Right Person. Right Place. Right Time.

Many years ago I got the following poem in an email. This has always stuck with me in explaining that certain people are sent into our life at certain moments, and we are sent in theirs. As an example of kairos, I believe that the timing of when these select individuals enter our lives is essential to our growth. Though some may leave our lives sooner than hoped, I also believe the timing of their exit is just as critical as the time spent together. Whether for a Reason, Season, or Lifetime I hope all who read this poem will gain a sense of appreciation for all the lessons learned from others in life, the relationships that have brought about progression, and the impeccable timing that ensured these lessons were learned most effectively.

Reason, Season, Lifetime

People come into your life for a reason, a season or a lifetime.
When you figure out which one it is,
you will know what to do for each person.
When someone is in your life for a REASON,
it is usually to meet a need you have expressed.
They have come to assist you through a difficulty;
to provide you with guidance and support;
to aid you physically, emotionally or spiritually.
They may seem like a godsend, and they are.
They are there for the reason you need them to be.
Then, without any wrongdoing on your part or at an inconvenient time,
this person will say or do something to bring the relationship to an end.
Sometimes they die. Sometimes they walk away.
Sometimes they act up and force you to take a stand.
What we must realize is that our need has been met, our desire fulfilled; their work is done.
The prayer you sent up has been answered and now it is time to move on.

Some people come into your life for a SEASON,
because your turn has come to share, grow or learn.
They bring you an experience of peace or make you laugh.
They may teach you something you have never done.
They usually give you an unbelievable amount of joy.
Believe it. It is real. But only for a season.

LIFETIME relationships teach you lifetime lessons;
things you must build upon in order to have a solid emotional foundation.
Your job is to accept the lesson, love the person,
and put what you have learned to use in all other relationships and areas of your life.

Rhetorical Analysis

Writing a rhetorical analysis from King Benjamin's speech was definitely an interesting experience for me. First off, I've never really applied literary devices to the scriptures before, so it was a new adventure to critique and analyze the use of King Benjamin's syntax, imagery, and word choice. As I read the speech with the mindset of looking for devices that emphasized ethos, pathos, and logos, my annotations filled up the page and I had to restrain myself from highliting just about everything. There was so much good material to use. Nevertheless, with so much good material, there was a lot of information to cut down and organize. That was probably the most difficult thing of the whole process to organize my thoughts.

I also found that sometimes the points you find most engaging don't always have the most material to write about, so it's a matter of picking and choosing which points carry the best of both worlds--a point and a good argument. After finalizing the details of the organizational process, the rest of the paper was much easier to write. Don't get me wrong, there was definitely quite a few prayers for inspiration, but it all worked out in the end.

I also went into this paper with the mindset that I was just going to sit down for hours to think and write for the whole day, but realistically I should've known that my attention span can't last that long for hours at a time. When I went to take a break, however, it proved to be quite helpful as I'd go and play the piano, then come back to write and suddenly words and ideas would come to mind. It was very interesting to me that I had been suffering from severe writer's block, and then a half hour of piano playing could formulate paragraphs and bursts of enlightenment.

Altogether, the experience proved to me a lesson of learning "to not run faster than I have strength," as well as a beneficial writing and analytical experience. It only reinforced to me of how influential the scriptures really are. Every word was divinely chosen and inspired to evoke ethos, logos, and pathos within in the reader to come unto Jesus Christ. No wonder it is the most correct of any book on earth.

Mirroring the Media

My research topic is on how the media affects body image and self perception. With more sources than ever before, the media has countless ways to present the ideal body type and character it influences society to follow. However, this effect on society can often have negative consequences. Multiple studies have shown that the more women are exposed to thin models and celebrities in the media, the more likely they are liable to have body dissatisfaction. In conjunction, the same goes for men who are often exposed to the ideal male stereotype with a V-shaped muscle structure, narrow waist, well-developed chest, shoulders, arms, and six pack. Products and programs are sold to seem make attaining this ideal body type an easy task; however, this body portrayed by the media often takes years of exercise, dieting, and maybe even supplemental use. For fast results, men and women also may develop eating disorders, or exercise addictions causing physical consequences to quickly obtain this ideal body shape.

