PCR (No, not Polymerase Chain Reaction)

I had to define a slang word for one of my classes that is used particularly among a specific group, and so I picked on my missionaries. This was actually a really fun assignment, so I share it with y'all.



PCR: An acronym that stands for "Pop Culture Reference" (though it may stand for "Polymerase Chain Reaction" among biologists). LDS missionaries in the Provo Missionary Training Center use this acronym when identifying allusions to any type of popular culture--movies, music, TV shows, etc. The reason it may have become popular among this group is that they are young men training to become servants of the Lord, with their focus completely shifting from things of the world. During the transition, it becomes necessary to identify when one dabbles back in the things of the world.

This term may be used in several different ways. For one, it may be used as a corrective measure from one missionary to another, i.e., "Elder Smith, you need to stop dropping PCR's, at least in front of the teacher" (said following a recognizable quote from a popular film). Some may even use the term to self-correct, "I made a goal to stop using so many PCR's because it's distracting me from my purpose." It may also be used in exclusion of certain groups of missionaries, as some see a lack of knowledge of PCR's as equivocating social awkwardness:

Elder Johnson: "That was a sweet PCR Elder Smith!"
Elder Anderson: "I didn't even realize that was a PCR."
Elder Johnson: "Did you live in a hole before you got here?"

Though this term is generally used and understood among this group, newcomers are often confused by its use. Its use marks one as having spent sufficient time in the Missionary Training Center to understand the meaning. Some outsiders are also often confused by its use, especially when they don't understand why it would be such a big deal to use a PCR. It is a very useful term among missionaries, however, in that it helps them recognize when they are being secular rather than spiritual.

Doppleganger Week

Doppleganger: German for twin.

That's why it's so crazy with the celebrity thing this week! Glad I understand. I thought the world was going crazy. Oh, Facebook.

My Celebrity Look-Alikes

So... I know these Celebrity look-alike generator thingys are really just to make people feel better about themselves by saying "Wow look how much I look like this really hot movie star" OR even better having someone else say "Oh you are so much prettier than them" ... but I did it anyway.

At least I'm honest, eh?

Here were my results:

1. Jennifer Love Hewitt (the only one I'm proud of)



2. Gackt (Okay I lied. I'm proud of this one too. He's very pretty)



3. Katharine Hepburn (Not my favorite Hepburn... but will do)



4. Roy Dupuis (I know, uncanny, isn't it???)



5. Clara Bow (Kind of creepy.. but I think we have the same headband)



6. Amy Weber (apparently she's some kind of WWE Diva... haha... yeah, right)



Lesson learned? There is fun to be had and time to be wasted on these fairly inaccurate celebrity matching websites. Also: I'm just happy to be pretty little me.

Raw

So, Alexander and I were having fun typing back and forth on my computer the other night and I was reading it again and thought some of the parts were quite entertaining... some clips:

Happy Birthday Alexander! In... like 17 days you will be DUH DUH DUHHHNNNNNN
23!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
what is so special about 23?
You are a year closer to being as cool as me.
rude.
sometimes you are borderline mean.
At least it's only borderline.
Jesus Christ said---you are either hot or cold, but if you are luke warm, aka borderline, He will spew you out of His mouth!
Harsh bro
The guilty take the truth to be hard.
Satan quotes scripture.
Satan doesn't use real scipture.
Scipture? I'm sorry, I'm not familiar with that word. Yeah he does... just out of context
Ya, not real scripture.

. . .

Jesus is awesome.
That is using the word correctly actually.
really?
how do you use it incorrectly?
My shorts are awesome.
so you have to use it with a person?
Well it comes from the word "awe" so it has to be something like REALLY worthy of awe, you know?
where'd you learn that?
I'm an English major. I like words
so does jason mraz.
he has a song about words.
and rhyming words and reading pages and pages and pages of more words, more words than i have ever heard.

. . .

haha, who ever made up the sound of a laugh?
haha
Babies do it. I think it's just natural. Or maybe they copy people when they hear it.
ya i think its natural too.
so
So. I have to leave in 8 minutes. I almost forgot about that whole curfew thing.
ya and that whole getting booted thing
twitch.
right at 12
like exactly.
Lame! I suppose I should get going then. Thanks for reminding me. And the espagueti.
thanks for being here
and for cutting the veggies.
they were delish.
thanks for being in my life.
thanks for living.
YOU CAN THank my mom for that one
you used to only be a zygote.
It's true. I've grown so much. I owe her a lot.
whats up with excluding your dad?
It's true, he is a vital part of me living also.
not only vital
essential
integral
necessary
impokokokokok
important
ok
i get it
and then there was none
Not sure what that's supposed to mean
its a book

Why we love MLK (ending hatred one thinker at a time)

FREEDOM

"Enlightenment is man's emergence from his self-incurred immaturity. Immaturity is the inability to use one's own understanding without the guidance of another. This immaturity is self-incurred if its cause is not lack of understanding, but lack of resolution and courage to use it without the guidance of another. The motto of enlightenment is therefore: Sapere aude! Have courage to use your own understanding!" (Kant)

I remember listening to a talk that President Monson gave at BYU last year. He told us that we needed to become THINKERS. He said there weren't enough thinkers in the world... and I've been thinking about it ever since.

