tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-48511923188542314722023-11-16T07:56:00.815-08:00WITH HIGH HOPES and NO PREDICTIONSMy public journal and soapbox: unassuming and never disingenuous. Enjoy.Charlotte Lundellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06943992591294470214noreply@blogger.comBlogger158125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4851192318854231472.post-66749019778153433672013-04-21T23:39:00.000-07:002013-04-21T12:27:32.621-07:00Passport Report<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLHPVu-7Jf-6loCOwg5nQVMlw6Jeumlnr6EGpYTJrJVE3r9EXcw7Yib43t5DXkyLub278rGPCKHd2GZjOrpmh2OTxbfNLy2yly3jGFH4_URVRb4R4roUn9tyoNjWbCQbcRmvkkAF8l2wO0/s1600-h/Header.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5385672054967667858" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLHPVu-7Jf-6loCOwg5nQVMlw6Jeumlnr6EGpYTJrJVE3r9EXcw7Yib43t5DXkyLub278rGPCKHd2GZjOrpmh2OTxbfNLy2yly3jGFH4_URVRb4R4roUn9tyoNjWbCQbcRmvkkAF8l2wO0/s400/Header.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 121px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a>This was the most entertaining fashion show I have ever been to! It was completely different because there was only one featured designer (<a href="http://www.rachelroy.com/">Rachel Roy</a>) and the rest were <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">RTW</span> (ready-to-wear... opposed to designer or couture) labels being promoted, all of which are carried by Macy's. Sharon Stone emceed and started it off by inviting people to walk onto the stage and pledge $5,000 to aids research. It was impressive how many people did! Then there was $2,500 pledges, $1,000 pledges, and finally $500 pledges. A few gay couples walked onto stage hand in hand. It's funny how the fashion world's "good cause" is almost always directed at supporting the fight against aids. Obviously, this is because of the homosexual presence in the fashion community. It feels like being an aids research advocate is synonymous to supporting gays- and I don't like that. I could really confuse people by wearing a "YES on Prop 8" pin with an AIDS ribbon.</div>
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The celebrities Aaron and I saw were:</div>
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-Leonard Roberts from Heroes</div>
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-Kathy Ireland</div>
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-Dame Elizabeth Taylor</div>
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-Sharon Stone</div>
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-(and sitting <em>directly</em> in front of us) <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">LeToya</span> Jackson</div>
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I kind of got all star struck when I saw <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">LeToya</span> Jackson... and Aaron did make fun of me. But she was sitting <em>RIGHT IN FRONT OF US!</em> And, HELLO! She's Michael Jackson's sister. The other celebrities didn't phase me.... so, I'm not ashamed.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihYl_tXULjH-YvTxnWnzrHj3503zsRgl6185RtB32ZsfGwuKjXvGxVSEFTqKlJXHzReK0eyY8Ie6mE6VwWnb-u3teuRulVRFZwnoMVmK1Srjk52ZIf__Ba2Pwjy-fTZMDa06lRzpzlgqOf/s1600-h/Levis.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5385671948724754946" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihYl_tXULjH-YvTxnWnzrHj3503zsRgl6185RtB32ZsfGwuKjXvGxVSEFTqKlJXHzReK0eyY8Ie6mE6VwWnb-u3teuRulVRFZwnoMVmK1Srjk52ZIf__Ba2Pwjy-fTZMDa06lRzpzlgqOf/s400/Levis.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a>There were a lot of great labels that showed and fantastic guest artists that performed. Unfortunately, I was so engrossed I didn't get many pictures and the pictures I did get turned out pretty grainy. But honestly, I have never been so entertained. One minute there was opera, then punk rock, then little kids <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">krumping</span>. My mind was in a whirl.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_FKnjnk-j8R5EzesT8HApd6NeWxB5OuPB3Khusmvb6gd3WRDOgnAN2mzb7zPdu08aeaNIwh8tOxB3m2lOJEuxoJ-mHXGAP3KrF3pDVumqVBpdJrSCAl2JIXQ5YwK4TqcKU4tgX4C9_IbK/s1600-h/CalvinKlein.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5385671874139819538" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_FKnjnk-j8R5EzesT8HApd6NeWxB5OuPB3Khusmvb6gd3WRDOgnAN2mzb7zPdu08aeaNIwh8tOxB3m2lOJEuxoJ-mHXGAP3KrF3pDVumqVBpdJrSCAl2JIXQ5YwK4TqcKU4tgX4C9_IbK/s400/CalvinKlein.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a>Oh, and there was an amazing cirque-<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">du</span>-<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">soleil</span>-<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">esque</span> aerial show. I only posted this one picture of the guy, but there was also a girl who did impressive tricks on a hoop high off the ground. The runway show continued around and underneath them.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-jeiZ9pckjMZ4Zs0oWjXRdJlrOuRHE3jLQZbuQoWK1IFdfE0UVomXzssiLEdb0e8-IBhftxFKOWICTQ2ZauhTD8qme0TspwZI5ceDOPSPFyu7xBJXTPxxQxKGAGyU1ke7rpvbaxd2idxX/s1600-h/AerialMan.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5385671771333106834" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-jeiZ9pckjMZ4Zs0oWjXRdJlrOuRHE3jLQZbuQoWK1IFdfE0UVomXzssiLEdb0e8-IBhftxFKOWICTQ2ZauhTD8qme0TspwZI5ceDOPSPFyu7xBJXTPxxQxKGAGyU1ke7rpvbaxd2idxX/s400/AerialMan.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 400px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 300px;" /></a>Aaron and I had been sitting on the fifth row, but it just so happened that we spotted two people on the front row leave so we snatched their seats just in time for the real kicker of the evening: the underwear modeling. The way they costumed up the girls reminded me of the Victoria Secret <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">show's</span> use of angel's wings. The title of this line of underwear was something like Tropical Jungle. Most of the girls had flowery branches on their backs.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-ElTjuszlvHNigeJ6SAnnlWOPZDxGLMyt_uNOq6kSmguKJUZKfyd-6OgUdXxyBnjzSnZKQCcmSImvezq_blC4QROAi4Opa84DZDMFg3QkgbaZnq8Hs6LpJWazEHjXMHqVuySKmryWvJJ6/s1600-h/VictoriaWings.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5385671630519186770" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-ElTjuszlvHNigeJ6SAnnlWOPZDxGLMyt_uNOq6kSmguKJUZKfyd-6OgUdXxyBnjzSnZKQCcmSImvezq_blC4QROAi4Opa84DZDMFg3QkgbaZnq8Hs6LpJWazEHjXMHqVuySKmryWvJJ6/s400/VictoriaWings.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 400px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 300px;" /></a>And then, the guys came down the runway... walking through a waterfall at the stage entrance. I wonder what male models eat. They were all perfectly cut... but I didn't like watching them one bit at all. I closed my eyes for the whole thing... Yes, all of it.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhStnl7XzJuee-uGnwF6lCWlwPkbT_Sjlh_S8XMSYBKSio_iSs7OPfJEU5BEsfyeRyXh0_CpQ7-4sR8RTj3d-QRUQ6-VMYxyeYlDEj8X75l7lrM02QhCcXdASwmC3u7_5UceOpuLKgldjDS/s1600-h/UnderwearMen.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5385671551886468066" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhStnl7XzJuee-uGnwF6lCWlwPkbT_Sjlh_S8XMSYBKSio_iSs7OPfJEU5BEsfyeRyXh0_CpQ7-4sR8RTj3d-QRUQ6-VMYxyeYlDEj8X75l7lrM02QhCcXdASwmC3u7_5UceOpuLKgldjDS/s400/UnderwearMen.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 322px; margin: 0px auto 10px; width: 400px;" /></a>Yes, this was a real snake.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcYbOGsILo1IenHAWlgQTav6HejY0frfUUKFOPa-LLJFGv4w4A-6E0QIFtMghpCBr5pEowMRjUe2tjjj00ZbfXcpMxXGXaTP2jXe-L6Q9-GqjIrQkoOu6SqG24-wpfsMfWWtsEZ1gVRgOh/s1600-h/SnakeMan.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5385671464579801650" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcYbOGsILo1IenHAWlgQTav6HejY0frfUUKFOPa-LLJFGv4w4A-6E0QIFtMghpCBr5pEowMRjUe2tjjj00ZbfXcpMxXGXaTP2jXe-L6Q9-GqjIrQkoOu6SqG24-wpfsMfWWtsEZ1gVRgOh/s400/SnakeMan.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 400px; margin: 0px auto 10px; width: 300px;" /></a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQSSP4YBgzoSw7zC16sTnGT2K08PTidqhXCKIZJvA5JCz6okUD3TW5pc7t0JugNuWrpGS3R-vQPBxbXYKJ7XxJ84RsZxn6b6Lolh8hCEAMhcdNFAuzH288OTHOYkfQWO0Ko6JodvAIPsX6/s1600-h/FairyFront.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5385671337204546754" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQSSP4YBgzoSw7zC16sTnGT2K08PTidqhXCKIZJvA5JCz6okUD3TW5pc7t0JugNuWrpGS3R-vQPBxbXYKJ7XxJ84RsZxn6b6Lolh8hCEAMhcdNFAuzH288OTHOYkfQWO0Ko6JodvAIPsX6/s400/FairyFront.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 400px; margin: 0px auto 10px; width: 300px;" /></a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghkszFStUcyYRz9YAm2tozQaFGs_vXCOnfzzAV4qcAehkiQTmuBe2xbmoiShdWL6gh4NO48DrsHU3DKpm9AIj9FMYZ87ZiKaaL_DTd8PQzYAoMkv18diS0MyT0nkeiysi5gZu55kxurdCr/s1600-h/FairyModelBack.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5385671240415765938" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghkszFStUcyYRz9YAm2tozQaFGs_vXCOnfzzAV4qcAehkiQTmuBe2xbmoiShdWL6gh4NO48DrsHU3DKpm9AIj9FMYZ87ZiKaaL_DTd8PQzYAoMkv18diS0MyT0nkeiysi5gZu55kxurdCr/s400/FairyModelBack.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 400px; margin: 0px auto 10px; width: 240px;" /></a>Final Curtain Call<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpgL6RMiSvmg0XB2TD_ClU615rnp4LCtSnxNbwdI_ObYTR7gfM7OqbZ8SzYwCyi5ZqFdFDj7gHb3No2Ya-7ms2kL1pf-pn7LR_OeJCPksOgC3CKAnPc3FKs_-CxdHnK6PNV0tCFQ5k1JHv/s1600-h/CurtainCall.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5385671075748929442" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpgL6RMiSvmg0XB2TD_ClU615rnp4LCtSnxNbwdI_ObYTR7gfM7OqbZ8SzYwCyi5ZqFdFDj7gHb3No2Ya-7ms2kL1pf-pn7LR_OeJCPksOgC3CKAnPc3FKs_-CxdHnK6PNV0tCFQ5k1JHv/s400/CurtainCall.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 400px; margin: 0px auto 10px; width: 300px;" /></a>They're so skinny!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiBNSRNCExo9UW3BIVPtUI_BQu7gepw2IicAgFbR3Ll0z-JLNe6wIsuzgSj0QuY7bXQrh3RXkPGpeKc__9_4O_QgSnTEeyggzRXAyt4b_fKRMFB0RFFq5sHSVBwAyz4cJDoQZmUyxMY6em/s1600-h/CurtainCallLast.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5385670964560037858" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiBNSRNCExo9UW3BIVPtUI_BQu7gepw2IicAgFbR3Ll0z-JLNe6wIsuzgSj0QuY7bXQrh3RXkPGpeKc__9_4O_QgSnTEeyggzRXAyt4b_fKRMFB0RFFq5sHSVBwAyz4cJDoQZmUyxMY6em/s400/CurtainCallLast.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a>The best thing that came from this experience: Aaron mastering the runway catwalk... and practicing it all the way to the car... the whole way, <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">in fact</span>. By George, I think he's got it!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhogQJ7z1M_XZwbn-hJGxHAZ77f0Br3qRRPRhAJcTjQpkQyusHrr9GR9dAAMSWow7BILUfREB_ooWljkao0C0DRDzJkqANHqAsut2WB1bcd1HBYM1QNs0i3oPbgbje7zHXXg0RUqS30z8WD/s1600-h/AaronModels.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5385670825974728354" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhogQJ7z1M_XZwbn-hJGxHAZ77f0Br3qRRPRhAJcTjQpkQyusHrr9GR9dAAMSWow7BILUfREB_ooWljkao0C0DRDzJkqANHqAsut2WB1bcd1HBYM1QNs0i3oPbgbje7zHXXg0RUqS30z8WD/s400/AaronModels.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 400px; margin: 0px auto 10px; width: 300px;" /></a><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">Posin</span>'<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1-0abW_gGCUqsMS9vaP-7CdljhQ3SSJEex4HgfOlUTbJw2dyp4GUQq5UkVSM0X71ljCK_zG4YslwLj-VtyWr3nrs-w69RtQ7_S_0bBt7mIcmtQRDfeNh66lvu2XV4fXLXx4rjHbZjHush/s1600-h/CharlotteModels.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" height="320" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5385670719839103874" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1-0abW_gGCUqsMS9vaP-7CdljhQ3SSJEex4HgfOlUTbJw2dyp4GUQq5UkVSM0X71ljCK_zG4YslwLj-VtyWr3nrs-w69RtQ7_S_0bBt7mIcmtQRDfeNh66lvu2XV4fXLXx4rjHbZjHush/s320/CharlotteModels.jpg" style="display: block; height: 400px; margin: 0px auto 10px; width: 270px;" width="216" /></a></div>
