the Hidden History of Women Who Surrendered Children for Adoption in the Decades Before Roe v. Wade by Ann Fessler I just finished reading this harrowing, gut-wrenching, and emotional book. There were moments that I wanted to throw up, moments that I couldn’t stop crying, and moments that made me want to stand up and [...]

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For Earth Day this year, I want to draw the focus away from “earth” as an entity separate from us and from the many forces that act upon it. Earth is one of the (Western) traditional elements but it’s also a large rock we all live on. So today, let’s look at the three additional [...]

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There have been a lot of apologies in the news recently and while I’m very glad that this particular sacrament is being observed by so many, I’m concerned about what it means. What I see is not contrition or even apology in some cases, what I see are people who are ashamed that they were [...]

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If you’re interested, several of the MoF faithful will be going to see Amazing Grace early Sunday afternoon in central OC.¬† If you’d like to join us, email me (I have a gmail account, the prefix is “fierymind” ) or leave a comment indicating interest (that way you can privately leave your email address for [...]

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I usually have to make a choice between blogging or doing something else. Here’s what I’m working on tonight: Supporting Jana (her PhD comprehensive exams are tomorrow). I cooked up some Eggplant Parmigiana and creamy bell pepper penne (okay, TJ’s mixed the ingredients and packaged it up, I did the applied heat and arranged it [...]

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I hope you’ve all enjoyed Oj?Æchan‚Äôs Funeral.¬† Publishing it in blog format has been an experiment, and I would appreciate any feedback you have to offer.¬† Should I have published the story in full?¬† Was it weird to read fiction on a blog (which usually has op-ed, links, and personal journal type entries), in a [...]

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This post is continued from this one. My thoughts were interrupted by Christiansen, who was running up the hill towards me. “The cremation’s done,” he said between breaths. “They’re ready for you.” I hurried back to the crematorium. A large stainless steel tray the size of a coffin had been wheeled into a private room [...]

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I guess I’m not really sure I knew what this was about, but when it came out, I honestly had no interest in seeing it. I was surfing last night, however, and it was making its “network premier” so I started watching it. My husband came home and I stopped, but after the first 20 [...]

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This post is intended for those of us who are shocked and grieved by the Virginia Tech killings but who do not know anyone at the school. I suspect that most of us didn’t know any of the victims (and I extend my heartfelt condolences if you did lose a friend or family member in [...]

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In Part One, a Mormon missionary finds himself with his contrary companion at his Buddhist grandfather’s wake. In Part Two, he is tempted to worship idols. Part Three follows. As his grandpa’s body is consumed in the crematorium, Elder Degraw puzzles over strange past manifestations of the Spirit. This section is almost entirely autobiographical. On [...]

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