KScience

No Trump and all play makes Unixknight a less grumpy boy.

Every once in a while the relentless hammering of political topics gets to the point where I just have to set it aside and take my mind off of it for a while. 
I listen to political podcasts and watch videos on YouTube about political commentary.  I used to call myself a politics junkie, but I don't find myself particularly enjoying it.  I guess there's a part of me that feels like I should be aware, so that I can see trouble coming or know the issues so I can make informed decisions at the ballot box.  
But... it takes its toll.  I find myself being less patient with my family, less productive with my work and my hobbies because my mind is on all these issues, less spiritual, and less comfortable around my friends who are of opposing viewpoints.
And the truth is... so much of it is just noise anyway.  One side is constantly trying to keep me on high alert so I hate the other side, while the other side is trying to constantly keep me on high alert so I hate the first side...  There's media on one side telling me I'm supposed to live in a perpetual state of outrage over red baseball caps and private school curricula, while the other side lives on that absurdity to keep me outraged over the outrage machine.  Then the media wants me to be outraged at the outrageous things the other side says about the outrageous things the media wants me to be outraged at, which is outrageous, according to the outraged side that's outraged at the outrageous outrage over the outrage of the outrageous stories that outrage people who are outraged by the outrage outgrageoutrageoutrageoutrageoutrage...
"Mr. Unixknight, it seems your blood pressure is up since your last visit.  Do you have stress in your life?"
Why no, doctor... I have a great wife, great kids, a great job, great friends, a great house, and a  great ward I got to church with.  What's to stress me?  Oh, right...  I'm not outraged enough, according to everybody's news/commentary I hear, and half the things my friends talk about on all political sides.
Seriously.  When's the last time you  heard a national news report about anything that wasn't supposed to keep you outraged?  Or listened to a new commentary that wanted you to be outraged over something else?  
In advertising, they say that sex sells.  I say in the media environment, outrage sells.  It must be so, since that's all we get.  Even entertainment media is getting into the game with political pandering that just leads to more outrage, or outrage at someone else's outrage.
I'm tired of it, and I see through it, and I'm not playing anymore.  
 

I expect we'll hear something about a change to the Sacrament Meeting format in next General Conference. 

Hi, from one who has returned I can say it was a whole lot easier than I expected. I am older than you and had been inactive for a while longer than you, but was very much welcomed into my new ward and feel very much at home.
I never lost my testimony of the gospel, but lost faith in my ability to live according to my covenants; which now sounds rather daft.
The hardest part was walking back into a chapel and forgiving myself.
Best of luck  and if you need some virtual hand holding I am here for you.

I have been reflecting on the shorter day, the changes which have been brought into effect and how to make the most of the lessons that I teach.
I hope that the structure inspires families to study together and makes it easier for this to happen.
I heard good reports of SS being more interactive as people had prepared; I hope that people keep the momentum and energy going for as long as possible.
More people lingered to chat after SS - We had a baptism and a few more than usual stayed as we were finished by "normal" time.
We had fewer testimonies borne, people will have to figure out they need to be more concise. People were turned away so we didn't run over.  Not sure if this will be a positive or negative...depends on who is more determined to speak.
I am struggling with only 20 mins to teach. Especially as I have a class of children who do not get the gospel at home - part member families, the only active one at home and one that comes with grandparents every other week. These children are amazing and I don't want to let them down...so will need some prayerful thought so I can receive promptings to guide them in the best way.
I miss singing time as now have to stay in the classroom with the other teacher as we have split junior/senior - loved being in with singing time.
Also fear I will be struggling with having an extra hour to do the stuff I usually do i.e. prep next weeks lesson, personal study and family history. So hoping people will want to linger for a few weeks still. 
So overall very positive and trying to frame my worries in a more positive manner.
 
Would love to hear other peoples thoughts on the changes

I have been reflecting on the shorter day, the changes which have been brought into effect and how to make the most of the lessons that I teach.
I hope that the structure inspires families to study together and makes it easier for this to happen.
I heard good reports of SS being more interactive as people had prepared; I hope that people keep the momentum and energy going for as long as possible.
More people lingered to chat after SS - We had a baptism and a few more than usual stayed as we were finished by "normal" time.
We had fewer testimonies borne, people will have to figure out they need to be more concise. People were turned away so we didn't run over.  Not sure if this will be a positive or negative...depends on who is more determined to speak.
I am struggling with only 20 mins to teach. Especially as I have a class of children who do not get the gospel at home - part member families, the only active one at home and one that comes with grandparents every other week. These children are amazing and I don't want to let them down...so will need some prayerful thought so I can receive promptings to guide them in the best way.
I miss singing time as now have to stay in the classroom with the other teacher as we have split junior/senior - loved being in with singing time.
Also fear I will be struggling with having an extra hour to do the stuff I usually do i.e. prep next weeks lesson, personal study and family history. So hoping people will want to linger for a few weeks still. 
So overall very positive and trying to frame my worries in a more positive manner.
 
