Here is my photo of the day... it's a close up shot of a candle I received as a Christmas present. It smells like pineapple and sugar... love it. I doubt I will burn it, it's just too pretty.
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One blissfully engaged blogger shows how much crap you have to get through to get the wedding of your dreams. She lists some of the most tacky, funny, stupid, and junky items that she finds. Her humor is great as she shows her hatred for wedding cake toppers and how ironic it is for a 600 page bridal magazine to show info on green weddings. Here are some examples:
Solve that ’something blue’ problem instantly by getting married in this denim wedding dress. Sure, it might weigh a ton, but you have to admit that aside from the color it looks like 85% of the wedding dresses worn by American women. Princess seams? Check. Ridiculous beading? Check. You know, if you live in Montana, this could be the dress for you.
Admit it, you’ve been thinking about personalized M&Ms since he proposed. Specifically, you’ve been thinking about Tiffany Blue M&M’s. Tiffany Blue M&Ms printed with your wedding date and the names of you and your betrothed. Well, I hope that your fiance isn’t named Crap, because that’s one word that’s not allowed. In fact, the M&Ms people have an entired guide to what is an isn’t allowed.
Every day I despair that I won’t be able to top the ridiculousness that I found the day before. After all, how does one overcome the fantastical nature of rose petals printed with the faces of the bride and groom, or giant diamond ring key chains, or a veil covered with penises? I do not know how I work this magic, but today it continues with the perfect table decorations for an Arctic themed wedding: fake plastic ice.
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Spooky being spooky.I know I know I know. I forgot to post my photo for the day. Sorry, I fell asleep on my couch and woke up at 3 am and hopped right into bed. So much for my New Years Resolution, huh? I will do my best to make up for it by posting 2 photos today.
Due to my strange sleeping position I now have a pain in my neck... sounds like I am making a joke there, but there is truly a pain in my neck. I can't bend my head down without shouting dirty words at the top of my lungs.
Tulips I found in the grocery storeWhy is it that furniture designers can't make a couch that is actually comfortable to sleep on? Is that too much to ask? I turn 29 on Tuesday, and I have yet to sleep on a comfy couch. Maybe the bed manufacturers bribe sofa designers into making uncomfortable sleeping sofas? Its a conspiracy to keep us buying beds... I know it.
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Buddha Belly after she ate breakfast.I was spending some time on PostMormon.org when someone made a topic that was near and dear to my heart. How does the Mormon Church claim to be so "pro-family" when they do so much to keep the family apart? I will explain.
Firstly, faithful Mormons receive callings in the church... these are jobs given to them from the bishop or his counselors. Supposedly, the people picked for the jobs were chosen by God, and they should never, ever turn down a calling. These jobs could be anything from cleaning the ward building once per week (or more) to being a chorus leader, teaching Sunday School, to being a bishop or Stake President. These callings take up a lot of time.
Lets not forget how much time the church asks of you even without a calling. There are the Sunday meetings (3 hours or longer per week), Priesthood or Relief Society meetings after the Sunday meetings, Monday nights are usually reserved for family home evening where you have a lesson about the church with your family followed by prayer and scripture reading... Wednesday nights can be anything from Boy Scout meetings, to Young Women's/Young Men's meetings... those take hours as well. If you are a parent, you are driving your kids to and from these activities. Add to this the time for your Mormon calling. If you are called to be a Sunday School teacher, you have to plan one lesson per week on top of everything else in your already busy week. Many adult Mormons are Home Teachers or Visiting teachers on top of their calling. They travel to someone else's house (active and non-active) and give them a lesson about the church which again, you prepare. It really adds up, and fast. How can there be much focus on your family if you are too busy doing everything the church is asking of you? If you have a calling as a bishop, for example, you are away from your family most nights out of the week.
Another way the church takes away from having family togetherness is how they focus so much attention on ceremonies in the temple. If you don't have a temple recommend, you will not be allowed in the temple building. Take for example the time that my uncle was married in the temple and his mother, my grandmother, had to wait outside because the church didn't claim her worthy enough to attend. Why does a wedding have to exclude people you love? How does that promote the family unit being together? Another example was the time my Dad's temple work was done. The people who knew him the best, who took care of him when he was dying, were kept out of the temple because we were not considered worthy enough to be there.
When people leave the church they are considered apostates. The church teaches that apostates cannot be trusted, and therefore you should steer clear of these people because they might *gasp* try to talk to you about the issues that made them resign. Many mothers, fathers, and friends completely cut apostates out of their life because they decided to believe something different. Wow... kicking someone completely out of your family even though they think differently than you isn't exactly family values.. is it?
It's such a contradiction... their actions don't speak with their words.
Firstly, faithful Mormons receive callings in the church... these are jobs given to them from the bishop or his counselors. Supposedly, the people picked for the jobs were chosen by God, and they should never, ever turn down a calling. These jobs could be anything from cleaning the ward building once per week (or more) to being a chorus leader, teaching Sunday School, to being a bishop or Stake President. These callings take up a lot of time.