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Charlotte Lundellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06943992591294470214noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4851192318854231472.post-8698260061682684712012-11-29T15:51:00.003-08:002012-11-29T15:51:43.014-08:00Sweet<iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/W3YyUcU6lU0" width="560"></iframe>Charlotte Lundellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06943992591294470214noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4851192318854231472.post-64597475137374482062012-10-18T19:35:00.003-07:002012-10-18T19:35:44.732-07:00Mitt, Mitt, Mitt<iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/NIHbe-aO6oI" width="420"></iframe><br />
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I love this quite a lot.Charlotte Lundellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06943992591294470214noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4851192318854231472.post-14200563063791418292012-09-04T22:43:00.001-07:002012-09-04T22:43:58.957-07:00Election SeasonI'll try to make this short.<br />
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If someone asked you to give yourself a grade on how you've done at your job and you answered "I" for incomplete, that would mean you dropped the ball, right? All the "Incomplete" grades on my college transcript reflect moments when I took on more than I could handle and lost myself before I got going. In no case does an incomplete grade reflect a job well done. Yet, this is how Obama feels about his performance the last four years. But he still wants your trust and your vote.<br />
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As I've listened to the voices of conservative media abuzz with arguments against Obama, I've noticed something missing. Rightfully, conservative voices are fixated on the failing and flailing economy. The numbers (job growth, unemployment, etc) are so damning to Obama's case for himself. And while I appreciate the concern about the economy, it isn't my number one complaint against Obama and his party. My complaint is the turning away from the foundational principles that this country has been built on and the disregard for the constitution and what it advocates. This turning away underscores a lack of historical understanding- missing the big picture of nations and the patterns of government throughout time all over the world. I see the democratic party being lulled by a pied piper. The sound of "affordable education,""health care for all," and compassionate social programs fall softly on there ears of those listening, but in the mean time people are led away from the great vision of America: Life, liberty & the pursuit of happiness.<br />
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I don't appreciate that my government does not trust my compassion. I don't appreciate that my government does not trust me and my community to love and take care of our own. Yes, it sounds wonderful to guarantee all certain privileges. But that isn't freedom. And if we except that our government can dictate what privileges we will guarantee everyone, we are vulnerable to being forced to support those things that go against our values. Whomever is in power will be able to force us to exercise compassion how he or she sees fit. Not how we see fit. Why should I be forced to pay for my cohorts birth control including abortions? Why should I be forced to support my cohorts lives as they wallow in addictions and base lifestyles? Is this the best way I know to change lives for good and to exercise compassion effectively? No.<br />
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I also don't like that the democratic party tries to burden the American people with guilt for who we are and what our past has been. They would have me carry a burden of guilt for all past and present imperialistic objectives. Why? Why would they have me feel shame for being an American? Whom have we wronged? They want all nations to sit at the table as equals and would like the United States to step down as the world power. Why not raise other nations up with us? How long did China maintain world dominance? What great principle informs this desire to avoid greatness? We are good people with good values who help other nations and are glad to do it. Anxious even.<br />
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Okay, I'm done. To bed.Charlotte Lundellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06943992591294470214noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4851192318854231472.post-31411980439354828702012-08-15T20:34:00.001-07:002012-08-15T20:34:21.334-07:00The Moment of "I know."Our stake presidency issued our stake a challenge to read <i>The Book of Mormon</i> (in four months) by stake conference. I'm now reading 6 chapters a day to meet that goal and finish up in the next couple of weeks. Reading through so quickly has allowed me different perspectives and insights; A few, I want to record on here.<br />
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If you are well familiar with the chronology of events in <i>The Book of Mormon</i>, skip down to the bottom. If not, here's my mildly muddled recap:<br />
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I'll begin with Zeniff, a guy who led a bunch of people (Nephite people) to inherit a land he felt was rightfully theirs. They got permission from the Lamanite king (i.e. the enemy) to <i>peacefully</i> have that land. But when Zeniff and his people work hard and prosper, the Lamanites are intimidated by their growth and prosperity, thinking that these new folks in the neighborhood could become more successful/stronger than they themselves. Against their word, the Lamanites drop battle on these hard working Zeniff-ans. But the Lamanites lose. In time, after more prospering, Zeniff confers the kingdom on his son, Noah. Noah was a guy who thought there was really no such thing as wickedness. (His dad, Zeniff, probably realized conferring the kingdom on his son was a poopshoot, but hope springs eternal for some parents.) To Noah, morality and honesty were virtues wide open to interpretation. He surrounded himself with people who thought like him and they: Lived. It. Up. The people in his kingdom- these Zeniff-ans- followed suit. They were probably sick of working so hard and being so productive. (A feeling I can relate to.) But then a guy called Abinadi comes and rains on everyone's parade telling them that there <i>is</i> such a thing as righteousness and wickedness. He even told them about Jesus Christ. This sounded like a fairytale to these Zeniff-ans and was easy dismiss. They were having fun and enjoying life so there really was no reason to believe in this fairytale. Abinadi was forced to go into hiding because the people hated him and his stories so much. But after a couple years, he came back and said the same things. This really got Noah's goat. He became worried that if people started listening to Abinadi, it would diminish his own power and ability to do whatever he wanted. So, Noah had Abinadi put to death. BUT one of Noah's inner posse, Alma, believed Abinadi's stories. This made Noah doubly mad and frustrated. Alma had to hide from him and spread Abinadi's message to the Zeniff-ans in secret. But a lot of people came to believe it. They changed their lives and committed themselves to this Jesus Christ Abinadi had testified of. When Noah found out, he sent an army to take out Alma and the followers. This message Abinadi brought was like a rodent problem no exterminator could get a handle on! But Alma's people escaped the army and found a place to throw down roots. When Noah's army came back, a lot of people were bugged how extreme Noah had become. They probably missed their friends who went with Alma and were worried about them. One of these people was Gideon. Gideon was a big deal among the Zeniff-ans. He was kind of like a body builder. He didn't subscribe to what Alma taught, but he hated Noah. He thought Noah was the worst leader ever and not only incapable of his duties as king but immoral and dishonest. Maybe it was the fact that Noah sent an army to kill some of his friends that made him snap, but Gideon knew Noah had to go. So he pursued him, caught him, and just as he was about to push in the sword and end Noah's life, he freed him instead! ...Only because, ironically, just at that moment they both saw the Lamanites approaching town fit to give battle. Chaos ensued. The Zeniff-ans were scattered and many were slaughtered. Women and children were left to defend themselves as their poor-excuse-for-husbands ran and hid. (Those men probably forgot what it meant to be a man at about the time they quite believing in such a thing as right and wrong.) It was a huge mess. Ultimately, the Lamanites made a deal with the Zeniff-ans to stop killing them for 50% of everything they had, payable once a year. Since Noah was killed in the skirmish, his son, Limhi, took on leadership of the Zeniff-ans in their new life of half-freedom-half-bondage. (Limhi was more like his granddad, Zeniff. Although he loved his dad, he also realized he was a complete dud of a king.) Things in his kingdom went as well as could be expected when you're in half bondage. But in time, the Lamanites attacked them. And things just got worse for the Zeniff-ans. Their life of half-freedom-half-bondage became mostly just bondage. The people begged Limhi for permission to go to battle against the Lamanties. Limhi knew they didn't stand a change but the people wouldn't let up so he finally agreed to it. As expected, the Zeniff-ans were slaughtered. They didn't go down easy, returning to battle again and again until almost every woman in town was a widow and every child fatherless. This is where they gave up and bawled their eyes out. That's when Ammon found them and helped them escape back to Zarahelma, where the Zeniff-ans originally came from. What happened to Alma and the Zeniff-ans that followed him? They settled and farmed and grew but then the Lamanites found them and put them into bondage. That story is kind of ironic too because Alma's friend from Noah's inner posse had joined the Lamanites and they set this guy, Amulon, to rule over Alma and his band. Small world. Alma eventually escapes to Zarahemla with his people. But that's just one exhausting story, right? When they are all together in Zarahemla, they confess their miraculous escape. The Zeniff-ans are all baptized (except the one's that already were by Alma). Things are great. A few people create some waves, but generally things are good. A guy, Nehor, comes at introduces priestcraft to the people. He kills Gideon because Gideon stood strongly in defensive the gospel of Jesus Christ!'</blockquote>
