Body World . . . the naked truth

I went to Body World 3 with the other leaves of my tree. It was amazing! Havalah had a great time and learned a bunch. J- Bo liked the full form displays but was significantly less interested in the individual organs and parts. It was also great for letting our two oldest ask questions and get concrete and tangible answers from their parents. I walked away with an increased sense of awe for the majesty and complexity of the human body. I would recommend it for anyone 8 years and up!

Solitude. . .

Occasionally, I need solitude. I think most people probably do or at least would benefit if they took some. Every couple of months I take some time and just do something I want to do. I'll take myself out to dinner and a movie. I will go hang out at the library or a museum.

I think part of this drive is recapturing the feeling of being "free", accountable only to myself . . . if only for a couple of hours. Another aspect is the soul cleansing effect of quite solitude. I don't know how or why, but a couple hours of shutting out clutter, stress, and outside influence can do volumes to restoring perspective, resolve, and balance. I think it also helps tap your deeply creative side.

For all these reasons and more, I love occasional solitude.

Look Mom!

So today my son J-Bo is getting a new suped up splint for his buckle fractured right arm. The children are in a room where a man is doing some physical therapy. Apparently, the man had quite a beard going because my daughter Zefardeah turns to her mom and says, "Look Mom!"
"What?"
"It's Heavenly Father!"

And wisdom shall proceed forth out of the mouth of babes. . .

Faith and Food

I have always thought faith and food mix well. One of the central ordinances of my faith is a covenantal meal called the sacrament. Today's Sunday School lesson brilliantly supported my point and gave my children obedience training. . .

The family giving the lesson passed out very yummy coconut cookies to all the children in Sunday School but told them not to eat it just yet. Then they gave a lesson on having a good attitude when following Heavenly Father's commandments. The whole time the children are salivating and yearning for their cookies. After the lesson the father of the family comes up and asks if the children want to eat their cookies and they all raise their hands. Then he asks if they really want to eat their cookies and they all stand up. Then he has them all take one bite and chew it slowly. He explains we should all hunger and thirst after righteousness with the same eagerness and anticipation we did for the cookies. If we do, as the Savior promised, we will be filled.

I thought it was a great object lesson and my children loved it.

My Favorite Restaurants

I have been fortunate enough to eat at a bunch of great places and here a list of my favorites.

The Hearth (NYC)

The Garden Restaruant (top of the JS Memorial building)
Olive Garden (Times Square, NYC)

Tios (great little mom and pop tex-mex spot)
Allstar (Times Square, NYC)

Red Banjo Pizza (Park City, Ut)

What are some of the places you have been?

Resolutions. . .

I don't think I will put down all my resolutions. . . but here are a few that I will track on my blog with your support.

1. I will weigh under 205 by May 31, 2009 (I'm 272 now)
2. I will participate in at least one BJJ competition in 2009
3. I will complete NaNoWriMo 2009
4. I will run a 10k in 2009
5. I will blog everyday

I am going to see if putting it on my blog and accounting to the readers will help motivate and encourage me to complete these resolutions.

Thursday Thought with Thoreau. . .

Each Thursday I'll be reflecting on a quote from Thoreau. Why Thoreau? Why not? I find his reflections as a falling leaf remarkable. The quotes will come from any of his works, although I will initially focus on Walden and Civil Disobedience. I hope you will enjoy . . .

"I should not talk so much about myself if there were any body else whom I knew as well." Walden

Nate Note

Some might view this as the statement of a narcissist. I ask, how well do I know myself. . . my thoughts. . . my needs, wants, ambitions, dreams. . . I don't think this should become all consuming and at the expense of others - however, do I really know myself?