|
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Login Ask a Question Search About Us Policies Frequently Asked Questions Top-10 Favorites Order T-Shirt Archives Today's Posts (18) 21 20 19 18 17 16 14 13 12 11 10 09 07 06 05 04 03 02 31 30 29 28 27 26 24 23 22 21 20 19 17 16 15 14 13 12 10 09 08 07 06 05 03 02 01 30 29 28 26 25 24 23 22 21 19 18 17 16 15 14 12 11 10 09 08 07 05 04 03 02 01 31 29 28 27 26 25 24 22 21 |
Back to top QDear 100 Humble Master, Could you provide a picture of the process shown in Board Question #53153? - Liker of Pictures
ADear Liker You betcha. I'm going to provide a tiny thumbnail you can click on for some embiggenization. I'm doing this for a couple reasons: 1) The image is large and could possible make your browser explode. 2) It will add to the mystery and mystique as you ponder what artistic skills I've brought to bear on this task (quick note, I had a mental debate about whether it's "brought to bear" or "brought to bare," as I've apparently never written this phrase in my life, though I've tossed it about vocally with some regularity (google says it's "brought to bear")). As a refresher for those who don't want to link backwards, here's the text version of how you could set a watch to Johnny Unitas's hair: Hair grows at a rate of one half-inch per month on average. Let's assume that Johnny's hair is perfectly average in its rate of growth. First we have strap Mr. Unitas to a chair and secure his head in such a manner that it never moves. Obviously he'll need some means of being nourished in this situation, but fear not, our time-keeping device will take care of that as well. Next, we'll need a laser sensor that is precisely pointed 1/60 of an inch above Mr. Unitas's hairline. There will be a swinging razorblade positioned right at his hairline. So, if you have that set up in mind (Mr. Unitas in a chair with his head held still, a laser 1/60 of an inch above his hairline, and a swinging razor blade at his hairline) we can get started. 1) Everyday one minute before noon Mr. Unitas's hair will complete its single day's growth of 1/60 of an inch and enter the laser's field, which will begin this process. 2) The swinging razor blade will cut 1/60 of an inch off of the flattop and simultaneously cut a string which was tied next to Mr. Unitas's head. 3) The string was holding a helium balloon down which now rises and bumps a toy car which was delicately poised at the beginning of a downhill slope of tracks. 4) The toy car, which has a needle on the front of it, begins to slowly go down the tracks, but picks up steam before making contact with a water balloon. 5) Inside the balloon was not water, but vinegar, which goes down a funnel and drips into a papier-mâché volcano, inside of which is baking soda. 6) The baking soda volcano erupts, frightening the parakeets which were napping around its base, and which are tied to it. They attempt to fly away. 7) The parakeets lift the volcano, which was sitting on one end of a small teeter-totter, causing their end to lift. On the other end are several oranges, which, upon the teeter-totter dropping on their end due to their weight, begin rolling down a tube. 8) The oranges exit the tube and roll into a pneumatic press. About the same time, the parakeets tire, and set the baking soda volcano back down on the small teeter-totter. As the teeter totter resets, it flips a switch activating the press. 9) The press squeezes the juice from the oranges which drips into a blender, providing the final ingredient of a protein shake which was partially prepared in the blender. The added weight in the blender trips a floor sensor it sits on, which turns the blender on. 10) The sound of the blender makes a baby napping in a cradle three feet away begin crying. 11) The mother, sitting next to the cradle and reading New Moon, absent-mindedly reaches down and begins rocking the cradle, which bumps a bowling ball sitting on a lightly sloped chute. 12) The bowling ball rolls down and knocks the blender over, spilling its contents into a cup, which is sitting on a toy train. 13) The weight of the protein shake in the cup gives the toy train enough traction to finally begin moving (its wheels had been greased). It begins a slow ascent up spiraling tracks which circle Mr. Unitas's chair. 14) After rising above Mr. Unitas, the cup is unable to pass under a low bridge on the tracks, and it is knocked over, spilling most of its contents into a funnel which is attached to a tube leading to his mouth, thus providing him with one day's nourishment in shake form. 15) As the toy train reaches the top of the tracks, it falls off the edge and into a basket attached to a rope. The rope rises up to a bell, which rings at precisely noon, every single day. There is a 24-hour window to reset everything. And here is the picture version:  -Humble Master Back to top QDear 100 Hour Board, I heard about a post-game crowd surfer that received a serious head injury. Is that individual doing alright? - Concerned
ADear Concerned, Well, I'm not exactly sure how many post-game crowd surfing injuries there were, but I know of one that happened down the street from me. I got back home from He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not (which, might I say, is such a creepy movie) in time to see the ambulance and fire truck outside of a nearby group of condos. (Condo complex? Condoplex? I asked my brother's opinion, which sparked a conversation about animal groupings that eventually led to this website. My favorite? A business of ferrets. Sounds like something I could definitely invest in.) Anyhow, it turns out that the guy himself wasn't even the one doing the crowd surfing! Rather, it was a girl doing so who proceeded to hit him in such a way that caused him to topple headfirst onto the concrete. After some fun investigatory work, I found out his name and where he lived. Here's the scoop: yes, he's doing fine, and is back to regular life. In fact, he was released from the hospital the next day and hasn't suffered any more complications. It was just a mild concussion. So, there you have it. And, might I say, the bagpipe processional which occurred immediately after the emergency vehicles departed was...well, it was one of the most spontaneous things I've ever seen. Props to bagpipe guy. -Commander Keen Back to top QDear 100 Hour Board, A close friend of mine is engaged to a jerk who treats her poorly. He's immature, constantly picks fights with her, and both parties in the relationship agree that he's more interested in the honeymoon than the wedding or marriage. I don't want her to marry a jerk when she deserves better. I know it's none of my business, except that she's my friend and I want her to be happy. I worry that if I had an honest, open talk with her, she would get defensive and it would end up hurting our friendship. I think going through with the wedding would be a huge mistake, but I don't know what I can do for her. Advice or suggestions, please? - jamesford
