Here's That Rainy Day
Maybe I should have saved
those left-over dreams;
funny,
but here's that rainy day.
Here's that rainy day
they told me about
and I laughed at the thought
that it might turn out this way.
Where is that worn-out wish
that I threw aside,
after it brought my lover near?
Funny how love becomes
a cold rainy day;
funny,
that rainy day is here.
Funny how love becomes
a cold rainy day;
funny,
that rainy day is here.
----- as sung by Frank Sinatra
******
Rainy Day
I'm going to save you for a rainy day.
When I get the blues that just won't fade away,
I'm going to dig you out if that's ok.
I'm going to save you for a rainy day.
I'm going to need you but I don't know when,
I've got my hands full now, but then that's not to say
Things will always be that way.
I'm going to save you for a rainy day.
Ever since I was a girl at school,
There's just one thing I would always do:
I would save the best for last.
You are the sugar at the bottom of my glass.
Lovers come and lovers go,
Some say they don't need you, some won't let you go.
Well I know our love will never fade away.
I'm gonna save you for a rainy day.
----- as sung by Phoebe Partridge
*****
As for what the weather is where I am... I'll let you guess. ;)
Saturday, May 31, 2008
Friday, May 30, 2008
Donner und Blitzen
Were we ever fortunate to avoid driving in it! Ahead of it on the way down, behind it on the way back. Oy! Such storms in the Midwest these days...
But home safe and sound nonetheless. And a good trip, too, all things considered. :) I didn't feel as much like a fish out of water the way I usually do when in the KC office.
It's getting less threatening each time, because each time I visit and return, it reinforces the idea that I really *will* go back to my home-based office, and not have to stay in the cubicle warren. It also helps to not be in that setting by myself after work hours. :)
And it was a darn sight better trip this time than the trip there in late July will be - then it will be a whole week long, and unaccompanied at that. :(
But that's still six weeks off, so. . . not to worry yet. :) What does Jesus say? "Let tomorrow worry about itself - each day has enough trouble of its own." Good idea, that.
So for right now, even though I had a bit of home by my side while in KC, it's still nice to be back home. I'll enjoy that feeling for just a little while longer.
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
Off again
Another 3 days out of the office, this time in KC for a series of meetings. Leaving now, back on Saturday (to a host of early summer chores that have been put off - but no longer!)
This trip, I have a seatmate for the long trip down and back. Yay! D is between Spring semester and summer school, and can come along. :) Looks like the hot weather will break, so there may be one evening where a stroll through Westport's hipsville district can be in the plans, too. Nice.
So faithful readers, while I'm not not off the grid, I'll likely hold off on another post until I return. I think my free time will be spoken for. Not that I mind. :)
And by the time I get back.. it will almost be the start of a new month! All things considered, May's been pretty good to me this year. Even the rough parts turned out well.
But, even though it's been a good one - I do still like new months. :) There's always a little excitement in the air when you turn the calendar page to a whole new 30 days. Wonder what this one will bring? We'll soon see. June 1 is... Sunday!
This trip, I have a seatmate for the long trip down and back. Yay! D is between Spring semester and summer school, and can come along. :) Looks like the hot weather will break, so there may be one evening where a stroll through Westport's hipsville district can be in the plans, too. Nice.
So faithful readers, while I'm not not off the grid, I'll likely hold off on another post until I return. I think my free time will be spoken for. Not that I mind. :)
And by the time I get back.. it will almost be the start of a new month! All things considered, May's been pretty good to me this year. Even the rough parts turned out well.
But, even though it's been a good one - I do still like new months. :) There's always a little excitement in the air when you turn the calendar page to a whole new 30 days. Wonder what this one will bring? We'll soon see. June 1 is... Sunday!
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Music Reviews: Stacey Kent, Rhett Miller, PJ Harvey, The Postal Service, Poe
Making progress here. :) Finished now with the stuff I listened to on my road trip on the 15th-17th, plus a new artist I found since I got back. But still to come are the CDs I uploaded from J2's pile in his room. Woo. That should be fun. Maybe in another week or so...
Stacey Kent - "Collection", vols. 1 & 2: I liked iTunes' description of her in the bio section, to wit: "Kent is what men used to call a classy broad. Her elegant fashion sense and understated vocal style make her sound like a woman from another time, an unflappable sophisticate with a warm, slightly world-weary persona."
I would have said it like this: her voice has a quality of innocence to it, but it's an innocence that has also been... um... "at the footbridge with a boy after dark" more than once, if you get my meaning. :) Kind of like the girl-next-door channeling Billie Holiday. Yowzah.
Where's this girl been all my life? :) My goodness, what a sweet, pretty voice and a sensual, sophisticated delivery. Ooh! Makes me want to hug myself. :P This is good understated jazz, beautifully sung. Absolutely gorgeous, not a single bad track.
And huh, she's been around a while, too - quite a discography. Enough to put out two compilations of prior albums. Wonder why I never heard of her before? As it is, I only heard one of her songs by chance on an iTunes radio station I listen to sometimes, SKY.FM's "Datempo Lounge", and had to find out who she was.
