What I Got Out of the Relief Society Broadcast

This post is a few days late. The General Relief Society Broadcast has been discussed in numerous places on the Bloggernacle over the past few days. I got something totally different out of the conference. In fact, it was something I wasn't even actively seeking.

Here's a little bit of background to make things make more sense. I'm single, I'm a grad student, and I'm old enough that if I were a guy, I would be a menace to society, but since I'm a woman, I'm merely the cat lady. Every so often, I wonder why guys are totally interested in being my friend, but totally uninterested in dating me. I got some insight from watching the broadcast.

You'll see above a picture of my right hand. The lighting is bad, but the inscription reads "True Love Waits". It's a chastity ring, a reminder of the promise I've made to abstain from premarital sex. I have worn this ring ever since I got home from my mission. Only a few people have asked me about it, and I'm always happy to explain.

Well, fast-forward to Saturday's broadcast. All of the talks were excellent. My big epiphany came not from any spoken word, however. As President Uchtdorf was giving his talk, he was gesturing animatedly with his hands. I noticed that he was wearing his wedding ring on his right hand instead of his left. I filed this away in my brain to research later.

After the broadcast, I looked on Wikipedia. It turns out that wearing a wedding ring on the right hand is traditional in many European countries. I live in an area that is culturally diverse, with people from all over the world living and working side by side. It occured to me that perhaps I haven't been getting attention from guys because they think I'm already married.

I put the ring on a chain to wear as a necklace yesterday. Maybe my un-ringed fingers will make a difference.

Anyway, the point of this story isn't about my ring at all. The point of the story is that inspiration can come at any time, even when the subject of the inspiration is totally distinct from the subject of the circumstances, and even when we aren't actively seeking answers on a particular subject. I love the Spirit.

I'm looking forward to General Conference next weekend to see what other inspiration I can receive.

Around the Bloggernacle - Volume 4

There have been several interesting posts around the Bloggernacle lately.

Over at Feminist Mormon Housewives, there is a post about ideas for coming-of-age rituals for 12 year old girls. There is also a post about alternatives to disposable plastic water bottles.

Mormon Matters has a post about the use of the term "brainwashed".

On the lighter side, By Common Consent has the 4th installment of their Police Beat Roundtable series, and The Ninth Ward has a comic about missionaries getting lost.

Things are going well in school. I'm going to keep this post short because the A key on my keyboard keeps sticking and it takes me extra time to type because I have to hit it harder.

A Busy Few Weeks

I'm still around, but school and work are keeping me busy, so I haven't been able to blog. Work has been filled with drama. A few of my co-workers got (well-deservedly) fired, and I've had to pick up a lot of the slack. (Happy overtime to me!) I don't much like my job, but in this economy, I'm quite grateful to have it.

School is going great. I'm taking contracts, torts, and writing and research. I've taken all of these classes before, so I wasn't expecting much. I've been pleasantly surprised, though. My professors are great, and I understand the material far better than I ever did before. My writing and research professor is specifically exemplary. He takes an otherwise dull class and makes it interesting because he is passionate about the subject. I've gotten good feedback on how I can improve my writing. Torts is fun, too. My professor likes to have skits for landmark cases, and I got to act out the part of Mrs. Palsgraf. I made a fool of myself, but it was a blast.

I finally found another roommate, and she moved in last week. We haven't seen much of each other because we keep separate schedules. The construction at my apartment complex is really getting annoying. Parking is a nightmare, and I had no living room windows all day on Monday. I had to shut my cat in the bathroom today because my bedroom window was being replaced and I didn't want her to jump out and fall 3 stories. So, now my cat is mad at me. She's pretty forgiving, though, so I'm expecting she'll get over it soon.

My random stomach nausea has gone away! It turns out that the ultrasound came back negative for gallbladder disease. I got sent to a specialist and he gave me medicine for acid reflux. The medicine made me even sicker, so I stopped taking it. I'm now taking mastic gum, and it's cured me. I've only had two bouts of nausea since then, and mint herbal tea has cured them. I've decided to canonize Bigelow because Mint Medley has performed many miracles. Here's to St. Bigelow!

I've got a few spiritual posts in the queue for when I have more time to devote to them. (Hopefully on Sunday.) Have a great week!