ADear jamesford, On her side of things, let me ask, how do you know that "both parties in the relationship agree that he's more interested in the honeymoon," etc.? If you have not heard this, then you may not know the entire story. If you do bring this up to her, be sure to find out. I am apt to believe that for some reason you actually do understand their relationship beyond a superficial level. Of course she would be defensive if you just came out and began to tell her you don't think her upcoming marriage is a good idea. It is not exactly a small decision, so she probably would not want to hear that. It may be easier to talk about if you have another friend, or one of her closer family members, also go to the talk. Make sure you and the third party know beforehand what you want to discuss, maybe specific incidents or things you have noticed, and what your friend's options are. Marriage will change her life if she does get married, so there is no reason to rush, especially not if one party is more interested in physical affection than a lasting relationship. Remind your friend that there is a lot more to life, and if the man is as much of a jerk as your question surmises, then also remind your friend that there are actually a significantly large number of nice men who want something more. Finally, if she still goes through with the marriage, try to be her friend. If things end up poorly she will need you, and if things go well, you will have nothing to worry about. Good for you, wanting to help a friend, and treating the situation with sensitivity. -Mico AJamesford- You're not going to like this much, but if there are no signs of anything illegal going on, there's probably not much you can do. Sure, you can try talking to her, but that might just make her think that you're prying into her personal life. Try bringing it up, but if she gets hostile, back down. She is an adult, and she has the right to make her own decisions, no matter how bad they are. She might need you around as a friend later, when marriage gets tough and her husband is making her miserable. You need to be available then, and you can't if you destroyed your relationship when you told her that her fiancé is a scumbag. It's hard to watch people you love make stupid decisions. - Cuddlefish ADear jamesford, I agree with Cuddlefish that there probably isn't much that you can do. I do have one suggestion/request, however, that probably won't drastically change the situation, but can't hurt. Make sure that you help this girl feel beautiful, special, and important whenever you can (without overdoing it, of course). I have been privy to the ugly stories behind two such girls' engagements to undeserving jerks. One thing that both girls had in common was a low self-esteem and poor self-image. One of these girls even came right out and said "I'm afraid that if I don't marry him, no one else will ever want me. He may be my only chance." Aside from possibly bolstering self-esteem, approaching a delicate situation like this one with kindness and love is likely the only way you could ever get your friend to open up about her situation. As you have speculated, your friend will probably counter any confrontational approach with a defensive attitude. However, she may be looking for a non-judgmental friend who will listen to some of her concerns. As you continue to be a friend and serve her, ask her seemingly normal, innocuous questions about her relationship, and see if she ever volunteers any concerns that the two of you could discuss together. Best of luck to you both, ~Hermia ADear jamesford, This is all assuming that, contrary to Mico's hunch, you really are privy to the ins and outs of your close friend's relationship. If not, throw out the following advice like you would rotten milk. Put your friend over your friendship. By this I mean if you really care for her, you would rather she be happy long-term than that she end up in a crappy marriage but keep you as a friend. If you have to put your friendship at stake, it's still the right thing to do. I know this is hard. I'm not saying that you'll lose the friendship. You probably won't. But even in the worst-case scenario, losing her, it would be right to speak to her about this. Your friend needs some clarity and common sense from a trusted friend. I once had a friend that was making some bad choices and I expressed my concerns to a church leader (and I was in a position to do so). It ruined our friendship (I was uninvited to his wedding) AND started his repentance process. Did it suck? Yes. Was it worth it? Yes. I care more about his spiritual wellbeing than his opportunity to be friends with me, as wonderful a friend as I am. If it were me in your shoes, I'd probably regret it if I never said anything before the wedding. You should tell your friend your concerns straight up, and tell her soon. Make sure it's in a spirit of love. And make sure it's completely honest. Don't tell her NOT to marry him, tell her you're concerned about what will happen if she does marry him—you're not asking her to do something, just trying to help her see your perspective on this decision. At the end, if I were you, I'd say something like this: "Those are my misgivings, and I wanted you to know because I care about you and want what's best for you. Now you know. But you're in the relationship and have a far better perspective on this than me. I respect your ability to make the right decision with the information only you have. And I promise that I've said all I have to say, I won't ever bring this up to you again (though if you bring it up we can talk about it), and I will support you through any decisions you make." That's me though. The other writers have excellent advice too. Love, Waldorf and Sauron Back to top QDear 100 Hour Board, I just graduated with a BS in Computer Engineering this last December and subsequently got a pretty good job with a very large company doing fairly general engineering work - nothing extremely technical and nothing directly related to my major. Not that I really care about doing straight 'computer engineering' work, because in fact, while I enjoy engineering I'd rather not focus entirely on the technical end. Because I don't want to be stuck doing this for the rest of my career I feel I should tweak, or change, my career path. The sooner I do so, the sooner I'm on the right track. The big problem is that I'm not really sure what I would most enjoy doing instead. I feel that a masters degree would correct my course and push me a little further than I am right now. 'Further' as in more skills, better pay and increased job security. What are some masters degrees from which someone in my position, a bachelors of engineering, can appropriately benefit? Law school (with intellectually property law), while financially rewarding, seems like it would lead to a boring, yet stressful, job. Business school seems overrated and I don't think I would enjoy that atmosphere of competition (it seems a little superfluous). I've considered Systems Engineering and Engineering Management, but feel that these might lead me to a dead end similar to my current situation. I want to consider as many options as reasonably possible. Can you think of any other masters degrees that would take advantage of my undergraduate degree? Or, can you possibly point me to some sort of list? Thanks! - infosec300
ADear infosec300, You say you'd rather not focus entirely on the "technical end." I'm not sure exactly what that means for you; would you rather have more human interaction? Would you prefer being in academia where it's more about concepts than concrete implementation? You say you fear that Engineering Management might lead to something you don't like again, so I'm not quite sure what your desires are. You could look into Computer Science, perhaps, but that might be too much technical-ness. Math, perhaps? In lieu of providing any useful options, I'm going to recommend that you look at a couple schools that interest you and give a call to the advisement centers for the engineering colleges. Tell them that you're considering graduate school and are wondering about the different programs they have available. Set up an appointment with an adviser and talk it over with them; they deal with this kind of stuff often. Good luck! -Yellow ADear infosec, You're pushing a rope. A masters program is a means to an end. Decide what you want to do with your life, and then pick a masters program to get you there. It will be pretty easy to see what schooling you need with a goal in sign. I know I'm not answering your question; I'm just pointing out that I don't think you're asking the right question. You may be interested in my soapboxery on a similar vein in Board Question #52972. Love, Waldorf and Sauron Back to top QDear 100 Hour Board, Years ago, when President Hinckley challenged us to read the Book of Mormon, there was a website that would actually read it to you. That seems to be gone now and I am wondering if there is another place I can go. I know you can listen at lds.org, but as far as I can tell, you have to do it a chapter at a time and this other website would read until you were done. I loved it because it kept the story line going without having to stop after every chapter to click on the next one. Any suggestions? oeyes1