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When we (or I?) look at the stories in <i>The Book of Mormon</i>, we see people who just keep forgetting on the miracles they've seen and all the times they've been delivered. We sometimes see these people as verifiable dummies who can't recollect miraculous things that have happened to them and who repeatedly deny witnesses they've had of Jesus Christ. But as I've been reading, I've seen something else.<br />
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When I close my eyes and put myself among them, my life is mostly just surviving. A shallow study of early colonial American life reveals just how much work staying alive is. If these native people had as good a life as early colonial Americans, life was still extremely tedious. From the time you woke up and felt the elements and hunger, you spent your day running from them. In the case of these native Americans, they hated each other and had frequent wars. So not only was it offensively exhausting, life was a defensive battle as well.<br />
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In <i>The Book of Mormon</i>, there are moments when the prophet calls his people together and reprimands them and then inspires them. They become on fire in their testimony. But they go home and life happens. They suffer to make relationships work. Being honest and kind is a challenge, just like it is for us. And somewhere, they set aside their spiritual fire and are solely surviving again. And whose to say that they all experienced the same level of conversion secondary to King Benjamin's address? I'm sure some were on fire by what he said. Others were impressed and motivated a bit. Others may have accepted it but felt no strong fire for it. <br />
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I see their challenge to maintain their testimony no different then what a Latter-day Saint experiences. I may quickly conclude that I, unlike Alma, have never seen an angel. Or that I've never been passing through a street and been called to repentance with the power of King Benjamin. I may declare that I've never had a innumerable army of men about to fall on me and then been miraculously spared by the power of God. I may conclude that my witnesses of Christ have been less than those we read about in <i>The Book of Mormon</i>. But this would not be true. I've stood within feet of President Hinckley and felt something so powerful I don't even have words for it. I've stood in the room when a child was born and felt something tangible completely envelop me that I cannot describe. I've been miraculously saved from illness. I've had hands placed on my head and been given blessings so perfectly tuned into my needs that I knew as sure as I knew I was sitting there in that chair that they were inspired of God. And that's the thing: <i>We've all had those moments of absolute knowing</i>- knowing more surely than even knowledge through reason has ever yielded for us. But there is life too. The offensive drudgery of survival that so often feels like a defensive battle as well. And somewhere along the way, we start listening to Nehor, or that thing that asks us to contradict what we know. Or what we knew. And realizing this, and seeing these people in <i>The Book of Mormon </i>who are so much more entitled to get distracted with survival than me, I feel more anxious to cling desperately to the things that I know.Charlotte Lundellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06943992591294470214noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4851192318854231472.post-76626408318153972302012-08-11T13:52:00.002-07:002012-08-11T13:52:28.420-07:00Celebrate Michele<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Can you believe she is 59? I can't.<br /><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwrVIaata_F_js_mCFAKofsH5Z0a1lqdi6LGHSzgWAOAXKa363WpOWq_kThnJ19DOkf04yTFEeNXgFcs3z4qQ' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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Us girls (minus Christina) went up to Park City for the day and pretty much just goofed around. A good time was had by all. Happy birthday, Mom!</div>
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The weather was so pleasant. I was yoga breathing all the way to the top trying to absorb as much mountain air as possible.</div>
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Alpine slide. </div>
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This was right before the highlight of her birthday. </div>
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Window shopping. Love these.</div>
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This was the best ice cream I have ever had in my whole life. I don't even like ice cream.</div>
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Poser.</div>Charlotte Lundellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06943992591294470214noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4851192318854231472.post-23564932312766497982012-08-07T17:10:00.001-07:002012-08-07T17:10:32.369-07:00I've become that blogger. You know. The one that never blogs. Infuriating!<br />
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I think it will be picking up pretty soon though. (Summer has kept me busy!) In pictures, here are some tidbits:<br />
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Introducing the newest member of the family, Violet Betty Lundell. This is Eric & Whitney's first. She is a precious little doll... So adorable it's maddening.</div>
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So, you've already seen this picture that exploded over Facebook. I'm still posting it on here. (We're pretty much as close as it comes to a celebrity couple without being celebrities ourselves.) Me and the Dane. I'm crazy about this guy.</div>
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Our stake was challenged to read The Book of Mormon before stake conference. Maybe I'm behind a little but I've been reading a whole lot. I haven't read this much since BYU religion classes.</div>
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Revisions. Revisions. Revisions. *vomit* Revisions.</div>
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Anne kissin' Pippin. The most haunting performances of the night: The Highwayman and Mist & Shadow. I laughed myself into knots.</div>
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Hitting up the batting cages with my little brother, Ryan - and dishing out dating advice for the rookie. </div>
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My garden. I planted a garden this year for the first time! This was the first thing I harvested: a zucchini.</div>
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Band of Horses with Michelle, Miriam, Hilda, & Rebecca. Oh, and we had VIP tickets. So fun! </div>
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The place I call home. I was coming home from a run on Saturday and was struck by how pretty this little housing unit is. I though to take a picture.</div>Charlotte Lundellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06943992591294470214noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4851192318854231472.post-15811321245905778712012-05-30T10:36:00.001-07:002012-05-30T10:36:31.679-07:00StaticI can't believe it's the end of May already. This is what I hate about the timing of my company's busy season. It takes place in the summer and time melts when I'm busy like this. Last night I felt nauseated thinking of everything I have to do in the next month. This is a feeling I'm too well aquatinted with. And what do I do when I feel overwhelmed? I distract myself with some meaningless activity (…like blogging…) while the sand continues to pour. I am buried at work and I feel like crying. The most frustrating part is that staying late or coming early does nothing to help the situation because of the structure of this department- rather, because of this sabotaging, egotistical, nepotistic… I'll stop. I have so much to do and it's come to the point that my brain has checked out and is nothing but a white screen of fuzzy static sound. I'm staring into my computer blankly and wondering when I'll get to dance again. Dancing. There's a happy thought. Maybe I should drop that I danced with Max Pitruzzella this weekend at Camp Jitterbug in Seattle. You may remember him from a <a href="http://charlottelundell.blogspot.com/2011/08/jail-house-blues.html">previous post</a> where I linked a video of the European Lindy Championships. So, yeah. I danced with him. For a mental health break, here's another clip of his magic:<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/X1me6wfoqI4" width="560"></iframe>Charlotte Lundellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06943992591294470214noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4851192318854231472.post-57638022225716121752012-05-24T16:46:00.001-07:002012-05-24T16:46:33.988-07:00Odgen Marathon IN PICTURESBefore the obligatory post about my race experience, here are the pictures. I think after viewing them, you'll all understand perfectly well how this race went for me. I finished in 4:00:49.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The eager marathoners- taking pictures and prattling on while people try to rest.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Hurry and take a picture then let's get in line for the potty."</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Heroes</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Everything you need to know about how this race went for me is written all over my face.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Encouragement on the course.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In the home stretch.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Almost there...</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8JG74FxM0peL6VXz5hZQpLE2AYf-RBIWFchvlukPj_wHo20A1SXC2I5jSKppHracktzCdQQ91Q1SW81hPfQaI_bg818R7Xp7F_Y3J4gq6ar8nPL3u-o0qbVFZYuhJRmx3DFqoUXr7o5qD/s1600/B5_KickIt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8JG74FxM0peL6VXz5hZQpLE2AYf-RBIWFchvlukPj_wHo20A1SXC2I5jSKppHracktzCdQQ91Q1SW81hPfQaI_bg818R7Xp7F_Y3J4gq6ar8nPL3u-o0qbVFZYuhJRmx3DFqoUXr7o5qD/s400/B5_KickIt.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kicking it in.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzhj9TZL_1mRMSSzxB80G3cTeA1ZkPfhDkF6TRE2xWKi6XDzfnVZuw7eoMnntA9REH-IFFSLA-i5c_lgvJV8-C555KBb1MxIvxnySvVqnZy4h4Vvgm571_JqT9TabWMUGv5om5OXA4JWNX/s1600/B6_theClap.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzhj9TZL_1mRMSSzxB80G3cTeA1ZkPfhDkF6TRE2xWKi6XDzfnVZuw7eoMnntA9REH-IFFSLA-i5c_lgvJV8-C555KBb1MxIvxnySvVqnZy4h4Vvgm571_JqT9TabWMUGv5om5OXA4JWNX/s400/B6_theClap.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Always the clapping at then end.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGuJLqko5XFkelmxLyWCr8mRae9WqprQhOtwX6SgYcKy1_DbTCKIbEGEpvqjpzQgcj_gI1GlX1zR8Evglba-oBnX1TCTuu68mhk1BGD3Clz1r6R-hCEn6sto4w7EKtJQdI6q4cjjaLhMGx/s1600/B7_Nicole.