Fictional classic about the development of the main character.
Author: F. Scott Fitzgerald
Publisher: I listened to it on Librivox.org
Rating: Good Read/Listen (See rating guide)
This is apparently a classic book and very old. I hadn’t heard much about it before. I got thoroughly sucked into it, but the ending leaves much to be desired. The book is really a character sketch and a study of this guy’s development through college and the first few years after college. He starts out an idealist with great hopes and dreams for the future and plans for how he will make an impact on the world. Then various events happen in his life. A friend dies, he serves in a war, he falls in love, etc. These life events and the ideas he tosses around with friends shape him.
The author was only 23 when he wrote the book. That’s pretty dang good when you realize this book is now considered a classic. I can see how that is. It is very well written–great descriptions of people and things.
Thursday, June 7, 2007
Tuesday, June 5, 2007
"To the Golden Shore"
Biography of Adoniram Judson
Author: Courtney Anderson
Publisher: Little, Brown and Co.
Date: 1956
Rating: Recommended (See ratings guide)
This is the biography of an amazing man from whom people can learn so much. He went through various trials such as imprisonment, the death of several children and two wives.
He lived in the 1800’s and was one of the first American missionaries to be sent out. His goal was to be a missionary in Burma and he eventually was though it took several years to get there. Adoniram’s life was full of unsettledness. He seems to have spent half of his life on board various ships traveling for the purpose of gaining favor with the nationals, recovering from illness, or getting supplies. He lived the other half of his life in extreme sickness. He was imprisoned unjustly in horrible conditions for almost 2 years. I can’t imagine what a prison in Burma in the 1800’s would be like. Adoniram accomplished the translation of the whole Bible into Burmese and he also wrote a dictionary to aid others in learning Burmese.
One thing I would like to comment on that the book did not seem to handle very well: After the death of Adoniram’s first wife, Nancy (Ann), and his father in the States Adoniram’s retrospection and grief caused him to fall into depression and guilt. He felt that his whole life had been focused on his selfish ambition of being the first missionary from America. He had achieved a lot of great things but he despised himself for the selfish motives behind all of his actions. He actually demanded that his sister and mother destroy all the letters that he had sent to them because he was so ashamed. This was a great loss to us now to not have these letters, but anyway… I myself have been plagued by guilt before and the only thing that truly can pull me out of that is if I realize the truth: God loved me when I was still a sinner (Romans 5:8). No matter what I do God will still love me since he was able to love me at my worst point. It is arrogant for me to think that my righteousness could add anything to God’s love for me (Job. 35:7).
This was a great book; one that I was sad to see end. It caused me to immediately begin looking for other books on Adoniram Judson’s life.
Author: Courtney Anderson
Publisher: Little, Brown and Co.
Date: 1956
Rating: Recommended (See ratings guide)
This is the biography of an amazing man from whom people can learn so much. He went through various trials such as imprisonment, the death of several children and two wives.
He lived in the 1800’s and was one of the first American missionaries to be sent out. His goal was to be a missionary in Burma and he eventually was though it took several years to get there. Adoniram’s life was full of unsettledness. He seems to have spent half of his life on board various ships traveling for the purpose of gaining favor with the nationals, recovering from illness, or getting supplies. He lived the other half of his life in extreme sickness. He was imprisoned unjustly in horrible conditions for almost 2 years. I can’t imagine what a prison in Burma in the 1800’s would be like. Adoniram accomplished the translation of the whole Bible into Burmese and he also wrote a dictionary to aid others in learning Burmese.
One thing I would like to comment on that the book did not seem to handle very well: After the death of Adoniram’s first wife, Nancy (Ann), and his father in the States Adoniram’s retrospection and grief caused him to fall into depression and guilt. He felt that his whole life had been focused on his selfish ambition of being the first missionary from America. He had achieved a lot of great things but he despised himself for the selfish motives behind all of his actions. He actually demanded that his sister and mother destroy all the letters that he had sent to them because he was so ashamed. This was a great loss to us now to not have these letters, but anyway… I myself have been plagued by guilt before and the only thing that truly can pull me out of that is if I realize the truth: God loved me when I was still a sinner (Romans 5:8). No matter what I do God will still love me since he was able to love me at my worst point. It is arrogant for me to think that my righteousness could add anything to God’s love for me (Job. 35:7).
This was a great book; one that I was sad to see end. It caused me to immediately begin looking for other books on Adoniram Judson’s life.
Wednesday, May 23, 2007
Going to GIAL! ... sometime ...
Hey friends,
I got officially accepted to GIAL! Ok, I guess I need to back up. I applied to the Graduate Institute of Applied Linguistics. It is a school in Dallas, TX that is associated with SIL and Wycliffe Bible Translators. I applied for the certificate program which can be done in either 5 or 10 months. I would be studying grammar, phonetics, phonology, second language acquisition, and all that other good stuff.