ADear oeyes1, As long as you don't mind actually downloading the audio files, the easiest solution I can think of would be to download them from here and simply listen to the Book of Mormon in your preferred audio player. You can download a chapter, a book, or the entire Book of Mormon all at once. Then simply put together a playlist and listen to as much of it as you'd like, without having to manually advance from chapter to chapter. You can put these files on your MP3 player as well, if you have one, for when you're out and about. —Laser Jock Back to top QDear 100 Hour Board, Who chooses the speakers for the devotionals and forums? Can students suggest professors? If so, who should I write to? -iHowl
ADear iHowl, Please see Board Question #50682. Love, Waldorf and Sauron Back to top QDear 100 Hour Board, After the 14-13 victory over Oklahoma, a bunch of BYU fans celebrated outside the stadium. At any other university, such a spontaneous celebration surely would have involved a river of alcohol, but (I think) channel 2 news reported the fluid involved was some Red Bull. This brings me to a burning question I've had since. Are these Red Bull swiggers sinners in the hands of an angry God, or are they innocently sipping a mostly harmless, if not jitter-causing beverage? In other words, what is the Word of Wisdom and Conventional Wisdom perspective on the energy drink? - Choose the Sprite
ASprite is Disgusting- Caffeine is not forbidden by the Word of Wisdom, nor has it been condemned by any of the general authorities. Therefore, drinking energy drinks will not prevent you from getting a temple recommend. However, it is a proven fact that excessive amounts of caffeine can kill you, but by excessive, we mean that the average adult would have to consume 80-100 cups of coffee in a relatively short period of time, like, say, a day. Even if you don't kill yourself off with caffeine, there are a bunch of bad things that can happen to you if you drink too much. So, as with all things, caffeine is fine in moderation. - Cuddlefish ADear Choose, There have been multiple Ensign/New Era articles (here and here, for example) speaking out against energy drinks that you might be interested in. Essentially, consuming caffeinated beverages isn't against the letter of the Word of Wisdom, but that doesn't mean it's a wise thing to do. In a general sense yes, they are sinners, because we all are. So why cast a first stone? Love, Waldorf and Sauron Back to top QDear 100 Hour Board, Last night my mom and I were watching the rebroadcast of the BYU v. Oklahoma game on Channel 11 and we wondered: now that it's no longer KBYU, is it still run by BYU, or did the issues that caused it to change its name also cause its ownership to change? We couldn't find anything online even acknowledging the change from KBYU to Channel 11, though I noticed the change about a week ago. Thank you! - C is for using lots of "Change" in the question
ADear, My friend SquirtTail, who works for BYU Broadcasting, says
-Uffish Thought Back to top QDear 100 Hour Board, The world is full of attractive people. What kinds of things do you do to keep your thoughts under control when you're in a committed relationship? -Everyone is hot
AAgreed- Just keep reminding yourself that your significant other is waaay more attractive than that random dude. Plus, you can make out with them any time you want. - Cuddlefish AYeah, they so are, I tend to think, "Sure he is super attractive, but is he happy?" Yes, he probably is. But is he as nice, and sweet, and caring, and funny, and intellectual, and (name almost any other positive attribute that I have ever attributed to my boyfriend) as Boyfriend?" Maybe. But when just walking down the street, there is no time to find out. Which is good enough for me. Oh, and Cuddlefish makes a great point about making out. -Mico P.S. Let's make out. AHotties- Just in case you need a tutorial. - Cuddlefish ADear no, not everyone, Sorry, just had to say that. But, I do agree with Mico. Others may definitely be more physically attractive, but they aren't quite the same as your boo. -Commander Keen Back to top QDear 100 Hour Board, I've been sick a lot in the past couple of years, and whenever I've been sick I've always craved something specific to eat. Once it was meat and fried potatoes. Another time it was Slurpees. Another time it was anything with carbonation. A few months ago it was those pork bowls from Teriyaki Stix. Right now, it's pizza, with the occasional side note of Jr. cheesburger from McDonalds. This is causing me no end of trouble, as my current sickness requires me to be in respiratory isolation, and my roommates are rarely home to be sent out to get me these foods. I have questions two: 1. How common is it to have cravings when ill, and is it likely that the craving stems from my body needing something, some deficiency either due to or causing the illness? 2. Is there anything more likely to have around the house that I could substitute for pizza or cheeseburgers in the future? I'm planning to keep some of those cheap frozen pizzas around from now on, but is there anything else that has ingredients like that? Should I have tried eating spaghetti with a side of cheese? Thanks bunches! -bobtheenchantedone
ADear Bob, From all my searching and reading, I've found that yeah, there are a few people who get cravings like your own when sick, but I don't think it's a very widespread thing. As far as it being your body searching for some nutrient to fill a deficiency, I find this a sketchy idea at best, especially if your body is telling you that it needs cheeseburgers, Slurpees, and fried potatoes. Or, maybe your body thinks that it's SO sick that it's trying to off itself by making you eat some of the worst possible things you could while you're sick. Either way, it seems more likely to me that these cravings are more psychosomatic than physical. At least, that's my guess. So, it may not come as a surprise that I think you should lay off the really processed food when you're sick. I'm no hippie or naturalist or anything, but please have some common sense when you're sick. Stick to simple proteins, carbohydrates, and fats and give your system a chance at recovering. Not that I'm a doctor (yet!), and I don't really know you, but perhaps it would help your health out a bit (since you say you've been sick a lot in the last couple of years) to examine your diet (and other health factors such as exercise) and see if you can't make a few changes. I could stand to make a couple of changes myself. But if it's some chronic illness or something, I feel for you. In any case, I hope you stop getting sick as often. I hate being sick. Bleh. -Commander Keen Back to top QDear 100 Hour Board, I am taking my first trip to DC this weekend and would like to walk around the grounds of the DC Temple on either Friday 9/11 or Saturday 9/12. I have looked up the operating hours for the temple. However, I was wondering if the grounds are open later than the temple is actually open. How late are the grounds open? I am hoping to drive up and walk around about 9:00 PM. - Visiting DC for the First Time!
