The Literary Nunnery, Ep. 18: In which Leslie films at her desk

Hazards of making a video at work
Hazards of filming at work I suppose!

Books featured in this video:
The Storyspinner by Becky Wallace

The Literary Nunnery, Ep. 17: in which Leslie has an exciting weekend

Extra-long video this time because I forgot to post a second one last week. There is some embarrassing footage in here and I don't even care.
I sure put some embarrassing stuff in this video. Don't you wish you were me? Extra-long because I didn't post a video last week.

Books featured in this video:
Illusionarium by Heather Dixon
P.S. I Still Love You by Jenny Han
Suspicion by Alexandra Monir

The Literary Nunnery, Ep. 16: In which Leslie films from home

In honor of Pioneer Day holiday, here's the vlog I filmed on Independence Day holiday.

Books featured in this video:
The Mermaid's Sister by Carrie Anne Noble
Now That You're Here by Amy K. Nichols
Dream a Little Dream by Kerstin Gier

The Literary Nunnery, Ep. 15: in which Leslie reads books all the way th...

I am fast running out of titles for this vlog.
I specifically filmed against our accent wall so that all the purple in this video would stand out (or blend in? I guess).

Books featured in this video:
The Girl at Midnight by Melissa Grey
Grounded: The Adventures of Rapunzel by Megan Morrison

in which Leslie talks fast

I made it through the recording!

Books featured in this video:
P.S. I Still Love You by Jenny Han
Suspicion by Alexandra Monir
Illusionarium by Heather Dixon
Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen

followers of my faith [Mormon Monday 81]

Oh man. Scriptures about stiffneckedness are on my mind today. (Here's a refresher if you've been wondering how often it comes up.)

Maybe, MAYBE all those people can't figure out how to stop. Maybe it hurts to try to be any other way than the way they are. Maybe they wish they could turn their heads and see, or even bow their heads in humility, but they can't work it out. The only way for it to happen is the way of pain.

Sounds accurate to me. Humility generally does take pain one way or the other. But it's better when you have a Healer watching over the process.

you are my friend

Two of my dearest friends have birthdays within a day of each other. I thought I'd write up a little blog post about why I love them both. (I could do one of each, but people already can't tell them apart so I may as well exacerbate that situation.)

Cynthia is my go-to hangout buddy.

Photo shamelessly stolen from Cynthia's blog.

We have so much fun together! She is kind (but not so nice she's boring), beautiful, and funny. She also thinks I'm funny which is definitely a point in her favor. We talk most every day, especially on gchat. It's great to have someone keep you company at work and she is excellent company. We have similar taste in books and help motivate each other to do social things (or, on very rare occasions, validate each other in not doing anything social). We also love to play piano together. I'm so glad she's in my life.

Corinne is my most long-standing roommate.

I have never ever had such a caring roommate as Corinne, and I only wish I could be like her. She too is beautiful, kind (but not so nice she's boring), and funny (and thinks I'm funny. Like, really funny). She is also brave. Since I've lived here she's gone forward with her life in so many ways that I admire so much. I also like to talk to Corinne at work. :) Plus she is very patient with me, which is an excellent trait. We also love to play piano together. I'm so glad she's in my life.

Cynthia and Corinne are also friends with each other! And we are all of us friends together!

This was more than a year ago. And we miss you, Rachael

We like to play piano together (well, we've done it a couple times) and talk about how our lives have come to this. I'm not surprised they're friends (because they're both SUPER AWESOME), I'm just grateful either of them are willing to be friends with me. I wish I could think of all the things I want to say about these wonderful women, but feelings make me uncomfortable so I'll leave it at this.

Happy birthday, both of you! I love you!

In which Leslie apparently is afraid of books

Sometimes I just can't make myself open a book because I worry I'll be too traumatized by what happens inside it. I wasn't too traumatized. Hope you're not too traumatized by my hair.

Books featured in this video:
Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng
The Eternity Key by Bree Despain

In which Leslie reevaluates a couple books

I show off the books I checked out from the library and discuss the book I'm currently reading.

Books featured in this video:
The Storyspinner by Becky Wallace
The Orphan Queen by Jodi Meadows
An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir

followers of my faith [Mormon Monday 80]

Hi guys. Can you believe I've made (approximately) 80 entries in this series? I sort of can't. I know that there will always be more to say but sometimes it feels like I've said everything already. Still, I'm super impressed with my sticktoitiveness (for once) and hope to continue for a long time more.

Yesterday I finally cleaned my room. I turned on a BYU Devotional to listen to while I unpacked bags from weeks ago traveling, and decided to go with Ron Staheli's 1996 address, "The Comprehending Soul: Open Minds and Hearts". And it was great. Here's a snippet (though I'd suggest listening to the whole thing):

With coordination of mind and heart we continue the process of reconciling the natural man to the spiritual man. By working with mind and heart together, we best prepare to understand and assume responsibility for our choices. And with mind and heart both participating in those choices, we can find our way to self-reliance, morality, principles, character, and integrity. 

But what a balancing act! There are endless complications: We will not escape hurt feelings. We will experience loss and disappointment. The gifts we offer, which we may view as the best and most appropriate things within us, may be received with little appreciation, with disdain, or they may be refused altogether. The heart will want to harden or close and leave the mind free to take offense or seek retaliation or retribution, or it will want to rebel against what an otherwise connected heart and mind know to be true. 

By design we are asked to live with the stress of unanswered questions, paradox, incongruity, enigma, and seeming absurdity, which will try our tenacity, patience, and faithfulness. Our thinking will be challenged, our powers of reason will be overwhelmed, leaving the heart free to wander toward an unrealistic world of self-deception.

As you can tell it's about using both heart and mind in our lives, and not letting one overrule the other. That's something I don't usually think about but in the course of the address I realized that I am guilty of the head ruling the heart, and the heart ruling the head. But now that my eyes are opened I can start to pay more attention.

In which Leslie really liked This Shattered World

I recorded this video right into Youtube. That's why I look so different.

Books featured in this video:
This Shattered World by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner
These Broken Stars by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner