bl8tant

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Everything posted by bl8tant

  1. I tried to do a quick back-of-the-envelope analysis: 3 dozen White House staffers out of how many? That's where it broke down, as I wasn't able to find a reliable figure for the number of employees who work in the White House. Estimates range from a couple hundred to 1700. One reference I found cited an 84% tax compliance rate for the US, but it didn't define what it meant to be "compliant" so that wasn't as helpful as I'd hoped. Regardless, I would expect... nay, demand that the rate be lower for the people I hire to run the government.
  2. Wow, this looks really good! I might try it this weekend; I bet I can even get my kids to eat it. Thank you.
  3. Absolutely. That's kind of the whole point: we want every baptized member to live so that they are worthy to enter the temple.
  4. Say it with me now... "we told you so!" Money graf: washingtonpost.com
  5. I have had great success with using LDS insurance agents that I've met in various wards. Without exception they have lived up to the reputation you'd expect from a Church member. Of course I realize that others may have had different experiences, but I've yet to have a bad one. In my prior ward, the only doctors we had were both ER docs, so I declined to use their services :)
  6. I made my first cooked-from-scratch meal last night: a big pot of "weeknight chili" from a Cook's Illustrated cookbook I bought. It came out pretty well despite my inexperience: it's not as good as my former wife's best, but it's better than her average, better than my mom's, and better than my sister's. (anatess, I have a friend who runs the Super Suppers franchise in the town where I used to live- can't believe I didn't think of that!) Thanks to all for the helpful suggestions! Now, where did I put those beans for my toast...
  7. The only reason I knew that is because I argued with my bishop over it, and he set me straight. Glad I could pass on the favor :)
  8. Records have to be kept in the ward in whose boundaries you live; exceptions require approval of both bishops, both stake presidencies, and the office of the First Presidency. See p 145 of the CHI. (Of course, this rule doesn't seem to be followed very often, and I only learned of it when we had a couple who had an ugly divorce and couldn't decide who got to "keep" the current ward and who had to attend a different one.)
  9. For the last 19 years I've benefited from being married to a good cook. However, now that I'm single, I'm trying to learn to cook for myself and my sons, who spend a portion of their time with me. It's not that I don't want to learn, merely that I never took the time to do so. There's so much to learn it's hard to know where I should get started. I've begun by watching "America's Test Kitchen," which seems to be a very practical, results-oriented show, and I've started reading "Cooking for Geeks." I'm looking for recipes that: - are not actively unhealthful, though they don't have to be low-carb/salt/fat/sugar - can be prepared in less than an hour start to finish (or in a crock pot/slow cooker). That way I can make a meal from scratch after I get home. - are appropriate for someone with limited skills but a willingness to experiment - can be adjusted to make larger or smaller portions. Sometimes I need to cook just for me, but other times I have 1, 2, or all 3 boys to feed as well. Thanks! (and obtw I think I should get credit for not posting this in the Relief Society forum-- all my cookin' brethren should feel free to step in here and post some of their favorite recipes!)
  10. Congratulations! Make sure she learns to drive a forklift when she's old enough. I think everyone should have that experience.
  11. First of all, it's wonderful that you're coming back. It must have been hard for you to get started, but in the end the results will be more than worth it. Every stake leader (or bishop, for that matter) that I've known has been able to make a distinction between professional and personal. For example, one brother might be "my friend Matt" when I'm helping paint the basement but "President W" when I see him for an interview. I think it's likely that your boss has this same capability. More importantly, I've never known a leader in the church who didn't believe in the parable of the lost sheep. I'd bet you lunch that your boss would be delighted to see you returning to full activity and fellowship, and that that delight would outweigh his knowledge of your specific situation. As you probably know, the bishop will be the person you work with the most closely as you go through the repentance process. He will be able to advise and guide you about the specifics of who you need to see and when. It's likely that you'll be asked to meet with the stake president, and you may have a disciplinary council on either the ward or stake levels. Moving into a different stake or ward doesn't change this. A few years ago when I was a ward clerk, the rule was that you'd must get permission from the office of the First Presidency to attend a ward or stake other than the one for your home of record. No one can stop you from just showing up and attending another ward, but the bishop of the ward where your records are-- and the associated stake-- are the right people for you to work through this with. Good luck! I admire your courage and willingness to do what you know is right.
