Today I translated for a Mexican woman in my ward who speaks only minimal English. I didn’t serve a Spanish-speaking mission (I didn’t serve a full-time mission at all, actually), but I have taken several advanced Spanish courses at BYU and lived for a summer in El Salvador. My translation certainly was not perfect, but overall it was a pretty awesome experience! It requires a lot of active thinking and engagement with the lesson to translate. And like anything worthwhile in life, you definitely can’t be afraid to make a mistake because you inevitably will. Totez wanna do it again if there is a need. ¡Qué bien!
Although I love Bobby (he was named after the British poet Dylan Thomas!), I proclaim that the answers to life’s questions are in actuality NOT blowing in the wind; they instead come from righteous men and women who are inspired of God! I invite you to watch the next session or two of LDS General Conference. Click here para más información.
Hope you take me up on that offer. But if not, I guess we can still be friends…
And some broken bones and a broken home are all he’ll have to show.
LINE OF PROPRIETY
mythvs. experience
Dear Readers:
Let me again express that I never intend to be judgmental or unkind to anyone, not even concerning such individuals as Charlie Sheen (Although truthfully it’s hard NOT to judge such a troubled man). I wish to emphasize that all of us are children of God. ALL OF US. But I just can’t help but think of how badly Mr. Sheen needs Christ. I mean, we all do, but for some people, it is more obvious and drastically evident, know what I’m sayin’?
“No other success can compensate for failure in the home.”
(readers, remember that quote por favor. it’s totez important)
The disgusting phenomenon known as “strip clubs” is a sad and embarrassing part of our society. As is often portrayed in pop culture, “men” will go to these kinds of clubs (why they are sometimes referred to as “Gentlemen’s Clubs” is beyond me!) soon before they get married, or even for no specific occasion at all. For some reason which I will never fully understand, it seems fun and harmless to casually objectify women. Sadly, sometimes women themselves contribute to this false idea; some think they will be more appealing and sexy if they fulfill some sick fantasy. Ew! Totez gross! Be a lady! And the guys need to be real men (just like Elder Christofferson talked about in this post)! So now howzabout you let me set the record straight on what should REALLY happen on the dance floor.
Hint: it’s classy, clean, AND still lets me bust a move.
(safe for all eyes and ears OF COURSE!)
Truths to Consider:
1) Most girls/women who work in strip-clubs have been abused and are very unhappy (more to come on this idea in another post).
2) Most boys/men who patronize strip-clubs are lonely, desperate, insecure, and unhappy as well.
3) God intended for us to be sexual, but within the realm of a committed, marital relationship (read more about this here), and certainly not in some stuffy, crowded shack of sin that smells like stale armpits and halitosis.
(this sentence will be repeated in this post, FYI).
So what is to be done? Thankfully, all is not lost. There are inspired leaders (ancient and modern) who have given us counsel and truth concerning these issues. Here are just a few insights that will bring us safety and happiness if we heed them:
Dancing can be fun and can provide an opportunity to meet new people. When dancing, avoid full body contact with your partner. Do not use positions or moves that are suggestive of sexual or violent behavior or are otherwise inappropriate….Attend only those dances where dress, grooming, lighting, lyrics, music, and entertainment contribute to a wholesome atmosphere where the Spirit may be present.
And once again, lemme show you a girl who can dance
and have a good time while still keeping things clean:
And ya’ll, this may or may not apply to you, but just so you know,
any man who engages in any sort of these behaviors
doesn’t stand a CHANCE with me!
So keep it clean, and maybe we can get to know each other.
🙂
And now let me give you a nice, take-away quote (the one I said I’d repeat!):
“God intended for us to be sexual, but within the realm of a committed, marital relationship, and certainly not in some stuffy, crowded shack of sin that smells like stale armpits and halitosis.”
~Katie Wilk
In conclusion, let me utilize the megaphone pic of the ever lovely Ms. Bedingfield (she can move and still be a lady!) to express something that I really just wanna shout to the world:
Don’t glamorize what is ugly in reality…
STRIP CLUBS STINK!
.
*if you wanna pass this message/post along, I wouldn’t object…
PS. This is not a judgment on women who work in the industry, especially because so many of them are coerced or have a terrible background story. Don’t call me judgmental, ok? That’s not what this is about. We’re all children of God, but sin is sin, and I’m not afraid to call it that…
(don’t love this song, but am sad I didn’t mention DECEMber in the video AND I love Taylor’s whole look here…)
Anyways, libraries can be amazing, but even the great American transcendentalist Ralph Waldo Emerson knew that they could be problematic:
“Meek young men grow up in libraries, believing it their duty to accept the views, which Cicero, which Locke, which Bacon, have given, forgetful that Cicero, Locke, and Bacon were only young men in libraries, when they wrote these books.”
~The AmericanScholar (this address is SO powerful. Read (about) it!
And to further illustrate (figuratively AND literally!) this idea of library limits,
allow me to borrow some palabras from my dear friend:
“They read all the books, but they CAN’T FIND THE ANSWERS!”
~7 time Grammy Winner (and thief of Kat’s heart) John Mayer
(and more than just part of Katherine’s [K]orazón…)
What would you prefer us to sing/play first? Have you heard of a British woman named Natasha Bedingfield (TOTAL anachronism, I know. Just go with it, please!)
PS. That “food poisoning” may or may not have been accidental. If you find any mysterious substance in my car, I must have been framed! But rest assured, it’s only temporary. Greta and Rigita will be fine come a few weeks. I may fight my way to the top, but I don’t believe in murder. And my PS is getting longer than the rest of the post, so better say adios. Actually, come to think of it, let the family serenade you:
Nope, just a play on words to make you read this post. Another National Enquirer tactic I employed there. Thunderbolt of blasphemy? I think I’m alright…
I have a friend named Sonrisa. Not her real name of course (my name in 8th grade Spanish class was Sonrisa that means SMILE, so that’s why I chose it.) ANYWAYS, Sonny came home and read this blog, then gained some clarity about a D-bag who had been in and out of her life for quite some time after she read the comment on this post (thanks Christine!). She realized Mr. D hadn’t weathered enough storms, and that she needed a man by her side, not a boy who’d run and hide! And NOW, she is that much closer to finding her dream man. Love you Sonrisa! Thanks for telling me, and onward you go 🙂
And as for me? Just call me “Katherine clean Carrie Bradshaw Wilkinson.”
I love my sista, yes I do. But some days it’s hard not to be jealous. Scratch that, ALL days it’s hard not to be jealous. Now I’m not saying that I don’t have anything going for me, but hermana has a hot husband who could catch fish with his teeth, a great job inserting catheters and stuff like that, and has generally made a very good transition into this adult life.
And me? No husband (yet?). Not quite set on this whole career thing. And even though this blog has been a HUGE part of my journey of self-discovery and expression, still sorting out life.
So really. Is it any wonder (Kat is keen on Keane!) I gave her this look (on her wedding day no less)?
AND my hair didn’t look that cute that day. Darnie.
🙂
*read into the black and white symbolism in every way possible way you can and you will likely be correct….
*this picture was NOT staged in any way…
READERS!
How do YOU deal with feelings of jealousy/inadequacy
