Words On the InterWeb

Buttermilk Syrup

1 stick butter

1/2 c. buttermilk

3/4 c. sugar

Let melt on medium heat until it starts to boil, stirring occasionally. When all melted and just boiling, remove from heat, stir in 1 tsp. vanilla and 1 tsp. baking soda. Stir until all mixed. It will foam up so make sure you start off with a bigger sauce pan. Serve hot.

You can add coconut extract instead of vanilla if you want them a little sweeter with a coconut twist, it's pretty good too.

Whole Wheat Blender Waffles


1 c. plus 1 Tb whole wheat berries - I.e. 1 c whole wheat flour
1 c. milk
2 eggs
4 Tb oil
2 Tb sugar (or honey)
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt

Blend wheat berries and milk on high for 4-5 minutes, until batter is smooth. Add remaining ingredients and blend on low for a minute, or until incorporated. Cook on hot waffle iron. (Stir batter before pouring into waffle iron, because the heavier wheat particles will settle at the bottom.) Makes about 10 waffles.
(To make pancakes instead of waffles, use 1 c. wheat berries and 2 Tb oil.)

Toni and I have no plans, anybody up for hanging out?

remember those mouth-watering waffles we enjoyed at the cabin with the scrumptious syrup?  i need to recipe!  so jake or toni, send it my way!  

Okay, I know things are tough in the housing market these days, but this is the craziest thing I've ever heard. How on earth did they take what the homeless once occupied and coveted and turn it into "the next hot thing"???

In the vein of Sam's recent video post, take a gander at this site of marketing genius:

So this week finds me in a rather pensive mood. That's normally a dangerous thing coming from me, but miraculously I have learned a couple life lessons while my mind meandered from thought to thought. This entry might be entirely too personal, but I'm fine with that. I've decided that I don't share enough of myself with those I care about. Ridicule me. Make me a target of mockery, I don't care. I'm tired of guarding myself from my friends. (Yes, it's going to be a LONG touchy-feely post.)

Anyway, dispensing with the false smiles and "gee-golly niceties" of living the gospel (or pretense to), I've been spiritually atrophying for awhile now. I haven't been immensely unhappy, nor have I fallen deep into the chasm of addiction, immorality, or violence. I have quite a few weaknesses and many pits into which I fall regularly. It would seem from the outside, that I am a "model" member of the LDS faith, but in all truth, I haven't had the desire to read my scriptures for months. I fulfill my calling, but do so begrudgingly. I carry out my duties, but have lost somewhat of the sparkle from my eye. I disclose all of this information in the interest of truth. Truth is liberating, and I'll speak to that in a moment.

But for all my atrophy, I still find myself tied to my testimony and I will (hopefully) forever find myself bound. This past week's reflection has led me to the conclusion that I have one thing to be thankful for, above all else, for still having a testimony of the Restored Gospel—truth.

Truth is infinite. Once it is discovered or communicated it resides in memory and continues throughout time like a leaf on the wind forever "being" truth. Truth can not be created, and truth can not be destroyed. It simply is. If something is truth, it will forever be so—independent of observation, or change in scenery. None can deny pure truth, they can only deny themselves of truth. The sky is blue. It always has been, and always will be. If I put on sunglasses the sky will look brown, but only to me. It is still blue. So it is with those who have once known the truth, then by their own actions see things differently. Truth is independent from intelligence. It can be discerned as easily by the unlearned as by the scholarly. Truth is the one great equalizer among all the people of the earth. Truth is communicated to all who will listen.

The greatest truth God has communicated to me is that He is real, He is my father, and that He loves me. I know that to be true. Since I know that now, I will always know that. I may try to convince myself I don't know that. The winds of time may cloud my vision of the past and "convince" me that my knowledge was just a mirage. But like the blueness of the sky, the truth has not changed. It was true, therefore it is and will be. Knowing this has made all arguments to the contrary of what God has taught me null and void. Secondary truths on which my testimony stands is that Jesus Christ suffered and died for me, He appeared to Joseph Smith, and that the Book of Mormon is true. Always will be.

I'm also grateful for the skill of objective introspection—indispensable for maintaining truth. I think a lot, probably too much. I need not only to know how I'm feeling, but why I'm feeling that way. I can think myself into logical, emotional, and spiritual conundrums—often seemingly convincing myself of a "truth" contrary to what God has taught me. I only need to think back to one of the hundreds of times I felt the spirit, and the false truth is removed. The spirit is real. REAL. I don't "imagine" I feel good. I don't just WANT to feel good. The spirit is not a biological parlor trick. It can't be explained away. The mind is a powerful thing, and it can be our own worst enemy, or our most awesome tool for improvement. While I don't have the sharpest tool, I am very grateful that mine is well-used, and often sharpened. It is truly sad when someone has convinced themselves that a truth has ceased to be now that they are "older", "wiser", more seasoned in their reasoning, selling their spiritual knowledge for magic beans.

I hope you guys don't take me for gloating, or grandstanding. I need help often, so I hope you feel comfortable enough with me to offer it when needed. I really do feel as though there's a part of me which is seldom seen, but needs to be. Good night.

Here's a glimpse into my life. Funny and sad.



And here's a gosh darn cute video, lol. : ) ; ) : 0

I heard a statement on talk radio the other day that I really loved.

It was.."Don't just do your best. Win."

I love this. I have this annoying personality that is opposite of my counterpart that is never satisfied. I have a hard time settling. He has made me better, but I still am always going going. Thinking that there is always something more to be done, always a way to do it better. I am OCD or something where I think things could always be better. Cleaner, taken better care of, reading more books, being smarter, taking more classes, getting better grades, being less lazy, etc. So I love this quote because I believe in it. I don't think we should be doing our best. I think we should win. Stop being such lazy asses and win. I think doing your best is often an excuse for just being plain lazy. If we didn't succeed, well we did our best right?

Last night Toni and I watched the Women's 20k Race Walk. How is that a sport? Let's make an event about doing something less athletic and slower. It's kind of against everything the Olympics are about. It was similar to watching a train wreck. I couldn't believe it was happening but had to watch. I couldn't help but yell at the TV. Run idiots!! run!

So, not too much happening on the Interweb these days. I don't check this page very often anymore, due to the lack of posts (I've been slacking too). I was wondering if we should put it out of it's misery. If we are going to have regular posts, then I say let's keep it going. I really enjoy it when people post often and are involved in each other's lives. If no one really cares much anymore (which is fine too), then I would rather know it's dead so I don't wonder if I'm missing anything by not checking it. Just wondering.

My rotation ends this Friday.  Should we get together?

It's not as quite as cool as an iPhone...or Lindsay's 4Runner...but at least I am moving up in the cell phone world.  :)