Simply and Satirically Me

Lessons from Dad: Day 5 1.        Civic Duty and Politics My Dad graduated from BYU as a political science major. Needless to say, one obvious influence of that legacy is demonstrated in the fact that my oldest sister Michelle and I also majored in political science. And beyond that, there doesn’t seem to be a member of my family that doesn’t enjoy a good discussion on politics. So why the obsession? Almost every time someone learns my major, I am asked, “So are you working towards becoming a politician” or even “does this mean you plan to become President one day?” The answer is an emphatic no. I have no political ambitions to become an officer of government. What really drives our family towards near obsession with all things political is a matter of principle. Perhaps somewhat inborn, and otherwise influenced by my Dad, each us have come to believe that we can make a difference in the world. We have a passion for truth. We want to help build ...

Here's lessons from Dad: Day 4 1.        Family First Dad has always taught us the importance of family. When I was in High School, this seemed a little restrictive, since my friends seemed vastly more important to me at the time. And though I was given a lot of freedom, Dad always emphasized that family relationships are forever and should be what we hold most dear. But he doesn’t just teach us in words, he teaches by example. Often my Dad was called to work Sundays via participating in Protestants services on the military base. There were times when he was also “on call,” meaning he had to be ready at a moment’s notice 24/7 to be with a needy solider. I’ve mentioned how often the army makes family togetherness difficult. But Dad always did, and still does, find a way around it. For example, he would often let me tag around to the Protestant services with him. I remember the “passing of the plate” and many of the hand-clapping, guitar-playing cho...

Here’s Lessons from Dad: Day 3 1.        Faith is a Principle of Action My Dad always likes to tell us the story of his becoming a Chaplain. He had been praying about it, and really wanted to get accepted. However, my Dad decided that just saying he had faith in the Lord’s power wasn’t enough. So, when he went to buy some new scriptures, before he found out whether or not he was accepted, he asked for “Chaplain Shurtleff” to be the name engraved on the outside cover. It was his way of proving his own faith through his actions. I used to wonder what he would have done if he hadn’t ended up being accepted for the Chaplaincy, but eventually I came to understand that such thinking was missing the point. True faith means accepting that you don’t always know the end from the beginning, but you trust that things will work out the way God intends as long as you do your best. Since my Dad got to attend and participate in various Protestant services as part o...

Here’s Lessons from Dad: Day 2 1.      Work Ethic: “Go Sick” When I was younger, I tried, like most kids, to find every possible way out of getting out of going to school. The easiest method was to exaggerate any possible feeling of sickness into something horrible, adding in a little crying and showy devastation. However, my Mom and Dad were pretty firm and it took a lot of effort to win at that game. Even on days where I really wasn’t feeling my best, their policy in most cases was simple. If you don’t have a fever and you’re not deathly contagious, you’re going. I didn’t understand it, because my own thoughts told me that if I wasn’t going to enjoy myself, putting forth extra effort was pointless.  Perhaps because of my behavior, my mother would always tell me that my Dad had a firm policy of “go sick.” There  are still many times I see him stumble out of bed and head off to work even when he clearly felt horrible. This remains true even in...

My Dad is a hero. My hero. He’s also a retired solider of more than twenty years, one who has faced more than one deployment and seen the horrors of war. He was a chaplain, spending his work days counseling with soldiers who suffered everything from marriage struggles to PTSD. He’s also worked as a JAG officer in the Navy and a construction worker. My Dad is the father of eight children and a devoted husband to my mom. Because of his work, I can’t say that he was always around. There have been many times where he was called away to the field for training, was deployed, or was often so tired when he did come home from work that we saw little of him before he was off to bed. But I never felt like I had an absentee father. In fact, he somehow found just enough time in just enough ways for me to hardly remember the times when he was gone. To me, my father has always been there for me when I needed. And in the spirit of Father’s Day, I thought it a good time to reflect on all the many ...

Imagine that your twelve favorite literary characters just happened to interact in some...unusual ways. My sister sent this Random Character Scenario thingy to me. And I filled it out. Enjoy! And have fun with your own version! 1.Scout Finch (To Kill a Mockingbird) 2.Katniss Everdeen (the girl on fire!!!) 3.Harry Potter (Harry Potter...of course) 4. Sir Percy (Scarlet Pimpernel) 5.Mr. Darcy! (Pride and Prejudice) 6.Peeta Mellark (Hunger Games) 7.Ella (Ella Enchaned) 8.Elizabeth Bennett (P&P) 9. Gale Hawthorne (Hunger Games..) 10. Msimangu (Cry, the Beloved Country) 11.   Prince Charmont (Ella Enchanted) 12.   Ishmael (Moby Dick) 1. Who would make a better college professor 6(Peeta) or 11(Char)? Well…they are kind of similar. Maybe char since he’s been tutored before. But if it was a culinary arts class…Peeta wins! 2.12(Ishmael) sends 8(Elizabeth) on a mission.  What is it?  Does it succeed? He sends her to London to learn information abo...

Normally my summers consist of the absolute epitome of idleness. Growing up the intensely humid south meant sitting on my front porch (or even my neighbor's front porch) basking in the wet heat until my eyelids were drooping while maybe playing with my neighbor's dog. Laziness seemed more like a standard than a sin. Thankfully, however, one terribly unproductive summer after my freshman year of college had me rethinking this pattern of nothingness. My parents have always tried to instill in us a strong work ethic. I think some of us kids got a better feel for it than others. For myself, I usually only start thinking about it whenever I find myself glued to a couch cushion with the tv playing continual nonsense in the background, capturing only my passive interest by default. Certainly I enjoy hiking, sports, and other outdoor activities as much as most the population in Utah, but when I realize that I have nothing scheduled for the next day, it's a lot easier ...