Hey guys......

Bear with me for a minute. I have a rant that's been simmering in my overactive, going-crazy brain.

Can we please STOP with bashing the Hunger Games? I'm sick of hearing: Peeta's too short; I don't like Gale; They left out this and that; I was bored..... Yadda yadda yadda.

If the movie's just not your cup of tea, I get it.

But if you're a fan of the books, then chill the heck out.

While we can all agree that Suzanne Collins is a fantastic writer, and good writing exists as a form of entertainment, these books are different.

Yes, as a culture, we all love a good story. But The Hunger Games is more than just a story. It's a commentary on our current culture and a warning for our future.

 There are so many opinions and views about what the book is about, and on what such a horrific and violent story comments. Among them--a support for the Occupy Wall Street movements, religion, or a searing indictment of the state of our current government.

"While the cinematic version of The Hunger Games may be more politically ambiguous than the novels, the time period in which the books were published is anything but ambiguous. One could view the ritualized 'killing as entertainment' of the tributes in The Hunger Games as an allegory about cashing in on the next generation's future hopes and dreams"  -Russell C. Smith, The Hunger Games and the Death of Winner-Take-All Capitalism


Even Jennifer Lawrence has chimed in with her opinions on the polarizing book: "I was watching the Kardashian girl getting divorced, and that's a tragedy for anyone," she said. "But they're using it for entertainment, and we're watching it. The books hold up a terrible kind of mirror: This is what our society could be like if we became desensitized to trauma and to each other's pain."

I don't care what you see in the book. I don't care what parallels you draw and whether they relate to your life or to society as a whole. We all have different experiences, different priorities, different concerns, and different ideas.

Just, please, think.

It doesn't matter what conclusion you come to. Just don't let Suzanne Collins' work and the vision she created fade into the background or become another Twilight. It's too important for that.

If we watch the movie with only entertainment in mind, and remark that the wolf/dog things were all wrong, or that Rue shouldn't have been black (I shouldn't get started on that fiasco), we become no better than those in the Capitol we so love to hate, that cheer at the blast of the cannon that signals the death of a tribute.



P.S. Can we please stop adding Panem to our map creations of fantasy worlds we would love to live in (see here)? The idea is cute. Sign me up for the next train to Hogwarts. And where is Alagaesia? But think about it. Do you actually want to live in Panem? Do you actually want to be a part of that horrible world? We should thank our lucky stars every day that, despite the ills of our world, we haven't stooped to that level. Yet. And we should make every effort we can to ensure that this does not happen, to us, our children, or our grandchildren.

P.P.S. This is by no means an indictment of the book. I love these books with all my heart. And I'm an avid reader.

Love

I have an older Brother who died for me. He sacrificed His life for ME, so that someday I can live with Him and my real father, my Father in Heaven.

Jesus Christ is the example of the perfect man, one who loves us for who we are, despite our faults. He loves us when we are not perfect. He loves us when we make mistakes.

As Valentine's Day is coming up, this is the love I'm choosing to focus on. The Christ-like, unconditional love we should have for everyone around us. Though we may be single, we are never alone. When we are in need, we can feel His arms around us, keeping us safe and warm.

The picture above is wonderful. It reminds me of the two men I have cheering me on and supporting me, no matter what. No matter what.

I can't wait to meet my Father in Heaven and my elder Brother. I can't wait for my Father to say "Well done, daughter."

lucky

Sunday Will Come

Each of us will have our own Fridays—those days when the universe itself seems shattered and the shards of our world lie littered about us in pieces. We all will experience those broken times when it seems we can never be put together again.

But I testify to you in the name of the One who conquered death—Sunday will come. In the darkness of our sorrow, Sunday will come.

No matter our desperation, no matter our grief, Sunday will come. In this life or the next, Sunday will come.

Mormon Messages: Sunday Will Come

The Resurrection transformed the lives of those who witnessed it. Should it not transform ours?

I can't wait to see this wonderful men in February with my wonderful roommate. This song is almost spiritual for me. LOVE THEM.

listen, bucko.

I have intrinsic worth. Independent of what you think about me.

Those words? Verbatim from my bishop. Who rocks, by the way. The past few weeks have been like light bulbs of inspiration for me.

I am gaining a greater understanding of the Atonement. Of what our Savior did for us.

The last step of the repentance process is always restitution. But what happens if I cannot restore what I lost?  That question has plagued me for weeks, months even.

But I found my answer:  "Healing the wound you cannot heal, fixing that which you broke and you cannot fix is the very purpose of the atonement. When your desire is firm and you are willing to pay the uttermost farthing, your obligation is transferred to the Lord. He will settle your accounts." -President Boyd K. Packer, "The Brilliant Morning of Forgiveness"

I have done all that I can do. I have removed all reminders of that time from my life. I can truly say that I feel better. I feel free.

So the next steps?

"The Lord is intent on your personal growth and development. Your progress is greatly accelerated when you willingly allow Him to lead you through every growth experience you encounter."

Listen, bucko. I have intrinsic worth. Independent of what you think about me.

Wifey Material? #2 (food!)

My roommates and I had a great Halloween party the weekend before Halloween, and of course I went all out on the food. Sadly I don't have pictures of everything (see previous post's sad story about lost camera cord). But these pumpkins were a huge hit!

I used mini bundt pans for the pumpkin shapes. The cake was spice cake with cream cheese frosting, with white sprinkles and my new favorite decorating tool in orange, of course. And the stem? Chocolate licorice, which I wouldn't recommend for its taste, but it was the perfect idea for what I needed!