EarlJibbs

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Posts posted by EarlJibbs

  1. 11 hours ago, pam said:

    That would be more of a pet peeve. 

    Is it though? :)  Is it any less than seeing a tile in the floor that is slightly off center? One blinker going off in a myriad of cars that isn't actually changing lanes? That is my off center tile haha. Either way, like I said, I am fast and loose so I really don't have much that bothers me. My wife on the other hand, I driver her crazy!

  2. My wife likes things in order. I don't mind things "fast and loose", so not much bothers me. 

    *People leaving their turn singles on. 

    *When I walk by someone going the opposite direction I hold my breath until that whoosh of air I feel passes. Included into this is feeling anyone's breath on or around my face, including my wife. 

  3. Mission President told us to make a decision right then and there on how we were going to live the rest of our lives and commit to keeping a higher standard. Specifically he mentioned rated R movies. I know this can be debated, but I decided that I wasn't going to do it and it has stuck. I have made other commitments based off of this discussion he had with us. 

    I had a companion that showed me by example what it meant to teach by the spirit. Make no mistake, we had a ton of fun teaching, but I have never forgotten how strong the Holy Ghost testified to me when he taught. Because of these times, and others in my life, I cannot deny the gospel or it's teachings. They are my anchor experiences when any doubt creeps in. 

     

  4. 13 hours ago, Jojo Bags said:

    You can run around asking for blessings from priesthood holders who may or may not have the necessary power in their priesthood to cast away these evil spirits, or you can do it yourself.  The problem with  many Latter-day Saints is that they believe more in science and scientific explanations than they do in the power of the priesthood.  Calling the problem "sleep paralysis" is a convenient "medical" explanation for those who do not believe in the power of Satan.  You obviously do not suffer from unbelief that results from false traditions and inherited lies, so you have the power to do it.  Joseph Smith taught that any baptized member has the power to cast out evil spirits.  " No matter who believeth, these signs, such as healing the sick, casting out devils, &c., should follow all that believe, whether male or female."  (HC 4:603) 

    Like I said, do it yourself.

     

    Huh? Seems like you have a beef with those that can integrate science with religion. I have had my experiences with weird stuff that cannot be explained, along with people I trust and love tell me theirs. Some real, creepy stuff mind you. However, in this case, it does sound like sleep paralyses, which is a real thing. Do you deny what those that have experienced it have said? There have been a good balance on this thread between a scientific explanation and advise on how to deal with it, along with religious, faithful ideas that could help. 

    I wonder how many people thought that having a child born with mental illness meant that they were possessed? But now, you can accept that they aren't right? Faith and living the gospel can help in any situation, whether it is scientifically explained or not. 

  5. @Backroads I moved to TX a few years back before the housing market jumped up to be more in line with Utah's so it was more bang for our buck. Although I do like it here, my heart will always belong to Utah. When I show my co-workers photos and talk about Utah, most are in awe that I would ever leave such a place. The same to those that visit there. You would think I was talking about Hawaii with some of their comments. 

    It's funny that now, my vacation destination is Utah... now that I am living outside of the State. 

  6. 24 minutes ago, NeuroTypical said:

    [giving up on memes here :) ]

    I've never understood the "they look like soldiers, so there's a problem, because soldiers aren't us" deal.  

    Whenever my wife and kids see soldiers, they see "one of us".  We interact with them, we talk to them in the checkout line at Best Buy and Walmart.  Sometimes, they show up to our ward on Sunday in full uniform, eager to take the sacrament before heading out on deployment.  I've put my kids into MRAPs when available at a parade or something.  Cops and soldiers are all us.  If you think they are "them", then you have the problem, and maybe it's time to consider doing something like make friends with one.

     

     

    Well, if you're looking at a price list for both, you are correct.  But, when your department has zero budget for either one, and the military offers you a deommisioned MRAP for free, then you take it.  My local cops outfitted an old van donated by the forest service.  Their AR-15's were obtained through federal channels.  Their full-auto MP5's were seized in a drug raid.  The individual cops paid for much of their tactical gear and clothing out of their own paycheck.  