As to favorites, it's hard to single any out, but.. I'd have to say Dreamsville (a Mancini tune from the 50s that I never knew had lyrics), Comes Love, East of the Sun, Shall We Dance, Little Girl Blue, All Too Soon, The Gentle Rain, and You Are There (which I can barely get through, it's so poignant.) Well, enough superlatives. :) She's just plain good.
Rhett Miller - "The Believer": Nice. Sometime front man from the Old 97's, I guess. Now I have to see *them* in concert. They are in town now and then. He comes off as sort of leaning toward the pop side of alt-country, but - gosh, he's nice to listen to. :)
Good songs, good vocals, good playing... familiar themes but not the same-old/same-old lyrics. Solid. Favorites: Brand New Way, Delicate, Help Me Suzanne, Meteor Shower, Singular Girl, I Believe She's Lying, Fireflies, Victoria, I'm WIth Her. Great CD.
PJ Harvey - "Rid of Me", "Is This Desire?": Yikes! She is either pinning your ears back with intensity, or calming you down with subtlety. It's all or nothing with her, it seems. And these two albums reflect that on/off dichotomy. On "Rid of Me", she sounds angry & disillusioned about life. On "Is This Desire?" she is more contemplative & puzzled.
I prefer the latter - by a long stretch. :) Did not like the first CD at all, but on the second one there were a few tracks that made the cut: Is This Desire?, A Perfect Day Elise, Catherine, Angelene, The Garden, The River. This is not an artist that I warm up to, but she certainly does have a following. Just why, I can't quite fathom. :)
The Postal Service - "Give Up": Hm. Seems to me these guys should either do electronic music and drop the lyrics, or .. if they want to sing, change the backing band. I'm not sure their vocals and the music really go together. Such Great Heights was a big hit for them, but Iron & Wine's acoustic version fits the lyrics sooo much better. It becomes the romantic ballad it should be. :) Aww... it's one of my favorite songs ever. I guess I have sort of an emotional attachment to it. :)
We Will Become Silhouettes was another popular one for these guys. Kind of a cool lyric idea, but I think it would have been better presented if done in a similar way to the way The Flaming Lips did "Do You Realize?", much more breathy and ethereal and without the blips and beeps and driving rhythm. Didn't work for me.
Natural Anthem is another one where the electronic music is good as is, until the weak vocals come in. They need to yell more in a song like that. In comparison, Clark Gable is a track where the vocals and the music work really well together. Favorites: Clark Gable, Recycled Air, Sleeping In, The District Sleeps Alone.
Poe - "Haunted": Ooh. Peculiar. Creepy. This girl is apparently working through the emotions surrounding her father's death right in front of you, the listener. Yikes. Very intense in spots. And really odd recordings and voice mails (from the beyond) interspersed in between songs. Eww. Feels like you're eavesdropping on someone's grief.
There are a few tracks that are okay (mostly those with no creepy voices from the netherworld), but mostly it's kind of disturbing. She's a pretty good rocker when she isn't being creepy. I liked: Spanish Doll, Hey Pretty, Lemon Meringue, Walk The Walk, Control, Amazed, Wild.
Stacey Kent - "Collection", vols. 1 & 2: I liked iTunes' description of her in the bio section, to wit: "Kent is what men used to call a classy broad. Her elegant fashion sense and understated vocal style make her sound like a woman from another time, an unflappable sophisticate with a warm, slightly world-weary persona."
I would have said it like this: her voice has a quality of innocence to it, but it's an innocence that has also been... um... "at the footbridge with a boy after dark" more than once, if you get my meaning. :) Kind of like the girl-next-door channeling Billie Holiday. Yowzah.
Where's this girl been all my life? :) My goodness, what a sweet, pretty voice and a sensual, sophisticated delivery. Ooh! Makes me want to hug myself. :P This is good understated jazz, beautifully sung. Absolutely gorgeous, not a single bad track.
And huh, she's been around a while, too - quite a discography. Enough to put out two compilations of prior albums. Wonder why I never heard of her before? As it is, I only heard one of her songs by chance on an iTunes radio station I listen to sometimes, SKY.FM's "Datempo Lounge", and had to find out who she was.
As to favorites, it's hard to single any out, but.. I'd have to say Dreamsville (a Mancini tune from the 50s that I never knew had lyrics), Comes Love, East of the Sun, Shall We Dance, Little Girl Blue, All Too Soon, The Gentle Rain, and You Are There (which I can barely get through, it's so poignant.) Well, enough superlatives. :) She's just plain good.
Rhett Miller - "The Believer": Nice. Sometime front man from the Old 97's, I guess. Now I have to see *them* in concert. They are in town now and then. He comes off as sort of leaning toward the pop side of alt-country, but - gosh, he's nice to listen to. :)
Good songs, good vocals, good playing... familiar themes but not the same-old/same-old lyrics. Solid. Favorites: Brand New Way, Delicate, Help Me Suzanne, Meteor Shower, Singular Girl, I Believe She's Lying, Fireflies, Victoria, I'm WIth Her. Great CD.