I was planning on going in July and doing it in 10 months. However, I may not be able to go in July for financial reasons. If not, I can save up money and go in January and do it in 5 months. So, either way, I would finish in May ‘08. So that’s a good thing. Please pray for wisdom […and money…] for that decision.
Another complication to that was that my hours at my job got drastically cut back last week. I only worked 2 days last week. But yesterday I got another job! Praise God!
That’s it for now. Thanks for praying.
I got officially accepted to GIAL! Ok, I guess I need to back up. I applied to the Graduate Institute of Applied Linguistics. It is a school in Dallas, TX that is associated with SIL and Wycliffe Bible Translators. I applied for the certificate program which can be done in either 5 or 10 months. I would be studying grammar, phonetics, phonology, second language acquisition, and all that other good stuff.
I was planning on going in July and doing it in 10 months. However, I may not be able to go in July for financial reasons. If not, I can save up money and go in January and do it in 5 months. So, either way, I would finish in May ‘08. So that’s a good thing. Please pray for wisdom […and money…] for that decision.
Another complication to that was that my hours at my job got drastically cut back last week. I only worked 2 days last week. But yesterday I got another job! Praise God!
That’s it for now. Thanks for praying.
Wednesday, March 28, 2007
Important Update about SE Asia Trip
As you know I was planning on going to SE Asia this summer on a missions trip to observe what God is doing in Bible translation. After praying a lot about this I have realized that since I know that this is what God wants me to do I should take a proactive step in pursuing an education in Bible translation rather than observing it. I have decided not to go to SE Asia, but instead go to some type of training program in the summer or fall. I really feel at peace about this decision. Thanks for your prayers. I really appreciate them.
If I have failed to tell you personally, I am sorry. It is because I have a lot of people I needed to tell and I probably did not get to you yet. If you have any questions, I would love to answer them. Please email me: rachelstaab [ at ] gmail [ dot ] com.
If I have failed to tell you personally, I am sorry. It is because I have a lot of people I needed to tell and I probably did not get to you yet. If you have any questions, I would love to answer them. Please email me: rachelstaab [ at ] gmail [ dot ] com.
Tuesday, February 27, 2007
Pantone Prophets Predict Palette
They have done it again. Pantone is out with the fall 2007 color report. This fall, women’s fashion colors will be bold and dramatic. No neutrals for us, kids.
The yellow color they have chosen is called “Lemon Curry” - a fitting name as it looks exactly like the color of dhal. Dha is a lentil sauce that, combined with rice, is a staple in Bangladesh where I grew up. Oh… and the connection with curry would be that rice and dahl is the foundation for a curry meal. Check it out: Pantone’s Lemon Curry vs. Mom’s Beef Curry on rice and dhal.
Now if they can just capture the color of the new rice growing in the patties… Impossible I’m afraid.
The yellow color they have chosen is called “Lemon Curry” - a fitting name as it looks exactly like the color of dhal. Dha is a lentil sauce that, combined with rice, is a staple in Bangladesh where I grew up. Oh… and the connection with curry would be that rice and dahl is the foundation for a curry meal. Check it out: Pantone’s Lemon Curry vs. Mom’s Beef Curry on rice and dhal.
Now if they can just capture the color of the new rice growing in the patties… Impossible I’m afraid.
Wednesday, January 31, 2007
Original Valentine's Day Cards
I created a series of Valentine’s Day cards this year. They are may be available for ordering here someday... I enjoy designing greeting cards–something about the importance of both the imagery and concise wording. I created this one first:
It incorporates the last five lines of Shakespeare’s Sonnet XXIX (29), my favorite of his sonnets. I originally put the whole sonnet on there, but it ended up being too crowded. The cards are printed on 8.5 x 5.5 inch cardstock so the canvas ends up being 5.5 x 4.25 inches. Kinda small for an entire sonnet. So I trimmed it down to the best lines. Then from that I created this one:
I used the outline of one picture to mask another picture. I scanned in a doodle of a heart and incorporated that in. Then I made an even more simple card:
This one is the also what the inside of the first card looks like.
It incorporates the last five lines of Shakespeare’s Sonnet XXIX (29), my favorite of his sonnets. I originally put the whole sonnet on there, but it ended up being too crowded. The cards are printed on 8.5 x 5.5 inch cardstock so the canvas ends up being 5.5 x 4.25 inches. Kinda small for an entire sonnet. So I trimmed it down to the best lines. Then from that I created this one:
I used the outline of one picture to mask another picture. I scanned in a doodle of a heart and incorporated that in. Then I made an even more simple card:
This one is the also what the inside of the first card looks like.
Thursday, November 16, 2006
Original Christmas Cards
I designed these cards for an AIGA design contest.
I liked them and thought you might like them too. You know, it’s a requirement for me to like whatever I do. If I don’t like it, ain’t nobody going to like it. They might be available for purchase later.
Hope you like them.
I liked them and thought you might like them too. You know, it’s a requirement for me to like whatever I do. If I don’t like it, ain’t nobody going to like it. They might be available for purchase later.
Hope you like them.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)