In the media music industry, studies have also shown that people pick up personality traits according to the music genre they listen to. For example, those who listen to violent songs, have found to be more aggressive in thoughts and behavior. The same goes for music that portrays songs about sex and immorality, inspiring thoughts that could lead the listener to promiscuous activity. Prolonged exposure to these types of music and media, may soon develop into normal acceptance of this type of behavior.

Furthermore, with the modern use of internet, users have greater control to search for what they are interested in, or could be influenced by. For example, a study on adolescent girls and social networking showed that those who spend more time on social networking sites, had a higher drive for thinness and were not satisfied with their weight. Such sites potentially put pressure on its users to to portray attractive pictures of them, and allow for appearance comparison. Usually users of these social networking sites will generally only post pictures that show them looking good, doing something cool, and even these can be photo-shopped or digitally modified. Overall, the media has a profound effect in shaping society's perception of the individual.

Are you mirroring the media?

The Atonement

So, here's another guilty pleasure. I'm a big fan of reading LDS romance novels. Despite the extreme cheesiness that these classics sometimes contain, I really like the spiritual aspect intertwined with the stories. A few years ago, a passage from a novel called "When the Bough Breaks" really put things into an enlightened frame of mind for me. In the story, the character Rachel is talking to her step-brother Dallin about how to deal with her dad's death and he says,

"You know, Rachel, no one in the world has gone through what you have. Sure, you're not the only person who's lost a parent, but no one experienced the exact circumstances of your dad's death exactly as you did. Not even your brothers. Everything about you and your relationship with your dad makes your situation unique. That's why Christ is the only one who can help you get through this or any of your trials. He experienced the exact trials and the exact pain you're going through when He was in Gethsemane, in the exact way you're experiencing it and going through it every day. You don't have to explain why and how you hurt to Him. He already knows. That's why He's the one who knows how to heal and comfort you, if you'll go to Him for help. Sometimes He sends that comfort and help through other people, and sometimes it comes in pretty unexpected and unique ways. that's why it's important not to push people away who want to help. And that's why understanding and using Christ's atonement can help so much."

This really put things into perspective for me about Christ's atonement. I'd always heard it said a million times that "Christ knows exactly what you're going through." But suddenly after reading this passage, I had a light bulb moment. Suddenly those words made complete sense. Sure, Christ knows what it's like to have a bad day. But he suffered to know what it was like to go through one of my bad days. That excerpt from the book brought a lot of comfort and understanding, and I'm glad I was able to comprehend a little bit more about the atonement. It made me appreciate Christ so much more, and gave me a feeling and sense of duty of how I need to shape up and be better to not make Christ's cause and atoning sacrifice all for nothing. It was also interesting for me to read this passage, gain this understanding, and then have my own mother pass away just two months later.

All in all, I know such ironic happenings were not random. The Lord is extremely aware of each of us, and sometimes sends comfort and help in "pretty unexpected and unique ways." Even through an LDS romance novel. :)

What is it about hiking?

About a week ago I went hiking up Millcreek Canyon to Grandeur Peak. Starting at 8:30 in the morning, my friend and I began to start the climb up the mountain... ten minutes into the hike and we were already panting, took a break, and drank half the water bottle. Now take that scenario and times it by 1000 all the way to the peak. Arriving at the top two and a half hours later, it was pretty comical to have spry old men that were behind us, get ahead of us, make it to the top, and start heading back down before we had even reached the summit. My thighs and calves were aching. The sun burned my skin, and flies nipped my flesh all the way to the top. Rocks got in my shoe. Why did I endure that? Why did I force myself to make it to the top? Is it logical? What is it about a physically draining activity that provides such a sense of accomplishment? My mind was racing with all these questions as I trekked up the canyon, but all concerns were answered at the top when I saw this:

It's interesting how once at the top, all physical, emotional, and mental exhaustion doesn't matter once that breathtaking view is in sight. Oftentimes I've noticed situations like this hike, and other difficult physical activities are comparable to real life situations/problems because we know that if we do it, it will all be worth it in the end. For me, life was suddenly put into perspective and my vision was expanded to sights, sounds, and feelings that could only be experienced on the top of a mountain. Funny how nature can do that to ya. Now all that needs to be invented is a zip line that you can ride down from the top... :)

Frozen Yogurt Fetish

I'll admit it. I'm addicted to Frozen Yogurt. About a year or two ago, I remember there was an explosion of frozen yogurt joints popping up all over the place, and once I went to one I was hooked. Within a ten mile radius of my home, I have eight places I can think of to go to for such a delectable treat. It has become my friend and I's hobby to go investigate each place throughout the valley, and discover which one is the best. Here are a list of my top four and why.