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="318" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGuJLqko5XFkelmxLyWCr8mRae9WqprQhOtwX6SgYcKy1_DbTCKIbEGEpvqjpzQgcj_gI1GlX1zR8Evglba-oBnX1TCTuu68mhk1BGD3Clz1r6R-hCEn6sto4w7EKtJQdI6q4cjjaLhMGx/s400/B7_Nicole.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nicole & Brant finish with smiles... and dignity. Bravo!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-8zs7cTqSFZIsLkBSGkCVcUj6XbEt4dfn3calAnwRGA7nRgrq9mEOAYLmJewrn-IL5Hy_LkCSbYZAxkHOdiEoxIIw7EdfAXLfKDMPuPFXk4ZxpcqvrtXOWaOEii3sLnuCNuvYQ7XQfYYU/s1600/C1_Posters.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-8zs7cTqSFZIsLkBSGkCVcUj6XbEt4dfn3calAnwRGA7nRgrq9mEOAYLmJewrn-IL5Hy_LkCSbYZAxkHOdiEoxIIw7EdfAXLfKDMPuPFXk4ZxpcqvrtXOWaOEii3sLnuCNuvYQ7XQfYYU/s400/C1_Posters.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shanna has mad poster-making skills - and an uncanny ability to appear out of nowhere on the course.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaxIZuBivJ7jpbzyXwHFA4KigfjoiuW88QS4HK5uaPocdnULA4bpLfewUcCX6F_UGdpe1-FvssgKD4xF2owU74DTZfP9Z1OTIEpo2k9bA4SjtJnhtb2UNB_9lN8J_nd_jOtVPvByDdAv7B/s1600/C2_AnnaJessChar.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaxIZuBivJ7jpbzyXwHFA4KigfjoiuW88QS4HK5uaPocdnULA4bpLfewUcCX6F_UGdpe1-FvssgKD4xF2owU74DTZfP9Z1OTIEpo2k9bA4SjtJnhtb2UNB_9lN8J_nd_jOtVPvByDdAv7B/s400/C2_AnnaJessChar.JPG" width="268" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yes, we survived!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi4v7rRFPyuzWYEl7xrdg3qN_cbib7jELX6jFMhuYb3Bk_y6BZ5SbRBTdhZxI3tWJTqTe-FZXJv-cxd_8BnqWHGTmmACrcyfA3ytrirJein_-HHQeOF0JwpmF9BRcAvueyKVAYJnzfGDZG/s1600/C3_ShanandChar.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="366" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi4v7rRFPyuzWYEl7xrdg3qN_cbib7jELX6jFMhuYb3Bk_y6BZ5SbRBTdhZxI3tWJTqTe-FZXJv-cxd_8BnqWHGTmmACrcyfA3ytrirJein_-HHQeOF0JwpmF9BRcAvueyKVAYJnzfGDZG/s400/C3_ShanandChar.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me & Shanna, the one responsible for connecting me with HHH.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFszt3hbfSekug0p0bHVUlOSsD9Hitq1FgEpSsUDO38lK3CzPljdF5Zympj85zg4qusO9dKSRQnCG7nFXQ9I4gcZnQjS8gtvUcAzNNvLppaU-ejuUhUVMc17uBIWyAcdxMvXlmUsVQOiHw/s1600/C4_theReason.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="261" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFszt3hbfSekug0p0bHVUlOSsD9Hitq1FgEpSsUDO38lK3CzPljdF5Zympj85zg4qusO9dKSRQnCG7nFXQ9I4gcZnQjS8gtvUcAzNNvLppaU-ejuUhUVMc17uBIWyAcdxMvXlmUsVQOiHw/s400/C4_theReason.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">the Reason.</td></tr>
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<br />Charlotte Lundellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06943992591294470214noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4851192318854231472.post-41862813080150322792012-05-14T15:59:00.001-07:002012-05-14T15:59:36.142-07:00Countdown: 4 daysI'm so nervous! I'm so anxious! Why? Why? Why! I'm sure the reality of 26.2 miles on Saturday has got me wired. And work is a circus. But I've had this feeling for almost two weeks and it doesn't lend itself well to carb loading.<br />
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The happy runners.</div>
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Kind of blurry...</div>
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Brant and I slaying the course AND cancer. (He's on the "Cancer Slayers" team.)</div>
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Working the downhill.</div>
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Yes. Four days until Ogden and I'm really, really EXCITED! I have no firm prediction how I'll do in the vein of a finishing time but I think I'm going to feel good and enjoy it. I'm excited for all my friends that are running. For the first time in my life I have friends that are strictly running friends and it's been so fun getting to know them and train with them. I love the opportunity to associate and become close to people outside of my typical demographic of socializing (i.e. single Mormons). I haven't had a single injury during training and in my hour of need, I found the cure to my one ailment. Life is good.<br />
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It's been neat to be a part of all the changes that have taken place in singles wards lately. I feel like the difference is comparable to missionary work before Preach My Gospel and missionary work with Preach My Gospel. Singles wards are different and becoming so much stronger. Perhaps because I have transitioned into a place where I don't look to my ward for dating prospects, but I'm very engaged to be a part of this scene and lately I've been feeling like I want to take advantage of every moment I have left to be a part of it. <br />
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I'm guessing next time I check it I'll have another "marathon" long blog post to detail my experience. Send good vibes my way!Charlotte Lundellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06943992591294470214noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4851192318854231472.post-22746858463460266652012-05-04T13:01:00.003-07:002012-05-04T13:01:24.279-07:00I'm so confused about ChinaI was very fortunate to take a few classes on the history of China and eastern religions while at BYU. Our professor kept stressing, "you now know more about China's history than 99% of Chinese know about their history." He pointed out that the historiographies and memoirs we read were out-lawed in China. That is how dark it is to live in China. <br />
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While at BYU, I heard that the Dalai Lama had requested to speak at one of the Tuesday devotionals but that BYU turned him away. The reasoning was along the lines of the LDS church wanting to maintain good relations with China and allowing the Dalai Lama an audience would evidence the LDS church's sympathy for recognizing the state of Tibet.<br />
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A large part of my job requires me to maintain communication between
factories in China. I have become close to a couple of the women who
work there and it really does put a different spin on how you see China
when it's your friend- a person with a face, a name, a personaltiy, and
interest in you- living that reality.<br />
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Against this backdrop of information and experience, I've been tuning into the story of pro-life, Chinese dissident, Chen Guangcheng. I empathize with him and his family. I hardly recognize all the blessings that are mine as a citizen of a free nation. The conservative community has responded to the U.S. governments response to turning Chen away and/or not defending and helping him with disgust. Yes, it is physically sickening to consider allowing someone to be tortured. But I'm a little confused... confused by the measuring stick we use for deciding when to get involved and when to step back for the purposes of "preserving diplomatic relations." What is our policy regarding China? Do we have a different toleration for crimes against human rights in different countries? Can we not all name ten different countries off the top of our heads where human rights have been cast by the way and people are being tortured as we sit her? So, why Chen? I don't disagree. I just don't understand. In my understanding, circumstanes like Chen's are occurring all the time. This feels somewhat like I need a good DTR with China. Charlotte Lundellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06943992591294470214noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4851192318854231472.post-77188808242651041072012-05-01T16:13:00.000-07:002012-05-01T16:13:07.265-07:00Sour Milk, an answer to prayerWork was painfully slow (for my department) for months and now the storm has hit and I am crazy-lady with a very messy desk again. I love feeling engaged in a cause again but it is scary how quickly "busy-ness" makes time pass. My head is spinning that it is May already! <br />
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My birthday was WONDERFUL! From the time I woke up to the time I went to bed, I was showered with sweet messages and surprises and thoughtful gifts. It felt like the birthdays I used to have as a kid and I didn't expect any of it. I have some awesome friends.</div>
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A word about my training: Many of you may remember my complaints of horrible stomach issues during training for St. George. They came back with full fury this time around too... even more painful. I've had to take medication and change my training schedule a lot (less running, more cross training) to even make it through. BUT I THINK I'VE FOUND THE PROBLEM! My milk went bad a week and a half ago and I was so busy (with work) that I never picked up more. My family and friends know I drink a lot of milk. I can go through more than a gallon per week. Anyhow, I noticed that I wasn't having any stomach issues that week... but I never connected the dots. Saturday I did 20 miles without medication (feeling brave since I had such a good week without it) and not even the shadow of a problem. It wasn't until Saturday night that a light clicked and I realized the only factor that has changed in my diet is no milk! So, my friends, I am pretty sure I am lactose intolerant! Crazy it took me 2 years to figure that out. Of course I'm sad that I have to give up my favorite beverage but I'm incredibly happy with the prospect of never having stomach cramps during a run again. I chuckle to myself how hard this has been on me. I prayed before every run that I would be allowed to run strong and finish without stomach pain. (I've even had some tearful conversations in-route begging to find a solution to this problem.) Now, I find myself praying with gratitude while I run that I feel normal again! It's a feeling I hardly recognize. :)</div>
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And some exciting news? I'm going to Camp Jitterbug in Seattle at the end of the month!!! I've wanted to go to this dance camp since my BYU days and now it's finally happening! This is a big deal, folks. I'm catching a ride up with some U of U students and tearing it up for the weekend. My first dance camp was in Phoenix in 2004. You literally dance the entire weekend. A dance will end at 12:30am and another dance will start at a different location an hour later giving everyone time to shower and change into fresh clothes. We would roll in at 6:30 in the morning and sleep for a few hours and get up and do it again. SO FUN!</div>
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This is a clip from a previous Camp Jitterbug. These dancers blow my mind. (I'm sooooooo excited!)</div>
