Resolve to keep happy, and your joy and you shall form an invincible host against difficulties.

Posts for August 27, 2009

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QDear 100 Hour Board,

I'm currently living in East Africa, and milk products, especially butter, are sometimes prohibitively expensive. So I'm trying to learn to bake with a mysterious substance known as Blue Band, which is basically an emulsion of various vegetable oils. (I'm not entirely sure how it differs from margarine, but both the flavor and texture are a bit different.) My question is this: have any of you baked with this substance before? When using a recipe that calls for butter, what adjustments should I make?

- Emiliana

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AEmiliana-

It looks as though none of us have any experience baking with this before, but going off of what you told me, I would expect that you would bake with it in the same way that you would bake with margarine or shortening. Just don't try to make croissants or toffee, because that could get really gross really fast.

- Cuddlefish

ADear Emiliana,

If it's the product found here, then it's theoretically just another form of margarine. It may be a rather odd form of margarine, but I vote for using it just like you would margarine.

-Yellow

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QDear 100 Hour Board,

While I was on my mission I heard what was (to me) a wonderful introspective arrangement of the hymn "Count Your Blessings." It was part of the CD album "Thirty Hymns for Missionaries." I want to get piano sheet music for this song but I can't seem to find the album information on the Internet anywhere (i.e. who sang and/or arranged the song). I know that the CD is available through several LDS bookstores -- even the BYU bookstore, I think -- but I'm not sure if I'll be able to go "up there" soon. Thus I must ask for the cheerful help of the 100 Hour Board.

Who arranged this song? Is sheet music available on the Internet, or I will I have to establish contact personally with the arranger?

Thanks immeasurably,

-el Cabecita

P.S. The song is performed by a male vocalist.

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ADear Cabecita,

Lo siento, it seems that we can't find this song or enough additional info about it without buying the CD. Thankfully, it's available online from the BYU Bookstore or Deseret Book, so you could buy it and see what's up.

If you're really not around (like, out of the country), I'd maybe be willing to set something up where I buy it and get what info I can (though it wouldn't be a guarantee of obtaining sheet music, of course) if you'd buy it off me at a later date. I dunno, e-mail me at ck(dot)theboard(at)gmail(dot)com if you want to talk options.

Sorry we couldn't be of more service!

-Commander Keen

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QDear 100 Hour Board,

I need help. I've done photography for about four years, but there is one technique I can't get right, nor can I forget about. I need to learn how to Bokeh! It seems like so much fun, and I really want those cool colored hearts in the background of one or two of my photos. I'd also be thrilled with stars. Or snowflakes. Or hexagons. Or even dots- I just want some shapes to liven up the background! However, all articles concerning Bokeh baffle me so much that after reading, I am more confused than before. Can someone explain this process to me? I really, really want to learn how to use this trick!! Thanks so much!

- Baffled by Bokeh

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ADear Baffled,

You'll get circular bokeh automatically when you get a really shallow depth of field. If you change the shape of your aperture, you change the shape of the bokeh. The easiest way to experiment with it yourself is to cut a hole in construction paper and tape it to the front of your lens, as explained here. You can also look into Lensbaby lenses and creative aperture kits.

One warning: it can make your photography look pretty gimmicky.

Love,
Waldorf and Sauron

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QDear 100 Hour Board,

My roommates and I will be driving back from Disneyland on October 2. We want to listen to General Conference on the radio in the car so that we don't miss anything. I found an article from the Deseret News from last conference time listing some Utah radio stations that broadcast it. However, I have two questions.

1) The article said that some radio stations play conference live and some play it delayed, but didn't say which ones were which. What would be the best station to choose for the drive from St. George to Orem. Or which ones should we switch between as we travel through the state to catch it all live (or all delayed, if necessary)?
2) Are there any radio stations between Disneyland and the Utah border that would also broadcast conference? I realize that this was more common before the internet came about, but we would really love to miss as little of conference as possible.

(Okay, I guess that's technically three questions. But I trust that the Board, in its greatness, will still search for the answers.)

- Disney is awesome, but not quite as awesome as General Conference

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ADear Disney,

In order from south to north, all live: AM 890 will broadcast General Conference in St. George. Cedar City will give it to you on AM 590. Richfield broadcasts it on AM 980, and if you catch a signal from Manti you can get it on AM 650. As you get closer to Provo, switch to 89.1/89.5 FM, or KSL AM 1160.

The Bonneville Communications website has a handy-dandy station finder. Click "radio" and choose which state you would like to listen to General Conference in. It will pull up a list of stations that are broadcasting in that state. I tried searching California and Nevada, but they still have info from April's General Conference up, so I would check again when it gets closer to October.

All stations are subject to change; I would check the above website closer to October just to make sure.

Have a safe trip!

⋯Anomalous

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QDear 100 Hour Board,

What's with all the skydivers falling around the Y? I've seen a whole bunch of them this week. Was a new skydiving center opened recently in Provo?

Thanks much,

--Sky Isfalling

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ASky-

I don't know if any of them are new, but if you google 'skydiving provo', you'll see that there are lots of skydiving places in the area. I expect that the sudden influx of skydivers has to do with the fact that summer break is ending soon and people are getting their final bits of fun in.