1. Yogurtland - It has the most flavors, and the most toppings. I believe it's the cheapest too. The first time I went I was so surprised to have my bowl filled to the brim with frozen yogurt and toppings only come out to about $3.50. They also have complimentary water, an addition I found very refreshing after having some really rich froyo. The environment is colorful and lively, and those working there offer very helpful suggestions for flavor combinations and which toppings to try.

2. Top It - It is very similar to Yogurtland, but has less a variety of flavors and toppings. The location in Holladay, Utah that I usually go to also has a colorful setting, but is much more cozy. It's become a go-to place to have long talks with friends because it has a lot of great quiet, comfortable places to chat, and you don't feel rushed to leave once you're done eating. They also offer stamp cards for frequent visitors that does save some money every once in awhile after you've bought 9 or so yogurts (every Tuesday is a double stamp day).

3. TCBY - I love this place because they have the best fruit flavors. Their red grapefruit sorbet is my absolute favorite. Nevertheless, it's one of those places that you can only catch certain flavors every once in awhile, so don't always come with expectations. There's always bound to be an option that will satisfy though, and unlike some other places I've been to, they offer a swirl option that automatically mixes two complimentary flavors together. They do have pretty good toppings too, but my only complaint is that some of the fruit is previously frozen and there's more juice than fruit, therefore making the frozen yogurt a wee bit soupy. There's also a soda machine to quench thirst, and they do sell some of their flavors to take home. This establishment also has bright decor, and offers a laid back ambiance with comfortable couch-type stools. Highly recommended.


4. Yogurt Stop - I think I mostly just love this place cause of their root beer flavor, but I usually end up putting every flavor in my bowl cause it's all just so good. It's a quaint setting with only a few flavors and a couple toppings, but they also offer smoothies, shakes, and drinks. Unlike some other places I've been to, however, they offer very pleasant couches to sit on, as well as the usual café type tables and they have lots of magazines for their customers to enjoy. It's definitely the place to go to sit, relax, read, and partake of fantastic froyo.

                         

Other places I've been to include to Spoon Me, Yoway, Frogurt, Spoon it Up, Fresh Twist, L.A. Tart, Red Mango, EarthFruits Yogurt... they all had something positive to contribute to my taste buds, but the ones above are the four I'm partial to. I'm always up for a new place to try though! Any suggestions? :)

Logical Fallacy: Good or Bad?

Ever since we talked about logical fallacies in my Writing and Rhetoric class the other day, I have been astounded at my findings. For example, there's a rule in my family that it's required to do all the chores and homework before going to hang out with friends. One morning, however, I got invited to go out to breakfast with some friends, and promised that I would return and get my work done afterwards. Nevertheless, my oldest sister that's in charge begged to differ. She said, "If I make an exception for you then I have to make an exception for everyone."

This was very much a Slippery Slope logical fallacy, by accusing that letting me go to out to breakfast would completely ruin the order of the rules and structure within the home. I know it is true that sometimes younger siblings take advantage of these exceptions, because I have also been guilty of this situation (i.e. "You let her go on a road trip with friends when she was 18, so why can't I?). But then again, every individual is different. Some exceptions can be made if you know the person is more more mature, dependable, and will follow through with what they say, versus another who may be more reckless, careless, and procrastinates. I wasn't in the mood to argue and point out the intellectual flaw of her argument, so I complied, didn't go out to breakfast, and made other plans with friends for lunch after I finished my work.

I wonder when I become older if I'll have a more autocratic parenting style by allowing none of my children to be the exception to the rule, or if I'll be more laid back and democratic. Looking back on my childhood it's interesting to recall all the logical fallacies and ultimatums my parents gave to get me to do things... Or how many times I'm guilty of using them without thinking in my own life.

Altogether, the range of fallacies that can be used present many interesting examples to follow. I suppose it's how you apply them into your life that makes them credible or not. Or choosing which fallacies you will let influence you.