Lilo and Stitch - The Live Action Thing

Happy 626 Day! (Last week)

I hope you all listened to some Elvis music while demolishing a home!

Anyway, here are my thoughts on the new Lilo and Stitch. 

                                                *SPOILERS*

A Quick Word on the Original

I'm a Lilo and Stitch fan, as many people know. I took a Stitch stuffed animal on my mission, my car is covered in Stitch decor, and I can pick my nose with my tongue, a feat that was not easy to master. However, this does not exclude the animated Lilo and Stitch from the nit-picky criticisms I have for every other movie, TV show, video game and book on the planet. 

My biggest issue was Gantu, the giant whale man that we see Stitch defeat in the first 10 minutes of the film and then later has to deal with when he shows up to Earth. My issue is this: We spend a majority of the film setting up the conflict between Lilo and Nani's want to keep their family together and Stitch's want to avoid Jamba by using Lilo as a human shield. Where this conflicts is when Stitch's destructive nature proves that Nani cannot provide a stable home for Lilo and climaxes when Stitch destroys their home and Lilo is taken away by a social worker. 

And then...

Gantu shows up and we're treated to a ten minute Tom and Jerry routine of Gantu and Stitch fighting on a space ship until they crash into the ocean, after which we have to quickly reestablish the emotional tension we had earlier and resolve the main plot. 

I hate this. 

What does the New Adaptation Bring?

Frankly where the live action Lilo and Stitch shines is whenever it's NOT trying to be the original. Whenever the movie does a frame-for-frame recreation the way the live action Lion King did the film falls flat, since we've already seen it. However, anywhere that new material is brought in, including new characters, preexisting characters becoming more fleshed out (Looking at you Nani) and just new antics with Lilo and Stitch, the film shines. The most obvious fact with this film and most of Disney's other live action remakes is that we don't need these films, we already have all of them. The only reason to recreate them would be to add something new or change things that didn't work in the original. For example...

NO GANTU

The film has been leveled with two major critiques (The other I'll address later), one of which is that Gantu is completely absent from the film, and thank whatever executive was responsible for that. What we have instead is Jamba taking on the role of villain, with him not giving half a regurgitated piece of cake about weather or not Lilo and Nani get to remain as a family. This isn't to say that it makes Jamba more interesting, in fact most of the new scenes of Jamba and Pleekly feel like a 90's kids movie with how bad the acting is, but he's still head and shoulders over a villain we see maybe three times throughout the course of the film. This also does change the climax, where instead of Gantu kidnapping Lilo and Stitch it's Jamba, who goes full on villain and uses the fact that Stitch was using Lilo as a human shield as a way to break them apart. This keeps the emotion in the climax instead of stopping it, giving it a far mor cohesive feeling. 

Nani's Choice

If you haven't seen the movie yet but are an avid reader of the internet you may have seen references to Nani abandoning Lilo. In the live action film, Nani is given more backstory. We find out she was an avid surfer and had a full-ride scholarship to become a marine biologist before their parents were killed, but now she has given up on her own dreams to take care of Lilo. A solution is presented though when, the new character David's grandma, offers to take care of Lilo while Nani goes to college. The critique over this is "What about ohana?!" Here's the issue: Nani is also a child. Nani lost her parents and is asked to take care of a 6 year old girl. She was willing to sacrifice everything to do so but an opportunity presented itself for her to better herself, have Lilo taken care of, and make a better future for the both of them. The original Nani's sacrifice was honorable, but if the animated Nani had a way for Lilo to be taken care of and her to get her dreams to come true I fully believe she would take it, as she should. It is not right to ask a child to take on the responsibility of an adult when they are not ready. 

Plus, to the internet critics, the movie gave them a portal gun so they can visit whenever they want so what's the issue? 

-JOE

Yu-Gi-Oh Workout

Summer is officially here! While you might not realistically get shredded between now and when pool/beach season ends, it's always a good idea to get moving and work on mobility and strength. While I didn't care for Zexal and Arc-V, the Yu-Gi-Oh franchise is a perfect choice for exercising along with one of our exercise games. So turn to the original Duel Monsters anime on Netflix, Hulu, or Tubi to get moving with Yugi and his friends (or maybe Jaden at Duel Academy).