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/S2Wi73rBOlQ" width="420"></iframe>Charlotte Lundellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06943992591294470214noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4851192318854231472.post-4713794531426995532012-04-13T08:00:00.002-07:002012-04-13T08:23:26.008-07:00Puppy Pictures & MomsIt's Friday! I'm a week away from 29 and five weeks away from Ogden. I can't slow this bus down!<br /><br />I updated my Facebook status yesterday with something about how I think this whole mom-work controversy is ridiculous ON BOTH SIDES. I knew my mom would comment and "rebuke" me. She did not disappoint! Even so, I'll say it again. Hilary Rosen's comment was dumb. But still, it was so benign. And everyone is up in arms? I got several emails from conservative websites I subscribe to titled "The Left is Attacking Moms!" and the likes. I kind of just rolled my eyes. And then that the Left is in full damage control. I can hardly believe this comment is generating so much attention. <br /><br />Dear Hilary,<br />Next time you comment on Ann Romney's work history, try this: "Ann Romney has been a stay-at-home mom her whole life and has not been in the work force. I question whether she is a valuable source for economic commentary and the needs of women who are in the work force." Maybe add something at the end like, "But she sure did have her work cut out for her raising five sons!" <br /><br />Dear everyone else,<br />We all know being a mom is crazy hard work. Is that really an arguing point? Not really. The sun is bright. Water is wet. And being a mom is hard work.<br /><br />Okay, tell me (as my mom did) how offensive Rosen's words actually are but I promise, I'm still not offended. All her comments ellicited from me was a roll of the eyes.<br /><br />I'm posting one of my favorite YouTube videos. If you don't laugh at this, I don't know what would make you laugh.<br /><br /><iframe src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/dOtzvi4tiig" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" width="560"></iframe>Charlotte Lundellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06943992591294470214noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4851192318854231472.post-88648042896995353172012-04-09T14:05:00.004-07:002012-04-09T15:00:11.266-07:00Understanding Same-Gender Attraction... as a MormonHave you been abreast of the movement at BYU to bring the gay issue to the talking table? In case you missed it:<br /><br /><a href="http://trevorantley.com/2012/04/05/byus-gay-mormon-panel-a-huge-success/">BYU's Gay Mormon Panel a Huge Success</a><br /><br />I was anxious to forward this on to some friends the moment I came across it and have since had lengthy dialogue with several people regarding it. Observation #1: This would never have happened in my days at BYU! Observation #2: This issue is becoming upsetting to me.<br /><br />It's not news to anyone that the gay issue is a hot topic. For me in my life experiences, it's been particularly prevalent. I experienced California Prop 8 AND was attending a liberal arts school in LA at the time. I've been required to consider where I am with this issue several times and have been called to bat for it. Even in the field I now work in, fashion design, it's something that comes up a lot because (believe it or not) many men in my field are gay.<br /><br />Unlike many Mormons, I am very clear and calm about Prop 8. Mormon or not, I would support it and I've never felt foggy or conflicted about it. It's easy for me talk about and defend. I still feel that way. But what I am unclear on is where to place my understanding of homosexuality in the context of my faith. The more I watched the <a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/gay-mormon-students-risk-excommunication-better-brigham-young-university-video-article-1.1058662">"It Gets Better At BYU" YouTube videos</a>, the more harrowed up I felt. I guess I really hurt for the people who struggle with this and I can't fully image how conflicting it feels for them to pursue their faith as a homosexual. And listening to them tell their struggles against the backdrop of President Packer's words, that this is not something people are born with, didn't settle well with me. I dunno. A friend offered this response:<br /><blockquote>The answer is not easy, but it isn’t that complicated, either. God has put his plan in motion. It proceeds through natural laws that are, in fact, God’s laws. Since they are his, he is bound by them, as are we. I recognize for purposes we mortals may not understand, the Lord can control the elements. For the most part, however, he does not cause but he allows nature to run its course. In this imperfect world, bad things sometimes happen. The earth’s rocky underpinnings occasionally shift and move, resulting in earthquakes. Certain weather patterns cause hurricanes, floods, tornadoes, and drought.<br /><a href="http://www.lds.org/ensign/1995/05/answers-to-lifes-questions?lang=eng">Answers To Life's Questions, M. Russell Ballard</a></blockquote>With all this open dialogue I've considered how we, as a culture, cling to being open and speaking our mind like it is an unchallenged virtue. But I submit that there is a time to keep things in your heart and it is not always progress to put our thoughts and experiences on the table to talk about. Just an observation- Observation #3.<br /><iframe src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/ekoVGgn5sT0" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" width="560"></iframe>Charlotte Lundellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06943992591294470214noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4851192318854231472.post-10903897269590113632012-04-04T08:40:00.007-07:002012-04-04T08:50:17.264-07:00Highlight / LowlightHighlight: A gainful hunt at D.I. for some 90's garb that also yielded a retro-chic, silk blouse circa 1988 that I am wearing right now. Vertical red & white stripes with white collar and cuffs edged in navy and white stripes... oh, and big, gold star cuff links.<br /><img src="file:///Users/charlottelundell/Desktop/photo%5B1%5D.JPG" alt="" /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLIegDneLNG-GKiJ60h6Y5E_c5uciL4hAjeEO2gR26-XsdVt4cScR2GiTua9AMbLgM9xLEdYBLWDj6HGqrx1epXb-eq7A3tezB6-3_LHaZJsYDvAob5e1I2Q5omwIMCiv1Sx6UN1mXKKMK/s1600/photo%255B1%255D.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 238px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLIegDneLNG-GKiJ60h6Y5E_c5uciL4hAjeEO2gR26-XsdVt4cScR2GiTua9AMbLgM9xLEdYBLWDj6HGqrx1epXb-eq7A3tezB6-3_LHaZJsYDvAob5e1I2Q5omwIMCiv1Sx6UN1mXKKMK/s320/photo%255B1%255D.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5727571305435175858" border="0" /></a>Lowlight: Trimming my bangs- rather, learning to trim my own bangs. How does one prevent getting hair in your eyes while doing this? ...Advice?<br /><br />Highlight: 18 miles on Saturday with my HHH team. The first long, long run I've had where I haven't become excessively fatigued and despairing. I enjoyed all three hours of my run and am really becoming sad that the training phase is ending. I can't imagine training alone again. I have absolutely loved training as a team. Love, love, LOVE IT!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ5mQJ0aZZ7tM4JlWoUgwW8hohv8eSVpk9lV7kyZ2naOaVa5y6YxMTvwndt9EEeTJzKZOe0f-NOVHVd8_RZRnk3gXGFKFCKnv8gTiruvVZAPFHcV5OlWxldkU1L-qZ3a_pFXU9-jg41B-L/s1600/photo%255B4%255D.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 179px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ5mQJ0aZZ7tM4JlWoUgwW8hohv8eSVpk9lV7kyZ2naOaVa5y6YxMTvwndt9EEeTJzKZOe0f-NOVHVd8_RZRnk3gXGFKFCKnv8gTiruvVZAPFHcV5OlWxldkU1L-qZ3a_pFXU9-jg41B-L/s320/photo%255B4%255D.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5727571448113015570" border="0" /></a>Lowlight: Running 18 miles, then going hiking, then going dancing and while in the third activity of the day, injuring my back again. Ironic that dancing was the activity that did me in? Not really. You clearly haven't seen me dance... 90's style.<br /><br />Highlight: Sleep. 8 hours. EVERY night. For the past 14 days.<br /><br />Lowlight: Missing out on competitive karaoke while my friends hang ten without me. No one should have fun when I'm not there. I get friend jealousy.<br /><br />Highlight: Temple. What if feels like after a day of feeling irritable and negative.<br /><br />Lowlight: Learning that a friend's mother was diagnosed with stage four lung cancer. There are several fundraisers that are in the works, but right now I can direct you to her business website that she is trying to promote. (I didn't know she turned this into a business but I remember as a little girl eating her cinnamon rolls and NOTHING compares to them! So savory!) <a href="http://www.gourmetswirls.com/">Gourmet Swirls</a><br /><br />Highlight: Ryan, home again! I was afraid I'd lose it at the airport. I've watched four other siblings come home from missions and while I missed them a lot, it was different with Ryan. Nothing was so upsetting as March 11th of last year. And having Ryan come home after losing him was special. I kept wanting to touch his face. But that got annoying to him. Weird. Haha<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzy8rwymq0t8c8VfYTWWJTbT96kMt2TniWtHys-WXtM8N3DVD9KCqHwDs6jBNENFzX8kj5KrU4H96VTww3bZI-huU6rn2mXJrjiRlm-498X7a5SdT760DhCHrOiB8rgC36Kiw3klTNb5JT/s1600/photo.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 230px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzy8rwymq0t8c8VfYTWWJTbT96kMt2TniWtHys-WXtM8N3DVD9KCqHwDs6jBNENFzX8kj5KrU4H96VTww3bZI-huU6rn2mXJrjiRlm-498X7a5SdT760DhCHrOiB8rgC36Kiw3klTNb5JT/s320/photo.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5727571370568257506" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw3LWX05RCCB48RH6jEfie6ZrmEU2PUv80iYbZuy_xVCJ4sf6rQ2lVwpRd1seoqXuJ-wpA1XUFeus7wlVYMKYYnbMXQd4yaWDHDH8CH-yYB2m_6PVcJPas0ZgXqyEDjOJRbvYPrEsvSopJ/s1600/photo%255B3%255D.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw3LWX05RCCB48RH6jEfie6ZrmEU2PUv80iYbZuy_xVCJ4sf6rQ2lVwpRd1seoqXuJ-wpA1XUFeus7wlVYMKYYnbMXQd4yaWDHDH8CH-yYB2m_6PVcJPas0ZgXqyEDjOJRbvYPrEsvSopJ/s320/photo%255B3%255D.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5727571589378445042" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNeRVZFV1q5pnwLonDyAonawb_J_0Z3fsUbm5zRhG0W6e7xNqHfYqrVLYjCzB3BXZQxE6E-KhMyABbn0I3u6ILxyBOK_xpKLspD-bphlcnhu-_Dkqz5CpB-zZLUHFetMJqui9P1GQgbUIB/s1600/photo%255B2%255D.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 238px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNeRVZFV1q5pnwLonDyAonawb_J_0Z3fsUbm5zRhG0W6e7xNqHfYqrVLYjCzB3BXZQxE6E-KhMyABbn0I3u6ILxyBOK_xpKLspD-bphlcnhu-_Dkqz5CpB-zZLUHFetMJqui9P1GQgbUIB/s320/photo%255B2%255D.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5727571528733780434" border="0" /></a>Charlotte Lundellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06943992591294470214noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4851192318854231472.post-59727350232925628952012-03-26T14:32:00.007-07:002012-03-26T14:59:41.524-07:00Chicago<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXBATUEOwwmUWxzVwXOHc2lIArDb6_ruQ4_z1pmx6ZAMbD_qxCxKMWhBneFKlLH6qY8Uro_pWj3JzcFty7PiLIGY8hN2MH4Ar7O-LyL8VMh-dAy3qVrkIw4SidVP8U3h3zKX8VP7rbqNMa/s1600/photo%255B2%255D.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 190px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXBATUEOwwmUWxzVwXOHc2lIArDb6_ruQ4_z1pmx6ZAMbD_qxCxKMWhBneFKlLH6qY8Uro_pWj3JzcFty7PiLIGY8hN2MH4Ar7O-LyL8VMh-dAy3qVrkIw4SidVP8U3h3zKX8VP7rbqNMa/s320/photo%255B2%255D.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5724326714296632418" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLu6PtUVzIcO0igFB445XniADnqQVKzuTAV2UK-wtntGv0NhebpG2YTokABugOBhQgKPaTlsm-q2lU-SGFFl6cTIPrF-6CHuBKRN07NPtuUkW5iyrTdsN_g5UQtTlU7C3jYBwBkk7t_6ZW/s1600/photo%255B1%255D.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 263px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLu6PtUVzIcO0igFB445XniADnqQVKzuTAV2UK-wtntGv0NhebpG2YTokABugOBhQgKPaTlsm-q2lU-SGFFl6cTIPrF-6CHuBKRN07NPtuUkW5iyrTdsN_g5UQtTlU7C3jYBwBkk7t_6ZW/s320/photo%255B1%255D.