PJ Harvey - "Rid of Me", "Is This Desire?": Yikes! She is either pinning your ears back with intensity, or calming you down with subtlety. It's all or nothing with her, it seems. And these two albums reflect that on/off dichotomy. On "Rid of Me", she sounds angry & disillusioned about life. On "Is This Desire?" she is more contemplative & puzzled.
I prefer the latter - by a long stretch. :) Did not like the first CD at all, but on the second one there were a few tracks that made the cut: Is This Desire?, A Perfect Day Elise, Catherine, Angelene, The Garden, The River. This is not an artist that I warm up to, but she certainly does have a following. Just why, I can't quite fathom. :)
The Postal Service - "Give Up": Hm. Seems to me these guys should either do electronic music and drop the lyrics, or .. if they want to sing, change the backing band. I'm not sure their vocals and the music really go together. Such Great Heights was a big hit for them, but Iron & Wine's acoustic version fits the lyrics sooo much better. It becomes the romantic ballad it should be. :) Aww... it's one of my favorite songs ever. I guess I have sort of an emotional attachment to it. :)
We Will Become Silhouettes was another popular one for these guys. Kind of a cool lyric idea, but I think it would have been better presented if done in a similar way to the way The Flaming Lips did "Do You Realize?", much more breathy and ethereal and without the blips and beeps and driving rhythm. Didn't work for me.
Natural Anthem is another one where the electronic music is good as is, until the weak vocals come in. They need to yell more in a song like that. In comparison, Clark Gable is a track where the vocals and the music work really well together. Favorites: Clark Gable, Recycled Air, Sleeping In, The District Sleeps Alone.
Poe - "Haunted": Ooh. Peculiar. Creepy. This girl is apparently working through the emotions surrounding her father's death right in front of you, the listener. Yikes. Very intense in spots. And really odd recordings and voice mails (from the beyond) interspersed in between songs. Eww. Feels like you're eavesdropping on someone's grief.
There are a few tracks that are okay (mostly those with no creepy voices from the netherworld), but mostly it's kind of disturbing. She's a pretty good rocker when she isn't being creepy. I liked: Spanish Doll, Hey Pretty, Lemon Meringue, Walk The Walk, Control, Amazed, Wild.
Monday, May 26, 2008
Back to civilization
such as it is. The North Woods has a lot going for it. :)
As I hoped, the trillium were in bloom. The woods was shot through with them and their little trinities of white.
The lake was lovely, and took on different character depending on the time of day and weather (which was pretty great - rained only at night, and was mostly mild and pleasant.)
The grounds were well maintained and full of spring flowers, the food was great, and there was loads and loads of time to read. I haven't read recreationally since Christmas! :)
Plus, there was both a little time and a little inspiration to write; an example follows.
So it was a lovely weekend off the grid. If you can call it that. True, no internet and no wireless, but.. there were electric lights and flush toilets. And gourmet coffee. ;) So, it was somewhat civilized.
And speaking of civilization, we did haul it into the bustling burg of Medford to find a drugstore. Sometimes you meet with a need that simply wasn't anticipated in your travel bag, and.. um.. I'm sure there's a natural remedy for it, but I don't think I want to know. :P
When faced with the temptations of the big city, I admit we did succumb and take in a movie. A small town like that didn't have an art theatre (you could barely call what they *did* have a theatre at all), so it wasn't an indie movie. It was an Indy movie. :)
Mmmhmm. The new Indiana Jones misadventure. Not quite as campy as Pirates of the Caribbean, but nearly. Harrison Ford did old guys proud, too. He did some pretty good stunts for a 65 year old, and still cut a rakish figure here and there. Yes, some of that is due to a personal trainer and makeup, but still, since he's 13 years my senior, I'm convinced I have a few good years in me yet.
Speaking of that, I packed my running shoes and ran two miles through the wilderness on Saturday. Ugh. Twigs and rocks and dirt paths tend to ruin your time. As do ridiculous hills. Both ways! You not only practically crawl up them, but you have to brake coming down them to avoid spilling on loose gravel. So, as soon as I got back I headed for the indoor track to bolster my self-esteem. Yeah, man. Better. :)
Anyway, a lovely weekend, and now... one more paper to polish and turn in tomorrow, and I'm free for the Summer. Yay!
As I hoped, the trillium were in bloom. The woods was shot through with them and their little trinities of white.
The lake was lovely, and took on different character depending on the time of day and weather (which was pretty great - rained only at night, and was mostly mild and pleasant.)
The grounds were well maintained and full of spring flowers, the food was great, and there was loads and loads of time to read. I haven't read recreationally since Christmas! :)
Plus, there was both a little time and a little inspiration to write; an example follows.
So it was a lovely weekend off the grid. If you can call it that. True, no internet and no wireless, but.. there were electric lights and flush toilets. And gourmet coffee. ;) So, it was somewhat civilized.