Disclaimer: While I am a licensed physical therapy provider, I am not a personal trainer or a medical practitioner. Partner as necessary with your doctor prior to engaging in any diet or excise programs. If any of these exercises cause increased pain, stop the exercise immediately.

• Theme song - Plank
• Duel begins - Seated Good Morning 10 reps 
• Duelist draws a card - Lateral Raise 10 reps
• Someone activates a spell card - Thoracic CARS 10 reps 
• Someone activates a trap card - Prone Press Ups 10 reps 
• Someone special summons - Prone Hip ER Lift 10 reps 
• Someone activates a monster effect - Toe Yoga 10 reps 
• Direct attack! - Prone Hip CARS 10 reps 
• Duel ends - Squeeze Bridges 10 reps 
• Someone uses ancient/mystical powers - Lunges 10 reps 

***This workout is intended to work without any equipment, but feel free to add small dumbbells or bands as you're safely able.

Training to look like Elemental Hero Wildheart

LDS Geeks Podcast #44: Animorphs Re-Read (2)

Here we come for round two of our Animorphs re-read! Three more regular books and the first Megamorphs. We had lots to talk about, more than I expected. I hope you enjoy it!

--Spencer

Listen to Episode 44 on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.

Subscribe on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube

Check out Spencer's recent blog posts: click here

Check out Russell's recent blog posts: click here

Show Notes:

    Follow along: Animorphs Book Club Reading Schedule

    Spencer's Recommendation: ”Greater Than All My Regrets” by Tenth Avenue North

        Listen on YouTube

    Russell's Recommendation: The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance

    #5 - The Predator

    #6 - The Capture

    #7 - The Stranger

    Megamorphs #1 - The Andalite's Gift

Mischief Managed - My Riddikulus Experience at the Dallas Fan Expo

(Guest post by Curtis)

I believe in the Holy Trinity of nerdism: 1) Star Wars, 2) Lord of the Rings, and 3) Harry Potter (my favorite being #3). Marvel is up there too, and if they can keep up the renewed momentum after Thunderbolts*, we might see somebody get overthrown. All this to say that I’m a huge movie nerd that likes to delve into deep lore, occasionally.

So naturally, when I heard some friends talk about going to this year’s Dallas Fan Expo, I would’ve used one of the 3 Unforgivable Curses on someone to be able to tag along. And man, was it the experience of a lifetime! Not only was the overall energy more illuminating than the tip of a wizard’s wand, but the fact that I was among so many fellow nerds of different factions (Potterheads, Trekkies, D&Ders, Middle-Earthlings, and more) reminded me that we’re all just as misunderstood creatures as spiders and dragons are.

But what made my first Comic-Con experience truly un-obliviate-able was the friends that came with me. And I not only left with a new wand to add to my growing collection, but with some newfound friends as well! 

Even though I was only able to stay for a couple hours, during that time we saw some legendary cosplay costumes, incredibly detailed memorabilia and replicas, extremely rare comics and famous celebrities that left me absolutely stupefied! If I had a time-turner, I’d spin that thing all day long just so I could relive what I witnessed and see everything I missed! 

To Harry, Hogwarts served as a reprieve; a glimpse of joy, purpose and belonging in a muggle world that, without his experience there, would have left him to live a miserable life in the cupboard at No. 4 Privet Drive. This probably explains my micro-experience at the Expo best. Though I’m sure my feet are too big to fit under any staircase, my soul has always longed for a truly magical, fun and welcoming relief from the world that has been my life lately. 

With that, what could be a better subtitle for this blog post than “My Riddikulus Experience at the Dallas Fan Expo”? If anything can take life’s moments of fear or darkness and turn them into joy, laughter and hope, it’s the magic of surrounding yourself with like-minded friends and savoring their company! 

So here’s my closing challenge to the dozens of people reading this: if an owl ever drops a letter off at your doorstep (meaning, if you ever have the opportunity) inviting you to go to your next local Comic-Con event - just go! I’d even invite some of those pesky death-eaters in your life. Who knows? Maybe they’ll finally see the light!

Mischief managed - Nox!

Friday Creature Feature - Hobbes

The longer I’m a father, the more I’m fascinated by the imaginative play of my daughters and the world(s) they create for themselves. It made me think of the Calvin and Hobbes comics I read as a kid. Nothing against the Spaceman Spiff alter ego, but the most iconic part of Calvin’s imaginative play should be obvious: Hobbes.