AVisiting- I called the temple and they told me that the grounds would in fact be open at 9:00 PM. - Cuddlefish Back to top QDear 100 Hour Board, My nonmember friend has asked me to be a bridesmaid in her wedding, but the bridesmaids' dresses she selected are strapless. She was unhappy with the idea of my wearing a jacket, sweater, or other alteration to make it modest, since it would ruin the uniformity. I consider her a good friend and although I think her wishes are unreasonable, I can understand where she's coming from. It probably seems weirdly zealous and almost offensive that I would consider not being her bridesmaid just because of the dress, especially when I don't have a problem with bare shoulders, for instance, at the pool. Should I suck it up and wear the dress? Suck it up and tell her I won't be her bridesmaid? How can I handle this dilemma tactfully and with a happy ending for all? - Squirt Gun
ADear Squirt Gun, How long do you have to wear the dress, sans jacket/shawl? Furthermore, how much do the shoulders matter to you or bother you? Once you have explained to her your religious and personal reasonings for not wanting to wear the dress, maybe she will see things your way. If it were me (which it totally is not), I would wear the dress. In some situations it is more important to be a friend than to hold onto every little rule we have set for ourselves. Hopefully she will see what this really means to you, but I wouldn't let the situation be one more worrisome event at your friend's wedding. -Mico ADear Squirt, I can sympathize with Mico's reasoning. I could also sympathize with your reasoning if you ultimately decided that you would be uncomfortable in the dress. If, after giving the matter a lot of consideration, you decide that you really don't want to wear the dress, I would just kindly talk to your friend about it again. Explain that you'd hate for her to think that you're trying to push your own agenda at her wedding, but that her request makes you feel uncomfortable because it asks to to go against beliefs that you hold close and dear. You might even try explaining (without making it sound too melodramatic) that while the Church isn't blatantly specific about modesty guidelines (prior to wearing temple garments, at least), wearing the dress would make you feel roughly as uncomfortable as a lifelong, passionate vegetarian would feel if asked to eat a steak for "uniformity's" sake. If this helps her see where you're coming from and she helps you out (couldn't all the bridesmaids wear shawls, after all?), great. If she throws a fit, is this really the person you should worry about offending? ~Hermia ASquirt Gun- In addition to the good advice already given, I'd like to say that if you do happen to be endowed, respecting your garments is more important than your friend's desire for conformity. If a reasonable solution can't be found, it might be best if you decline being a bridesmaid but help in some other capacity at the wedding. - Cuddlefish ADear Squirt Gun, I'll second Mico's advice. It basically comes down to opportunity cost. What are you willing to give up in order to make your friend happy on her wedding day? Or, what are you willing to give up in order to have sleeves on your dress? Now, I'm not going to try to sway you either way here, because I feel that modesty is a personal choice and should be made as such. I will, however, share my opinion with you. Take from it what you may. Personally, I would not have a huge problem wearing the dress. Wearing a strapless dress for a few hours (or even a day) to help my friend pull off the wedding she dreams of would seem a small price to pay for my friend's happiness. Granted, this reasoning wouldn't work on me in all situations. If the question were about drinking alcohol at a friend's bachelorette party just to "fit in," I would not be flexible. A strapless dress at a wedding, however, just doesn't get me all up in arms. To me, making my friend happy on her wedding day by wearing a strapless dress would be a lower price to pay than upsetting my friend in order to get sleeves added. Just because I would be okay with it doesn't mean that everyone should. Evaluate your own feelings--if you truly have a problem with it, don't back down. Stand up for what you believe in. It may cause problems, but if it is important to you, you should be firm. Remember that what is best for one person may not be the best for everyone, and choose according to what is most important to you. Congratulations to your friend, ⋯Anomalous Back to top QDear Board writers- Have any of you (or anyone you know) ever attended the annual Evergreen conferences? I was thinking of attending this year (my best friend struggles with SSA), and wondered if you could tell me what it was like, any tips you had, if it was a positive experience or just incredibly awkward. Also, if any writers or your friends are attending the conference this month in Salt Lake, and you don’t mind having company, I’d love to have someone to go with. If you don't want to post that information publicly, you can just e-mail me at amygordonothello@gmail.com if you’re interested. Thanks, Homemade Wheat Bread
ADear Home-slice, I haven't been, but I visited their website before (I too have a best friend who struggles with SSA (but let's be honest, she isn't LDS, and she would not consider it struggling)). They seem like a very friendly group, full of people who will be more than happy to help you and talk with you. In my experience with conferences in general, they are only awkward if you stand in a corner and eye people suspiciously. Be bold, talk with people, and you can have a very positive, enriching experience. -Mico ADear Homemade Wheat Bread, I've known a few people who have attended Evergreen regularly, but I sent your question to my very best among those friends, whose praises I could sing forever, basically. He said:
He also said that after looking at the lineup this year (which includes a leading reparative therapist and a [really conservative] representative from Focus on the Family), he would definitely not go this year, and frankly, I'd be very wary of going myself. He still maintains, though, that the conference will be a positive experience for many people, and I hope it is for you, if you decide to go. - The Black Sheep Back to top QDear 100 Hour Board, What exactly is the gift of discernment? I have studied it a bit in the scriptures and read a conference talk by Elder Bednar, but each source seems to say that it is something different, and I am confused. - Mahalo