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5724325405528250178" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6LUFwYK7zE8NR0X-rY60pn64FYneNOb8pEofTC1qsFLI5w3Pz3cMAq6_A_a14VaJGhl0joXpx2M8M_f3gikJnKz6FMyVLf9oYSNnmyAdSGf0QSlOyW1vj_yERPBdsf3uM-rtaxPHrakWT/s1600/photo.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6LUFwYK7zE8NR0X-rY60pn64FYneNOb8pEofTC1qsFLI5w3Pz3cMAq6_A_a14VaJGhl0joXpx2M8M_f3gikJnKz6FMyVLf9oYSNnmyAdSGf0QSlOyW1vj_yERPBdsf3uM-rtaxPHrakWT/s320/photo.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5724324874267768642" border="0" /></a>I went to Chicago this weekend for International Bridal Market. We got in Saturday night and were back this morning so it was a fast trip- but long enough for me to realize I love Chicago! I'm definitely a fan. I'm going to say I like it better than New York and better than Los Angeles too. I was able to meet up with a past roommate, Kara Olson, from my BYU days. I want to go back with my sister, Katie, who served her mission in Chicago, and be a tourist there. Even though I was working most of the time I was there, I was able to hit the Magnificent Mile for a quick shopping spree, try-out a few awesome restaurants (I had oysters for my first time), and drive around the city and sight see a little. :) I'm looking forward to going back!<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigbAicuDf8gyMSYVTvvmOuOyazh6AmySh23DyByAi2Q8ei60YMU8FSzhAu971CQ8sHxX3h11TJNCTxgSive1mFHNDgCI3psKdswQMOHJUrmKYg2a_n398qsIUEiYSMpGUmclkVVf2yBng2/s1600/photo%255B3%255D.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigbAicuDf8gyMSYVTvvmOuOyazh6AmySh23DyByAi2Q8ei60YMU8FSzhAu971CQ8sHxX3h11TJNCTxgSive1mFHNDgCI3psKdswQMOHJUrmKYg2a_n398qsIUEiYSMpGUmclkVVf2yBng2/s320/photo%255B3%255D.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5724326794521684306" border="0" /></a>Charlotte Lundellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06943992591294470214noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4851192318854231472.post-35204252045508416692012-03-22T14:16:00.003-07:002012-03-22T14:51:47.743-07:00BaskingSpring has sprung and I'm so happy for the sunshine! I remember at BYU, that first day of "warm," students speckled the dead lawns across campus like ants on sticky bun. The transformation was always stark- almost comical. One day students would be drearily trudging along and the next Frisbees would be whizzing overhead and a jovial buzz was audible in every area of campus. We have hit that moment. Bring on the warm weather! <br /><br />I'm excited for all the summer adventures that are about to happen. I don't know specifically what they all will be but I'm hoping for a back packing trip, lots of outdoors kind of stuff, and a rendezvous. Yes. A rendezvous. I'm even scheming to work in some cattle ranching in Wyoming. Eating fish tacos on the patio at Lonestar? There will be plenty of that. At least one more effort for an open-water swim triathlon? Yes. Oh, and some ocean time. Every summer requires ocean time. Maybe I'll learn to surf.<br /><br />Summer, I missed you!Charlotte Lundellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06943992591294470214noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4851192318854231472.post-88835907802843585822012-01-27T22:10:00.000-08:002012-01-27T23:27:05.298-08:00Ready to Run<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwdU7REq3FSaFGhOAM3Nd6EUFpQdP_jHT1VHTh2NkTSL5PwSiU4IaQdT5eMeTMKwZLOCgOtRkBgXPt6FqIl' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe><br /><br />I'm on my brother's computer and found this little clip from St. George. It's of Jess and I pulling into the city center at the end of our first marathon. Don't we look energetic? I'm so excited to run Ogden! I can hardly allow myself to hope that it will meet up to what St. George was, though. I can't say enough about how much I enjoyed that experience. Notice in the clip my sister-in-law, Whitney, holding a sign to encourage me along. You can hear Eric yelling like crazy in the background. He never let up and I love him so much for it. And then you can hear my mom whoop and holler and then (my favorite) tell me she loves me. I think she said 'I love you' at least five or six times in the span of 50 meters. So endearing and a perfect vignette of this mother-daughter relationship we have.<br /><br />Every time I reflect back on that race, the support I received from my family kind of blows me away. To them it might have seemed so simple, but to me it meant so much. It was cool enough they were even there. But they weren't just passive observers; They were engaged supporters meeting me at every point they could to cheer me on. I hope in heaven I can relive that experience. Truly it is in the top ten of life experiences.<br /><br />Coming up in May is the Ogden Marathon. I'll be running it with my very best friend, Michelle Kruzie German! Along with her, my partner in crime, Jessi Venable! Also Kiley Kruzie, Danielle Davis, Brittany London, and Anna Eschler! A whole caravan of friends are coming up from Austin and it will be epic. Not only am I running it with a group of stellar girls, I'm running it as a Huntsman Hometown Hero in honor of Sarah Hays Shurtz who passed away of cancer in November. I would be thrilled if each of you joined my efforts to raise $500 before race day by donating. Sarah was a runner herself with a 3:31:00 marathon PR. And at only 30-years-old when she died, I think she had even faster times in her.<br /><br />If you would like to donate to this cause (even $10 would be appreciated) follow this link to my personal page: <a href="http://ogden.kintera.org/faf/donorReg/donorPledge.asp?ievent=998364&lis=0&kntae998364=6A3EBB1106804CBDA107BC393C2FBC1D&supId=344374924">Personal Donations Page</a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwDozDnYDLsxI7JbptAPZ0w8TxQYSKVSt9zG1qT1V-vUyOEI6TlGnqAr-zL9HSnBh3risvDW0v127mI0VBYP8FlhRHDWSBgmv0T79A-95hc6c3P5IptWWLaLyC-TXQMujQEFZjWoqQSEPH/s1600/sarah.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 283px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwDozDnYDLsxI7JbptAPZ0w8TxQYSKVSt9zG1qT1V-vUyOEI6TlGnqAr-zL9HSnBh3risvDW0v127mI0VBYP8FlhRHDWSBgmv0T79A-95hc6c3P5IptWWLaLyC-TXQMujQEFZjWoqQSEPH/s320/sarah.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5702565573668228818" border="0" /></a><a href="http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/saltlaketribune/obituary.aspx?n=sarah-hays-shurtz&pid=154449684&refsvce=blogger#.TyOWYmNs1bF.blogger">Sarah Hays Shurtz Obituary: View Sarah Shurtz's Obituary by Salt Lake Tribune</a>Charlotte Lundellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06943992591294470214noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4851192318854231472.post-32199840143566148892012-01-26T18:43:00.001-08:002012-01-26T20:19:07.737-08:00Book Review: The Happiness Project<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc8B_aORdVTNgoh3GGdo80w8sGhtsIfXnajJltL_0nuAslHnmKFcQn0rsZNRhW42D7kGWRDW8cB74vf7VTpPyXkEgQEoZiRFzNK4dpIU3umPxjHPDT87icKf81b91WgKo-uirwcNwcdcsp/s1600/004.gif"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5702151631325211634" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc8B_aORdVTNgoh3GGdo80w8sGhtsIfXnajJltL_0nuAslHnmKFcQn0rsZNRhW42D7kGWRDW8cB74vf7VTpPyXkEgQEoZiRFzNK4dpIU3umPxjHPDT87icKf81b91WgKo-uirwcNwcdcsp/s200/004.gif" border="0" /></a>Okay, this isn't a book review. I'll take the pressure of myself and just call it 'my thoughts on happiness.' (Calling it a book review makes me feel inadequate and strangely speechless.) <br /><br />I'm not a girl who is apt to give flowery adulations to anything without inserting also my complaints. (You can imagine how well this lends itself in relationships.) Rest at ease, I consider this a character flaw in myself and am at present making good faith efforts to fix it. I'll prove it. This is all I have to say about the book, The Happiness Project: It was well worth my time to read, gave me thoughts and ideas that yielded long hours of introspection, and I believe I am better for having read it. <br /><br />If you haven't heard about this book, this is it in a nutshell: A highly educated woman (married with two children and living in New York) sets forth to see if she can make herself feel happier- elevated from the state of already fairly happy- by strategically focusing on doing certain things each month. She records her experience and offers her suggestions and perspective. <br /><br />Finishing this book, I imagined what my own happiness project would look like. As I did so, I realized I'm playing by a slightly different set of rules to happiness than Gretchen Rubin simply because of my religious beliefs. In pursuit of happiness, I am actually in pursuit of worthiness.<br /><br />Last week, as I was preparing for church on Sunday, I read in the George Albert Smith manual the following statement: "The happiest men and women that you know in the world are those who are conforming their lives to the teachings of the gospel of Jesus Christ." Please try not to gasp, BUT... I don't even know how to put this... I don't know this is true. I know a lot of very, very happy people who are not conforming their lives to the gospel and I know many who are and are quite miserable. I do believe that ultimately, those who follow God's plan will enjoy the greatest happiness. I just don't believe that it is apparent while we're living. (I imagine myself reading this post a few months down the road and wanting to edit it because I've developed a whole new perspective. Oh, well. As of today, it stands.)<br /><br />I've had this epiphany several times in my life- that it is exactly because I believe what I believe and want what I want that being happy sometimes eludes me. The most obvious example: I am alone and struggle with feelings of unfulfillment consistently. I am sure these feelings would choke me less if I didn't believe in and desire most to be a wife and mother. (Why do I feel embarrassed writing this down.) Or would I be as harrowed up by my blaring imperfections as I am if I were not in pursuit of 'conforming my life to the teachings of the gospel of Jesus Christ.' I feel self-conscious, grief, disappointment, discouragement in this pursuit. Not high-flying, endorphin-surging, overwhelming happiness. Am I the only one?<br /><br />Don't misunderstand me. I don't fantasize about letting go of my religion and living unencumbered by these "rigid rules and commandments." Being better is my passion and hobby. What else could force me to devote an entire weekend day to it and pull me to my knees daily for it? I don't want you to respond with encouraging examples of the ways that living the gospel saves me from the trials in the world. I get that I'm avoiding lung cancer by not smoking and STDs by not having sex.