    Something to consider, as you look at the next "scary" picture of "different" soldier/cops who "aren't us":  Do you know for a fact that they paid for that stuff out of their budget, or did the chief just jump at the chance to get some milsurp for free, because although it looks military, it'll protect his team better than what they've currently got?

     

     

    My views have softened over the years on this, and I have always support the police and keeping them safe. However, I still don't like the idea that we have military power in the police force. I am not terrified of it, but it certainly concerns me. We have the military, for that. 

    Although they "are us", you can point to many nations throughout history that their own people, EG government, law enforcers, judges...etc.. were used for evil. No I do not think that the majority of our police force would go against their own people, at least not overnight. But it can happen and no one can deny that. Currently (and has been in the past) Venezuela is an example of their own people (Police)  going against them (the citizen).  Do we deny that the government isn't "us"? As is the police force. 

  7. I am late to this conversation, sorry this happened to you @Eowyn. My thoughts are that if someone doesn't like the way I fulfill my calling they can 1) volunteer themselves 2) go above my head, or 3) deal with it. I do take constructive criticism rather well but I am not responsive to someone else getting angry at me for giving giving my time up in a manner they don't like. And it has happened. We had one person demand from me a different room to teach her class in. Problem is, I didn't have another room to give them and I told them as much. I also said that my only way to make everyone happy was to get the current building demolished and get a new, larger building built. I wasn't rude about it, but it was a fact that nobody likes. The person ended up going to the bishopric and the bishopric talked to me about it. The teacher was going to resign in the calling if they didn't get a bigger room. I told the Bishopric, they could do as they wished, but I suggested that they let the member resign if that is what they wished to do.  The room got switched, and now I have another class that is stuck and unhappy, but is dealing with it because they understand. I am not angry about it, but I wish more could see past their own selfish desires and how it imposes on others. 

  8. 9 minutes ago, MormonGator said:

    I read somewhere that many people have had domesticated foxes as pets and you are right, they act just like dogs. 

    I once decided to investigate whether you could get a Dingo as a pet. Then I found out that Blue Healers were part Dingo. I really don't like Blue Healers. 

    Also, it's illegal to keep a DIngo as a pet in Australia and they don't let you export them. 

  9. 9 minutes ago, MormonGator said:

    I didn't go to Harvard (UNH class of 07) but I'd be very nervous about online degrees.

    Like it or not, many people don't consider them equal to traditional schools. That is NOT what I believe, but it is what many others do. 

    I think WGU is legit. It's also expensive from what I remember. I had some banking friends that went there. The bank I worked for also promoted it, probably because they had money invested in it, maybe. 

  10. 17 minutes ago, MormonGator said:

    YES. 

    It's so competitive because like you said, it seems like everyone has a photography business. Not to sound harsh, I know a photographer and he does fine. Super nice guy with a great family. It's just a tough business.  

    I love photography. But instead of opening a photography business I would just want to be out taking photos of nature or random things. Who is going to pay for that haha? So instead, I just do it for fun. I don't have to worry that it will pay the bills. 

    What I would really love to do is cinematography for short films and documentary. Again, I make videos for fun instead, for my family.

    I say congratulations to anyone that truly loves what they do for income. I think it's rare. For the rest of us, work on! I have been blessed because I have a very good job without a college degree. I was never good at school and it wasn't for lack of trying. My memory is atrocious. 

  11. One of my favorite hobbies was growing heirloom potatoes. I even took my seeds to Houston where I live now. That is where that ended. I got a few good ones out of my first year harvest, but the rest were diseased with the blight (potato famine). I had to trash the plants and the soil. Too humid here. I should have done some research, I figured I would have a ton more because the growing season here is so long. It was very sad. Whenever I told people I grew potatoes and used them for thanksgiving dinner, it surprised them. Sweet potatoes thrive here, but I don't like them. Potatoes have been the only think I could really get into. Perhaps I will read up and try to make a small green house. 