ADear Mahalo, I would say that the gift of discernment is knowing something is true by way of the Spirit. There are probably more detailed and situation-specific applications, but I feel good about that as a working definition. I assume that the talk you read was "Quick to Observe," which was actually a BYU Devotional talk that Elder Bednar gave during Spring Semester 2005. It was published in the Ensign in December 2006. It's one of my all time favorite talks, and I actually listened to it just yesterday while doing dishes before seeing your question. I don't think we should be confused that the scriptures say a lot of different things about a topic - they aren't contradictory as much as they approach the topic from different directions and different contexts. I wouldn't presume to sum up Elder Bednar's talk unless you had already said that you had read it, so I think his main points are these. 1) We should be quick to observe. This means we quickly notice situations where we can do better, or more correctly keep the commandments, and then quickly make those changes and obey the prompting. 2) As we become better at being quick to observe, we can qualify to receive the gift (or spirit) of discernment. 3) The gift of discernment, to quote from Elder Bednar's talk, does four very important things for us:
I have had experiences, mostly in my mission, when talking with investigators, members and companions (mostly companions, actually), when I would get a distinct, unmistakable impression about what this person really meant, what they were really upset about and what I could say or do to address those concerns or problems. I would know things that I had no earthly business knowing. There is just no way I could have known those things if it weren't for the Spirit. One last quote from Elder Bednar:
- Rating Pending (who dearly loves this talk and encourages everyone to read it here or, better yet, listen to it here) Back to top QDear, sweet little 100 hour board... Question 1) Do you happen to know/be able to find out how much BYU spends per year on electricity? Question 2) How many lightbulbs/florescent lights would you say there are, on average, in a single room at BYU? (being a classroom, and not a ballroom or auditorium). Question 3) How much money would it cost a day to run a single classroom for normal BYU hours? (say, 7 a.m. to 11 p.m.) --Hoping you don't leave the lights on, Cal
ADear in the dark, 1) I do not happen to know, and while it is technically possible to find out BYU's electricity expenditure, they are neither willing nor do they necessarily need to disclose that information. 2) After spending two hours every morning of the summer in a JKB classroom, I would say pretty certainly that there are between twenty and thirty-six florescent lights in a regular classroom on campus. However, I cannot confirm this seeing as I am not at BYU this semester. 3) It is incredibly difficult to say just how much lighting one room costs per day. There are a lot of factors that are not defined (wattage, how many bulbs there really are, how many times people turn the lights on and off again (because, yes, that affects the cost)). Suffice to say, BYU probably spends as much or more for one classroom's lighting as the average college student would need to spend each month. Probably more. Electricity is an expensive luxury. -Mico Back to top QDear 100 Hour Board, Why do mosquitoes travel in swarms? We were walking down by the Provo River Trail and there were huge swarms of mosquitoes. Is it for protection? We need to know. Thanks.
ADear Too Interested, This is so a question for your parents. Forget the birds and the bees, it is all about the mosquitos. Once male mosquitos begin adulthood, they all group together in swarms. Then the female mosquitos fly into the swarm. And mate. I hope you did not swat any of those swarming mosquitos; you could have interrupted a very special moment. -Mico Back to top QDear 100 Hour Board, I was thinking about whether or not one could swim in jello, for example, if you jump into a pool of jello will you just bounce out again? I figured that the best way to find out would be to start small scale, so I wondering how many jello packets it would take to fill up a little kiddie pool, you know the plastic ones you buy at Wal-mart for like 20 bucks? - Yzma
ADear, I'm not sure exactly what size pool you're thinking, but if I'm right, those take about 80 gallons to get to "about full enough." (80%) One of those small Jell-O packs makes about 2 cups. One gallon is 16 cups. Your pool would take about 1280 cups of Jell-O. That's 640 small packs. If it happens, take photos. Send some to me. -Uffish Thought Back to top QDear 100 Hour Board, I just started seeing an OB/GYN for infertility. He wants to start me on Clomid. I'm a little nervous because of the higher likelihood the pill creates of having twins (or triplets). Do you know the actual percentage increase one has of having twins while taking Clomid? Do you know anyone that's taken Clomid? - Mother-to-be
AMother-to-be, I do not personally know anyone who has taken Clomid, but statistics on your chances of having a multiple birth while on it can be found here. - Cuddlefish Back to top QDear 100 Hour Board, I am underweight. My doctor advised me to put on 10 pounds (for various reasons). All life I've been quite thin and putting on weight is very difficult (I don't have an eating disorder, just a low hunger drive). Any suggestions on how to do this? Currently I'm an infrequent exerciser but hope to change this. - Skinny Minnie
ASkinny Minnie- Oh, I feel your pain. As a senior in high school, I was 5'6" and 105 lbs, not because I was anorexic or bulimic, but because I liked to run and I worked in a sandwich shop. Most people tend to gain weight when they work around food; I lose weight because it makes me not feel like eating. For several months, I was required to eat a bowl of ice cream every night before going to bed. Good ice cream, like Häagen-Dazs. You could try that. Alternatively, you could get a deep-fryer and fry a meal a week until you hit your target. I admit that you'll just be putting on not-terribly-good-for-you fat, but at least you'll put yourself at a healthy weight. I hope that helps. - Cuddlefish ADear Skinny, Well, pound for pound, muscle weighs more than fat. So, unless your metabolism is so high that it's hard for you to specifically gain muscle, I'd try some resistance workouts, gradually building the weight you use. That, and eat/drink a good amount of protein. And, since you infer that you're a girl, building muscle doesn't mean that you have to be all nasty-buff and whatnot. A little muscle tone is a very attractive thing, in my opinion. That, and more muscle mass will up your metabolism, which would hopefully trigger a desire to eat more. Additionally, exercise always ups my appetite immediately afterwards, so while that may be a bad thing for many of us, maybe it would be a good thing for you. If that does happen, capitalize on those times when you have a desire to eat and go nuts. Well, okay, that part might not be a good idea. I don't know if that would make you more likely to avoid food later on or not. You know your mind and body better than I do, so act accordingly. Maybe you could even have a friend or relative help you eat. I mean, not to spoon-feed you or something, but to check up with you at regular intervals throughout the day to make sure that you're eating an agreed-upon amount of food. Hope that you find that weight that you're looking for. -Commander Keen Back to top QDear 100 Hour Board, I'm going LA in December and I want to see a live taping of The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien. How/where do I get tickets from to do that? - El Mero Güero
