Come and See

Latter-day Saints, or Mormons, believe in modern revelation and living prophets.  So what do these modern prophets have to say?  They teach the gospel of Jesus Christ to us and specifically counsel us on challenges which are particularly relevant today.  One of the ways they do this is through General Conference.

General Conference is an event which happens twice a year, every April and October, in Salt Lake City, Utah, USA.  I had the opportunity of attending in person as a full-time missionary of the church serving on Temple Square (just next to the conference centre).  It was a wonderful experience to be there in person, but the great thing is that anyone around the world can also experience General Conference and hear what the Prophet and Apostles have to say.

The conference is translated and rebroadcast to many countries all over the world.  It is also available to watch on the internet, and the words from all of the speakers are written and published in a magazine and online so that we can re-read and study the words to increase our knowledge and our spirituality, to allow us to come closer to Christ and to know Him.

There are so many talks in recent years which I still remember and refer to often.  One of my favourites is called "Using the Supernal Gift of Prayer" by the apostle Richard G. Scott.  I gained a much deeper understanding of the ways in which our prayers can be answered, especially in relation to making major decisions.  

I am looking forward to watching General Conference in a couple of weeks when the rebroadcast will be shown at the chapel in Glenorchy (off the Brooker Highway), on April 14th and 15th.  If you are in the area I invite you to join me :)  Or you can watch or read the talks on the internet in the comfort of your own home.  Even if you have no intention of ever becoming a mormon, I invite you broaden your cultural understanding and "Come and see."

Book Club - How to be Totally Miserable: A Self-Hinder Book (audio version)

Welcome to another edition of book club.  Okay I may have cheated a little this time, as I listened to the audiobook - I much prefer listening to John Bytheway than reading his books.

This book is "reverse psychology" at its best.  It is, of course, really about how to be happy, but is presented in a humorous, entertaining way.  I think sometimes it helps also recognise the things we do that take us in the opposite direction.  By pointing out the things that will make us miserable, we might find ourselves going "oops, I guess I do that sometimes..."  It can help sometimes to recognise our bad habits before we try to develop the good ones.

John Bytheway (it feels too weird referring to him without his full name!) aims to be as entertaining as possible in writing this book, and it seems to be aimed mainly at (Latter-day Saint) teenagers.  He uses word play and alliteration quite a lot.  

The book is broken up into short segments on each point of "advice".  The headings of such segments include: 

Think about your problems

Relive bad memories

Hold onto grudges

Don't set goals

Be a breath of stale air

Believe that things will never change

Be easily offended

(the list goes on...)

In each segment he gives the advice on how to be miserable, but he also warns against and points out the opposite things, which will actually make us happy!  So being well informed, we are able to make our choice:  Do I want to be miserable, or happy?

Here's an example of the writing style:

To be miserable, don't set goals.  If you're trying to be miserable, it's important that you don't have any goals.  No school goals, personal goals, seminary goals, or family goals.  With nothing to shoot for, your life is shot.  Your only objective each day should be inhale and exhale for sixteen hours before you go to bed again.  Don't read anything informative, don't listen to anything useful, don't do anything productive.  If you start achieving goals, you might start to feel a sense of excitement, and then you might want to set another goal!  And then your miserable mornings are through.  To maintain your misery, the idea of crossing off your goals should never cross your mind.

The book is also filled with inspiring quotes and useful scriptures all about how to be happy...which of course we want to avoid!  Right?

It may take a little bit to think in opposites (kind of like The Screwtape Letters, though not as much), but at least in the audiobook his tone of jest clearly highlights the fact that he really means the opposite, and it is a light-hearted way of reminding ourselves that there are many  things we can do to choose to be happy.

What are your thoughts?

If I were Mr Speaker, I'd have a few things to say.

One day this week I was home from work early, decided to rest on the couch and watch some tv and came across Australian parliament Question Time.  I would normally go to great lengths to avoid watching this, but I decided that as a federal government employee and an Australian citizen I should probably take a little more interest in the workings of parliament in this country.  And so, despite cringing even from the very beginning, I watched it.  