Hobbes is Calvin’s stuffed tiger and best friend. He’s sassy and fierce and he loves tuna. He can’t get behind half of Calvin’s inventions and risky adventures. Despite being a domesticated housecat in many ways, the wild tiger still lives inside of him, even if it’s just to destroy Calvin every day after school. 

I love that over the years it’s left ambiguous as to whether he’s real or imaginary. Is Hobbes part of Calvin’s psyche or is he a real tiger that only Calvin can see? Especially with how involved my oldest daughter gets in her imaginative play, I love the idea of Hobbes being pure imagination. If Hobbes is part of Calvin’s psyche, it makes their antics that much better.

Think about it for a second: If Hobbes is really just part of Calvin, what does that say about Hobbes crushing on Susie? All a young boy trying to avoid liking a neighbor girl. And what about all the times Calvin makes Hobbes do his homework? Just a way that Calvin’s mind makes the monotony of schoolwork more palatable. And just think of all those moments that Hobbes would make a sassy remark and Calvin barks back in anger? That’s Calvin’s internal dialogue coming out. 

Regardless of what you make of Hobbes’s sentience, he’s the best friend a young boy could ask for. It makes me wonder how lonely Calvin might have been to dream up such a friend. The only boy his age I can remember him interacting with is his bully Moe. Kids are resilient though and an imaginative child like Calvin took care of himself and in some ways I think that’s beautiful. It takes a special kid to be his own best friend.

Scar, Shame, and the Second Temptation

 

    I have always enjoyed the movie "The Lion King" and have often had chance to listen to and enjoy the music. The heartache and redemption in Simba's journey make it one of my favorites. In reading Sister Runia's recent general conference talk, I found a lesson from the movie that I thought I would share here.    

    At one point, shortly after the death of Mufasa, Scar shamed Simba into thinking that Simba was responsible for the death of the king. He then told Simba to run away, to hide. This is similar to what Satan does to Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden. After getting Adam and Eve to partake of the fruit of the tree of good and evil, Satan tells Adam and Eve to hide. Sister Runia talks about repentance and how Satan seeks to shame us when we make a mistake and encourage us to hide. Elder Whiting talks of what he calls “the second temptation” which is hiding ourselves after we sin. Just as Scar was not seeking to help Simba by telling him to run away, Satan is not trying to help us when telling us to hide. The Savior suffered all things for us in the garden and on the cross, but he is not suffering now except when we don’t use His power. 

    Repentance has become a favorite part of the doctrine of Christ and of the gospel of Jesus Christ since I heard President Nelson talk about it in April 2019.

 “Too many people consider repentance as punishment —something to be avoided except in the most serious circumstances. But this feeling of being penalized is engendered by Satan. He tries to block us from looking to Jesus Christ, who stands with open arms, hoping and willing to heal, forgive, cleanse, strengthen, purify, and sanctify us.The word for repentance in the Greek New Testament is metanoeo. The prefix meta- means “change.” The suffix -noeo is related to Greek words that mean “mind,” “knowledge,” “spirit,” and “breath.”Thus, when Jesus asks you and me to “repent,” He is inviting us to change our mind, our knowledge, our spirit —even the way we breathe. He is asking us to change the way we love, think, serve, spend our time, treat our wives, teach our children, and even care for our bodies.Nothing is more liberating, more ennobling, or more crucial to our individual progression than is a regular, daily focus on repentance. Repentance is not an event; it is a process. It is the key to happiness and peace of mind. When coupled with faith, repentance opens our access to the power of the Atonement of Jesus Christ.”

 

    I get it, Simba would not have met Pumbaa and Timon and discovered his love for grubs if he wouldn’t have run away but he also wouldn’t have suffered the shame of thinking he had killed his father. Similarly for us, we when make mistakes and sin, as we all do, let us take the advice of Sister Runia and when Satan or the negative voice inside your head tells you to run away or hide, say “Not today Satan!” And turn to the one who stands with open arms to receive and help you, Jesus Christ.

Can LARPing Change Your Life?