Would love to hear other peoples thoughts on the changes

Clearly they are going to ramp up the Word of Wisdom by including 8 hours of sleep and daily vitamins to the other needs of avoiding drugs and alcohol

My answer:  I do not believe that a just and loving God would condemn a person to eternal darkness who is diligently, honestly, and humbly following his understanding of what God desires in the service of God and his fellowmen.
That goes for myself and the person asking the question.

Happy New Year all.
I don't have a resolution as such but before Christmas decided that I need to find a new career outside of education...so will be exploring all avenues.

Happy New Year all.
I don't have a resolution as such but before Christmas decided that I need to find a new career outside of education...so will be exploring all avenues.

Happy New Year all.
I don't have a resolution as such but before Christmas decided that I need to find a new career outside of education...so will be exploring all avenues.

What kind of music is a balloon scared of?
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Pop music.

The attempt at Brexit is the mechanism by which British subjects are being disabused of the notion that they have any actual say in their own government.

Unfortunately, whether you want to admit it or not your husband is an adult child.  He is a child in his maturity but an adult in his body.  We all have childish parts that we keep for longer than we should, but that is the process of becoming an adult.
1 Corithians 13:11 When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.
Clearly your husband has not put away childish things and therefore is not a man-based upon scripture.  The problem you have is in not being willing to face the truth. You will learn this as you grow older and as your child grows, but the most surefire way to help a child to "grow-up" is to not hold their hand.  You help a child grow-up by allowing them the ability to fall flat on their face-you give them enough rope to hang themselves with.  After they've hung themselves, they come back to you and (hopefully if they've learned the lesson) say . . wow that was really dumb what I did.
The only way your husband is going to grow-up is for you to stop enabling him; yet you don't want to stop enabling him b/c you "hope" things will naturally change.  Hope is not a strategy.  Good luck to you b/c you are going to need it-plenty of wise people here have given you good advice and strategies for you to implement, but you discard them and all you seem to want is someone to tell you "it's gonna be alright?".
Okay, I'll say this, it all works out in the end.  Of course the pain you have to go through to get to the end is in a large measure dependent on you.  Good luck!

The Celestial Challenge - who can make it to the celestial kingdom first (ties will be decided based on how many you brought with you).

Sorry but there are plenty of people currently fleeing wars and who have seen their families wiped out.
A little infogram I used in class recently to start a discussion on this topic:

Thanks everyone for your support.
Attitude at work very different and line manager IT & HR don't understand why I am so upset. My number has been frozen so all calls now have to go through main reception and I have to inform police (tried this morning but cut off after 45 mins on hold).
 

But you fought a war to be rid of us!!!  

I have a similar plan, but with slightly reduced scope, aimed at eliminating our debt. 
I figure the US should just declare bankruptcy and close up shop.  Then we open under new management.  We get to all keep the same buildings, jobs, and consitution, we're just opening under new management.  When China shows up looking to cash in United States of America treasury-bills, we just say "I'm sorry, nobody by that name works here.  This is the Associated Federation of Southern Canada.  Would you be interested in buying some of our treasury bills?  We do offer a rate that basically still drives the global economy..."
You might laugh, but when you realize how big our military is compared to the rest of the world, including China, you'll see the greatness of my plan.  Now, we just need to stop being the good guy.

It is ok to be shocked into an upset tizzy by such things.  
Many in the world disagree, including the folks you're talking to at work apparently.  They are the poorer for whatever they have lost from their souls, to react so blandly. 
But we know better.

Where is the outrage. Why aren't men and women marching on temple square holding hands while listening to their anthem, "Love Child" ... wait that song actually speaks against having a love child. I'll have to work on an anthem

Sorry Chaps it's silly o'clock in the morning here in the UK and I need a bit of hand holding; so venting here.
I made the mistake of checking my work emails and found 19 phone messages (we have an online phone service and messages are saved as emails).  Assuming it was a student who was desperately trying to get hold of me I started listening to the first one sent late Friday evening. It was someone who used my name and claimed to have my number from a magazine and started to ask for very graphic sexual services. I hung up as soon as I realised what it was, but got some very explicit language which has left me rather shocked.
The fact that it is 19 messages over the course of 2 days with the last one left less than an hour ago has left me feeling very rattled and upset. In fact I am surprised how much this has upset me and spooked me.
I will obviously contact work on Monday morning and expect this will be dealt with by HR.  
Please feel free to tell me not to be so silly.

Your entire argument is predicated on the assumption that Man runs the Church.  He doesn't.  It's Christ's Church and Heavenly Father has spoken.  

Let's see, there's the Olive Branch, the Palm Branch, and, er, um the Elm Branch?

What is being done to your is severe sexual harassment -- you SHOULD be upset.  Block the number, and email HR now.  Since this is through work, you have the HR people to help you deal with this horrible behavior.  There are established protocols to deal with this type of behavior, establish consequences, and keep it from happening again (to you or other people).