While I still don't know a lot about parliament, I learnt a little bit about the running of question time, including the role of Mr Speaker.    Thank goodness there is a Mr Speaker or parliament would turn into a group brawl.  His job is to decide who is speaking when and for how long.  He can interrupt the politicians, tell them to sit back down, or to keep their remarks relevant to the question.  A bit like a judge in a court case perhaps.

The trouble is, the parliament members do a terrible job of adhering to his instructions.  The day I watched they seemed to do okay towards the start, with even the Prime Minister, Julia Gillard, obliging when she was told to stop talking and take her seat.  But they seemed to get worse and worse, even continuing to talk (rather loudly, might I add) over Mr Speaker, who was asking them to stop speaking, even after repeated attempts.  


This display of very childish behaviour led me to think about what improvements could be made in parliament question time, and what I would love to do if I were Mr Speaker (or Ms Speaker?).  Here's a few ideas I thought of:


1.  I would tell the members of parliament to stop shouting at me, as that is very disrespectful and rude.  When does that happen, you ask?  Often members of parliament direct their remarks to Mr Speaker, even though they are really talking to and looking at a member of the opposing party, and being quite antagonistic in their remarks some members even resort to shouting instead of speaking.  So if they kept using my title in such a tone of voice I would abruptly remind them that I am not deaf and I do not appreciate their shouting.


2.  I would install a mute button for the speakers' microphones and volume control, so that instead of having to speak over the member to ask them to stop (which they often ignore whilst they keep on shouting), I can mute their mic, and up the volume on mine to say in a booming voice "The Honourable <insert name/title> will cease speaking!"


3.  I would introduce the 3-level behaviour control system.  You know the one - step 1 is the warning, step 2 is a direct request to stop the behaviour, step 3 is time out for the rest of the session.  As I was watching, so many parliament members were being horribly disrespectful to Mr Speaker in continually ignoring his directions and warnings.  I really think if more discipline was enforced, like it is in schools, we would have more order and productivity in question time.  


I noticed that Mr Speaker already acted like a teacher at times, such as trying to give directions amongst shouting between several members of parliament at once, and instead glaring at them and waiting for them to listen before continuing.  


Seriously.  A room full of yelling, shouting adults, not adhering to order, but instead choosing to do lots of "I'm right!" "No, I'm right!!" type yelling at each other.  


Wow, such dignified professionals.  I'm glad we're paying them so much.

Book Club - Mansfield Park

I had heard this title mentioned many times, but had never read it, perhaps because the title is just the name of a place and didn't really incite me to read it.  But being in the library one day  I noticed a book of "the complete collection of Jane Austen" or something to that effect, and seeing as I'd never read Mansfield Park, I decided to give it a go. 

It is now, quite possibly, my favourite Jane Austen novel ever! Or at least a very close tie with the classic Pride & Prejudice.  It is a very long read, but what a great read!   

The book centres around the main character of Fanny Price, who is taken from her very poor family in Portsmouth to live with her wealthy aunt, Lady Bertram, and her family at Mansfield Park instead.  Miss Price is incredibly shy and finds it difficult to fit in with her upper class cousins.  She also misses her brother, William, terribly.  Her cousin Edmund takes compassion on her and makes sure she has ample supplies to be able to write regularly to her brother.  Throughout the years Edmund takes special care of Miss Price and they maintain a close friendship. 

Fast forward a few years.  Miss Price is now 18, and has developed into a well mannered young lady, while her older cousins, Tom, Maria and Julia Bertram are out in society and living it up.  Add a few new characters - Mr Rushworth who soon becomes engaged to Maria Bertram, though mainly for his money and status, and brother and sister, Mr Henry Crawford and Miss Mary Crawford, who stay with their sister at the nearby parsonage -  and things start to get interesting.  There soon follows a series of love triangles, as well as deeper insight into the true desires of Miss Price's heart, which even to the reader she is too afraid to openly admit.