And speaking of civilization, we did haul it into the bustling burg of Medford to find a drugstore. Sometimes you meet with a need that simply wasn't anticipated in your travel bag, and.. um.. I'm sure there's a natural remedy for it, but I don't think I want to know. :P
When faced with the temptations of the big city, I admit we did succumb and take in a movie. A small town like that didn't have an art theatre (you could barely call what they *did* have a theatre at all), so it wasn't an indie movie. It was an Indy movie. :)
Mmmhmm. The new Indiana Jones misadventure. Not quite as campy as Pirates of the Caribbean, but nearly. Harrison Ford did old guys proud, too. He did some pretty good stunts for a 65 year old, and still cut a rakish figure here and there. Yes, some of that is due to a personal trainer and makeup, but still, since he's 13 years my senior, I'm convinced I have a few good years in me yet.
Speaking of that, I packed my running shoes and ran two miles through the wilderness on Saturday. Ugh. Twigs and rocks and dirt paths tend to ruin your time. As do ridiculous hills. Both ways! You not only practically crawl up them, but you have to brake coming down them to avoid spilling on loose gravel. So, as soon as I got back I headed for the indoor track to bolster my self-esteem. Yeah, man. Better. :)
Anyway, a lovely weekend, and now... one more paper to polish and turn in tomorrow, and I'm free for the Summer. Yay!
respite
.
trillium in the woods
tree frogs singing after dark
watching stars come out
.
lazy morning doze
placid stillness of the lake
life seems worry-free
.
trillium in the woods
tree frogs singing after dark
watching stars come out
.
lazy morning doze
placid stillness of the lake
life seems worry-free
.
Friday, May 23, 2008
Off the grid
for the weekend.
Beyond the reach of the internet, past the boundaries of wireless, deep into the north woods we go. The trillium will all be in bloom, and the woods will be shot through with little trios of white.
When the workday ends today, I answer the call of the wild. Er.. mostly. I reserve the right to bring canned soda. And my iPod shuffle. ;)
For years the whole family went to this camp up north for the Memorial Day weekend. Gosh, the memories. :) Mostly of rain and cold. Almost every year (or it seemed that way when the chilluns were small and whiney.)
Yes, there were some lovely nights by the fire, with s'mores. And hayrides and craft lessons and puppet shows and singing, and early morning coffee while they were all still sleeping.
Plus there was ice cream after dinner (good dinners, too - food tastes better when you're outdoors a lot), and cribbage and bog walks (yuk) and run/walks and ping-pong and air rifles.
Well, anyway, this year D & I go back by ourselves. No kids.
'Bout time! :)
They're doing what grown kids do - struggling to move into adult life. We, on the other hand, are looking forward to a break from it. :) Less "doing" and more "being". Should be nice.
And for those of you still on the grid this weekend.. see you around - maybe on Monday night sometime. I can only take so much of being unplugged. ;)
Beyond the reach of the internet, past the boundaries of wireless, deep into the north woods we go. The trillium will all be in bloom, and the woods will be shot through with little trios of white.
When the workday ends today, I answer the call of the wild. Er.. mostly. I reserve the right to bring canned soda. And my iPod shuffle. ;)
For years the whole family went to this camp up north for the Memorial Day weekend. Gosh, the memories. :) Mostly of rain and cold. Almost every year (or it seemed that way when the chilluns were small and whiney.)
Yes, there were some lovely nights by the fire, with s'mores. And hayrides and craft lessons and puppet shows and singing, and early morning coffee while they were all still sleeping.
Plus there was ice cream after dinner (good dinners, too - food tastes better when you're outdoors a lot), and cribbage and bog walks (yuk) and run/walks and ping-pong and air rifles.
Well, anyway, this year D & I go back by ourselves. No kids.
'Bout time! :)
They're doing what grown kids do - struggling to move into adult life. We, on the other hand, are looking forward to a break from it. :) Less "doing" and more "being". Should be nice.
And for those of you still on the grid this weekend.. see you around - maybe on Monday night sometime. I can only take so much of being unplugged. ;)
Thursday, May 22, 2008
Insomnia
My back is empty.
Where is that touch
of cotton, warm soft skin,
or hair that used to brush
against my face, becoming
spiderwebs within my dreams
or keeping me from dropping off
to sleep while holding her? It seems
I miss the toes with nails
like icy glass bits biting
at my calves, or her odd way
of twitching as sleep caught her, fighting
as it were, the very state
she liked so well. Together
these would force me to roll over,
toss & turn, and pull away from her
so that my back was empty.
It's funny - the irritants
that kept me up I wished
would go away. And so they have;
but sleep comes hard.
And oh, my dear, you're missed.
Music Reviews: NIN, Jason Mraz, Regina Spektor, Matt Nathanson, Sons of Korah
It's been awhile. But I had a car ride last weekend to listen to some stuff. Quite a variety of stuff, too. This is really part one of maybe... three? I actually listened to more, but - this is enough for now, I think. The others will follow in good time.
