The only identity that matters

So, I kind of mentioned this topic before, and this is not the post that I'd anticipated writing, but it is the one that needs to be written. There are a lot of different ways that we label/categorize/identify ourselves, or people in general. And I don't intend for label to be a bad thing here. Labels can be bad, but they also help us organize and understand information, which is the general idea here.

Alright, what labels are there? How do we identify people? Ready? Go:
race/ethnicity
religion
profession
nationality
statehood
locality
hobbies
gender
sexual orientation
looks
dress
economic status
social status
educational level
political affiliation
ancestry
extracurricular activities
personalities
age
family (surname)
marital status

And that isn't even all of them, I'm sure. That is a lot of ways to be sliced, diced, and ordered. Given how much time we spend dividing ourselves up, it's no wonder everyone has such a hard time getting along! And as I've thought about all of these different labels, I've been challenged to think about how I label myself, and I want to tell you about the only identity that matters to me, the only one that I need.

I am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. (People call us Mormons, but being a Mormon isn't necessarily the same thing as being a member of the Church, as being a Latter-day Saint. Which may sound confusing, but it is the difference between the culture of an organization and the actual organization itself, if that makes sense). And being a member of this Church tells me everything about who I am, who I want to be, and who I can become. My faith tells me everything I need to know about everyone else, and how I should treat them. The Gospel of Jesus Christ, when understood, has the solution to every social and personal problem that exists. It is the only organization I know of that really does offer the same promise to everyone, regardless of any other label they have. Don't get me wrong--the people in it aren't perfect, and sometimes things don't go the way they should. Imperfection is a preexisting condition of mortality. But the Church and the doctrine are perfect and beautiful and simple, and all the things that divide us vanish because everyone is there for the same thing--to learn about Christ and Heavenly Father and how to be better people, to help others, and to be happy.

But most importantly, being a member of this Church teaches me about the most important label that any of us have, which is a son or daughter of God. That is the only label that matters. Everything else is pretty unimportant in comparison.

So feel free to leave me out of the divvying up process, because I already have my label picked out. Other labels need not apply.

Polar Vortex: The Sequel

Some sequels just shouldn't be made.

Any time the Arctic wants its weather back, I'm happy to oblige. Anyone else want to go in on shipping?

True Beauty

When I grow up, I want to be a beautiful old person. One that has wrinkles and gray hair and has let nature take it's course. Because nature is going to do that anyway. Old people are some of the most beautiful people on the planet. They really are. So much more beautiful than the old people who are still trying to look young. There is something clean and wholesome about a person who has just let age happen. That's what aging gracefully is. And, yes, there are aches, and pains, and things don't work they way they used to, but why should they? Besides, I figure I will have lived a life to earn every wrinkle and gray hair, so why be ashamed of them? Nope. I'm going to be a beautiful old lady.

Frozen

I think there was some confusion when memos were being delivered for this week's weather. Somehow, my neighborhood got confused with the North Pole. Unfortunately, I'm getting the Arctic weather without the fun of Santa's workshop. Which should be against the rules. At any rate, the weather is definitely having a tantrum. It's the kind of weather that is perfect for curling up in a blanket and reading a book. Best enjoyed from inside.

Anyway, in tribute to the raging storm, I leave you with this:

Frozen

Books and covers and that sort of thing

So there has been this thread on Twitter (which I don't follow but know about, though I don't have any idea what people are actually saying on it) where people are sharing their experience being a certain minority somewhere. I am not a minority, and most of the time I feel like I don't even get to claim any kind of cultural heritage (despite having English, Irish, Scottish, German, and Danish ancestors. Just because they are European, I don't get to be proud of them, or acknowledge my unique heritage?! What is up with that? Come on, fair's fair. Equality, right?) So I've been thinking what I would say about being me (white, single, American, Christian, straight, etc.) but that seemed kind of heavy, so today, some myth-busting about me. To keep it light.

I grew up in Idaho. 

Myth: I lived on a potato farm. 

Truth: I have never even seen a potato farm, that I recall. (Note the disclaimer.) My grandpa grew potatoes in his garden, but the only experience I have had with Idaho potatoes has been buying them at the store. That I am aware of.

Second myth/truth: Idaho and Iowa are 2 different places. Really. 

I am shy.

Myth: I must be boring, or at least uninteresting.

Truth: I have been told I'm quite funny. And people seem to enjoy having conversations with me. Maybe they are just being nice.

I'm an archivist.

Myth: I live in the past and can be found doddering around dusty old bookshelves.

Truth: The past does inform my present (not the same as living in the past, friends). And I do get dusty and dirty. But most of the materials I work with are younger than me. Not always, but mostly. (Although most of the fun stuff is older than that. And I did once find a letter written on the day I was born. Kind of cool). Nope, my job is actually pretty current. And awesome.

I'm 'thin' or 'slender' or 'skinny' or whatever
Myth: I must be a very healthy and fit person.
Truth: Balance and diet should probably find themselves in one another's company in my vocabulary much more often.

I'm pretty ordinary. Ish.
Myth: Ordinary is a bad thing to be.
Truth: Have you ever noticed how amazing ordinary people are? Who are the people who go into burning buildings and help the little old ladies and make the world actually function? The ordinary people. Ordinary is fantastic. It means you aren't a politician, a dictator, a drug-addict celebrity, or Justin Bieber. Thank you for ordinary.

I am an adult.

Myth: I know what I'm doing.

Truth: HA!

Well, that's all for Truth and Myth today. I hope you feel enlightened!

This post brought to you by:
Dust
Chocolate
Sophomore English, where we studied a bit of mythology
George Lucas, who created a mythology
J. R. R. Tolkien, who created a better mythology
The Vikings
Potatoes
Geography
and the number 7

...but not Bieber. Never him. 

Dreaming big

It seems like I should have a big fantastic year in review post or something but everyone does that at this time of year, and really, isn't living through it once plenty. If you want my year in review, well, Blogger does archive posts, so you can peruse and review at your leisure.

I will say, my year ended pretty well. I finished Phase I of my big project at work and just got back from visiting my sister's family, which was fantastic. So, December has treated me well.

Instead of the year in review, I thought I'd maybe focus on some of my hopes for the coming year. Not goals. Quite frankly, my goals mine and quite frankly they'd probably bore anyone else. They are pretty custom made, after all. But there are things that I hope 2014 is, so here goes:

I hope 2014 is a spring year. Some years are winter years, and feel barren and dreary and dismal. I hope 2014 is a year of green and new and clean and wholeness.

I hope it's my year to leave limbo. I hope that there is some concreteness to the year, instead of hypothetical decisions to be made. Hypothetical choices--I'm not sure they don't count, but they sure don't seem very helpful when it comes to getting out of bed and living.

I hope it is a year for unloading. I have been carrying around the same old concerns for so long and it really is tedious. I would like to have some new things to think about--like, buying a car, or moving into my own place and figuring out what to do with all my stuff.

I hope it is a year of light. Things seem to be going dark--in the world, in the lives of people I know, and my view has seemed dimly lit for a while. So, yeah, I'd love light.

I want it to be a year of changing. Changing myself, changes in my circumstances. But mostly in me.

Mostly I hope it is a good year.