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

Posts for August 28, 2009

Back to top
QDear 100 Hour Board,

I love BYU catering biscuits! Tomassito's biscuits and gravy breakfast is the best. Does BYU catering biscuits come from a mix? If so, is their biscuit mix available to the public for purchase?
Thanks in advance!

-Craving some biscuits and gravy

Direct Link to Question

ADear Craving,

Well, I tried contacting both BYU catering and Tomassito's. As it turns out, BYU Catering does not supply Tomassito's biscuits, but they do have their own version of biscuits and gravy that they serve. If I ever hear back from their chef, and if he is willing to give me the recipe, I will most certainly post it here. Same thing with Tomassito's. As recompense, here is my favorite biscuit recipe, one I picked up on my mission from one of the best cooks ever!

Sister M's Heavenly Biscuits

*Preheat oven to 450°

Ingredients:
2 c. Flour
1 TBS Baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 c. Butter
3/4 to 1 c. buttermilk

Mix together the flour, baking powder, salt, and butter. Cut in butter with a fork (or 2 knives, or pastry blender). Add 3/4 c. buttermilk to start, then add more if needed. Mix until you can gently knead the dough together. Roll out on floured surface--about 3/4" thick--and cut out with biscuit cutter or cup. Bake on an ungreased cookie sheet for 8-12 minutes, or until golden on top. Yields about 8 biscuits. 9 if you make the scraps into a lumpy pile of dough and bake it.

NOTE: do not insult me by using margarine instead of butter! Also, if you don't have fresh, real buttermilk, you can substitute 1 TBS of lemon juice or vinegar plus enough milk to make 1 cup. Lastly, use the term "knead" lightly--this is not like bread dough. Be as light and gentle as possible. Treat it like you were massaging a baby's bum--bad, weird analogy, but...yeah. If you over-knead or overmix, the biscuits won't turn out as light and flakey.

Enjoy!

-Miss Scarlett, in the kitchen

Back to top
QDear 100 Hour Board,

I am planning to study abroad in London in the fall of 2010 (through a program with my school). I have worked my schedule out so that there aren't any classes I need to take the following spring, and I would really like to take that semester off from school and stay in London until June or July of 2011. (Long story short: I lost part of my scholarship, and after crunching some numbers it looks like it would cost just as much to live in London from January to June as it would to be in school.)
I am majoring in environmental studies with an emphasis in biology, and I have to have a related internship to graduate. The definition of "related" is very loose, so whatever information I can find at this point is great. I would love to intern at the London Aquarium, but I haven't emailed them for more information yet because I want to know if this is a good idea in general. I want to know where I can find info on other internships in London, what I should know about visas (I don't care if the internship is paid or not, but from the little info I've found, it may be easier if it is), the best way to find affordable housing options for this short term, and anything else you can tell me! Remember that I will have been living in the city for a few months with the study abroad program before I start living on my own, so I'll at least know my way around.

- Mandi

Direct Link to Question

ADear Mandi,

This site will give you information on obtaining a visa, if you need one. I don't know enough about your individual circumstances to tell you whether or not you need one, but there is a questionnaire available on the above site that will help you out.

This link will help you out with anything else you need to know about traveling to the UK. Again, I don't know enough of your circumstances to give any definitive information.

A variety of short-term housing options can be found here. If none of these options will meet your needs, try Googling "short-term lets England" and it should bring up plenty of results.

As far as internships go, I checked out this site, and it seems legit. It has links to dozens of internship opportunities in England, with contacts and website information.

This site specializes in environmental jobs. I just typed "internship" into the search field and it came up with environmental internships around the world, many of which were in London.

Remember to use your judgment no matter who you go through to find an internship. Do research on whichever internship you choose, and, if something seems fishy, call it off. The last thing you want to happen is to be stuck in a foreign country with no money and no way to get home.

Good luck, and have fun!

⋯Anomalous

ADear Mandi,

Although you don't say where you go to school, I think there's a good chance that you could also get some great internship leads from your academic department or the school's internship office. They could let you know what kind of experience would be most beneficial for your career plans, and also may already be aware of some opportunities while helping you avoid any scams or false promises.