Matt Nathanson - "Beneath These Fireworks", "Some Mad Hope": this guy opened for Lifehouse when I saw them earlier this year, and he was terrific with the audience. I finally broke down and got a couple of his CDs. So good. :) All the tracks on both CDs are good, but the Some Mad Hope album is positively packed with good songs. Favorites: from BTF, Sad Songs, Bare, Bent, Sing Me Sweet. From SMH, several are great: Come On Get Higher, Gone, To The Beat of Our Noisy Hearts, Detroit Waves, All We Are, Sooner Surrender. Solid singer.
Sons of Korah - "Resurrection": a Christian band for once. :) Except one from Australia and New Zealand. They are sort of like Iron & Wine, with mellow vocals and acoustic instruments. What makes their material so good is that they simply sing the Psalms. Not take a Psalm and "tweak" it to make it more sale-able from a pop culture standpoint. Just sing it to good (and modern style) music. The only drawback is.. you can't get it on iTunes. I was lucky enough to score a copy from a friend of the family who's one of the college regulars around our table. Thanks Jon. :) So, I have a search saved out on eBay to pick up a used copy whenever it gets listed.
Regina Spektor - "Begin To Hope": Cut from the same cloth as Beth Orton, Tori Amos, Fiona Apple - quirky songs on acoustic piano sung with a light, expressive voice. She also has the knack for spitting out a phrase rapid-fire and articulate it in much the same way as Jason Mraz (see below.) Plus she can sing with a Russian accent. :) Cool. She recently did a remake of John Lennon's "Real Love" which is lovely. But from this CD I list these as favorites: Samson, Music Box, Fidelity.
Nine Inch Nails - "The Slip": How to describe this? Um.. how about "blunt and straightforward: dystopian techno-metal forged from the fusion of man and machine." If you say so, sure. Works for me. I'll admit to lifting the phrase from a blog on pitchforkmedia.com, but words failed me so I got desperate. ;) They do have cool artwork attached to each song that you can drag and drop into your iTunes.
Oh, I should point out that this full-length album was a free download off the NIN website, kindly referred to me by J1 (thanks, Kitten.) :) Sort of like Radiohead's groundbreaking distributive effort, only more magnanimous. Favorite tracks? Boy, you got me there. I'd have to listen about 100 more times to figure them out - which isn't likely. ;) "Corona Radiata" is at least - smooth? Maybe the least obtrusive of the bunch. And "Lights in the Sky" is pretty chill. So I guess they qualify.
Jason Mraz - "We Sing, We Dance, We Steal Things": Ooh! Ooh! I have been waaaaaiting for this one. I loved "Mr. A-Z", and wondered what he would come up with next. On this CD, he duets with both Colbie Caillat and James Morrison. Interesting. He ranges from steamy funk to rapid fire hip-hop to sappy love ballads to introspective mood pieces. On balance, maybe not quite up to the standard of Mr. A-Z, but still nice if you're a fan, as I am. Favorites: A Beautiful Mess, Make It Mine, I'm Yours, Coyotes, The Dynamo of Volition, If It Kills Me.
Matt Nathanson - "Beneath These Fireworks", "Some Mad Hope": this guy opened for Lifehouse when I saw them earlier this year, and he was terrific with the audience. I finally broke down and got a couple of his CDs. So good. :) All the tracks on both CDs are good, but the Some Mad Hope album is positively packed with good songs. Favorites: from BTF, Sad Songs, Bare, Bent, Sing Me Sweet. From SMH, several are great: Come On Get Higher, Gone, To The Beat of Our Noisy Hearts, Detroit Waves, All We Are, Sooner Surrender. Solid singer.
Sons of Korah - "Resurrection": a Christian band for once. :) Except one from Australia and New Zealand. They are sort of like Iron & Wine, with mellow vocals and acoustic instruments. What makes their material so good is that they simply sing the Psalms. Not take a Psalm and "tweak" it to make it more sale-able from a pop culture standpoint. Just sing it to good (and modern style) music. The only drawback is.. you can't get it on iTunes. I was lucky enough to score a copy from a friend of the family who's one of the college regulars around our table. Thanks Jon. :) So, I have a search saved out on eBay to pick up a used copy whenever it gets listed.
Regina Spektor - "Begin To Hope": Cut from the same cloth as Beth Orton, Tori Amos, Fiona Apple - quirky songs on acoustic piano sung with a light, expressive voice. She also has the knack for spitting out a phrase rapid-fire and articulate it in much the same way as Jason Mraz (see below.) Plus she can sing with a Russian accent. :) Cool. She recently did a remake of John Lennon's "Real Love" which is lovely. But from this CD I list these as favorites: Samson, Music Box, Fidelity.
Nine Inch Nails - "The Slip": How to describe this? Um.. how about "blunt and straightforward: dystopian techno-metal forged from the fusion of man and machine." If you say so, sure. Works for me. I'll admit to lifting the phrase from a blog on pitchforkmedia.com, but words failed me so I got desperate. ;) They do have cool artwork attached to each song that you can drag and drop into your iTunes.
