Tuesday, January 10, 2017

Chicago by Brian Doyle

Chicago by Brian Doyle

A novel of exploration of development of community, exploration  of a city, development of a person . Made the better because it's Chicago, and I feel a kindred spirit to Chicago we lived nearby in Naperville  for five years. 

Enjoy Doyle's rich  writing style his use of words in his thoughts and insights.
Pg 154 - too long to, but a great description of Chicago and his perspective and language

"... while many stories slipped my mind over the years and slipped through my fingers too because I did not know enough to jot notes to serve as spurs to memory some of them remain adamant and resistant to erosion"

"stop for a while and watch , he's like that you know alert to things and patient enough to wait for them to arrive"

"it turns out that the biggest moments are a lot  like the smallest moment , just trundling and shuffling  along one after another, each one utterly normal and absolutely the most amazing moment ever"

It's a friendly, uplifting read on several levels - read it because you like Chicago , because you are moving into a new city and want to observe how someone else approached it, because you too are a listener , an observer, and a lover of a curated story.

It turned me to my reflections on moving away from Minnesota 
Leaving Minnesota

I have to admit in being a little disappointed in not being asked to speak when we moved to Chicago but had I been asked to speak this is what I would've said reflecting primarily on my religious community in Minnesota.

I take from Minnesota 
1 LEGACY of mighty men of Minnesota who dared to be great: my dad Paul Williams Wilson Lou Oelkers Everett Manwaring Alan Anderson Bill Nelson Francis McDaniels Jack Paynter Larry Ingalls

2 FRIENDSHIP 
Long term 50+ years 
Mid years raised our children with 
new just joined congregation 
served by and served with

3 TESTIMONY
from warren biorn to Roy Patton competed for the longest testimony
To Sandra Jerry Christina and Evan who were the most consistent
To the hundreds if not thousands I've heard in this chapel and carry with me

What I left is just as precious
Our family pew

My gratitude
The ward the people shaped me and my family
Served us through babies multiple heard surgeries trips to mayo  and unemployment
Bounteous times baptisms ordinances missions marriage

My family
My parents my brothers my in-laws nephews and nieces and a church family

My love 
with part of my heart always here with dear friends and fellow saints

My testimony of things I know
God lives 
Loves us and wants us  to be happy 
hears and answers prayers
Holy Ghost to reveal to us
His son sent to redeem us


I love those things and a threat to return someday 






Sent from Tim w

Wednesday, January 4, 2017

This is Water by David Foster Wallace

This is water by David Foster Wallace


It means being conscious and aware enough to choose what you pay attention to and to choose how you construct meaning from experience

Need to make a conscious decision about how to think what to pay attention  to
It's the automatic unconscious way and I experience the boring frustrating crowded parts of adult life I'm operating on the automatic unconscious believe that I am the center of the world and that my immediate needs and feelings are what should determine the world priorities

Everybody worships ( men money power) (yielding  wealth comfort personal freedom ) the only choice we get his what to worship

Insidious things about most types of worship is not that they are evil or sinful but that they're on unconscious  - they are  default settings

Important kind of freedom involves attention and awareness and discipline and effort being able to truly care about other people to the sacrifice for them over and over in myriad Petty little unsexy ways every day

Value a real education simple awareness and if someone is sensual rounds this is water and consciously each day
In the world 






Sent from Tim w