Jiro Dreams of Sushi

Last week we had a little family outing to the Crest to watch a fantastic documentary 'Jiro Dreams of Sushi'. I loved it - except the parts which involved cutting up and gutting fish. At those points I cringed and closed my eyes. I had to order all veggie items when we went out for sushi afterwards. If you have a chance I recommend the movie.

IDs

Appropriately following last week's thoughts regarding the approaching birthday:

I was organizing the other evening and the number of university ID's laying around my desk caught my eye. After a moment I realized that (not counting kindergarten) I have been in college for as long as I attended 1st-12th grade. That is 24 years of formal education.

Oh man, how do you begin to measure that? It's more than years, more than just time, it's effort. Good job me, but seriously???? One unofficial motto at BYU is "enter to learn; go forth to serve". Probably time to quit 'entering' and spend a little more time going forth and 'serving' by putting everything I'm supposed to have learn to use.

Must unearth the motivation to finish the final thesis! I will admit to looking at additional potential graduate programs the other evening - two master's apparently is still not sufficient.

Fairy Tales

The book fair a couple weekends ago inspired me to pick up a few of my own "vintage" books and look through them. I love the art deco illustrations in this book. The stories aren't bad either.

I'd forgotten how incredibly tragic the little mermaid really is.

This story about the swine-herder is one of my favorites.

He's a prince who asks to marry the emperor's daughter. He sends her a rose from the bush planted over his fathers grave, which only blooms once every five years and then only with one flower. If you smell the rose it takes away all your worries (got to get me one of those). Along with the rose he sends her a bird with a perfect voice. The princess is not impressed because the flower is a real one not one that someone made and the bird merely reminds her of her music box. The prince shows up at the emperor's palace in disguise and tends the pigs. He builds a pot that allows you to smell anything anyone else in the town is cooking and which has bells that play a tune. The princess wants the pot and the swine-herder tells her she can have it for 10 kisses. Next he makes a rattle which plays the princess's song, she decides she must have it. The swine-herder required 100 kisses for the rattle. The emperor however discovers his daughter kissing the swine-herder and disowns her. Of course, she is horrified. Just then the swine-herder reveals he is actually the prince she spurned. The end is so great! He explains that because she refused the worthy gifts of a honorable prince, but traded her kisses for trinkets from a swine-herder he despises her. He tells her that she made her bed and now she can sleep in it. 

I think it's a great story. Not what you expected from the illustration is it?

Announcement

I must proxy-boast for a moment (T stop reading if you are going to get embarrassed). My best friend has published her first book! It's such an accomplishment to have written it, getting it printed has left me in awe of her efforts. I cannot wait for my copy of her memoir to arrive. I've been dying to get it in my hands since the day she emailed inquiring for my thoughts on the name she'd chosen for me.

It is adorable, charming, and hilarious. You should immediately stop what you are doing and read the pages available for preview here on amazon. You will enjoy it. Then buy yourself a copy so you can finish it :).