Any Suggestions?

Constantly on the look out for new stuff, I am always trying to get suggestions for stuff to watch, listen to, or read. This can be difficult. Friends suggest books that I find boring. Co-workers rave about movies I end up sleeping through. New bands don't seem to be as good as my old standards. If you have this problem let me recommend a couple cool web utilities

For music: Pandora. I have already got my entire family hooked on Pandora. Pandora is an online radio station program. Using an artist you enjoy they consult their vast database to find music that is similar. Sometimes they play stuff I already know and love but mostly it is new. Pandora also learns the more you use it. As you listen you can give songs a thumbs up or a thumbs down. Pandora uses these ratings to fine tune what they play. You can have up to 100 stations which provides tons of variety. If you haven't tried it you should.

For books: Amazon. You can use the online bookstore to help you find things you might want to read. Amazon tracks the buying habits of their shoppers (can you say Big Brother?) this gives them a large database. You can use that vast database to your advantage. To do this log into your Amazon account. Make a wish list of all your favorite and most hated books. Then from your Amazon homepage click on "improve my recommendations" and rate your books. Amazon will now give solid recommendations based on those ratings. If you already have lists or a long buying history with Amazon just go straight to "improve my recommendations". Conceivably you could do the same thing for movies but I like to use something else.

For movies: Netflix. We all know I love Netflix. Like Amazon, Netflix tracks its users activity to create recommendations. These recommendations can be spookily accurate and like Pandora the more you rate the better they are. If you don't want to pay for a subscription you can still use Netflix to get great recommendations. All you do is sign-up for a free trial. Then before they can send you any movies (or before the month is up) put a hold on the account. This way you can rate movies, recieve recommendations but don't have to pay. However keeping Netflix on the lowest plan is only going to set you back $5 a month and is well worth it.

For all three: Tastkid. Tastekid is the simplest and easiest tool to use. Simply type in a band, book or movie you like and it will spit out ten suggestions. The suggestions are varied and pretty accurate considering the amount of information you gave it. I recently introduced my sister to this and she was enthralled. I highly recommend it for those times when you just want a good suggestion with minimal effort.


So now you have no excuse not to be constantly finding new and interesting things to read, watch or listen to. Good luck and drop me any good suggestions you might have!

"And Then I Feel Mortality Surround Me"

This last week I have been preparing paperwork for my will and a health care power of attorney. Not because I expect to die in the near future, but because I believe in being prepared. But placing a dollar amount on my life has put death on my mind.
In Terry Pratchett's The Colour of Magic Death is a character that shows up when the hero is in dire circumstances. Death also figures hilariously in Good Omens a novel by both Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman (who is probably my favorite modern author). In these novels he is personified with the typical cloak and scythe but has a much better sense of humor. (Incidentally I just remembered that in 5th grade I was the Grim Reaper, with a blood-stained tinfoil scythe, for Halloween.) The personification of death in this way is really just an attempt to make sense of something that can seem random and impersonal.
As a member of the United States military I have many friends currently serving or preparing to serve in Iraq or Afghanistan. Because of this I have prepared myself for the possibility of having to attend their funerals. But I was shocked today when I learned that the little sister of a good high school friend had died. Death in a combat zone I understand. Death on a Idaho highway is hard to wrap my head around. Yet it is not all darkness.
The death of such a young, and vibrant person is sad but with a knowledge of the Plan of Salvation I know it isn't a tragedy. She will be reunited with her husband and have the opportunity to raise children. She will continue to live and grow. My heart and prayers go out to her family. I hope they also know that despite the pain and sadness that death brings it is not the end.
My knowledge and testimony of the Gospel gives me peace and understanding when dealing with death. I still fear it and don't know if I could ever be like Peter Pan and declare; "to die will be an awfully big adventure". I am content with having peace and comfort. The rest will have to come later.