<br /><br />What does John 15:2 mean? "Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away; and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit." Jill Davis suggested this means that those who do good are added upon with trials to be better. This makes sense. Nobody I know that runs is running to stay average. Everyone is yearning for the next step and the time when their body can do more, push harder, be stronger. So we increase our workload by degrees. <br /><br />A friend explained that he had a mission companion who believed that a person could always be happy and tried in his way to live somewhat of a "Pollyanna" existence. But, my friend pointed out, even Christ was "a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief" and these feelings are in the plan for us.Is this a discouraging thought? It can be, but I'm also aware that "the pain now is part of the happiness later." Later isn't only referring to eternity. It's referring to greater measures of happiness in this life. <br /><br />Is hope the same as happiness? I believe I have a brighter hope than my non-member friends. Especially in terms of my expectations for marital relationships and family. I actually feel bummed out sometimes listening to them talk about dating. It seems so shallow and empty to me. They hope for so little. My hope is so bright because of my beliefs. (I mean seriously, my hope is eventual Godhood... what is brighter than that?)<br /><br />While I confess to bouts of sadness and occasional tears, I anxiously report that generally I feel exquisitely happiness. It's grown since I moved to Salt Lake (mostly because of the many friends I've made and the little life I've carved out for myself here.)Charlotte Lundellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06943992591294470214noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4851192318854231472.post-43528658068335293932012-01-20T12:33:00.000-08:002012-01-20T14:09:34.825-08:00Oh, flatter me!<p class="p1"> </p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center;"><b>"None are more taken in by flattery than the proud, who wish to be the first and are not." </b><b>Benedict <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">de</span> Spinoza (1632-1677) Dutch Jewish philosopher.</b></p><p class="p1">This post is inspired by a thought that came to me while viewing the Mormon Message, "Voice of the Spirit." Have you seen it? I'll post it at the end of this guy ("this guy" referring to this blog post.)</p><p class="p1">The gist of the video is an answer to the posed question, "What voice are you tuning in to?" Among the different kinds of voices suggested was "flattering voices." The imagery shown in the video to compliment flattering voices is a boy rolling through the neighborhood on a skateboard with headphones in. He coolly bobs his head as he whizzes past an old man strolling down the side-walk.</p><p class="p1">Punk music is a flattering voice, huh? I tried to understand what's flattering about the music we listen to. I guess I would agree that most music on the radio is generally celebrating ourselves. No matter what you did- you cheated, you lied, you got angry- the song justifies it and brings pride to the behavior. I guess that is pretty flattering. Nothing you feel you're out-of-place for feeling. Much different than a good friend that will listen and then set you straight, a good song will agree with you in every grievance. You feel upset and like taking revenge? You go girl! Make him suffer! You love a married man and are seeking him out? That totally makes sense! You shared something special with him! You're happiness is most important anyway! Do it! You get the idea. Think about almost any song. They are flattering to your own emotions, right?</p><p class="p1">I had a funny experience listening to the radio a while ago. I told my sister about it because of how distinct and surprising it was. I would say this took place back in June. I had made a marked effort to "tune out the world," so to speak, and had been listening to only Sunday stuff… conference, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">mormon</span> channel, classical music, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">MoTab</span>, etc. One day after work, I climbed into my car and decided I'd had enough of all the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">churchy</span> stuff and flipped the station to some pop radio. Within the minute I had it on, I had this knee jerk reaction of being repulsed. The phrase that went through my head was, "This is not my gospel." I would equate this experience to your national news radio station of choice suddenly broadcasting what North Korea has playing in every home. You would immediately recognize the sentiments and politics as "not my country." You'd probably be a little repulsed you had almost trusted in it without thought. So yeah, the <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">juxtaposition</span> of gospel principle based audio to today's pop music was intensely revealing to me. I was a little amused at how off guard that experience took me.</p> <p class="p3">Beside the flattery of music and that it teaches a lot of the doctrine of Satan, music holds another power. You can tap into any emotion almost instantly by listening to a particular song. It's almost like a drug. And, like a drug, this power must be used carefully. For example, sometimes it feels good to allow yourself to feel sad… or to wallow. But wallowing can only be allowed for a short period of time (depending on what you're grieving.) I have go-to sad songs I call on in moments of true despair. One, Kristy recently introduced me to, is "Fool of Me." I don't even have to be sad for this song to reach back and harrow up something painful to recall and melodramatically focus on while I listen to it. (Insert: Something you should also know about me is I practice crying on the spot. Why? Because don't you think that's cool?! To be able to shed tears on demand without reason? Shanna and I practice together. We can be in the middle of a conversation when either of us interjects, "Crying contest. Go." And we both grimace our faces and focus on the floor. The first to shed a tear wins. Laugh now, but this talent may land me an Oscar someday.)</p> <p class="p3">When I'm asked what kind of music I like, I always feel a little bit stumped. I'm inclined to answer, "everything" because I feel like I pull from just about every genre (except that really dark stuff.) <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">In fact</span>, I blew out a speaker in my Subaru while listening to Def <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">Leppard's</span> "Let's Get Rocked" somewhere on the spiderweb of California freeway. Sometimes I feel like loud, angry music with a good strong bass can actually beat a bad mood out of me. When you can physically feel the vibration of a beat in your heart, few things are better. My dream car has a list of requirements. At the top of that list is a cool fabric interior (like herringbone? …wait, that's what I have now) and a tricked out sound system (the opposite of what I have now). My choice of music for running is kind of strange. The typical gym anthems drive me crazy. Any pop, actually, discourages my athleticism. I run really well to chill, chill music. I'm talking Yo-Y-Ma-Norah-Jones-John-<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">Meyery</span> chill. Music you could take a nap to. It seems like it would be counter productive, but calm music is the perfect <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">antidote</span> to exercise anxieties and I feel like I breath better and run strong when I'm relaxed. Upbeat stuff just stresses me out. (Minus a select few songs… that is, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">DNVO</span>. Love that one for running!) No surprise I can't listen to any music when I'm racing. I hate the distraction. Yeah, me and my competitive racing. I'm just so picky about my running conditions. When titles are on the line, you kind of have to be.</p> <p class="p3">Speaking of song and music, I've been trying to compose a list of my all-time favorite songs. When I get board at work (which is never! …okay, it's fairly often), I open up my excel spreadsheet of favorites. Lists I am now compiling are: favorite movies, favorite songs to karaoke to, favorite life experiences, and travel destinations I hope to visit someday. I think you all would be really entertained to see my favorite songs to karaoke to (They are not the same as my favorite songs at all.) But I'll leave you with a short list of a few of my favorite songs:</p> <ul><li>I Believe In You and Me, Whitney Houston (from The Preacher's Wife)</li><li>Peel Me a Grape, Diana <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">Krall</span></li><li>How Deep is the Ocean, Diana <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">Krall</span></li><li>Plenty, Guru featuring <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">Erykah</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">Badu</span></li><li>The Rain from <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">Vivaldi's</span> "The Four Seasons" (performed by Turtle Island String Quartet on the Winter's Solstice IV album)</li><li>Have You Seen Me Lately, Counting Crows (acoustic version)</li><li>Butterflies, Michael Jackson</li><li>They Can't Take That Away From Me, Frank Sinatra (duet version with Natalie Cole)</li><li><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15">DNVO</span>, Justice</li><li>The Water is Wide, Charlotte Church<br /></li><li>Like an Angel Passing through My Room, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_16">Sissel</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_17">Kyrkjebo</span> (from <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_18">MoTab's</span> Spirit of the Season album)</li><li>Impossible, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_19">Anberlin</span></li><li><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_20">Wonderboy</span>, Tenacious D</li><li>Blackbird/I Will, The <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_21">Swingle</span> Singers</li><li>Hide and Seek, Imogen Heap</li><li>Calling My Children Home, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_22">Emmalou</span> Harris (live version)</li><li>Opening: The New World, Songs for a New World</li><li>(And the dirtiest, worst, most deplorable songs that I love…love to dance to, I can't mention here because it will forever dirty my name. But call me, and I'll give you the scoop.)</li></ul> <p class="p3">There was a time with each of these songs when I would listen to them on repeat for days and sometimes weeks.</p><p></p><br /><iframe src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/VPbDZnrxBLM" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" width="560"></iframe>Charlotte Lundellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06943992591294470214noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4851192318854231472.post-22423683852063827592012-01-19T15:17:00.000-08:002012-01-19T15:48:09.904-08:00Tale as Old as Time<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhehZ_xHgB6XbZTp0lTnqNDY0L9LWlpHx5DvxHQ3R20bUIhHv0GWjIHF9mqY_8Wf8zGDfl1HV78KpR6OiAzhQDelknk23SeaNiBmu5ZWKbCkDU677YatLzggwpHNg3l6jDmMEyYzph77ngW/s1600/photo.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 299px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhehZ_xHgB6XbZTp0lTnqNDY0L9LWlpHx5DvxHQ3R20bUIhHv0GWjIHF9mqY_8Wf8zGDfl1HV78KpR6OiAzhQDelknk23SeaNiBmu5ZWKbCkDU677YatLzggwpHNg3l6jDmMEyYzph77ngW/s400/photo.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5699488695157114338" border="0" /></a>(Anna, Jess, & Michelle <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">rockin</span>' their glasses. Cute girls.)