I'm Ugly and I'm Proud!

Anyone remember that line from Spongebob? Or am I the only one that was childish enough to watch it? For this last blog post, I wish to write something so simple to us, yet it's just as foreign. Being content with yourself. I've learned this past week, and really this past semester, that I am not ideal. I'm not even close to where I thought I was (self-detrimental humor sucks sometimes). I've understood that I'm not perfect for as long as I can remember, but I'm starting to know that I'm not perfect. And to be honest, some of that may be on BYU...

We are told by Paul himself that we can have all that the Father has; we are joint heirs with Christ. I remember this quote from Elder Christofferson, and I'm paraphrasing, "Humility is not the same thing as humiliation." Of course we want to cement who we are, as we are always told here at every BYU devotional, every Sunday, and even in our classes. I remember sacrament meeting a few weeks ago, someone said that if we are commanded to love our neighbor as ourself, and we treat everyone with kindness, why don't we treat ourselves like we treat them?

Hence the blog title, I believe in traditional, morals, the whole nine yards. Tradition is how people find themselves, and how they start to know who they are. One talk I heard by Jack Christensen said "you think you know him [Christ], but you don't". It's okay to not know something. Just because we may know something or everything, it doesn't make us right. That was one insight I had this week.

Here are a few of my other recent realizations:

1. History does not repeat itself. People serving their beliefs and desired outcomes repeat what people in history have shown us will fail.

2. It's easier to destroy something than to create it. Mankind thinks we progress by finding something to knock down or destroy.

3. From NCIS: "Always let the suspect draw his own conclusions"

Peace. I'm out.

P.S. Don't be me and procrastinate this last MCOM assignment. All-nighter!

The Evolution of Tradition

Is that possible? Can tradition evolve from what it once was?

I heard a quote just within the past two hours: "I've been so busy looking at the chess board on my own, I forgot to be a part of it." Tradition exists because we choose to continue it. I've been thinking about this lately: why am I starting to like tennis? Don't get me wrong, I still hate golf. I associate enjoying golf and tennis with age. Should I? That's up for debate. But here's what I learned: I am getting older.

We're on our own. Have been. Will be. I was on the mission, and am at college. And getting older does that. So is it a problem that I am starting to like tennis? I don't think so. But I realized that I'm acting like I'm separate from the chess game. Acceptance is hard, but it shows, and if used correctly, it provides miracles. It will always be important, but some will deflect it for years.

I think of tradition as old. Think of my grandfather. But the only way to want the tradition is for us to understand how it makes us better. So, although this post is short, this answer speaks for miles. I'm doing what President Uchtdorf told us, "Don't take yourself so seriously". Tradition may be tennis and golf with my grandfather, and now tradition is me and tennis. That is because I am becoming who I want to become, and the only way to do that is through acceptance and change.

(End post with Michael Jackson song...you know what I'm talking about)

Ask the Duke, this isn't Justice

I've learned about the world recently in a light that I never really had. It's actually because of my Econ 110 class, of all things. Now, I'm not talking about LAPD type crime, but rather, Major League Baseball, of all things. If you're in my MCOM section or know me, you probably know that I love baseball. But here's why I have an issue with the MLB: why aren't players equally punished to the seriousness of the infraction? And my observation for this week: money really does make the world go round.

Don't get me wrong, I believe in mercy and am an advocate of it. That will never change. Where the issue lies with the MLB is that people are willing to look the other way if something bad happens. To an extent, this is in no way a representation of real life. Here's an example: Rougned Odor, the second baseman with severe anger issues for the Texas Rangers, was suspended for 7 games after he clocked Jose Bautista of the Toronto Blue Jays. 7 games?!?! Being that I am not in the MLB, if I clocked someone because I got mad at them for a stupid reason, as Odor did to Bautista, I'm in jail. And chances are, I'm either facing felony or misdemeanor assault charges. Oh and add the lawyer fees. Can't forget those. Not one cent was taken from Odor. Or, why are baseball players still paid, and in some circumstances allowed to play, while appealing a suspension? Again, as a civilian, if I'm caught with drugs or steroids, that's some fun jail time. And for these athletes, unless in certain situations like domestic violence, no criminal prosecution?

Okay, now I'm done bitching about it. But here's where it matters for us: just don't be stupid. That's my life motto, simple as it is. You don't want to be the one who was known for looking the other way. I suspect attorneys for the MLB Players Association get involved with civil prosecution, and make it disappear. Again, I believe in mercy, plea deals, etc.. There's a reason steroid testing is getting smarter and why players still cheat the system: they don't get in trouble.