The subsequent adventures include a proposal, followed by a lengthy courtship, but Fanny cannot bring herself to go against her heart and her better judgment.  She is returned by her uncle, Sir Thomas, to Portsmouth to live with her family again for a time in the hope of showing her what she could be returning to if she refuses this proposal.  But even this difficult time won't persuade her - although she does begin to consider it's benefits.  Eventually the truth comes out and her decision is proven to be a good one and she is able to return to Mansfield Park.

I think I love this book because I feel I can relate a little to Fanny Price - I was rather shy growing up (hard to believe, I know), or at least quiet at most times.  I was also the youngest of my sibling and cousins.  I can't really compare myself to the goodness of Miss Price, she has principles and standards which she lives by so well, but that is something that I do admire in her.  And it was this goodness that caused others to fall in love with her, even if it was not goodness they were looking for at first.  I would hope that someone would love me primarily for my goodness one day.

After reading Mansfield Park, my favourite Jane Austen hero now would have to be Edmund Bertram - what a guy!  Aside from being rather blind in matters of love, he is a man of good principle and treats Fanny with such tenderness and kindness.  A real sensitive guy.  Not afraid of admitting when he's wrong, and saying sorry.  Aside from a few follies that come with youth and infatuation, there's really nothing bad to say about this guy!

I have to say, although I loved reading this book, the ending was a little bit of a let down!  It is quite a long book, and the whole way builds up to something great, and you hope and wait for Fanny's deepest desires to be realised and for her to be told by the man she loves that he indeed is in love with her.  But alas, Jane Austen, after all that building up, simply states as narrator what inevitably happens and book comes to a bit of an abrupt end!  I really think for the readers she should have treated us by using his direct words.

What are your thoughts?

Mu isamaa, mu õnn ja rõõm

Today is Estonian Independence Day!  When I worked at Centrelink International it was nice and convenient, because the International Wall of Friendship was right outside my work, so for Independence Day I used to dress up in national costume in my morning break and go down to the flag raising ceremony where we also sang the national anthem, "Mu isamaa, mu õnn ja rõõm" (I don't have it memorised though - shame on me!).  Just my little way of showing my national pride.  I was pretty excited to apply for and receive an Estonian passport a few years ago, so I am officially a dual citizen of Australia and Estonia.  

My mother took my brother and I to Estonia for 3 months when I was 6 years old, and in 2009 I decided to go back on my own.  It was great as I was able to once again attend the 4-yearly song and dance festivals, "Laulupidu" and "Tantsupidu."  The Laulupidu in particular is very important to the history of Estonia in keeping their national identity alive and even in achieving independence.  If you want more information ask my mum and she will gladly make-- er, let you watch her "Singing Revolution" DVD.

 (You're looking at a combined choir of over 30,000 people!)

As well as seeing the song and dance festivals, I was able to visit some old family sites as well, such as the farmhouse where my grandmother, Selma Falkenberg, was raised.  This was also a very special experience for me.

I would love to go back again and explore the country even more.  It was an awesome experience!  Thanks to my cousin, Jana, for being my guide, interpreter and friend!

The 3 Year Plan

Some months ago, when I'd decided I was going to do something exciting this year, I also decided what I would do after that exciting year was over and voila! I had a two year plan!  I haven't planned that far ahead since my 18-month mission...which was less than two years, so...I've never planned that far ahead since starting a uni degree!  Which I finished 6 years ago, just to paint the picture.  My two year plan was this:  1. Go to Japan to teach English January 2012 - January 2013.  2. Return to Hobart and commence 1 year TAFE course (or "polytechnic" as it's now called), Diploma of Laboratory Technology in February 2013.  I guess you could say I had a 3rd year planned:  2014: Get a job in science!

But alas, when it became apparent that I would be leaving later than planned, and thus returning too late to begin the course, my two year plan fell apart.  All I had was a 15 month plan, followed by 10 months of random time-filling work, and then maybe the course, but by then I was hoping to have moved on from my home town of Tassie.

