My Day on the World Stage

In 1993 the opportunity arrived for me to shut up or put up. There was a woman by the name, or rather using the name, of Deborah Laake. She’d written a book called “Secret Ceremonies: Diary of a Mormon Wife” – a work of pure and sad delusion. This poor woman, if she told the complete truth, was at the mercy of a father who took unrighteous dominion to new levels. Whatever the perceived truth, she became extremely disenchanted with the church and proceeded to betray every covenant she’d half-heartedly made with the Lord. Where do I come in? Well, … Continue reading

Koshik the Talking Elephant

Could our next best friend be an elephant?  Maybe not for most of us here stateside, where we’re not exactly equipped to properly look after pachyderms.  But the news out of a zoo in South Korea, reported by BBC News, shows that an elephant has entered the next stage of the human-animal bond: talking. Before now, the only animals we could conceive of really being able to replicate our speech were parrots.  Now elephants are joining the list.  Koshik is a 12-year-old Asian elephant that lives at a zoo in South Korea.  When he started making sounds that his keepers thought … Continue reading

Need A Spiritual Boost?

I have spoken before about my experience attending Time Out for Women a few years ago. It is a great way to re-charge spiritually and get that extra boost you need to continue on your way at being a better mom, wife, and daughter of God. I loved the talks, and treasure the notes I took during them. I read them every once in a while to remember the spiritual thoughts I had during those talks. I especially loved hearing Hillary Weeks. One of my favorite LDS artists. But, we can’t always make it to TOFW can we? Well, I … Continue reading

Does Elizabeth Warren Really Have Cherokee Ancestry?

The ancestry of Democrat Elizabeth Warren is still a topic that is raising questions. A few months ago, a genealogist determined that Warren did, really, have Cherokee ancestry. Shortly after that, there were blogs that stated that there wasn’t any credible evidence that this was so. Now, another genealogist says that Elizabeth Warren really doesn’t have Cherokee ancestry. In Massachusetts, the current Senator is Scott Brown, who is a Republican. Elizabeth Warren, who is a Democrat, is running against him for the Senate seat he currently holds. The winner will be decided in the 2012 election. It has become common … Continue reading

General Conference Recap

General Conference was this past weekend. It was wonderful to be able to hear the words of President Monson and the other apostles for so many sessions this weekend. The talks were wonderful and very uplifting. Many spoke poignantly about the troublesome times that we are facing around the world. The ultimate message was one of hope and faith. President Monson spoke about having faith during difficult times. He shared three stories of people who faced enormous trials, but were able to persevere because of the strength of their faith. The line that stood out to me from that talk … Continue reading

Website Review: All Pro Dad

I was looking at my bookmarks that I have saved on my computer the other day and I noticed the one for All Pro Dad. It is a website that offers programs, free and low cost resources, and special events in order to help men in their pursuit of being a better father. All Pro Dad has over 50 NFL spokesmen, and events with teams from the NFL. The program also boasts of having over 1,000 local chapters of the “All Pro Dad’s Day”, and over 40,000 email subscribers to the daily email, “Play of the Day.” All Pro Dad … Continue reading

Rosie & Barbara Far From Friends

Be careful what you tell Rosie O’Donnell. It’s a lesson Barbara Walters is learning the hard way. Last week, the former “View” co-host joined Roseanne Barr on stage at a local New York City comedy club and sang like a canary divulging some of Walters’s most intimate secrets. According to the New York Daily News, O’Donnell started off by telling the audience that contrary to popular belief, she was fired by the Emmy Award-winning journalist. The truth finally comes out. The revelation was a far cry from the glossy statement given by O’Donnell earlier this summer when she told the … Continue reading

Celebrities, The Environment, and Human Rights

Celebrities and their pet charities are a popular topic in this blog. Libby and I have written about stars lending a hand to the homeless, the innocent, and the sick. But, this week the spotlight focused on a growing concern among politicians, actors, and musicians—the environment. Actress Cameron Diaz, hip-hop producer Pharrell, and former vice president Al Gore joined forces to announce an international campaign to promote global warming awareness. The monster event to be held this summer is called Save Our Selves – The Campaign for a Climate in Crisis. It features a 24-hour “Live Earth” concert, which will … Continue reading

Disorder of the Day (1)

Illnesses such as depression, ADHD, and anxiety and behavioral disorders are being diagnosed in increasing numbers throughout First-World countries. While there is little doubt that people are being more up-front about mental illness, is this trend a true reflection of what is really happening in the lives of everyday people? A concerning aspect in this upswing in the use of medication to “solve” these conditions, is the accompanying upswing in the profits of the pharmaceutical industry. While most people have always traditionally wanted a “magic bullet” to solve their health problems, in the area of mental health, the pharmaceutical industry … Continue reading

Book Review: Keys to Parenting an Adopted Child by Dr. Kathy Lancaster

I came across the “Book Keys to Parenting an Adopted Child” by Dr. Kathy Lancaster while waiting for my son to be born. During that time I read a number of books on parenting adopted children, but especially enjoyed this book because she writes clearly and concisely on a number of adoption topics including, but not limited to, bonding and attachment, developmental stages of children and adoption, and special needs adoption. It is also a very readable book that is easy is to understand and is not laden with medical and psychological jargon. Dr. Kathy Lancaster is also a parent … Continue reading