ADear El Mero Guero, You know a good place to start would have been the front page of the show's website. Look for the big picture of a ticket with the caption "Ticket Info." Love, Waldorf and Sauron (who googled this in 3 seconds—could have saved you 100 hours) Back to top QDear 100 Hour Board, How many people live in the Principality of Sealand? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P... —Damasta
ADear Damasta, According to this site, which seems to be the only one that doesn't use sarcasm to refer to the principality's population, the population rarely exceeds ten. That should give you a pretty good ballpark figure. ~Hermia Back to top QDear 100 Hour Board, How do I make myself more approachable to guys on campus? How do I meet more guys in general? This is my last year at BYU and I haven't done a ton of dating... -Determined to Date
ADear Determined, Although I have never been brave enough to actually try it, I have heard girls give the "No Shh Zone" (or Information Commons - the open access lab across from the circulation desk on the third floor of the library) rave reviews. Make yourself attractive, sit alone, and display an unadorned left hand, and apparently you'll eventually meet a bold young man on a "scoping" mission. As for tips to make yourself more approachable in general, I would mainly suggest you simply use common sense. Smile. Look around and make eye contact with people when appropriate. Try to maintain an "open" posture, as well: shoulders back, arms uncrossed. ~Hermia ADetermined- Initiating conversations can't hurt either. Most guys like it when they don't have to do all the work. Be complimentary, talk about interesting things, and invite guys who seem promising to activities with friends. - Cuddlefish ADear DD, I hope you don't think you're deficient for not getting approached by guys on campus. I've only known two or three girls who've been asked out after being "approached" by a stranger in, say, Periodicals or the Cougareat, and I don't know any guys that have done such asking. You're in good company. Generally a guy knows you a little bit before asking you out. So your second question becomes the more pertinent one. How do you meet and get to know guys? Go where the guys are. Join clubs, go to dances, go to Institute, let your female friends know that you'd like to be set up or to meet some of their guy friends, go to ward and campus activities, go to your friends' wards' activities. Then once you're there, be extroverted. Strike up conversations, ask questions, get phone numbers, invite people to movie or game nights, have friendly body language, and, heaven forbid, ask a guy on a date. You can do it, Waldorf and Sauron ADear Determined, Other writers have made some good points. Speaking as a guy, it definitely helps when a girl does her part to make conversation. As Waldorf and Sauron pointed out, guys usually like to get to know a girl before asking her out. (Not that random pickups don't happen too, but they're far, far in the minority.) Smiling is good. Inviting guys you're potentially interested in to do things (with a group at first) is very good. And don't give up if it doesn't work, because most of the time it doesn't. It usually takes a lot of trying before you find someone that actually might go somewhere, and who feels the same way about you. May you have a successful final year! —Laser Jock ADear, I think a good shimmy is vital. Or you could look up bird mating dances online, learn them, and then perform them for the object of your affection. Practice that pucker in the mirror. You know, the one where you bat your eyes, like dis. -Uffish Thought ADear Determined, Hmm, seeing as we've received a couple of questions like this as of late, I feel as though I should make a suggestion. How's about this: shoot me that pucker-and-bat-eyes combo like Uffish said, and I'll throw out an "Oh, what's up, girl?!" That can be our secret code (though, let it be known, this can apply to any female reader out there). And hey, even if we don't actually meet up, you're bound to find an interested guy if you give that look to all the males you pass on campus. How can you lose? Go for it, I say. -Commander Keen ADear determined, Lose weight, or put out. -Cognoscente P.S. This will probably only work to attract jerks. But hey, a date is a date, right? Back to top QDear 100 Hour Board, I'm trying to do research for a novel, and I have a lot of obscure astronomy questions I need answered. I figured the best place to go would be to a professor, but after emailing four different professors (over the last two months), I've yet to get a hold of any of them. I've also thought to seek out the Astronomy Club at BYU, but I can't find contact information for them anywhere. It's mildly frustrating. Do any of you know a good professor I could contact to answer my questions, or know how to get in touch with the Astronomy Club? Any help is greatly appreciated. -Elliptical
ADear Elliptical, The astronomy club is more officially known as the BYU Astronomical Society; their site is here, and their contact page looks like it should be helpful. If you happen to be in or near Provo, then actually stopping by the offices of some of the astronomy faculty might work too. I've found them to be very helpful. Good luck getting in touch with someone who can help you! —Laser Jock Back to top QDear 100 Hour Board, What might you say to werf if werf were to tell you that werf was going to kill werfself tomorrow, and all of the typical arguments used to dissuade others from suicide wouldn't work? (i.e., werf knows it is technically wrong in the eyes of God but figures that whatever punishment would come of it is better than the hell werf was experiencing in werf's life right now, werf's problems really are permanent and therefore the idea that "suicide is a permanent solution to a temporary problem" doesn't really apply, werf feels like werf is more of a burden on werf's family than an asset and therefore they won't miss werf, werf has no close friends, has tried to get help from various means for years and not made any progress, and werf's pain is so deep and has lasted for so long that you actually wonder yourself if werf would be better off dead...etc.) - Purely Hypothetical