So tonight when I happened to come across this blog (thanks Lisa!) about overseas language courses, I decided to explore the idea.  You see, I love languages, I would love to know lots!  But the two I want to learn fluently the most are Japanese and Estonian, which - as most of you probably know - is my mother's native language.  I'd love to pass on this part of my heritage to my future children, as it is very important to me.  I started teaching myself a few years ago and can form random sentences such as "Kas see on puu?" (Is this a tree?), but not any real skill.   In 2010 I decided to visit the motherland (more to come about this soon), and loved it, and being there just 3 weeks I found my skills improved and thought how great it would be to stay 3 months or something and especially to do a course there.  But the course I looked at just seemed so expensive for just a few weeks!  I gave that idea a miss pretty quickly.

But tonight I thought it seemed like a rather grand idea, as I would love to go back soon and would need something to do while I waited to do my course in Feb in Hobart (similar courses I've looked at on mainland Aus all take 2 years...no thanks!).  And perhaps my desire to do that seemed to make the cost of it insignificant compared to the benefits.  So I've decided to pencil in a summer Estonian course for 2013 after I'm back from Japan.  Way to live it up, right?

This makes the months until my next plan, the Diploma of Laboratory Technology, seem not-so-long and bearable.  The diploma will give me hands on technical experience in many fields of science, making me (finally) employable!  The feedback I've received from recent applications is my selection criteria is fantastic, BUT...I have no technical experience and graduated quite some time ago now... so I'm hoping this fixes the problem.  Then I can finally make use of my science degree!! Woohoo!!  I love science.  I really do.  

So that makes my 3 year plan as follows:

2012: Work for Interac in Japan

2013: Estonian Summer Language Course + a bit more travel

2014: Diploma of Laboratory Technology in Hobart

As for my plans for 2015, well...I'll let you put the pieces together...

Okay a little too far perhaps...but hey - a girl can dream!  Maybe in a few more years...

Book Club - The Screwtape Letters

It's been a few months since I read this one, so I'll try to remember as best as I can.  My first impression about this book is about the way it was written.  I understood that it was composed of letters between the devil Screwtape and his newbie nephew, but I didn't realise that the book consisted of only Screwtape's letters, and not the replies.  Hence the title, I guess!  You can kind of guess some of the things that Wormwood would have written in his letters by the way that Screwtape replies, so I don't feel the book lacks anything at all by being written in this style.  In fact, it helps keep the reader focussed on the important part - Screwtape's advice.

It takes a bit of concentration to keep on track, I mean you need to apply to law of opposites.  The "enemy" is in fact the good guy, God, and "Our Father" who is spoken so highly of by Screwtape, is in fact Satan, the devil.  Once you keep on track with this though, it is a very interesting read.  It points out the subtle ways in which we are tempted to turn away from God - perhaps, ever so slightly - which we don't usually stop to think about.  It's a real eye-opener to the Christian reader who's trying to follow the Saviour and really wants to improve.  Just read this book and you'll have plenty ideas of what you could do better!  Having said that, it shows the capacity for repentance as well, so it's not too depressing.

I like way the ending turns out, the way it should turn out in good versus evil.  It was also interesting to read a bit about how C. S. Lewis felt about writing the book.  He actually states that he did not really enjoy writing it, due to having to live and work in the mindset of Screwtape, someone completely opposed to God and all things good, who instead wants to tear us down.  Certainly not an uplifting feeling!  But I'm glad he did because it was a great read.

What are your thoughts?

Achieving the Impossible. REALLY!

Time for an update from where we left off.  Last time, I had just achieved an astounding 2 mins 31 seconds Call Handle Time (CHT) at work, one second off my goal.  Which in itself was a pretty amazing thing.  I mean, CHT was something I had been struggling with for months, and was not even close to 2:30.  But once I believed impossible things, it suddenly just happened.  