~Hermia

AMandi-

Also, make sure to check with your school that your internship will count for credit before you agree to do it. It should, but it's always smart to check.

- Cuddlefish

Back to top
QDear 100 Hour Board,

How can I conquer my extreme fear of snakes? Before leaving BYU, I would walk down the paths on the south side of campus to intentionally see a snake. I saw several but it didn't lessen my fears (and these were garder snakes!). If anything I'm worse now. I've loved hiking my whole life but have intense fears when I hike in a hot, low area. Now I can't bring myself to hike in these areas anymore which is bad since we just moved to the desert. I never had an experience growing up that I look to as the start of my fear. I think I just take after my mom. Any advice? I want to live my life!

- Ophidiophobic

Direct Link to Question

ADear Ophidiophobic,

I think what would help you most is to familiarize yourself with snakes. You mentioned that you've tried to happen upon snakes on the south side of campus, but I personally think that would only worsen your fear, by making any encounter completely spontaneous and uncontrolled. Rattlesnakes used to worry me a lot (we lived in the desert when I was younger), thanks to that one episode of Rescue: 911 where the kid's rear gets bit by a rattlesnake--Ophidiophobic, you probably shouldn't watch it! I was absolutely terrified of the idea of some rattlesnake surprising me from behind, and, well...biting me in the rear!*

At the same time, when I was growing up, my brothers always had pet snakes and tarantulas that they caught and kept as pets. Being around so many garter snakes taught me that many snakes are perfectly harmless, and I could get comfortable with their movements, the way their skin felt, and so on. Because of that, I've always felt pretty comfortable around non-poisonous snakes. As for venomous snakes, I figure it's pretty healthy to have somewhat of a fear of them.

In your case, you have such a fear of snakes that it is causing you to avoid doing things you love. Poisonous snakes are dangerous, yes, but you just need to learn more about them. As Sky Bones mentioned, snakes don't attack unless they're provoked. Learn about what that means, what kind of habitats they live in, and most importantly, what you should do if you were to encounter a dangerous snake. You would have much more peace of mind as you hiked if you knew exactly what to do if a snake did bite. This site gives some good tips.

If I were you, I'd attend a reptile show of some sort. Usually the presenter talks about the snakes and how to handle them. They welcome questions, and they are eager to help you understand the animals more. And, you can usually hold or touch the snakes, making a perfect opportunity for you to be around snakes in a very controlled, safe, and predictable setting. You can find a lot of these by searching for "reptile show" and your area in Google.

All the best to you!

-Miss Scarlett, in the Conservatory

*Yes, Rescue: 911 is largely responsible for all my childhood fears--being punctured in my throat with a toothbrush, getting buried in sand, William Shatner, getting caught in an escalator...why would they ever let kids watch that show??

ADear Ophidiophobic,

You can start off by telling yourself and making yourself realize that snakes are terrified of you, too. What does this mean? They're not evil creatures that are going to attack you for absolutely no reason. Their goal is not to hide in the bushes and scare you. They're trying to survive, and unfortunately multiple encounters with human beings greatly reduces their odds.

I recommend that you learn more about snakes. Read a book about them or watch a show about them. This will help you to understand them better and realize that a majority of snakes are harmless. Take a trip to the zoo and be sure to spend time in the reptile house. If you can work up the courage, then maybe you can find someone who will even let you hold a (tamed) snake. Hopefully you'll come to realize that they're really not that bad and definitely don't deserve the bad reputation that they've been given.

Should you surprisingly come in close quarters with a snake, however, remember that almost all snakes will give a warning before striking, usually a hiss, which should give you plenty of time to retreat. A large majority of snake bites occur because the snake was purposefully provoked and/or mistreated.