(Guest post by Ken)

Each year that I’ve brought my kids to Dallas Fan Expo, there is one absolute must-do activity: Jedi Padawan training, sponsored by the local chapter of the Saber Guild, a Star Wars live-action roleplay (LARP) organization. The kids line up and get practice sabers and are taught by what appear to them as 100% authentic Jedi some basic lightsaber moves and then have to pass a test of their skills. The Jedi training them then put on a combat show, facing off against some just-as-authentic looking Sith who interrupt the proceedings. 

The costumes and saber choreography are impressive each year and this year I took the time to talk with several of the participants and get to know them a bit better and learn about this Saber guild. What I learned was fascinating and reinforced for me the positive power that role-playing can have in multiple ways.

Why and how do people role-play? The reasons and means are broad and diverse. Roleplay can be basic and surface level; cosplay for example is, at its core, a very basic form of roleplay, and LOTS of people do that. Not just people who go to cons either—on October 31 most people you know suddenly become cosplayers and thus very basic role-players. But of course, the members of the Saber Guild I witnessed were roleplaying at a level far beyond cosplay. This was LARP-level in all its glory. 

LARPing comes in many forms and many fandoms, whether general medieval roleplays, or those tied to major franchises like Star Wars. The main difference between a cosplay and a full-fledged live-action roleplay is that with LARPing, you go beyond just dressing up and maybe adopting some behavioral tweaks. You become fully engaged in that role like an actor in a play, except there is no script. You’ve become a different person, an actual Jedi or Viking or wizard. You have an identity and you put yourself into that life. 

So again we ask why? Well, the surface level answer is: fun. People enjoy it and leaning into imagination is something that adults can enjoy as much as children. But there’s lots of reasons beyond just fun for some people. Speaking with members of the Saber Guild, for example, I learned various reasons why they would spend to give up hours and hours of time to learn saber arts and wear costumes, performing often at over twenty events per year, all while taking on a whole new personality and living like a Jedi or a Sith. Beyond the fun of it, some enjoy honing skills in combat or sewing. Some are there for the strong sense of community and friendship with their fellow Jedi or Sith. For others there is an even deeper therapeutic effect—being someone else for a while helps you decompress from the stress of your “real life,” and then go back to that life better able to face and handle it. 

Collectively the Saber Guild has a charitable purpose as well: at many of their events they raise money for Make-A-Wish Foundation, and they even help volunteer for Star Wars themed wish granting ceremonies for terminally ill children. That’s a level of LARPing that is changing the world for good. 

I admit my curiosity in Star Wars based LARPing was more relevant this year, as in an unexpected way I’ve found a similar thing unfolding in my own life. I’ve been working on getting back into exercise and wellness lately and signed up for an online fitness training course offered by Paul Clingan—who offers Star Wars themed workouts. He encourages participants to create an alter ego for themselves and train as if for the Grand Army of the Republic. He wears a trooper mask in the workout vids and leans into the Star Wars roleplay in all his content. At first it seemed cheesy or kitschy. Then I found myself really getting into it. And I realized that this little injection of fun and putting my mind into a different ego state required for roleplay made exercise the most enjoyable and motivated it’s ever been for me. In fact I’ve never been more consistent in my life at working out and have never pushed myself harder. 

I’ve made the mistake before of categorizing roleplay enthusiasts (and there are many communities from LARPers to “furries” and beyond) into a “weird” label. I hereby repent. I’m learning more than ever lately that a little roleplay goes a long way. It can aid therapy, motivation, and stress relief and even bring in money for ill children. Maybe we need to all relax and let a little more roleplay and imagination into our lives. Kids do this naturally and it’s one of the ways we’d all benefit from being a little more childlike. 

But I Can Carry You

“I can't carry it for you, but I can carry you.”

I’m not a huge Lord of the Rings fan (a cardinal sin, as a card-carrying geek, I know) but this line popped into my mind when praying about about my daughter last month, as the school year ended. We could tell she was having a hard time leaving preschool for kindergarten. She may not have been able to articulate her feelings, but my wife and I could tell she was acting out due to anxiety. I’m not sure how this line from Samwise Gamgee applies to me and her exactly… I know I can’t take the big feelings from her, but I wished I knew how to help carry her through this.

Since the school year is over and she started adjusting to summer break, it seems like she's doing much better. Still it's hard being a parent and seeing my kids struggle. It needs to happen and it's part of the experience of mortality, but that doesn't change the fact that it's hard. As she grows up, she'll learn to manage her anxious feelings. But still I can't get the thought out of head about carrying her load.