Well on the magical date of 25th January 2012 I really did achieve the impossible.  Remember, this is only 10 days after I decided to believe the impossible.  On checking my stats the next working day I looked and thought "Let's see...2:24....okay cool....no, WAIT!! 2:24??! That's, like, WAY under 2:30!!!"  I was 6 seconds under my goal!!  I HAD ACHIEVED IT!!!!!  Whoa.  And to make things even more exciting, my average for the last month was 2:57, i.e. under 3 minutes.  That's NEVER happened to me before!

Now check this.  Today my team leader says to me "Mari-Anna, have you checked your stats for Monday?" (They had just come out today).  

"No, I was just about to..."  I replied.  

"Well have a look...and make sure you don't fall off your chair!"

I eagerly checked my stats.....come on......hurry up and load.......oh seriously, what's taking so long??!!

And then I saw it.

2:17.

Believe. The. Impossible.

Poetry Corner - 'Hare In Summer"

In the little strip of shade

That a strainer-post has made,

squats a weakly panting hare.

All day he has squatted there.

Only with the shade he shifts.

As I approach, he slowly lifts

his goggling eyes, but will not run,

Fearing me less than the naked sun.

- Flexmore Hudson.

For some reason today, this poem that Mr. Ralph taught us in grade 6 at school came into my head.  Perhaps it's because I wish I had a little strip of shade right now.  My apartment is currently copping a VERY hot afternoon sun and I'm pretty sure I could bake a cake in record time in my living room.  I am taking refuge in the other side of the apartment with a little fan.

Mr. Ralph taught us poetry at school every friday, and had an obvious passion for it.  I think the above poem may have been the first poem he taught us.  As I remember, he didn't tell us what we would be doing as yet.  He simply told us to turn to the first page in our books, to draw line on a particular angle, then several vertical posts coming off that line, then the shade strips coming of the side of the posts, the sun up in the corner, and then the little hare in the shade.  And then he shared the poem with us.  I think maybe it stuck because of the visual image.  If I could work out the equivalent to "paintbrush" on a mac, I'd draw it for you - but alas.

I have to say I quite liked poetry growing up, and used to write it too.  Not really the serious stuff, more silly random stuff.  Like the poem I wrote one morning about Pinoccio having another nose.  There was also "The Treehouse" which I wrote, about a girl and her dad getting a little carried away with plans of a grand treehouse in their backyard.  If I can find it maybe I'll post it on here! 

My poetry has also received international acclaim, including my haiku written in Japan about the Kappa (mythical frog-like creatures famous in areas of Japan such as Tsuyama), not to be confused with the word "happa" meaning leaf.  So my awesome haiku said that because it was autumn, the Kappa were changing colour.  I didn't even know Kappa existed before writing that poem...

Me with a Kappa

Achieving the Impossible. Almost.

So in my last post I mentioned I wrote down six impossible things I believed I could achieve.  Well turns out yesterday I achieved one of them!  Almost.  But I was off by 1 second!! 

At my work, like many work places, a large part of our work is measured by stats.  A big one for us, being a call centre, is Call Handle Time (CHT).  Basically it addresses how long I take on each phone call (or another way to think of it, how long am I making the next caller wait).  So, my CHT is a little bit higher than the group average.  Like....probably more than a bit.  So I was encouraged to try and lower that significantly.  Something I've tried doing for quite some time with some success, but have never achieved the group average.  

So on Sunday night when I was inspired to believe as many as six impossible things before breakfast, I wrote one impossible goal: Achieve 2 mins 30 call handle time.  Sometime (preferably before the end of Feb).  Now that I believed impossible things, I have worked very hard to be as efficient, yet professional, as I could.


Well my friends, miracles can happen when you believe.  Yesterday my average call handle time was 2 mins 31.  YES 2 MINS 31 SECONDS.  ONE SECOND OFF THE GOAL.  I don't think I've ever achieved that before.  So heck, I figured that was definitely close enough to be celebrating!  And to make things better, the group average at the moment is 2 mins 32.  I WAS ONE SECOND UNDER THE GROUP AVERAGE. 

WOOHOO!!!

So, my friends.  I have achieved the impossible.  Almost. (2 mins 30 would be nice next time).