-Sky Bones (who had a pet snake once)

Direct Link to Question

ADear confused vegetarian,

Is soy a health-food? Well, that all depends on who you ask. Since you've asked here, I'll try and give you both sides as far as I understand it, but I am no dietician. Soy is certainly advertised as being a health food, but that doesn't necessarily make it so. What's interesting about soy is that there are a lot of proponents in both the mainstream and the alternative fields of nutrition who encourage soy consumption. I think this comes from the fact that many of the people who follow alternative nutrition are also practicing vegetarians and vegans.

Soy has several great appeals that make it particularly popular with vegetarians. One of the main difficulties with following a vegetarian lifestyle is that it is extremely difficult to get enough protein. Soy contains a lot of protein--some even say it is a complete protein--and many essential amino acids. As such, it is used in a wide variety of foods, particularly meat substitutes. Soy also is used as a milk substitute, which can be used by those who are allergic or intolerant of dairy products.

How is soy also popular in mainstream nutrition? And by "mainstream", I guess I'm mostly referring to commercial and publicly accepted ideas about nutrition, which tends to be driven by large companies and federal agencies, as well as certified nutritionists and dietitians. Well, soy is cheap, easily produced, and can be made into about a million things. You'd be hard-pressed to completely avoid soy in all its different forms and names. "Vegetable" oil is actually soy oil, and partially hydrogenated vegetable/soybean oil shows up all the time in commercially prepared foods. Those facts don't necessarily make soy bad, or unhealthy (well, hydrogenated/partially-hydrogenated foods generally aren't too healthy, but that's beside the point). So, if it provides so much protein and necessary amino acids, and easily feeds many people, what's the problem?

A lot of concern about soy stems from the fact that it contains hormone-like compounds, particularly those called phytoestrogens, which are so much like our own hormones that it is said that they can actually affect our hormonal balance. Tests are being conducted, but the fact of the matter is, we just don’t know very much about the long-term effects of soy consumption, and many studies are suggesting the possibility that soy upsets normal reproductive and sexual development, and causes cancer (I know, I know, we say that about everything these days, it seems). Another potential concern is that because soy is very susceptible to viruses, fungal infections, and pests, many pesticides and herbicides must be used in order to grow it, and those end up in the final product. Many of the companies producing soy have created GMO (Genetically Modified Seed) to get around the need for pesticide. GMO’s are an entirely different debate for a different day, but the fact with those is that we also don’t have any long-term testing to show the effects of their use/consumption.

Many will argue that soy has been used in Asia for thousands of years, which is certainly true. However, it was often used as a nitrogen-fixer to improve soil, and pretty much all other forms of soy which were consumed were either fermented or processed in some way to improve the digestion of it. Soy mostly became popular in the United States during World War II, when protein sources were scarce, and when the Department of Agriculture recognized soy as a soil fertilizer. Previous to that, soy was only used in the U.S. industrially.

I've purposely not given a lot of sources while writing this. A lot of it is my own accumulated knowledge and research about soy. There are plenty of sources on the internet that deal with both sides of the issue, and I encourage you to read them and form your own opinion. Two sources which I have been reading are The Whole Soy Story: The Dark Side of America's Favorite Health Food by Kaayla T. Daniel, and Nourishing Traditions: The Cookbook that Challenges Politically Correct Nutrition and the Diet Dictocrats by Sally Fallon. I guess you can see from those titles where my opinions fall in the debate. I chose to read them because I was already skeptical about the way soy is touted as a cure-all, perfect food, even though I knew from a nutrition class that it contained hormones. I will say that both books cite many credible studies, which helps me trust them, though obviously they are biased.

All of this is to say, there is no single answer as to whether soy is a health food. As with most arguments about nutrition, it is hard to get a clear idea. You can't completely trust the producers of soy products, because they are trying to sell their product. You can't completely trust all the holistic and alternative sources either, because many of them do not have medical or scientific training, and don't have facts to back up their claims. Both sides will always focus on the studies that support their goals, and sometimes they don't give an accurate view, or acknowledge all of the data. My advice to you is to recognize that soy is a relatively new product, and consequently, nobody knows the long-term effects of consuming soy, aside from the Asian preparations of it, such as miso, tofu, soy sauce, etc. As with all health fads, I think it's best to proceed with caution; don't believe everything you hear, from either side. But when you do come across a claim, always take into account the goals of the person making it. Are they really trying to help you have better health? Lastly, even with good things, we should exercise moderation. If you do choose to eat soy, it shouldn't be the staple of your diet. Treat it like you would any food, combining it with a variety of other foods.