And that impression left me thinking about how Heavenly Father views us. Being all-powerful, it seems reasonable that God could take away the anxiety and challenges we encounter. But as much as I'd like my anxiety lifted away forever, I know that's not how the Plan of Salvation works. If Heavenly Father jumped in whenever I had a problem, I wouldn't learn anything. It's like if I could have kept my daughter in preschool, so that she wouldn't have to face the heartache of leaving her friends and her teacher. However, she's growing up and she needs to learn and grow more.

Bringing it back to my relationship with God... It's a struggle with my mental health and my anxiety, because I'd love for a respite in which my anxiety is taken away even for a time... but that's not how life works... 

“I can't carry it for you, but I can carry you.”

Heavenly Father can't take the pain away. Heartbreak, anxiety, and struggles are what help us grow and develop as children of God. Though He can't take it away, He can carry me. That's why He sent Jesus Christ to perform the Atonement. I'm still figuring out what it means for a loving God to "carry" me, because on a day-to-day basis it still feels like I'm carrying it alone. But as I look back, I can see the footprints in the sand, seeing where I felt alone, and remembering that He has carried me through experiences I thought would rip me apart from the inside.

So while I don't understand how He carries me, I can keep moving forward and keep trying... especially on the days I don't want to try.

LDS Geeks Podcast #43: Disney Parks (Part Two)

One of my favorite things about going to the Disney Parks is the character meet-and-greets. It touches part of the inner child that heals my soul (or something less cheesy perhaps). Regardless of the cheese factor, I hope you enjoy our discussion about some of our favorite characters.

--Spencer

How to Speed-Run a Comic Con

Heyo! Tyler here. It’s been a while since I’ve written for this blog. My last post was actually the last time I attended Fan Expo in Dallas (see my article “Bulbasaur at the Zoo”). I just barely graduated from medical school and have been trying to make the most of my time before I start residency. As part of that, I planned on attending Fan Expo in Dallas this year. However, I later found out that I had a family event that same day. The family event schedule was “perfectly imperfect” such that I would only be able to attend about 2 hours worth of the con if I wanted to get to my family on time.

I considered backing out. But the Fan Expo I had gone to two years ago had been so much fun, and I had missed the con last year due to schooling – who knows the next time I’d be able to go? I suddenly found myself relating my situation to something from my college days. I had a group of geek friends who I would hang out and play video game with. One time, we all watched a speed-run of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. This was a game that I had played multiple times throughout my childhood. I was astounded to see the tricks people had figured out to complete the game in record time. As of today of me writing this article, the current world record to complete this game is 3 minutes, 47 seconds, and  900 milliseconds, something unfathomable to me, who spent hours playing through it. This memory then made me ask myself: “Is it possible to speed-run a comic con?”

Granted, there are certain mechanics that only work in a video game due to coding. (Sorry, no wall running or sequence breaking in real life). But what are the principles necessary to “speed-run” a comic con? Here are some of my ideas:

Evaluate Your Limitations

There many different rule sets for speed-runs depending on which game you are playing. For example, that 3m 47 s 900ms Ocarina of Time speed-run only got through the main storyline (called any “Any% speed-run,” not all collectibles required). However, there are other speed-runs that focus on completing every quest, collecting every collectible, achieving a 100% on the game (suitably called a “100% speed-run”). Super Mario 64 is a classic speed-run game to illustrate the difference between Any% and 100% speed-runs. Some people just try to make it to Bowser ASAP. Others only want to beat him after getting every single Star.

You have to figure out your own limitations with what time and resources you have, or just what you constraints you’d like to put on yourself for whatever reasons you have. 

Decide Your Priorities

Once you figure out your limitations, decide what is most important to you. What activities would make the experience feel like a success for you? There aren’t IRL “achievements” you unlock like on games, but you can decide for yourself, out of everything, what you want to focus on. Fan Expo runs over the course of 3 days. They pack the place with enough things to do to fill that time – celebrity meet-and-greets, cosplay meet-ups, panels, and so much more. In my case, I had 2 hours. I made the choice that I would focus on a few goals for that time:

1. Find something Gardevoir-related for a friend
2. Buy something for myself, for memory’s sake
3. Find a rubber duck that was advertised as a part of Fan Expo’s scavenger hunt (more on this later)

Make sure you list yours out as well to keep you centered on your purpose.