Oh, I should point out that this full-length album was a free download off the NIN website, kindly referred to me by J1 (thanks, Kitten.) :) Sort of like Radiohead's groundbreaking distributive effort, only more magnanimous. Favorite tracks? Boy, you got me there. I'd have to listen about 100 more times to figure them out - which isn't likely. ;) "Corona Radiata" is at least - smooth? Maybe the least obtrusive of the bunch. And "Lights in the Sky" is pretty chill. So I guess they qualify.
Jason Mraz - "We Sing, We Dance, We Steal Things": Ooh! Ooh! I have been waaaaaiting for this one. I loved "Mr. A-Z", and wondered what he would come up with next. On this CD, he duets with both Colbie Caillat and James Morrison. Interesting. He ranges from steamy funk to rapid fire hip-hop to sappy love ballads to introspective mood pieces. On balance, maybe not quite up to the standard of Mr. A-Z, but still nice if you're a fan, as I am. Favorites: A Beautiful Mess, Make It Mine, I'm Yours, Coyotes, The Dynamo of Volition, If It Kills Me.
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
legacy
.
strengthening growing
caring for one another
nurturing loving
.
I'm burning some new incense in the house today. Somehow it smells very... natural, and whole. Sort of like what this haiku would smell like - if you could smell poetry. :)
Breathe deep. Maybe you can.
strengthening growing
caring for one another
nurturing loving
.
I'm burning some new incense in the house today. Somehow it smells very... natural, and whole. Sort of like what this haiku would smell like - if you could smell poetry. :)
Breathe deep. Maybe you can.
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
mmmm..
What a beautiful day today. :)
64 degrees, sunny, little puffs of bright cloud scooting around up there, but only a little breeze on the ground. Great day to run.
If you like that sort of thing.
I don't, usually. But today I did. Ran fairly fast, though not super long. And it wasn't like there were demons on my heels, either. Noooo. Something much more angelic was there with me today. Sort of like a little white dot in a field of black. :)
I felt strong, good. Happy.
It would be cool if I could string a few of these days together, too. I'll... try that. :)
64 degrees, sunny, little puffs of bright cloud scooting around up there, but only a little breeze on the ground. Great day to run.
If you like that sort of thing.
I don't, usually. But today I did. Ran fairly fast, though not super long. And it wasn't like there were demons on my heels, either. Noooo. Something much more angelic was there with me today. Sort of like a little white dot in a field of black. :)
I felt strong, good. Happy.
It would be cool if I could string a few of these days together, too. I'll... try that. :)
Underripe fruits
Okay, so I thought I was going to work on this over Memorial Day. But TS503 was so dull last week, and various students (not me!) were droning on and on with their personal stories and comments, that I realized I was a bit short on patience, one of the fruits of the Spirit.
So, I started jotting down some phrases, and... all of a sudden I was done. At least with a first draft. Here, then, are the remaining six, to go with the first three. As before, comments welcome. They're usually helpful. At least the ones I choose to publish. ;)
So, I started jotting down some phrases, and... all of a sudden I was done. At least with a first draft. Here, then, are the remaining six, to go with the first three. As before, comments welcome. They're usually helpful. At least the ones I choose to publish. ;)
Monday, May 19, 2008
Welcome to Fabulous Osh Vegas!
Yup. Know the place. Spent a week there one night...
Thursday night flew by, as did Friday, but Friday night seemed like it was a whole week long. Being in Oshkosh alone on a Friday night is ... not so great.
The lake is pretty, but I would have rather had someone there to walk with me. But even if I would have.. the flies were nasty. So much for the outdoors. :(
Went shopping Friday instead. The Gap Outlet! Nice men's stuff, cheap. It was styled a little young, but.. some of it worked on me. ;) Like about... $47 worth?
But Saturday morning before heading home - I dropped by the EAA (Experimental Aircraft Association) museum, and that was sorta fun.
I attach some pictures for those of you who have never gone, or.. maybe would like to *say* you've gone but haven't really. ;) You can even download the photos I took and share with family and friends. You hereby have my permission.
Of course there were colorful and unusual aircraft everywhere.
Loads of them.
One of the more interesting parts was seeing SpaceShipOne, the first commercial venture to leave earth and go into space. What a cool looking craft. They had a video of an interview of the pilot/astronaut describing the experience.
A really fun thing about it was - they had a video camera in the cockpit that recorded the whole experience. He smuggled some M&Ms onto the ship in a pocket in his pressure suit. And when he hit 0Gs, and went weightless, he opened the pocket and scattered the M&Ms in the air, so there he is in space with colorful candies floating all around him in all directions. So cool. :)
And speaking of M&Ms... there was apparently going to be a wedding reception in the lower level later that day, and it was all decorated for the reception, complete with party favors at each place setting. Well.. no one was around, so.. I went to look.