I hope I’ve at least presented the arguments that you can base your own research and subsequent opinions on! Good luck to you!

-Miss Scarlett, in the Conservatory

Back to top
QDear RMs of the 100 Hour Board,

What do you think was the hardest thing about your time between getting your mission call and going to the MTC? How did you deal with it? Do you wish that you had handled it in a different way?

Thank you!

- Fredjikrang

Direct Link to Question

ADear Fredjikrang,

Well, I guess I'll bite. Um, I'd say the hardest part was the waiting, and I'd bet I'm not the only one who feels that way. You're ready to go, and then you have to...wait. A bit of a downer, but the MTC report day arrived before I knew it.

I suppose I could have studied a bit more, but there's always going to be something that could have been better-handled. Eh, it all works out.

So, that's me.

-Commander Keen

ADear Fredjikrang,

Like Commander Keen said, the waiting is the hardest part.

This might sound strange, but one hard thing for me was just trying to decide exactly what items I did or did not need. It might seem materialistic to say that things were some of my biggest concerns, but I wanted to be prepared for everything. The spiritual, well, that was what I had been preparing for for years. But knowing what arrangement of luggage would work best? Where to get a suit from? Raincoat or umbrella or both? How was I supposed to know that? (FYI the answers are: two rolling suitcases and one shoulder bag, a cheap suit from DI would have been fine for Brazil, and a big, quality umbrella would have been better than a nice raincoat and a lousy umbrella).

I think I had too many sources of information: I had my big list from the Missionary Department, my two older brothers telling me things that they wished they had or hadn't bought and my mom saying, "Well, you can always send it home later if you don't want it." If I could go back and talk to premie-me I would have a big list of things to definitely-get, definitely-not-get, and things to just-relax-and-don't-worry-one-way-or-the-other.

- Rating Pending (who had many hard things about his pre-mission experience but most of them are private. Sorry.)

Back to top
QDear 100 Hour Board,

As things have gotten more serious lately, my boyfriend has started meeting my family. They all like him, but sometimes I feel like I'm in a tight spot when it comes to how I divide my attention. For example, when it's him and me and my sister, I tend to gravitate towards one or the other...and I think that leaves the other person feeling left out. I feel like I should be entertaining my sister all the time because we've always been super close. But I'm also trying to fulfill my responsibilities toward my boyfriend because I'm trying to build the kind of relationship that leads to a good marriage, and I often feel like I'm not giving him the kind of attention he deserves. I feel like I have different obligations to each person, and sometimes it's really hard to fulfill both obligations at the same time. So when both people are around, I'm not quite sure what to do. I think part of the problem stems from the fact that the relationships are built in such different worlds. With each person, we have our own set of inside jokes and common ground, and I don't really know how to merge the two relationships in a group setting because there are so many things that don't transfer well. It almost feels like they're speaking different languages and I have to be the translator. Have any of you ever been in a situation like this? How do you handle the situation? What can I do to be more inclusive?

-Lord help the mister who comes between me and my sister. And Lord help the sister who comes between me and my man!

Direct Link to Question

ADear White Christmas,

My sister and I sang that song all the time growing up and we've been thick as thieves since I can remember (that's a really bizarre idiom—I'm looking into that later...anyways), so yes I have definitely been in your situation as I've spent more time with Mr. E (forgive the pun). I've also spent time being "the sister that comes between me and my man," so I understand a bit of how your sister feels. It's still tricky, but I think I'm getting better at it. Here are some lessons I've learned:

1. Your sister needs to know you still need her. You need a girl to talk to, someone who experientially understands inexplicable emotional outbreaks and the significance of lines like "how ardently I admire and...love you." Your sister wants you to have that "awwwww" kind of romance, and she understands that that means that you'll marry your best friend. You need to let her know that that's not a singular title.