<br /></div><br />Something very exciting took place last night: We viewed in the theater Beauty and the Beast (in 3D... which really I don't care about.) I loved it so much! This was the movie of my girlhood. I remember watching it for the first time in the theater when it came out. I was with Anne, Aimee, Stephen, and my little brother, Eric. I remember all the parts we laughed at and I remember all the parts of the movie we acted out on the way home that night. Lumiere's "Hello" to Maurice as he's ascending the <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">spiral</span> staircase up to the tower. The classic "You look so, so... " "Stupid." We rolled in laughter at that one. My mom bought me the cassette tape for my birthday and I would listen to it when I went to bed. To this day, I can recite the entire prologue at the beginning word for word, which I graciously did for the girls last night on the car ride over. =) They loved it. Especially Jess. She was captivated. A sampling? Okay. Ahem. Once upon a time in a far away land a young prince lived in a shining castle. Although he had everything his heart desired, the prince was spoiled, selfish, and unkind. But then, one winter's... (Okay, seriously. Do you believe me now? I know all of it.)<br /><br />So now I'm older and of course it is just a children's story and just a Disney movie. But I'm going to be honest, this insensitive girl got teary at two parts of the movie! The first was when the beast fought off the wolves and then fell down into the snow. Yep, I shed a tear out of each eye. And then, at the end when the beast is transformed into his body. Got just a little teary then, too. I love the theme of redemption in this movie. I think when the beast fought off the wolves for Belle, it reminded me of how it's so hard not to love a good heart. In spite of everything. In spite of the yelling and rudeness and pain he caused Belle, in that moment his true colors came shining through. And then the end, it's pretty self explanatory why that tugs at my heart strings, right? In that moment, I identify with the beast. I think probably we all do. We all look forward to the day of our redemption.<br /><br />Go see it again. Such a great story.Charlotte Lundellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06943992591294470214noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4851192318854231472.post-91858619725210090622012-01-09T23:27:00.000-08:002012-01-10T00:41:37.029-08:00Knowing is Half the BattleTonight the girls and I hit up Karaoke Cafe. This has become a Monday night tradition... our own little FHE, if you will. We decided to pick a theme for the night: Sad, heart-brake songs-love gone wrong. Oh, man. I was close to tears before we even started! (Which is the goal of these songs.)<br /><br />I love Shanna and Kristy for a number of reasons. Not last among those is how easily I can confess to them. There is something about being a girl that makes it next to impossible to hold shameful, guilty feelings inside- as stupid or miniscule the reason is for having them. We have to confess them! (How many times has a friend muttered under her breath what she paid for a new pair of shoes I complimented her on? She just had to confess!) And I love that I have Shanna and Kristy to hear out all the things that ail me. <br /><br />Tonight's "confession" was from me. All three of us felt very sad for the predictament. I felt and feel awful. Sometimes I'm soooo dumb! Does it ever happen that the worst of yourself meets together in a Bremuda Triangle at the worst possible time? I hate disappointing people I care about. Uhhh! So, why do I feel calm right now? (Karaoke is therapeutic?) Why does this dust-of-the-earth humility feel good? *thinking* Just a guess: 1.) I feel protected from future bad choices of this sort. 2.) I learned a lot about myself and where I am which is helpful to know exactly how I need to move forward. 3.) I feel willing to accept the come-what-may because I'm so humbled.<br /><br />I wrote a letter to Ryan today. He comes home in only two months! After responding to his letter, I set about to give an accounting for my life since he always asks for one. Without effort at all, I could only report how happy I have felt lately. Honestly. I feel really happy. Even when I'm sad, there is an underlying happiness. Perhaps I'd been under a cloud for a long time and am now coming back to normal life. Whatever the case, I love it. It's been growing for a couple years now, and I attribute it to the power of the atonement. I sometimes hesitate to post my "church talk" on my blog because I wonder if those who stumble on my blog will understand and respect the place that it is coming from. I'd hate to think that my honest and most personal feelings would be sneered at. Anyhow, I love discovering how the atonement can change my heart and feelings. I love discovering how much I need it; how desperately I need it. Life really is a sort of game about chasing feelings. Where would I be without joy? Without all the deep and sincere feelings the atonement allows me to have?<br /><br />I keep thinking about the concept of knowing something. I think 'know' is like the word 'love.' There should be a million different words to describe the nuances within each that are not apparent in the flatness of one, single word. We don't throw whole trust into these words when they're used because we don't know where on that spectrum this 'love' or this 'know' came from. Consider the phrase "ever learning and never able to come to a knowledge of the truth." This makes so much sense to me right now. And it makes me feel like an idiot because I have been the subject of such a description. I have been crystal clear on something and had that clarity reaffirmed so many times, but when a window of doubt opens- a loop hole- I jump right through to that place where I don't "know" and try to doddle in the mire of neivity. But no matter how hard I try to stay neive and deny my level of "knowing," I'm forcefully shoved out of that comfortable place by experience. I cannot stay there no matter how hard I try. I openly confess this only because I am confident that each of us deals with a level of this within ourselves. It really is epidemic. For example, (an extreme example) it is common knowledge the harmful effects of pornography on family and society. However, the industry is exploding. Why? Because the powers that be "know" but will not "know" (i.e. claim to know) for the purpose of being able to shirk responsibility. Or, a less severe example: You identify a bad habit that you've casually maintained for years. When it comes down to it, you clearly see it is not good for you to keep up this habit. But you reason with yourself that it's not so bad and you wouldn't be all that better off without it. Beside, you aren't actually sure if anything would substatially improve if you overcame said habit. God must be aware of this disease among us: Not choosing to know and claim that we know.Charlotte Lundellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06943992591294470214noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4851192318854231472.post-38409895673638559792011-08-09T16:14:00.000-07:002011-08-09T16:26:26.606-07:00Jail House Blues<iframe src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/Bd6if1Kgv5Q" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="349" width="425"></iframe>
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<br />Suddenly, I've been dancing a lot lately! ...perhaps as a distraction more than anything. (It's kind of like how as soon as I got 'promoted' at work and had tons of work to do from home, I was going running more diligently than ever.) Anyhow, I'm back in the Swing Scene and am all on fire again with dreams of traveling to Lindy exchanges and possibly competing. I LOVE SWING DANCING! There are so many reasons why I feel it is the superior dance form (in the vein of partner dancing.) I won't go into it here but PLEASE watch the video below and consider that this is completely un-choreographed! It's all lead and follow genius. Superior??? I think so. And how cool is it that this dance form was invented here in America?! Very cool.
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<br />Charlotte Lundellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06943992591294470214noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4851192318854231472.post-78455280219175151472011-08-03T16:54:00.000-07:002011-08-03T16:55:20.324-07:00Bleeding for LoveIt’s been some time since I’ve logged on to my blog. It’s been a nice break. But I miss writing so here I am again. I took a writing class in college (which- come to think of it- everyone takes a writing class if they go to college) and I remember the teacher explaining how you need to “let yourself bleed onto the paper.” What I think she was getting at is we need to reveal ourselves in our writing- we need to be honest- for it to be good... for it to be at all enjoyable (or enlightening) for the reader. I think that’s why I haven’t been blogging. Bleeding on my blog is just too revealing; I haven’t been up to spilling on here all the things that have been going on... all the things I’ve been feeling.<br /><br />I recently discussed with my roommates how every time I recall bawling in front of them the night the earthquake/tsunami hit Japan, I emotionally feel the same as though I were recalling being naked in front of a crowd... I feel all exposed and uncomfortable; I feel embarrassed. And it’s kind of funny to me that in complete honesty, I really feel so awkward to have lost it in front of them like I did. It makes total sense that I did! And I think they totally understand that! Nevertheless, it has still left me feeling stripped naked.<br /><br />Blogging sometimes does that to me. In a moment, I say so much. I bleed on here. And later, I wonder why I posted my vulnerability. But somehow, it is always the thing that I come back to write about.<br /><br />So, I’m reading a romantic fiction right now and I’m just a few pages until the end. The main character, Ashley, holds back a lot in her dating relationship and her love interest, Matt, has a really hard time finagling her to let him in. (That’s, of course, the CliffsNotes to the CliffsNotes version.) Although I felt a little exasperated while reading it by how simplistic her trouble is (that is, the ‘why’ behind her holding back), I couldn’t help but identify with Ashley because this was the complaint/grievance I got from “the last one.” That I hold back... and hold back... and hold back. I’m only saying this because I’m asserting that what is true in writing must be true in relationships. You have to bleed before the other for emotional closeness. I’ve never really thought about it this way.<br /><br /><iframe src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/Vzo-EL_62fQ" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="349" width="425"></iframe>Charlotte Lundellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06943992591294470214noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4851192318854231472.post-77601551988281927552011-03-28T09:50:00.001-07:002011-03-28T09:50:48.890-07:00I want some security.<iframe title="YouTube video player" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/8bc-7spa_jo" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="390" width="480"></iframe>Charlotte Lundellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06943992591294470214noreply@blogger.com1