Beware of Time Sinks

For speed-runners, every millisecond counts. There are slip-ups that are classic for wasting time. Speed-runners have ways of planning around those, or at least minimizing the damage they do. You have to form your own strategy. Traffic, parking, and registration are classic time sinks for comic cons. But there are certainly more depending on what you’re attending. I also think it’s wise to plan to avoid the big time sinks, but learn to stay flexible when unexpected things pop up. For example. I tried to plan for traffic and parking this year, but didn’t do so well at it. I drove in early to park and hopefully get into the con on time. But unfortunately, traffic was a lot more than anticipated. Plus, getting through the lines to get through security and getting my pass ate up a lot of my time. It was a good 45 minutes by the time I actually got settled in. It made me a bit stressed, to be honest. But I had to force myself to remember the next point…

Keep Moving Forward

A time sink that many don’t plan for is discouragement. Speed-running requires precision and basically perfection. However, when you lose time, there is no use in wallowing in self-pity about it. The best speed-runners are resilient and accept that we’re human and mess up sometimes. But they keep focused and keep moving forward in order to avoid losing any more time. So while I did lose 45 minutes right off the bat, I recognized that the most important thing was that I was with people that I cared about, and that very fact would make the experience memorable no matter what else happened.

Have Fun!

Some people think speed-running to be masochist because you are so focused on perfection just for an arbitrary record or goal. Yet, speed-running in general prevails, not because of the pain and effort required to do it, but because there are people who honestly love the endeavor and find some amount of joy in it.

Therefore, my advice if you’re going to speed-run a comic con – don’t come from a place of constraint to perfection. It’s okay to want to optimize the little time that you have there. But don’t let strictness keep you from finding joy in the journey. There are great moments to be had, treasures to be found, and wonderful people to meet. Don’t be so focused on what you wish your experience to be that you miss out on recognizing how great your experience is in reality.

My Fan Expo 2025 Experience

I came away feeling my comic con experience was a success. I so wish I could have done more, but that’s a sign that the organizers did their jobs right. I hope to come back next year, ideally without any other scheduling conflicts so I can stay for a longer time.

I ended up completing all of my personal goals for this comic con this year. I spent time with incredible friends who even helped me fulfill some of my goals! (It’s a lot harder to find something Gardevoir-related on the vendor floor that isn’t “sexualized” than I realized). This con is definitely one for the scrapbook that is my greatest memories.

And as a final explanation: one of my goals was to find a rubber duck. Fan Expo was Back to the Future-themed this year, and they had a rubber duck scavenger hunt throughout the convention hall. My family grew up watching the Back to the Future movies all the time, so I was very eager to find a duck. I looked for the entire time that I was there… could not find one. But literally, on the way out, I found one right beside the exit! It wasn’t quite Back to the Future-themed, but it was still enough for me to say:

“Comic con speedrun: Success!”

Conventions are Better with a Friend

"Am I getting lame or are Cons getting lame?"

I sent that question to a friend as I wandered the floor of Fan Expo Dallas last Friday. It's been two years since my last Fan Expo and last time I struggled with heightened anxiety at the convention center. Still, I love cosplaying and I love the merchandise and the artwork... so I want to continue loving Comic Cons. But this Fan Expo didn't have any celebrities I was excited to see (and that I could afford), so celebrity meet-and-greets and celebrity panels weren't appealing. Since only one of my friends could come on Friday night, that first lap through the convention floor ended up being solo.

But then I met up with that friend and a few others on Saturday. Sometimes I like to think I'm introverted and would much rather keep to myself at an event like Fan Expo, especially when the atmosphere can be overstimulating at times. However, during the time I spent with friends at the Con on Friday and Saturday, I realized the social aspect is what I like most about the event. 

On Saturday morning I took to walking the floor with a friend who had never been to a convention before. We chatted and caught up (since we hadn't hung out since last summer) while I looked for a potential souvenir from Fan Expo (I ended up picking a Newt Scamander wand for my cosplay, since my kids broke my old generic wand). Seeing a convention through the eyes of a newbie is always refreshing, especially when buying all the great artwork isn't practical.