ADear Better Be, I wouldn't say much more to werf. I would call werf's bishop and suicide-prevention professionals for further help. If werf is that bent on suicide, I wouldn't trust anything that I could say to make a difference in such a critical situation. Werf would need to be delayed in werf's attempts until werf could receive proper treatment. If none of these measures work, unfortunately werf has his or her agency to end werf's life and torment werf's loved ones. ~Hermia ADear Purely Hypothetical, So remember when I said that there were times when it is appropriate to get other people involved in another person's mental health? This would be one of those times. I'm speaking out of my own experiences on both sides of this situation (well, not really both, as I've never used this particular language before), my friends' experiences on both sides of this situation, what mental health professionals have told all of us in various capacities, and whatever I happened to pick up in work and school settings. I'm just a little passionate about it, so I apologize in advance if I sound a little... vehement. As soon as someone says, "I am going to kill myself," (not, "I'm thinking of killing myself," or, "I'm better off dead," or, "No one would care if I wasn't around anymore") or lays out specific plans they have for killing themselves, it is appropriate and necessary to get health professionals involved. Go directly to health professionals. Do not pass "Go;" do not collect $200. This is a crisis situation. If your friend is in therapy, encourage him or her to call their therapist. If they refuse and you know their therapist's name, Google him or her and call their office phone. If it is after hours, let it go to voice mail, listen to the prerecorded message, and call the number they give for emergencies. Tell them what is going on and follow their instructions. If there isn't time, you can't get a hold of their therapist, or your friend doesn't have a therapist, load them in a car and go to the ER. If they refuse to go, call 911 and give them your friend's address and tell them the situation. Taking such steps might embarrass or infuriate your friend. You shouldn't care. Direct threats of suicide are an immensely big deal. I repeat: do not try to talk them out of it yourself. Direct threats of suicide are out of your league. Any truly suicidal person that I've ever known will not be persuaded by you that life is in any way worth living. The potential suffering of others, eternal consequences, religion, trite sayings, etc. are nowhere near good enough reasons. This probably all sounds really bleak, but really, there's nothing you can say. There are no magic words to give someone an ah ha! moment about wanting to go on living. - The Black Sheep, who irrationally feels like punching the nearest passerby when she hears anyone say, "Suicide is a permanent solution to a temporary problem." Thank you, Hallmark card for the worst days of your life. ADear I hope so, I'm going to second everything that Hermia and The Black Sheep have said. There really isn't much else you could do for someone who has reached this point in their life, and what they really need is professional help. I think one of the most difficult things is seeing the ones we love suffer, but it's a crucial part of life and learning. We can give our friends and families as much love and support as possible, but ultimately they are responsible for themselves and have their free agency. Although this certainly isn't always the case, when someone makes such deep suicidal claims, sometimes it's best to not make a big deal about it. Some people are very desperate for attention and will go to great lengths to achieve it, but again, this isn't true for everyone. I have known people that have threatened to commit suicide at least twenty times. People will take you much more seriously when you say things like that, when it really isn't something anyone should take lightly. -Sky Bones ADear Sky Bones and Purely Hypothetical, I'm responding because I think that the idea of ever ignoring a threat of suicide is an incredibly dangerous idea. I feel that there's a myth that people who say they are going to commit suicide don't actually do it, and this is absolutely untrue, so I wanted to go on the record with that. In regards to what Sky Bones said, I think that, frankly, deciding not to call 911 when someone has used the language "going to" or "will" is a decision that I don't think laypeople can ethically make, outside of a very few well-defined situations. That decision is well outside of our limits of ability to offer care. I think that any time anyone says that they are going to kill themselves, you have an ethical obligation to say or do something. While it is definitely true that people say (or imply, as I think is much more commonly the case, though if they are only implying that they may commit suicide, you probably should not override their wishes to get them help right away) that they are going to kill themselves because they are desperate for attention (and they may have diagnosable conditions that are the root of that behavior and which need to be treated anyway), I do not think that the average person has a hope of accurately predicting the outcome or judging their motive. And threatening to commit suicide could result in an actual suicide attempt because the person believes that their life is worth little enough to be worth the risk in order to gain some concern, attention, and love. It's just a dangerous judgment to try to make. At times when so much is on the line, I don't think you should try to make the decision. Call 911. - The Black Sheep ADear Purely~ I've been through that situation in a purely non-hypothetical sense. (As in, I was the confidant, not the person threatening suicide.) I spoke with a psychologist about it, and she told me that in this case it was very unlikely that werf would actually go through with the suicide. She said that suicide threats are usually just cries for attention. Now, there's a world of difference between saying that and between saying you shouldn't make a big deal of it. I notified the principal (this was in high school) who then called the school's Suicide Watch team, and calling 911 certainly would not have been inappropriate. If your friend tells you werf is considering suicide, it means one of two things: 1. (More likely) Werf wants attention. If this is the case, why not give werf said attention? Is it really such a crime to show someone that you love them just because they're using unconventional and somewhat abrasive tactics to get said attention? If someone habitually tells you that they're going to kill werfself, then you should start considering alternative tactics. I, however, see no problem with giving attention to someone who wants it. 2. Werf is actually planning on killing werfself. In this case, werf has either told you so because werf wants you to talk them out of it (kind