"Rarely do we find men who willingly engage in hard, solid thinking. There is an almost universal quest for easy answers and half-baked solutions. Nothing pains some people more than having to think." (Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.)

Who or what do we allow to do our thinking for us? Our political leaders? The news? Our friends?

"It is impossible for a man to be saved in ignorance." (D&C 131:6)

Was Martin Luther King, Jr. perfect? No. But what made him stand out? He was a thinker. He thought about the world around him. He thought about the injustice he saw. He thought about it until he realized nothing would change unless people would act.

"Be the change you want to see in the world." (Mahatma Gandhi)

There is a lot of good in the world. There is a lot of hope. There are a lot of good people in the world. We must continue to be good, but not only that. We must act. We have to defend those things, those values that are priceless to us. Our families. Our religion. Our freedom.

"The hottest place in Hell is reserved for those who remain neutral in times of great moral conflict." (MLK)

I don't want to be neutral.

Sparknotes

Does anyone else think it's blasphemous to advertise Shakespeare in "modern English?"

I think William would agree.

WWWSD?

Dream of Cali-chastity

SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO sometimes your friends invite you to go to California and you say yes (P.S. who would say no to that? I wouldn't.)

Luckily, 8 of us said yes... and we had a blast. This is our story:

1. Day 1(ish) Highlights:
-8 hour car drive. A bit scrunched, but not too shabby. Scary stories were told, chocolate raisins were spilled, and gangsta music was played.

-Woke up at our leisure... DELICIOUS CHOCOLATE CHIP PANCAKES courtesy of Stephanie Morgan (lovely, really).

-Home videos. Some people say it's boring to watch other people's home videos... but that was sooo not the case this time. For one, Alexander Morgan and cousin dancing to "You're the One That I Want"=CLASSIC. Oh so fun. I even watched it twice and was just as amused the second time. Also, Alex's amazing gymnastic skillz don't get old... and let's just say I wouldn't want to meet Connor Morgan in a dark alley. Or a wrestling ring.

-MISSIONARIES!!!!!!!!! So, we found out that one of our group went to High School with one of the Elders who was teaching Shane who is the guy who is friends with Connor who was the one getting baptized this weekend which is the reason we went to California (did you get that?!). We all got to sit in on an AMAZING missionary lesson, given by Shane, and enjoy the Spirit of the Lord in great abundance. Seriously, I can't think of any other way to put it. Shane=amazing, and we were all very blessed to get to meet him and participate in his covenant-making this weekend.

-Carson (age: 2 years) learning how to edit Black Eyed Peas from his mama (BEEEP!)

-Getting to know you games with the fam. I'm sticking with "the fam" because that's how it felt. Also, I didn't participate, but some of our group had near death experience with a train tunnel. Let's just say... if you're in a tunnel shooting fireworks and a train comes, you might not be forgetting that experience soon.

2. Day 2 Highlights:
-BAPTISM!!!!! Baptisms are so fun. And this one was seriously PACKED!!! Connor did a great job baptizing (didn't even have to dunk more than once) and Shane shared an awesome testimony. And by shared I mean he volunteered to get up and share his testimony. That's right. He's that cool.

-Gymnastics lessons with Coach Alex

-BIRTHDAYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY. Connor turned the big 1-9 and we celebrated with style. And pizza. And cake. And good company. And adverbs. And he may or may not have been wearing a blue bow tie at some point.

3. Day 3 Highlights:
-Shane got his gift!!! That is, the gift of the Holy Ghost. Man, that boy was ready for it and he is going to do amazing things with it. Also, bore his testimony again. Did I say he was amazing yet?

-Okay, does HIGHLIGHT have to mean good? Because from this point on it may start going a little downhill... with a 16 hour car drive. Oh man. Still recovering (I should actually probably be sleeping right now instead of writing, but ya know...) Best part of the car ride? When Megan REALLY REALLY REALLY had to go to the bathroom and we gave her two options (we were stuck in snowy traffic... not just cruel): A bottle, or the side of the road. We convinced her the side of the road would be the best... and I will admit that those of us in the car watching Crystal and Jillann hold up the modesty blankets were cracking up. I didn't feel too bad about it however when Megan asked us to take a picture. We did make it home safe, though we were pretty tired of that car by the time we got to Provo.

P.S. Let's just say... the trip was HECKA amazing!!! (And yes, that will be the last time I use that word, so enjoy it.)