They were black & white M&Ms, mixed with little white bell-shaped candies, in small translucent plastic boxes embossed with "love."
I wondered if they were really M&Ms, or.. maybe the couple getting married just happen to have initials like, say - M and W, for instance. Then, whichever way you look at the candy - it's one of them. :)
You know, like... Maggie and Walter, or um.. Martha and William, or um.. Mona and.. and.. Wendell? (Okay, I'm running out of W names.)
And then I wondered if you could custom-order M&Ms with phrases on them. Like, say - "love you forever" or "better together" or something like that. Your initials.. a phrase that means something to you.. hm. Don't they do that?
Well, just a romantic thought, triggered by thinking about a wedding or something, I guess. But I like it. It could happen, you know - in a perfect world.
So, a visit to Osh Vegas. Kinda lonesome in parts. But it turned out to have some nice features to it after all. :)
Thursday night flew by, as did Friday, but Friday night seemed like it was a whole week long. Being in Oshkosh alone on a Friday night is ... not so great.
The lake is pretty, but I would have rather had someone there to walk with me. But even if I would have.. the flies were nasty. So much for the outdoors. :(
Went shopping Friday instead. The Gap Outlet! Nice men's stuff, cheap. It was styled a little young, but.. some of it worked on me. ;) Like about... $47 worth?
But Saturday morning before heading home - I dropped by the EAA (Experimental Aircraft Association) museum, and that was sorta fun.
I attach some pictures for those of you who have never gone, or.. maybe would like to *say* you've gone but haven't really. ;) You can even download the photos I took and share with family and friends. You hereby have my permission.
Of course there were colorful and unusual aircraft everywhere.
Loads of them.
One of the more interesting parts was seeing SpaceShipOne, the first commercial venture to leave earth and go into space. What a cool looking craft. They had a video of an interview of the pilot/astronaut describing the experience.
A really fun thing about it was - they had a video camera in the cockpit that recorded the whole experience. He smuggled some M&Ms onto the ship in a pocket in his pressure suit. And when he hit 0Gs, and went weightless, he opened the pocket and scattered the M&Ms in the air, so there he is in space with colorful candies floating all around him in all directions. So cool. :)
And speaking of M&Ms... there was apparently going to be a wedding reception in the lower level later that day, and it was all decorated for the reception, complete with party favors at each place setting. Well.. no one was around, so.. I went to look.
They were black & white M&Ms, mixed with little white bell-shaped candies, in small translucent plastic boxes embossed with "love."
I wondered if they were really M&Ms, or.. maybe the couple getting married just happen to have initials like, say - M and W, for instance. Then, whichever way you look at the candy - it's one of them. :)
You know, like... Maggie and Walter, or um.. Martha and William, or um.. Mona and.. and.. Wendell? (Okay, I'm running out of W names.)
And then I wondered if you could custom-order M&Ms with phrases on them. Like, say - "love you forever" or "better together" or something like that. Your initials.. a phrase that means something to you.. hm. Don't they do that?
Well, just a romantic thought, triggered by thinking about a wedding or something, I guess. But I like it. It could happen, you know - in a perfect world.
So, a visit to Osh Vegas. Kinda lonesome in parts. But it turned out to have some nice features to it after all. :)
Sunday, May 18, 2008
Joy comes in the morning
Psalm 30:4-5
Sing praise to the LORD, you saints of His,
And give thanks at the remembrance of His holy name.
For His anger is but for a moment,
His favor is for life;
Weeping may endure for a night,
But joy comes in the morning.
All right, Lord.. here it is Sunday morning and I do give you praise and thanks for all you've done for me. You are not angry with me. I know I have your favor. You have shown me your kindness and your mercy, and have done the same for those I love.
So... anytime now with the joy thing. How's it coming with that?
Sing praise to the LORD, you saints of His,
And give thanks at the remembrance of His holy name.
For His anger is but for a moment,
His favor is for life;
Weeping may endure for a night,
But joy comes in the morning.
All right, Lord.. here it is Sunday morning and I do give you praise and thanks for all you've done for me. You are not angry with me. I know I have your favor. You have shown me your kindness and your mercy, and have done the same for those I love.
So... anytime now with the joy thing. How's it coming with that?
Saturday, May 17, 2008
Fare Thee Well [updated]
Fare thee well! and if for ever,
Still for ever, fare thee well:
Even though ['tis breaking], never
’Gainst thee shall my heart rebel.
Would that breast were bared before thee
Where thy head so oft hath lain,
While that placid sleep came o’er thee
Which thou [with me, shant] know again:
Would that breast, by thee glanced over,
Every inmost thought could show!
Then thou wouldst at last discover
[How truly it doth love you] so.
Though the world for this commend thee—
Though it smile upon the blow,
Even its praises must offend thee,
Founded on another’s woe:
Though my many faults defaced me,
Could no other arm be found,
Than the one which once embraced me,
To inflict a cureless wound?
