"A Sexy Lie" AWESOME!

If you haven't seen this Ted Talk already, I highly recommend it. It's only 12 minutes. I love it because it's not only educational, but she gives a great call to action at the end. I love that people are raising awareness about sexualization of women in the media! I know some people in our class had problems with Miss-Representation, so if that didn't fly with you, I think this clip will. This woman, Dr. Caroline Heldman, was involved in Miss-Representation. I think she sums up the issue pretty clearly.

APRIL FOOLS!

My post this week is about media and its fun uses. :) My husband and I played a good April Fool's joke. It was surprising how many people fell for it even though he was the one with the baby bump and there is no June 31st. I have noticed how creative people have gotten with their announcements over the years so I thought I would parody some of the cute ones. (You are welcome for not doing bare skin for my husband's belly with the heart fingers.) 

Good Technology

Something I really appreciate is that the LDS church leaders have embraced modern media technology. My husband and I set a goal to read through all the conference talks again from October 2013 before the April Conference next week. I love the little LDS Scriptures app. My favorite part is that you can read each talk or listen to it or watch it. And you don't have to download them from the Internet which helps so that you can listen to them easily anywhere. Kelton and I have been listening to them as we brush our teeth before bed or while we are cleaning or whatever.

I also was thinking about the signs of the Second Coming and how it has been prophesied that missionaries will be able to preach in all lands at some point before the Savior comes. I'm no prophet or anything, but I wonder how much of that has already been fulfilled. The missionaries are moving to Facebook now which can reach many lands where the Gospel of Jesus Christ is not allowed to be taught. Of course there is still room for improvement, but I think that the way the Church is using technology is truly helping spread it quicker than we could have ever imagined.

Facebook Fast

After our lecture in class yesterday, I decided to take the plunge to start exercising self-control with Facebook. I decided that one or two times a day is all I need. (Some of you might be thinking that that is a lot, but I'm starting small, ok?) Already on day 1 of cutting back a bit, I ran into some issues. Because I didn't get on Facebook last night or this morning, I completely missed the memo about some stuff for work. It's so hard to find a balance! Maybe what I will do is start getting on once in the morning and once before I go to bed and that's it. I don't need to scroll through my newsfeed but I do need to make sure that I am not missing out on important things.

However, I must say that not being on it yesterday was so freeing! It felt great. I felt less distracted and it was such a blessing. I'm definitely going to be implementing more of this. I also decided to ask my husband for a divorce in  person instead of over text...JUST KIDDING! My husband is great. No divorce for us, but that story was so weird. Who would do that?

Fruit Gushers Commercials '90s

This is for all the 90s children out there. Remember those Fruit Gushers commercials? How creepy can you get. I was thinking about the facets of advertising and these commercials totally caught your attention, but as far as explaining what the gushers do for you...they will make your head blow up into a giant fruit? Most kids that I know were actually scared of Fruit Gushers commercials and it makes sense why.

Newscast Priorities

I think it is interesting that Ellen's selfie at the Oscars received far more attention than the simultaneous invasion of the Crimea by Vladimir Putin. It reminded me of how Miley Cyrus' twerking scandal made the front page of many newspapers during the same time that Syria had its civil war. It really got me thinking about the priorities of the newscasters. I can't put it all on them though. Could it be that viewers choose that kind of stuff over important things and that the people in charge of the media really are putting out there what most viewers care about most? It's really made me think about the media and the agenda of the "media people" but also about the viewing agendas of the viewers. Does that even make sense?

Music

This week is one of those crazy school weeks. I'm sure that everyone is feeling the pressure of school. Every minute of my life seems to be scheduled. For example, tomorrow:

8-9:30 Work
9:30-11 Attend a primary girl's Kindergarten Program
11: Back to work
12-4: Required field trip for a class
4-6:30: Write the first draft of my Humanities paper
etc. And Saturday is no better. And then Sunday is like the worst.

You know the drill. I have felt way over-scheduled and have felt a lot of anxiety. There is just not enough time in a given day to do all the things that I need to do. As such, I haven't felt as close to the Lord lately. People always say, "Make time!" and I do. (That really doesn't help when people say that because you are really doing your best. You can't run faster than you have strength.) But there really are just times and seasons for things and I think the Lord recognizes that. I have felt like my scripture study has been bland and my prayers sincere, but boring...so I decided to try something this morning. The only time I really have to myself right now is my twenty minute walk to and from school. Most of the time, I choose to think and think and think and stress and stress and stress about ALL the things I need to get done that day, and all that I need to get done in the next week, and all that needs to be done by the end of the semester, and I start thinking about our posters for this class, and I start thinking about having kids someday and then I start thinking about how I should probably start a school fund for them sometime to help them with school and then I worry about what I'm going to do to pay for everything like their clothes and how my husband is going to need to find a job and....yes. That is usually my walk to school.

This morning, I decided to hum some of my favorite hymns as I walked to school. It was so much more pleasant and got me thinking about how grateful I am for music. It gave me more of a chance to reconnect with God and not think about my future children at all! It was great. (I had no idea that future children could be so needy.)

So anyway, next time you feel like I do, take some time to pull the plug on other thoughts or other things and listen to or hum some tunes. It is nice.