    My current hobbies - Photography, videography. 

    My passions - Volleyball, always volleyball. 

  12. 17 minutes ago, NightSG said:

    Have you considered the possibility that it's actually you they hate and the Church just gets dragged into that by association?

    I doubt it. "They" refers to everyone that hate Mormons. I highly doubt that "they" all hate Carborendum collectively directly. How many people does he know?   

     

    I say this tongue in cheek, but in all honesty I don't understand your comment. 

  13. I support attending a few times to get comfortable with the nursery leaders. When we moved into our new ward we didn't know anyone. We had to stay in the nursery for a while to get my daughter acclimated. I remember after the first time we caught one of the leaders using Clorox sanitary wipes (the heavy duty ones that you use to clean your kitchen with ) to clean the children's hands before the snacks. This was way overboard for my girl as she has super sensitive skin. We reminded them for a few weeks in a row that she couldn't use them. Other parents caught on and asked that they not use those on their children either. Instead they used something much less severe. We asked that my daughter just use a regular wipe, or we would come by and take her to the bathroom to clean up. 

    The nursery leaders weren't bad people with bad intentions. But I think you should know who you are dealing with and how they are treating your children. They also didn't know my daughter and having me in there for a few weeks helped them as well. 

  14. 32 minutes ago, NeedleinA said:

    Three little thoughts EJ:

    1. I personally never answer phone calls unless I know the exact person. A watered down version of this would be to never answer phone calls outside of your immediate area code.
    2. Many of those calls are robocalls, automated calls. The idea is that once you pick up, it then lets a human know they should engage with you. If there is no human available at the time, it will hang up. Since it is a robocall, it will just keep trying again until it can connect two humans. If you wait it out, it might last about 1-2 weeks. 
    3. Robocalls are also used to verify that a number is active. Once you answer it, they know it is active and then can turn around and sell your number on a "verified active" list to other real solicitors. 

    Point being for me. If it is someone I care to talk to, they will already be programmed in my phone OR they will leave a message and I can call them back.
    Good luck!
     

    Makes sense. I answer calls in CA and up in Dallas since I have family in both. I have received calls from my brother from different phones in CA depending on where he is working. Other than those two, I don't bother picking up. I guess if it was an urgent item and I did know them, they would leave a voicemail. 

  15. So I get these calls from different numbers across the United States. I generally do not answer them unless I know someone from that state. Whenever I do answer them, it is silence then the line disconnects. If I call back, generally it is a disconnected number or no one picks up. Is anyone else running into this? What kind of information could someone possibly be gleaming off of me from a call like this? Sometimes it is two or three times a week or weeks go by without anything. I got two calls this morning, one from Dallas and the other from AZ somewhere. 

  16. On 2/11/2016 at 1:20 PM, Vort said:

    Check out my stats, Earl. You don't get much realer than Mole Boy.

    That's what I am talking about. It's hilarious. This is what real people stats would look like. Haha!

    I wonder what our real stats would sound like. Mine would say something like, 6'3 and intimidating with a beard but is not useful in any type of fight. 

  17. Mystery Science Theater 3000 had this on their show. The only way to watch it in my opinion.

     

    You want something hilarious and also a trip, watch Plan 10 From Outer Space. They incorporate Kolob and aliens with the beehive and one eye in it. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0110843/

     

    "A woman accidentally discovers the Plaque of Kolob which leads her to discover an insidous alien plot for world domination documented by a disreputable early Mormon prophet."

     

     I watched that movie when I was a teen (probably 17 or 18). After church one day a bunch of my ward friends and I went to see the "Joseph Smith Sphynx" downtown Sale Lake. Just a warning though, it was funny as teenager, and I wasn't offended by anything, but then again I have change over the years. It's been a long time, but from what I remember, it was a disaster of a movie, which made it funny.