With a new job this year and my kids getting more and more interactive and hyperactive, it's been hard to get together for some guy time. I managed a trip to the temple earlier in May, but before that it had been months since our group got together. Even when it wasn't about the convention and I was just chatting with my buddies, it was enriching. Like my favorite YSA bishop once told me, the scriptural assertion that "It is not good that the man should be alone" applies to more than just marriage. It's healthy for men and women to have other friends besides their eternal companion... but in our modern world sometimes it takes extra effort to get together and connect. 

I still enjoy cosplaying for an event (I lost track of how many people commented on my Perry the Platypus that pulled my Phineas cosplay together). I love scoping out artist alley for the future date that I have a man-cave to decorate. And when there's a celebrity I love, I'm still giddy to meet them. But enjoying the cosplay, the art, or the meet-and-greets with a friend changes the experience. It's also not a bad place to make a new friend (that's how I met Zack and Jacob Smith).

So next time an event comes around, grab a friend and bring them with you. Just like mortality in general, it's better to go with someone. Make a friend or bring a friend. Your mental health and your Comic Con experience will thank you!

Where You Are

         I’ve said it before and will probably continue to say it as long as I keep writing and saying things that people listen to or read but music is a powerful way of communicating emotions, ideas, and thoughts about a myriad of topics. This post will center on a song from the first Moana movie and some lessons and thoughts I’ve had from it. The song is “Where you are” which is a favorite to listen to and watch in our household. It sets the stage for the conflict that Moana has between her love and desire to be at sea and her love and desire to do what her parents want her to do. The most recent time I heard the song, I was reminded of two general conference talks about being present where you are. The first was a talk from Elder Stanley G. Ellis, then a general authority seventy.

“One thing we have often been taught is to bloom where we are planted⁠. Yet sometimes we are tempted to migrate to some new area, thinking our children will have more friends and therefore better youth programs.

"Brothers and sisters, do we really think the critical factor in the salvation of our children is the neighborhood where we live? The apostles and prophets have often taught that what happens inside the home is far more important than what our children encounter outside. How we raise our children is more important than where we raise them.

"Certainly there are other factors involved in deciding where to live, and thankfully, the Lord will guide us if we seek His confirmation.”

The connection between this quote and the song, “Where You Are” comes in the phrase, “bloom where you are planted.” I love the phrase from the song, “you can find happiness right where you are!” Moana felt the pull to go to the ocean but perhaps before doing so, she needed to learn to find happiness in her current circumstances. Sometimes, especially in a world of social media where comparison can truly be a thief of joy, it can be easy to see another’s circumstances and think that I need to change my location or do something different to be happy.  Don’t get me wrong, I’m always a fan of improving one’s situation, but I believe the Lord can help us do as President Nelson has taught and find joy no matter the circumstances of our life.

Another talk that came to mind while considering the idea of “finding happiness where you are” was from President Unchtdorf, then second counselor in the first Presidency. He shared the following story in October 2008: 

“Some years ago in our meetinghouse in Darmstadt, Germany, a group of brethren was asked to move a grand piano from the chapel to the adjoining cultural hall, where it was needed for a musical event. None were professional movers, and the task of getting that gravity-friendly instrument through the chapel and into the cultural hall seemed nearly impossible. Everybody knew that this task required not only physical strength but also careful coordination. There were plenty of ideas, but not one could keep the piano balanced correctly. They repositioned the brethren by strength, height, and age over and over again—nothing worked.

"As they stood around the piano, uncertain of what to do next, a good friend of mine, Brother Hanno Luschin, spoke up. He said, 'Brethren, stand close together and lift where you stand.'

"It seemed too simple. Nevertheless, each lifted where he stood, and the piano rose from the ground and moved into the cultural hall as if on its own power. That was the answer to the challenge. They merely needed to stand close together and lift where they stood.

"I have often thought of Brother Luschin’s simple idea and have been impressed by its profound truth. Tonight I would like to expand on that simple concept, ‘lift where you stand.’”

This is another illustration of the importance of doing what you can where you are. Moana never gave up on her dreams of being an explorer and going to sea but she did her part to lead when she could. She “lifted where she could.” 

With all I have written here, I feel the need to explain that I am not advocating for staying idle or staying in an unhealthy relationship or situation, rather I am simply trying to share that there is something about being present and doing what you can to make a difference “where you are.”