Reading List

June 27, 2010

The Island of Dr. Moreau by H. G. Wells

I thought this would be just an "adventure" book. Oh, it is so much more, particularly if one wanted to examine it in regards to the human condition. It is written in an older style, all first person but not hard to read, particularly since it is short. It examines one man's encounter with The Beast Creatures on the island, as well as the encounter with Dr. Moreau and his helper, Montgomery. It examines How others influence who and what we are, both politically and religiously. In the end there are some interesting visions towards the end and the protagonist is back among humans in London. "Then I look about me at my fellow men. And I go into fear. I see faces keen and bright, others dull or dangerous, others unsteady, insincere; none that have the calm authority of a reasonable soul. I feel as though the animal was surging up through them." In a nut-shell, that is the story.

I must at this time make comment on the attempts to make this story into a movie. I have seen a couple, and they were poor to say the least. Now that I have read the book, they must not only be judged as lacking, but soulless themselves. What a marvelous film this would make if the makers were only true to the story itself. But alas, they must contrive romance and heroism into a story that really has none of those Hollywood mainstays. If told according to the story, it would show more like "Lord of the Flies" and less like "The Planet of the Apes."

Read it someday if you have some free time. It is part of the 501 must reads and deserves to be there.

Reading List

June 20, 2010

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

This is a suggestion from Mar's book club. She warned me, yes she did. She said if I started it, I would have to read it fast. She was right. It is captivating. It explores motivation and consequences, plus a lot about morality in a futuristic world. Still it can be applied to our own in many ways. I think that the reason it works so well is because it is written in a first person voice. You have to figure out if what you are being told is really the way things are – or not. I would bet that early on, most readers get an insight about Petta, the boy involved in the hunger games, that Catness, the girl and main character never really does figure out – well maybe right at the end.

Well, read it if you want to figure out that riddle. Yes, I would recommend it. But beware, you will have to keep reading. It doesn't drag. (I had the luck of reading it on Father's Day, when people would let me do what I wanted.)

Events – Front Range

Nursing – RN Program

Mar is back in school again. She was on the wait list to get into the RN program at FRCC and it finally came through. It is a one year program. She started in June for the summer session – which finishes towards the end of July. It is exciting and scary for her at the same time. She loves the learning, but the people in the program are constantly telling her that "it is hard". She had to do a background check (we found out she is who she says she is and she has no criminal record, thank goodness.) She had to get a physical (she is healthy more or les and most of the time, thank goodness.) She had to be recertified in CPR (and I went and was certified with her, thank goodness.)

Classes have started so she is one busy lady. Class sessions are on Monday, Thursday and Friday. She has clinical on Tuesday and Wednesday. So far she has done clinical I the campus lab center, and last week in an OB department at a medical center. She said that was very cool, but sometimes very sad. Sick little babies – or even crying little babies – really pull her heartstrings. She had to draw blood from one new born for tests. The baby cried and cried and Mar almost did.

We are proud of her. This is a big step, but she has no intention of just sitting around all her days. She is a go getter.

Reading List

June 16, 2010

Religions of the World: A Latter-day Saint View by Spencer J. Palmer, Doug Sull Choi, Roger R. Keller, James A Toronto

An interesting choice, wouldn't you agree. This is actually a text book used at BYU – an updated text book. Erica took this class during her school career and it intrigued me. I got the book and it was just sitting there, so I decided to have a go. I am glad I did. It is not an in depth discussion of the religions, but an overview that gives a basic, objective look at how the major religious groups of the world came about and what they believe. In addition, in each section there is a couple of topics – views on family and women – a Latter Day Saint perspective – that add more insite on how their beliefs and ours coincide – or not.


The religions discussed are:

South Asian Religions

    Hinduism

    Jainism

    Buddism

    Sikhism

            Eastern Asian Religions

                Taoism

                Confucianism

                Shinto

            Southwest Asian Religions

                Zoroastrianism

                Judaism

                Christianity

                Islam

It was harder to read, but worthwhile. I learned a lot of new things – and I forgot a lot of new things. I can't recommend it as light reading. I can recommend it as a way for LDS people to get a better understanding of what others believe.

And - I now know where the term "avitar" comes from.

Travels with Lar

June 14-16, 2008

 

Minneapolis – Edina, MN

Another work trip – not too bad because it was short – only two nights – and I got to leave on a Monday and return on Wednesday night after the class.

The flight out was delayed two hours by bad breaks on one plane and weather delays on a replacement plane. Still it wasn't too bad. I did sit next to a man who wanted to talk, and we did discuss religion a little bit. It was an interesting conversation.

The class went well.

I exercised once.

And the return trip went okay.

Another one done – whew! Only 9 more years of this to go.

Travels with Lar

June 1 – June 4, 2010

Chicago - Schaumburg, IL

This was a work trip. It was not very exciting. I taught a three days class that went pretty well. I went out and ran one evening. The other evening I went to the Chicago Temple.

The trip to and from was without incident.

And so it goes.