  12. Welcome, Carmen! I have to say that when I saw the subject line I was expecting this thread to devolve into discussing Johnny Cash. Glad it hasn't... oh, wait...
  13. That is super cool, Michael-- a family friend just sent their son to the MTC, and he is Fiji bound. It's a small world!
  14. Welcome, Robyn! I haven't had this problem myself, but I have friends who were both nurses, but in different specialties (and thus working at different hospitals). They didn't have a magic bullet, unfortunately. Luckily, though, there are lots of things you and your husband can do to grow together even if he can't make services every Sunday. - Listen to conference talks from past conferences together. If you were inactive for 12 years, that means you have about 24 General Conferences to catch up on :) Many conference sessions are downloadable from the Church web site or on iTunes, or LDS Distribution Services sells them (cheaply) on CDs - Make sure that you're taking advantage of all the ward activities and firesides that you can. If he's working on Sunday, there must be another day during the week when he's not working. - Serve together if you can. Does your area have a bishop's storehouse, cannery, or other place where you can work together? - As you meet members and make friends in Relief Society, get together with them each week on Sunday afternoon just for a short visit. That fellowship will do both of you a world of good. - Pray for a change of circumstance. I've seen the Lord help people with situations like this before, although you'll have to prayerfully consider what to do and what to ask Him for. Good luck, and let us know how it goes.
  15. All my experience with balls is in the military. (Wait, I meant... oh, never mind). [1] Here in the US it's also common to have formal dress dances during the last two years of high school and throughout college. I'm guessing that's what you're asking about. You are of course free to dance with other people, but (IMHO) you should plan on spending most of your time with your date, if it's a date and not just a convenient/friendly means of both going to the same place. You don't have to buy your date a gift. Back in the day, it was common for the man to buy the woman a corsage, but I don't know if that's a US-only thing. Report back and let us know how it went-- hope you have a fabulous time! [1] Each year, the US Marine Corps has a large formal-dress ball to celebrate its birthday. Hundreds of Marines, and their dates, all dressed to the nines-- big fun.
  16. Joining the Marine Corps did it for me. 800-MARINES and you're good to go. HTH.
  17. deseretgov, this doesn't square with my (admittedly imperfect) knowledge of the WoW. I believe that it's treated as a commandment now, though it was not originally delivered as one. The WoW is important to our eternal salvation, as obedience to it is required to remain worthy to enter the temple, and the temple ordinances are a key part of exaltation.
  18. Welcome! Always good to see more Californians here.
  19. I signed up. You have to create an account, then choose to join a private group. Also: WHO DAT.
  20. That is soooo true, mirancs8! My teenage son started referring to this as the "31 flavors" theory of dating after EFY this year, but it's a familiar principle: I've taught my sons that dating is for evaluating what you're looking for in a marriage partner, not just for evaluating a given person. That's a big part of why the church discourages early steady dating; it's too easy to get attached (or infatuated, or in-lust-ed) to someone who ends up being a poor long-term match. In my book, the more variety, the better. Once you've had a chance to try some different flavors, so to speak, you'll be much better prepared to decide what criteria are most important to you if you decide to seek another long-term relationship.
  21. I'm always up for a good infraction...
  22. I have found that the iPad is a great study aid for me. There's a great free app called "Bible" that has 20+ translations of the OT and NT; I use that in conjunction with the church's Gospel Library app and teh Google Books version of the Jewish study bible. I have learned more about the OT this year using these tools than in the preceding 3 or 4 times I've been through the OT study materials.
  23. I have to say I agree with Pam. I'm in the midst of a divorce right now, and though it's as amicable as such things can be, it's still a devastating experience. I don't see myself as being ready to date for a while, though I will probably force myself to venture outside my shell and try meeting new people (of both genders!) I also disagree about waiting until your kids are 18 to date. You'll know when the time is right to introduce someone you've been dating to your kids. As Pam said, if you find a good man who will care for your kids, that would be entirely to their benefit. Also, Desileigh: I commend you on your decision not to date until your divorce is finalized. Dating post-divorce is complicated enough without starting while you're still married :)
  24. Welcome, Terri! Nice to see another Cajun here.