETA's more than 1.8 million members and supporters, I am writing to wish you the best during this time of transition for the Church. I'm also writing to urge you to emphasize God's requirement to protect His creatures and to treat our bodies as sacred gifts by urging Mormons to go vegetarian."

Full Article

A scripture for your reading pleasure:

D&C 49:18
And whoso forbiddeth to abstain from meats that man should not eat the same, is not ordained of God.

And another:

1 Tim 4:1-3
1 Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;
2 Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;
3 Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth.

The scriptures say we can eat meat, and they say we should not not eat meat. Whither, then, is truth? It's somewhere in the middle. In fact, with this scripture, it's laid right out for us: "sparingly".

Here, though, there isn't a real contradiction. I am with PETA that we should eat vegatables. I stand away from PETA in that I believe the scriptures show we are able to choose and not be forced to eat no meat (whoso forbiddeth to abstain). The power is yours!

Contradiction is necessary for progress and all happiness. (2 Ne. 2:11) Opposition forces me to look at where I stand and where I intend to go. It confronts my current beliefs about myself and the world, daring me to reconcile the difference. This is a good thing, and I am grateful for struggle. “There is not a single condition of life that is entirely unnecessary; there is not one hour's experience but what is beneficial to all those who make it their study, and aim to improve upon the experience they gain” (Brigham, Journal of Discourses, Vol.9, p.292 p.293)

But is it possible these contradictions, so-called, are in the scriptures? All over the place. "Every verse, whether oft-quoted or obscure, must be measured against other verses. There are complementary and tempering teachings in the scriptures which bring a balanced knowledge of truth" (Boyd K. Packer, Oct. General Conference 1984). P. Packer's talk gives a wonderful example. An example that has brought great understanding of the Atonement in my life is the juxtaposition of grace and works. That understanding has led me to know that if I reconcile myself to Christ and do my very best in this life, I can live in eternal happiness with my family. The truths are all over the scriptures, especially modern scripture. The word of God has changed me more than any man ever has.

President Hinckley, Prophet of God, Dies at 97

2008-01-27T20:40:00.000-07:00

We know that this man was called by God to lead in reconciling others to Jesus Christ. Link

The Tascam 34b

2008-01-24T21:57:00.000-07:00

This is the Tascam 34b, my reel-to-reel four track tape recorder. In times past it has recorded some decent sounding tunes; now it seems to be faltering. Instead of selling it on eBay, I've decided to go learn the art of repairing (please, no) and maintaining (yes) this 25 year old beast of a machine. A great magazine and book, Tape Op, has been a huge motivator in my interest in resurrecting the 34b from becoming a hiss and byword. Also inspirational is jogging thru campus with my new iPod shuffle, listening to words and sounds of varying modernity. ...3 years removed from headphones, but I've been re-activated. All these things have culminated in a desire to create something interesting, unique, and worthwhile with the small amount of time and equipment I have. Now what I really want is a tambourine.

Unaquainted with Men and Things

2008-01-23T15:04:00.000-07:00

I like to learn. I like to understand how stuff works. So, knowing that now is the only forseeable time until I retire that I'll get to work on personal secular education unattached with schooling, I am not taking any classes this semester. I am loving it. Now I only wish I could take off work and study life full-time. I've created a list of all the topics I'd like to learn more about, attempting to sift through them in serial fashion. The internet is making my studies all the clearer. Although I am not simply reading through web sites, I am stunned everyday by the value of information that I do find, especially when tunneling through BYU's Harold B. Lee Library site to various higher learning sites. I hope to better understand how this world of ours is connected through study and faith.

First Day of School

2008-01-08T20:08:00.000-07:00

Hello all! I just wanted to say a few words about my first day in first grade (the fourth or fifth time...) and share some pictures. Upon entering my classroom, I was pleasantly surprised to see a gigantic, beautiful, highly functional room. WOW. After the room filled with students I was actually in shock. They were perfect angels. I couldn't believe how quiet and peaceful the room was. My teacher is wonderful. She has been in first grade for 22 years and is great with the students. I'm so excited to be in such an exquisite school environment. Can I have my own classroom here? :)

Em and Cam in front of the beautiful Gordon B. Hinckley Center at BYU

2008-01-05T16:15:00.001-07:00

2008-01-04T13:12:00.000-07:00

What's Christmas without a trip to see the lights at Temple Square in Salt Lake City? Because we were in Las Vegas during Christmas, our trip came later, but we did get there. It was freezing, but more than worth it. I love to be on Temple Square.

Bouncing around

2008-01-04T13:02:00.000-07:00

These pictures are a little late, but here is a look into some of the fun we had while spending Christmas at the Dixon's. Mama Dixon rented a bouncy house to keep the little ones busy...we took our turn too. :)

Merry Christmas!

2007-12-25T19:25:00.000-07:00

Joyuex Noel! On this day of sacred remembrance, we welcome you to the Cameron Dixon Family Blog, presented by Cam & Em. We hope to make sharable portions of our lives; the stories, the pictures, the sounds... we'll spare you the smells. We send our love.