2. Just pretend that this guy's already family to your sister, and don't assume that she's not interested in what he's doing or vice versa. Let him or her explain what they're up to to the other. Honestly, I think my own Mr. Wonderful has given my sister more good advice than I have in the recent past. Honestly, who wouldn't want one more brother or sister looking out for them?

3. Give each of them their own time, too. There will be times that your sister needs you alone. Obviously, your potential fiancé needs it a bit more frequently. The two of them should recognize this. I'm also assuming your boyfriend has friends of his own. It doesn't hurt to plan some guys'/girls' nights every once in while, just to regroup with your pre-couple friends.

4. Give it time. You are all in the early stages of meeting and are still worried about good impressions. Once your sister and your boyfriend have gotten more comfortable with each other, it becomes a lot less of a balancing act and you'll be able to just enjoy the company.

Good luck,
Ineffable

Back to top
QDear 100 Hour Board,

So my brother just married a wonderful girl from Mexico, and we couldn't be happier for them. However, his new wife doesn't speak much English. And, unfortunately, I don't speak much Spanish. She will be coming to the United States in a few months, and will be learning English more when she comes, but I'd like to be able to talk to her a little bit in Spanish as well. Granted, I took three years of high school Spanish, but I remember very little from that. I know that there is the Rosetta Stone, but as a poor college student, I don't have 500$ to spare...Do you know if there are any free (or relatively cheap) programs (online, preferably) that might be able to help me learn a little of the language so we can better communicate? Obviously I know I won't be speaking fluent Spanish in 2 months, but I figure that's enough time to pick up a few things! I've looked online a bit but it all just confuses me.

- Cuñada

Direct Link to Question

ADear Cuñada,

I don't know if this is an option for you, but since you mentioned you're a college student it might be: I think the best way to go would be to try an introductory Spanish class. You might be able to skip a class due to the Spanish you've already learned; wherever you are, I bet the university will have some sort of test you can take to judge what level you're at. (You might remember more than you think.) There's a test here you might look at; it's put together by BYU but you can select from a wide variety of universities to see how you stack up against their curriculum, it looks like. It also looks like you'll need to get a password from the Spanish department where you are.

The other thing I'd recommend is to try to find opportunities to practice speaking with native Spanish speakers. At BYU, there's even a program set up by the ELC (English Language Center) where you can get together with a native speaker of a foreign language and you each practice speaking together. You can sign up for more information about the Study Buddy program here if you're a BYU student.

Good luck!

—Laser Jock

ADear Cunada,

Livemocha (livemocha.com) is a language learning website that is good for some things. I'd recommend it as part of your studies.

-Whistler

AC-

This question might be helpful to you as well.

- Cuddlefish

Back to top
QDear 100 Hour Board,

I want to share a link with a friend to the new BYU animated short Las Pinatas. The only link I can find is an excerpt to the first minute or so. Is there a streaming link or a download link to the full-length version of this short?

Many thanks - Rick C

Direct Link to Question

ADear Rick,

Unfortunately, as "Las Pinatas"' copyright is protected by the University, the short is not available online. However, it can be viewed on the BYU 2006 Final Cut Films DVD. This is available at the BYU LRC and at the Orem Library.

The best way I've found to get copies of BYU Animation short films is to pick up random unlabeled DVDs that you find on the floor in the HFAC. That's how I got a copy of "Pajama Gladiators."

Love,
Waldorf and Sauron

Back to top
CTo my Esteemed Writers and Readers of the 100 Hour Board:

I have thought long and hard about the questions posed and answered in post Board Question #53047 and the subsequent follow-up in Board Question #53122. I could write quite a bit but will try and restrain myself to succinct points. Since a female point of view has been permitted to be posted, I am hoping that in the interest of fair play, a male point of view will also be allowed.

First of all, let me say that I wholeheartedly agree with the premise that whatever one wears is between that person and the Lord, and no one else’s business. Having said that, I would like to make a few points. In no particular order:

1. Although you can wear what you want, please be aware that your actions have consequences beyond your own spouse that might be present. There are plenty of young men who will love to see you in your bikini, and although you don’t plan on playing to that audience, you are. Young men who are prone to do so will be further enticed to want to view more and more women in less and less.