- Cuddlefish

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QDear 100 Hour Board,

We have a decent quality mattress (it's one of those that DI makes). However, my husband and I find it pretty uncomfortable. We have an egg-crate on top of it now but it's not doing the trick. Any tips on mattress toppers to buy? We've heard of intellibed, termpurpedic, posturpedic, and other brands and would love any input you could give.

- Grumpy

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ADear Grumpy,

My parents bought a Tempur-Pedic mattress about five years ago. It had such an impact on the level of comfiness each night that at my brother's wedding, my dad gave my brother two words of advice. I forgot the first one, because the second one was way more important: "Buy a Tempur-Pedic mattress - it will change your life and help your marriage!"

It will change your life!

-Mico

AGrumpy-

If your mattress is inherently uncomfortable, no mattress-topper will change that. I bought an exceptionally comfortable mattress at Sam's Club for less than $400. Save your money and get a better mattress than the one you have.

- Cuddlefish

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QDear 100 Hour Board,

It's been my life-long dream to go on a vacation in a train (as in a train with dining car, sleeping car, etc). I'd love to go on one that takes you through the mountains. What companies offer this and to and from where (preferably in CA or western US)?

- Thomas

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AThomas-

See here, here, and here. That should give you a good base to work from.

- Cuddlefish

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QDear 100 Hour Board,

How do I become a better writer without having to take classes? I mean, that's possible right?

- Aim high

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ADear Aim High,

It is possible, yes. The most effective ways to improve your writing are reading a lot and writing frequently. Start reading novels that are known as "good," or "classics." The more you read, the more you will internalize what good writing and bad writing look like. As for writing, you may want to start a blog. It could be public or private, true or fiction, but you need to begin writing everyday. Whether you want to write like your favorite authors or write better essays for classes will determine what you should write about on your blog. Try to write professionally, but remember that every writer has his own style.

-Mico

ADear Aim High,

I agree with what Mico said, and would also add that keeping a journal is a great way to improve your writing skills. Since a journal is more private and secure than a blog, you can be comfortable writing about anything. Don't forget about your journal (or blog) entries once they are complete, however. Make time to read previous entries. There is something about looking back at past writing, instead of focusing on your present project, that helps to show you where improvement could be made.

Another option, one that is a big hit with writing teachers, is to keep a writer's notebook. Journals tend to have similar formats from person to person. With a writer's notebook, anything can happen. Carry it with you as often as possible, and write in it whenever you feel like it. Write down inspirational quotes, poetry, and ideas for stories. Make lists and write down observations you make about everyday life. Write about anything and everything that comes to mind. Keep track of the date, or don't. Write upside down and backwards and in weird shapes. Get into the habit of recording your life, not necessarily every tiny detail, but the small things you notice about the world that maybe no one else would stop to think about. This will help to put you in the writer's mindset, and that mindset, along with reading good books, will help you to become a better writer.

That reminds me...

Journal time,

⋯Anomalous

AAim High-

Become a writer for the 100 Hour Board. Seriously, becoming a writer has been so good for my writing abilities because I hate giving the editors extra work.

Heh, and I've just made life a little bit harder for people trying to figure out how to apply. Keep searching the archives!

- Cuddlefish

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QI'm a BYU graduate, and I recently registered for library privileges at the HBL by donating $50 to the library. I wanted to access the library to access technical books on subjects related to designing website template for my business - http://websitetemplatedatabase.... After I set up the account, I found out that most of the books I want to read are ones available through BYU as eBooks hosted on a site separate from the BYU library site. Whenever I attempt to login to get access to the ebooks, I get this message:

"Logging in allows access to library-provided research databases from off-campus locations.

"The login information you provided was incorrect. Please note that this resource is only available to current students and employees of BYU."

Is there any way I can have my old BYU login setup to allow me access to the resources I thought I was getting when I signed up for an alumni library account?

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ADear graduate,

Well, if it makes you feel any better, you're not the first person to believe you were getting full library privileges, databases included. For your information, and for everyone else's benefit, the way the Friends of the Library program works is this: you can donate any amount of money you'd like to the library; when you donate $50-$239, like you did, you just receive circulation privileges. In order to have access to selected online databases, you'd need to donate $240 or more per year, as you can see here. And, you know, you get the Friends of the Library newsletter, as well. The selected databases are listed here, and it looks as though none of them include e-books. So, as it stands, there actually isn't a way for alumni to have access to the databases, at least off-campus. I'm sure you already know this, but you're always more than welcome to come in to the library and use any databases there. If you have any other questions, Cali O'Connell is the Friends of the Library representative, and you can reach her at (801) 422-2905.

-Miss Scarlett, in the Conservatory

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QDear Board that the Mongols would hoard if the Mongol hordes got bored,

Why don't birds write their memoirs?

-C is for Commander Coriander Salamander

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ACifCCS-

Their lack of opposable thumbs means they can't hold the pens right.

- Cuddlefish

ADear Cookie,

Haven't you ever seen a bird pecking its memoir into a tree?

Some people just don't pay attention...

⋯Anomalous