So I know that having local, seasonal produce is so hot right now, and I’m on board with it, too, even though I’m sick of hearing it everywhere. But I’m pretty sure that in December the only local, seasonal crop where I’m living is icicles. And for this reason I am very thankful for imported fruits and vegetables. Even if we’re putting a hole in the ozone layer by transporting them to Utah during the winter, at least we won’t get the scurvy. And for that I will be glad forever. So thanks for the oranges, California. I’m so glad I don’t have to eat Sego lily roots to survive.
Speaking of which, I was thinking about Pioneer living a couple weeks ago. You know that week that was REALLY cold, a few back? When the temperatures hovered around 0 in the morning and from 10-20 in the afternoon? Well, one of those days I had to walk home from work, and the sidewalk wasn’t shoveled, and I was really cold, and I was trudging through mid-calf deep snow, and for just one second I jokingly but still pretentiously thought, “Man, I am like a Pioneer right now.” And then I spent the next several minutes detailing all the reasons I had it a million times better than they did. It was an exercise in self-chastisement and gratitude, all together. Oh, you want to hear them? Well:
1. I was wearing tights under my jeans
2. No long dress was involved
3. I had socks on
4. I had shoes on
5. I had gloves
6. That only have one hole in them
7. And a scarf
8. That doubled as a hat
9. And a coat
10. And a cell phone
11. I’m not pregnant
12. Or carrying a baby
13. Or burying a baby
14. I’m not sick
15. Or looking after others who are sick
16. I was only walking one mile, not a thousand
17. At the end of that mile, I had a house
18. In that house there is food
19. And a heater
20. And more clothes
21. And a shower
22. And a bed
23. And a husband
24. And no sister wives
25. Am I right?
7 comments:
You are so right. I was thinking about the pioneers too the other day and oh man. I don't think I would have survived as a pioneer. They must have been so tough!
Right-o. I wouldn't have made it very long. Even just walking a mile in the snow. That is the one thing I don't miss about Utah. (but I do miss everything else!!)I like the first snowfall, but then I am done with the slushiness and wet pants all the time. Yeah, there's no way I would have made it very long as a pioneer.
You are so right.
Too bad you weren't walking with these people http://www.sltrib.com/lds/ci_13714837
You could have been like, "Wait a second. This is nothing like pioneers! At all!"
So I'm all for keeping pornography away from kids, but who ever planned this did such a detestable job that it will probably make kids want to go out and look at pornography more. Check out some of the awesome activites for schools:
How can I (or my school) celebrate Pornography Awareness Week?
Here are some suggestions:
Elementary Schools:
* Magician show: Brad Barton, 801-791-9017, brad@bradbartonspeaks.com, BradBartonSpeaks.com; Brad's research-based programs equip youth to make positive choices. Brad will use his magic tricks to demonstrate how pornography is not "the real thing" -- you have to be in charge of what you allow in your head.
* Brite Music has a tape and music, "Protect Their Minds." The Sing-Along Activity Book has pictures that, with permission, could be duplicated and colored. Call 1-800-458-2748
* Assembly: Utilize the object lesson ideas found in "Guarding What Goes Into Our Children's Minds"
* Distribute the "Crash and Tell" Sheet
* Have a coloring contest. Download our White Ribbon Week coloring page.
* Take Safety information to parents i.e. "Don't talk to strangers" - tie into Internet safety
* Borrow grocery shopping bags. Guide children to decorate them or label them "PORN NO", "KEEP MINDS CLEAN" or appropriate pictures. Return the bags to the grocery store to use as they bag groceries.
* Send "Prevention Plan: A Parent's Guide" home.
* Send "20 Internet Safety Tips" home.
* Display posters in classrooms, or send copies home to parents.
Junior High and High Schools:
* Have something the students can do each day of the week, i.e.
o Have a headband day (white head bands) "Band against Pornography"
o Tie day (everyone wears weird ties) - Don't let bad pictures tie you up.
o Sock porn - (Students wear mismatched socks) - "Sock" (hit) pornography.
o Sneakers day - Don't let porn sneak up on you.
o Bandaids - Cover those things that will hurt you.
o Caution Headbands - wear headbands with yellow caution signs on them
o Airhead Candy - "Don't be an airhead - Stay away from porn"
o On Garbage cans put signs: "We CAN keep our minds clean" or the "Garbage In-Garbage Out" sign.
o Yell competition at lunchtime!
* Magician show: Brad Barton, 801-791-9017, brad@bradbartonspeaks.com, BradBartonSpeaks.com; Brad's research-based programs equip youth to make positive choices. Brad will use his magic tricks to demonstrate how pornography is not "the real thing" -- you have to be in charge of what you allow in your head.
* Paper Bag decoration - Return the paper bags to the store. Theme: "Keeping our community clean."
* Create a puzzle out of poster board: "We each need to do our part in keeping our Community clean."
* Have a "White Ribbon School of the Year"
* "Crash & Tell" - Tailgate party - crash the car White Ribbon Run for Fun.
* Have a White Ribbon Run for Fun
* "Slam Dunk - Don't look at that junk." Basketball contest at a game.
* Work with businesses - give customers wearing white ribbons a soda or discount.
* Poster contest: "Take flight - Remember white"
* Utilize health classes to get out information from the book To Strengthen the Family by JoAnn Hamilton
* Take the "Did You Know" sheet to every student in every homeroom class. At lunch sign a poster as a pledge to stay away from pornography.
* Have a question and answer session about pornography at the cafeteria during lunch.
This is from Bruce's blog, I was telling you about it this morning. It has nothing to do with Vitamin C, pioneers, or crying at your 8th grade graduation, but it was too long to post on your wall.
what? i'm sorry I got too distracted by the pornography comment to pay attention to your blog for a sec - Are you even kidding me? this is how they are attempting to help kids stay away from porn? I completely agree that those things will probably make them want to go and look for it. i may or may not have thrown up when I read that.
Erin, I am glad I don't live in pioneer days. I would have died from lack of motivation. the talk in conference about the women who buried her 3 or 4 children, and didn't give up but continued on -- I would have lay down by that last grave, given up, and frozen to death. FO SHO. I don't know how they did it. but that story makes me cry and thinking about it is making me cry again.
Holy cow. Char, do you have the link to to where all those ideas came from? That is incredible.
And going to high school just seemed really big and scary, ok? Leave me alone.
Sister wives would be tough. The rest not so bad. JK. Good thing we are modern-day ladies in this Church.
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