of a hybridized version of #1 I guess) or because werf wants to be sure that werf makes a scene. And frankly, if werf is actually planning suicide, obviously the logical portion of werf's brain is not firing full-steam, so it's entirely possible that werf doesn't even know why werf is telling you this. In any case, if it's #2, you sure will be glad that you took it seriously and gave werf the necessary attention. Except in certain cases of dying or suffering medical patients (which is debatable) suicide is always the worst option, and you should do everything in your power to prevent it. This post was way longer than I meant it to be, but like I said, I've been through this, and it was extremely emotionally taxing. I feel very strongly about it. ~Hobbes Back to top QDear 100 Hour Board, I am going crazy trying to find the name of a movie my friend told me about. It is basically a Beauty and the Beast story with a little girl who befriends a deformed man. I think he teaches her to sing and the last scene has her singing a beautiful song and it is a very dramatic moment. This movie came out like 20 years ago and I am almost positive it starts with a P. The song is really pretty. I think it's a musical, and the title is one word, starting with a P. I know there is an imdb entry because I saw it once shortly after she told me about it. Please help me find this movie!! Thanks, Searching
ADear Searching, I'm pretty positive that the movie you're looking for is Rigoletto, even though it doesn't start with a P. Sadly, I can probably still sing most of the songs from this movie. I haven't even seen it all the way through, but my sisters watched it so much back home that I constantly had the melodies stuck in my head. Bleh. So, thanks, little sisters! -Commander Keen ADear Searching, I'd like to second Commander Keen—I was writing an answer saying it must be Rigoletto when he submitted his answer. Letters can be tricky like that—I often do the same thing, being certain that I'm looking for a word that starts with a certain letter and it turns out it's a different, similarly shaped letter. D'oh! Love, Waldorf and Sauron ADear Found (apparently), I recently attended the Draper City Art Council's performance of Beauty and the Beast with some family members. Before the show started, my mom told us that the girl playing Belle was the girl from Rigolleto. Just after she told us this, the guy who played the old, deformed guy came in and sat down across the aisle from us. How crazy is that?!! - Rating Pending (who replies, "Not that crazy.") Back to top CDear Former Sister, (inre Board Question #53456) I found myself in a remarkably similar situation to yours. I got sick on my mission, and after two months in the MTC, one week before I'd get to go out and actually proselyte, I got sent home (considering how long ago this was, the following part may just be an invented memory but it's vivid) with the advice to say goodbye to my family before I died. This was back in the day when the counsel was that Every Worthy Young Man Should Serve A Mission and no qualifiers were attached to that statement. Since I got sent home, my disease must have been an Act of God to pull me from my mission because I was there unworthily. I spent a long time struggling with this idea, but I couldn't figure out what I had done to disqualify myself. After a while, the Brethren changed their counsel, stating that there were good reasons worthy members should not serve missions; there are factors other than worthiness that can disqualify a person from formal missionary service. Mine was one of them. Let me answer your questions with my own experience: Are you an utter failure? No. Even if you never make it back to the mission field, you are no failure. I hate the phrase so I'll change it: some things happen for a reason. I can't speak for your situation, so I don't know what the reason was in your case. God has the power to prevent these things from happening to us, yet he chose not to exercise that power. Does that mean he doesn't love us? No. Because I was sent home, I went through some horrible experiences. I also went through some unbelievably great experiences that never would have happened had I served the full length of my mission. My being sent home ended up being a good thing. Perhaps you had already learned the lessons you needed to from your mission. Perhaps God needed you elsewhere for a time. Perhaps God had something else he needed you to experience, someone's heart he needed you to touch that would have been precluded by the terms of your missionary service. The only person who can tell you what it was is God. It took 7 years to get that answer myself. The most pertinent scripture for my experience: "Verily, verily, I say unto you, that when I give a commandment to any of the sons of men to do a work unto my name, and those sons of men go with all their might and with all they have to perform that work, and cease not their diligence, and their enemies come upon them and hinder them from performing that work, behold, it behooveth me to require that work no more at the hands of those sons of men, but to accept of their offerings." How do you face your ward members? There's a certain amount they should know and a significantly larger amount they shouldn't. The words "I got sick and I'm back to recover. Hopefully that'll be soon, because I can't wait to get back out there" worked wonders for me. People you're very close to deserve a longer answer. If they know what's going on, they can help. How do you go on/move on? This was hard. The thing you need to remember is that the most important element of serving a mission happens beforehand. You went through the temple and received the endowment. Compared to that, a mission is entirely insignificant; formal missionary service is not a saving ordinance. Go to the temple as often as is feasible. I was fortunate to be near a temple immediately after my mission. It was only an hour and a half drive there. I went every Tuesday morning. Serving in the temple helped me put things in perspective and keep them there. It eased some of the pain. It's also important to remember that, though you intend to return, you are no longer a full-time missionary. Meet with your bishop and stake president regularly during this time. The certain restrictions on conduct may or may not apply to you, and this is at your stake president's discretion. If you haven't already discussed this with him, do it as soon as you can. You have been through and are going through something rough. Take some time for yourself and have fun. It would have helped immensely if I'd had someone to talk to who had at least a vague understanding of what I was going through back then. So, if you want to talk, shoot Uffish an email (uffishwerf at gmail dot com) and she'll put us in touch. ;
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||