2. If you are comfortable with people (men in particular) visualizing you in a bikini every time they hear your name mentioned, then go ahead and wear it.

3. There may be consequences that are unintended. King David saw more of Bathsheba than he should have, for whatever reason, and as a result, sins were committed and a life (Uriah) was taken.

4. The fact that someone has two sets of bathing suits, one for when she feels she might need to set an example and one for when she doesn’t have to suggests that there is a rationalization in play here.

5. Many parents are surprised when their kids do things that they don’t think they should. Has anyone noticed that if a particular generation is a little lax in some things, the next generation seems to be even a little more lax? And we wonder today how the Nephites could go so wrong so fast. It is happening today in many areas, and this may be one of them.

6. Would you feel comfortable if someone snapped your picture and posted it on the internet for everyone to see? If not, why not?

7. Has this been a matter of prayer to consult the Lord? I would say probably not. I don’t need to pray to ask Heavenly Father if I should do my Home Teaching this month. I already know the answer and if I don’t ask, I won’t have the answer that I need to go, and it is easier to rationalize not going. Just an example. We usually don’t pray for the questions that we already know the answers to, or don’t want to know the answers to.

8. What will you say when your daughters want to wear bikinis, and perhaps not be as circumspect as you feel that you are?

9. Adam and Eve were given coats of skins in the Garden of Eden. There was no one else in the Garden besides them, yet they were given coats of skins. There is such a thing as modesty, even in marriage.

10. Thank goodness we have church leaders who don’t delineate every little thing that we should or should not do. However, how we react to their counsel is a definite reflection of our attitudes as much as our personal worthiness.

11. You could be limiting you and your husband’s spiritual growth. Do you feel that you would ever see the spouse of a mission president in a bikini? A stake president’s wife? By the same token, I don’t think you would not see a priesthood leader in a Speedo, either.

12. By all means if you feel comfortable in a bikini, go ahead and wear one. But please realize you do not live in a vacuum. There will be plenty of men who will feel that they need to avert their gazes in your presence. There will be young men staring at you. But you will get some reactions that are probably unintended.

Elder Hales said “When we dress for attention, we are not inviting the Spirit to be with us. We act differently when we are dressed for the world’s attention. Moreover, what we wear will influence the behavior of others toward us.” Ensign, August, 2008

Hermano Gruñón

Direct Link to Question

ADear Hermano,

I think the issue that several writers took with the previous questioner was with her apparent judgment of the girls in question—not that they were necessarily in favor of less-modest swimsuits.

I think some of your points are valid (and others aren't quite as valid), but I suspect you'll get much the same answer the previous questioner did: that in the end, it's not up to you what kind of swimsuits these other people wear.

The other point, of course, is that there is a range of swimsuits that could be acceptable to some people and not to others—even if all those concerned are faithful Latter-day Saints. It's quite possible for you to draw the line in a different place than someone else, and for both to be morally justified in doing so. (For example, different people draw the line different places with regard to movies: there are plenty of movies that my friends watch that I don't feel comfortable with, but I don't think that means they're less righteous.)

In conclusion, I can sympathize with you and with the girl who wrote in previously; it sometimes frustrates me when I see people who seem not to be living up to what they know. (Especially when, as in the case of modesty, it can make things harder for me too.) However, I think it's useful to remind myself that perhaps what they're choosing is okay (even if not by my standards)—and that there's not much I can do about it anyway.

—Laser Jock

Back to top
CDear Sky Isfalling,

In response to Board Question #53256 -

If your skydivers are actually paragliders, you could have been seeing a lot of them lately because the 2009 US Paragliding Nationals were going on in this area last week ( http://www.usparaglidingnats.c... ). One of the participants also crashed on the mountain above Provo during the competition, as well ( http://www.ksl.com/index.php?n... ).

- pippin galadriel moonchild

Direct Link to Question