Excellent Character..

"To enjoy things we ought and to hate things we ought has the greatest bearing on excellence of character" -Aristotle



Interesting... I have been thinking a lot lately about being a person of good character.. How profound to think that our character includes recognizing when things are wrong, and if they are wrong, we shouldn't enjoy doing them or hope for them to happen even. And if they are right, we should enjoy doing and/or hope for them..



Also interesting to consider this thought from Aristotle in the context of "wickedness never was happiness" (Alma 41:10) and also to consider that Ammon taught King Lamoni that God understands the thoughts and intents of our hearts. (Alma 18:32).



So, deep down inside our character (hearts), what do we really enjoy??? (enjoy doing, seek for, aspire to) ??

And what do we hate?

One year ago today.. I said a sad goodbye... to El Salvador

"Anyway, I keep picturing all these little kids playing some game in this big field of rye and all. Thousands of little kids, and nobody's around - nobody big, I mean - except me. And I'm standing on the edge of some crazy cliff. What I have to do, I have to catch everybody if they start to go over the cliff - I mean if they're running and they don't look where they're going I have to come out from somewhere and catch them. That's all I do all day. I'd just be the catcher in the rye and all. I know it's crazy, but that's the only thing I'd really like to be." ~J.D. Salinger

What I was really hanging around for, I was trying to feel some kind of a good-by. I mean I've left schools and places I didn't even know I was leaving them. I hate that. I don't care if it's a sad good-by or a bad good-by, but when I leave a place I like to know I'm leaving it. If you don't, you feel even worse. ~J.D. Salinger

Don't ever tell anybody anything. If you do, you start missing everybody. ~J.D. Salinger

poems, shmomes...

Hard to know who's ship exactly has sailed,
I could have tried my whole like to make you happy,
And I easily would have failed..

We're cutting the ropes to this hot air balloon... I cant stand that it's so anti-climactic
and that You and I are so far from over dramatic..

So grown up and so far away from fifteen,
So much easier for you to be subtly mean..

You know... last night I dreamt up a proper goodbye,
somewhere inside the one that never happened between you and i

i had to dream up the opportunity to scream..
(in reality) i'll settle for high and dry, messed up, but clean..

Give it to 'em in Black and White..

What the?

Worst feeling in the world!

Today.. I thought I lost my wallet! I wasn't all that freaked out at first.. and then I started to think about all the things that were inside my wallet! My wallet is pretty much FULL of treasures that are all important to me in my life.. There are the basic important things ie: the Temple Recommend, Social Security Card, Debit and Credit cards, My library card, grocery store cards, etc... all those things I need, and it would really SUCK to loose them. Then there are those 4 one dollar bills and the $2.75 in quarters that I was planning on using for my laundry.. THAT would suck to lose! But there is so much more to my wallet then all of those things.. also tucked inside the beat up denim exterior of this Way out of style Roxy’s brand wallet that I have had sense 11th grade, are so many memories! A few examples:

1. Dave Matthews Band Concert ticket (don’t judge me) from Sat Aug 28, 2004.
2. Ticket from Deathcab for Cutie Aug 8, 2006.
3. Ticket from "LOVE" the cirque du soleil show, June 12, 2006.
4. The "Dear Returned Missionary Card" from President Call, May 17, 2006.
5. A Canadian 5 that someone gave to me.
6. An "I'll be back/All finished" card that Katie O and I stole from Sweet Tomatoes freshman year in college?.
7. Ticket flyer from the Andy Warhol celebrity portraits show at the Bellagio Gallery of Art, Sept 2003.
8. THREE different fortunes from long eaten fortune cookies that read, "People are waiting for cues from you", "Take that chance you've been considering", and the oldest and my most favorite, "you have a deep interest in all that is artistic."

I can’t help but think that these little treasures and memories are little symbols of my life! Thinking my wallet was lost was pretty much the worst feeling ever. That has never happened to me. Thank heaven for honest people and the Lost and Found in the Wilkinson Center. PHEW! All my treasures are back in my position.