Lets not forget how much time the church asks of you even without a calling. There are the Sunday meetings (3 hours or longer per week), Priesthood or Relief Society meetings after the Sunday meetings, Monday nights are usually reserved for family home evening where you have a lesson about the church with your family followed by prayer and scripture reading... Wednesday nights can be anything from Boy Scout meetings, to Young Women's/Young Men's meetings... those take hours as well. If you are a parent, you are driving your kids to and from these activities. Add to this the time for your Mormon calling. If you are called to be a Sunday School teacher, you have to plan one lesson per week on top of everything else in your already busy week. Many adult Mormons are Home Teachers or Visiting teachers on top of their calling. They travel to someone else's house (active and non-active) and give them a lesson about the church which again, you prepare. It really adds up, and fast. How can there be much focus on your family if you are too busy doing everything the church is asking of you? If you have a calling as a bishop, for example, you are away from your family most nights out of the week.
Another way the church takes away from having family togetherness is how they focus so much attention on ceremonies in the temple. If you don't have a temple recommend, you will not be allowed in the temple building. Take for example the time that my uncle was married in the temple and his mother, my grandmother, had to wait outside because the church didn't claim her worthy enough to attend. Why does a wedding have to exclude people you love? How does that promote the family unit being together? Another example was the time my Dad's temple work was done. The people who knew him the best, who took care of him when he was dying, were kept out of the temple because we were not considered worthy enough to be there.
When people leave the church they are considered apostates. The church teaches that apostates cannot be trusted, and therefore you should steer clear of these people because they might *gasp* try to talk to you about the issues that made them resign. Many mothers, fathers, and friends completely cut apostates out of their life because they decided to believe something different. Wow... kicking someone completely out of your family even though they think differently than you isn't exactly family values.. is it?
It's such a contradiction... their actions don't speak with their words.
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Strong winds brought a roller coaster to a halt at the top of its loop at a fun park in Anhui province in east China, leaving 18 people hanging upside down for about half an hour with six of them falling ill, an official said.
All the six persons were sent to a hospital and were discharged later, the official said.
Zhang Shengying, Deputy Director of the Wuhu Municipal Bureau of Quality and Technical Supervision, said investigation showed that the accident had been caused by “extreme weather” at the amusement park.
Vice General Manager of the park, Wang Qicheng said the facility would suspend operations for a month and would be completely overhauled before reopening it to the public.
Wang said some passengers were demanding compensation and the park management was negotiating with them.
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I found these ads on a blog called direct daily. Be sure to click on any of the ads for a direct link to that site... it's awesome.
As an advertisement for Danny's Carwash, decals resembling bird droppings were placed on car windshields. The decals were also coupons for 1 USD off a carwash.
Agency: Santy Phoenix, USA.
On December 1st (World AIDS Day), an outdoor poster showing the word "AIDS" written with more than 500 condoms was displayed in a lot of spots throughout the city. As people were invited to take condoms out of it, the word AIDS began to disappear, increasing awareness on the importance of using condoms to stop the spread of AIDS among the population. At the end of the day more than 8000 pedestrians interacted with the poster. And what could be a simple condom sampling action turned into a stronger awareness message against AIDS.
Ambient work for the launch of a new Radio Station. Guitar Stands were placed around Glasgow City Centre inviting people to help themselves to an air guitar.
Agency: The Bridge, Scotland.
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I had an idea to keep myself practicing my photography... every day I will post at least one photo I took. I would LOVE feedback, ideas, and most importantly honesty. If you think my photo sucks, let me know...
I have been working on a letter to send out to my family when I resign from the Mormon Church. Mom and I have a meeting with her bishop (stake president might be there as well) and we plan on stating the case for why we are leaving. She was raised in the church to the point that she wants to be absolutely certain she is making the right decision on leaving, and I respect that. Growing up, she was taught that there was no worse sin than turning your back on the church. It's very scary to leave when you have been taught your whole life that Satan will try to lead you astray. She wants to give her bishop a chance to explain some of this, but there is zero doubt in my mind that he won't be able to give an explanation other than, "Read your scriptures and pray about it." Prayer doesn't change facts.
At first I thought I might go into the meeting asking the bishop questions about what I have learned, but after wonderful advice from my friends on PostMormon.org I think stating the reason I am leaving will be the best move.
Over the Christmas holiday PostMormon.org had enough money in donations to purchase a full page color ad in the Salt Lake Tribune. It was awesome to see so many people come together for a cause that is so important. It's not an anti-Mormon movement of any kind, it's just letting the people who are questioning the Church know that there is support out there... and that hope is not lost for them.
I hope everyone's New Year has been awesome so far, take care!
Sydney
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I woke up this morning ready to start the year right. I hopped right in the shower and went for a long walk... It's my goal to be more healthy, drink more water instead of lovely Diet Coke, and to learn to be a better photographer.
The sidewalks were very icy, and I fell flat on my ass on the way home. My right ankle is now swollen, and bruised to a lovely shade of deep purple. Great way to start off the year, huh? Don't worry, I won't let it get me down.
Here are a few of the photos I took this morning before my lovely accident. I hope you like them!
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