Tuesdays with Muerte

http://beta.josephsmithpapers.org/home This group is gathering pretty much all papers that Joseph Smith put his hand to and is making them available for free on this website.  Want to know what Joseph wrote his wife when he was locked away in Liberty Jail for 6 months?  Find out here!

Cliff's Notes: Empathy is the invisible hand.  Empathy drives action. To civilize is to empathize. Throughout the history of our world, we have invented fictional identities based on our  associations and ability to communicate.  We often call these time periods eras. Blood-Tie Era In the forager/hunter civilizations, empathy and communication only extended to the local tribe and shouting distance.  Our only loyalties are to immediate family/blood ties.  Anyone beyond the mountain was alien. Religious-Tie Era During the Hydrolic Agricultural civilization, the advent of script annihilated more time and space, extending the central nervous system of a civilization. At that point, theological consciousness emerged causing further detribalization and creating associations with religious ties. Nation-State Era (National Identification) The Industrial revolution of the 19th Century extended markets even further based on complex energy communicati...

I'm  halitophobic . I'm not so much afraid of me having bad breath.  I am afraid of other people having bad breath. Way to check for bad breath (halitosis) Scrape a spoon along your tongue, from back to front. Let the spoon dry. Smell the spoon. If it smells bad, your tongue bacteria are out of control. Problem 90% of bad breath is caused by a dirty tongue. -- The School of Dental Medicine It's not easy to kill tongue bacteria.  Tongues are like sponges that soak up bacteria. Non-Solutions Some people brush their tongues.  Silly.  Brushes are designed to clean the flat surfaces of your teeth. Tongue scrapers?  Remember the sponge analogy?  Scrapers only take off the top layer of grime. Mouthwash?  It's like trying to clean your carpet with a hose--it's only watering down the problem. Solution

Today's Gratitude List (chronological) I got to sleep in until 8am because I worked late the previous day! I had time to exercise for the first time in 3 weeks. Sunny weather.  I can't remember the last time it was over 60º. Despite heavy traffic, I miraculously drove the speed limit the entire way to work. I was 3x faster in accomplishing my work today than normal. A colleague took me out to lunch at a German Deli that I've been wanting to go to. A friend confided in me.  I received satisfaction in being trusted to listen. I found out about a hip-hop presentation of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet playing this week by a local, award winning dance studio. I spoke out in a business meeting stating my intentions and plans to define my job.  I want to be less of a "gun for hire" [pooled-resource developer] and more of a "Sheriff" or "Mayor" [ID consultant] to extend the analogy. I watched an incredible video about and was inspir...

Why do many single, LDS men lack what it takes to act upon the things we know to be true?  I speak generally in respect to "truths" because each of us have individual and distinct reasons (root causes) that keep us from stepping up to our shared challenge and goal of receiving the Celestial ordinance of marriage. In a world filled with discouragement and despair, media can serve as a welcomed friend.  A retreat from the pangs of real life.  Need to kill two hours or more?  You don't drink?  No problem! Throw in a couple of movies or just turn on your favorite video game. Surrounded by a plethora of virtual distractions, the allure to escape is easy and strong. As we retreat further and further into the world of media however, we voluntarily disconnect from our own lives.  I have not seen one television show yet that incorporates a time for reflection, where the viewer is encouraged to apply righteous morals to our own lives. ( Exceptions: G.I. Joe, ...

I am in a singles ward of young adults who are all 4-year seminary graduates, returned missionaries and currently serve valiantly in their Church callings.  They know the doctrines of the Gospel.  They what will bring them happiness.  And yet--gobs of 25-31 year olds are flying holding patterns in their lives.  Why is this?  What is keeping faithful YSAs from living the things they know to be true?  Motivation!  They lack the motivation to overcome their fear of landing. "Dating has never been a big priority for me." "There is no one is in my life telling me not to [do something bad], so..." "I'm lazy.  [_____] would take effort." I will focus on marriage as soon as-- I get a solid job. I finish school. Winter is over. this boy asks me out. [fill in the blank Let's talk about a couple of things that motivate me: I feel motivated by the examples of great men and women that I look up to--both living and deceased. Captain Moroni...

I recently had the special opportunity to participate in an intimate question and answer session with Elder Scott of the 12 Apostles. He fielded questions from managers at my work on the topic of how to make decisions under the direction of the Spirit. The following are my notes and reflections from that experience. Notes: Bit on the topic of the Atonement (paraphrased)—Elder Scott said, “I think Heavenly Father’s feelings were hurt a little bit when Christ prayed, ‘why hast thou forsaken me?’  God did not forsake His Son."  (What was Elder Scott trying to say by this?  What was the Spirit teaching me?  Do we understand what how the Savior intended the use of the word, "forsake?" See the bottom of the post.)   When people are trusted, they are liberated to obey and accomplish beyond imagination.  Trust is paramount to an effective work environment--both directions, for managers and those being managed. There are two things that we can develop as ...