Yet, oh yet, thyself deceive not;
Love may sink by slow decay,
But by sudden wrench, believe not
Hearts can thus be torn away:
Still thine own its life retaineth,
Still must mine, though bleeding, beat;
And the undying thought which paineth
Is — that we no more may meet.
These are words of deeper sorrow
Than the wail above the dead;
Both shall live, but every morrow
Wake us from a widow’d bed.
All my faults perchance thou knowest,
All my madness none can know;
All my hopes, where’er thou goest,
Wither, yet with thee they go.
Every feeling hath been shaken;
Pride, which not a world could bow,
Bows to thee — by thee forsaken,
Even my soul forsakes me now:
But ’tis done — all words are idle —
Words from me are vainer still;
But the thoughts we cannot bridle
Force their way without the will.
Fare thee well! thus disunited,
Torn from every nearer tie,
Sear’d in heart, and lone, and blighted,
More than this I scarce can die.
----- from the poem by Lord Byron
(and yes, some [editorial license] was exercised to make it sound a bit.. kinder)
Still for ever, fare thee well:
Even though ['tis breaking], never
’Gainst thee shall my heart rebel.
Would that breast were bared before thee
Where thy head so oft hath lain,
While that placid sleep came o’er thee
Which thou [with me, shant] know again:
Would that breast, by thee glanced over,
Every inmost thought could show!
Then thou wouldst at last discover
[How truly it doth love you] so.
Though the world for this commend thee—
Though it smile upon the blow,
Even its praises must offend thee,
Founded on another’s woe:
Though my many faults defaced me,
Could no other arm be found,
Than the one which once embraced me,
To inflict a cureless wound?
Yet, oh yet, thyself deceive not;
Love may sink by slow decay,
But by sudden wrench, believe not
Hearts can thus be torn away:
Still thine own its life retaineth,
Still must mine, though bleeding, beat;
And the undying thought which paineth
Is — that we no more may meet.
These are words of deeper sorrow
Than the wail above the dead;
Both shall live, but every morrow
Wake us from a widow’d bed.
All my faults perchance thou knowest,
All my madness none can know;
All my hopes, where’er thou goest,
Wither, yet with thee they go.
Every feeling hath been shaken;
Pride, which not a world could bow,
Bows to thee — by thee forsaken,
Even my soul forsakes me now:
But ’tis done — all words are idle —
Words from me are vainer still;
But the thoughts we cannot bridle
Force their way without the will.
Fare thee well! thus disunited,
Torn from every nearer tie,
Sear’d in heart, and lone, and blighted,
More than this I scarce can die.
----- from the poem by Lord Byron
(and yes, some [editorial license] was exercised to make it sound a bit.. kinder)
Friday, May 16, 2008
On Parting
The kiss, dear maid, thy lip has left
Shall never part from mine,
Till happier hours restore the gift
Untainted back to thine.
Thy parting glance, which fondly beams,
An equal love may see:
The tear that from thine eyelid streams
Can weep no change in me.
I ask no pledge to make me blest
In gazing when alone;
Nor one memorial for a breast,
Whose thoughts are all thine own.
Nor need I write --- to tell the tale
My pen were doubly weak:
Oh! what can idle words avail,
Unless the heart could speak ?
By day or night, in weal or woe,
That heart, no longer free,
Must bear the love it cannot show,
And silent ache for thee.
----- Lord Byron
Shall never part from mine,
Till happier hours restore the gift
Untainted back to thine.
Thy parting glance, which fondly beams,
An equal love may see:
The tear that from thine eyelid streams
Can weep no change in me.
I ask no pledge to make me blest
In gazing when alone;
Nor one memorial for a breast,
Whose thoughts are all thine own.
Nor need I write --- to tell the tale
My pen were doubly weak:
Oh! what can idle words avail,
Unless the heart could speak ?
By day or night, in weal or woe,
That heart, no longer free,
Must bear the love it cannot show,
And silent ache for thee.
----- Lord Byron
Thursday, May 15, 2008
A lovely day to drive
Getting behind the wheel for a good long drive always lifts my spirits!
(as long as it isn't fighting rain or heavy traffic - worse, yet, both - then it's the opposite.)
Today was no exception. How can there be anything wrong in the world when you have a clear day, a nice car to drive, the open road in front of you, very little traffic, and no clock to punch? :)
Sure, there was a destination in front of me, and an agenda.. but that could wait. I didn't really have to think about it. No interaction, no talking; plenty of time for that tomorrow. For now, just listen to music, look at the scenery, eat some snacks, and.. drive, baby, drive.
This must have been like Whitman or Thoreau felt when you got places by walking or on horseback.
Or maybe not. ;) But I like to think so.
Closing In
Frame by frame...red speed ahead.
A city dissolving, the threat of your love in the headlights.
Is it safe now...will your arms be open?
I just have to kiss you...try and stop me.
Closing in...I hope that you make it.
Closing in...I hope that you find your way.
Closing in...it's all that I want...in the whole world.
Closing in...please be mine...please be there.
----- Imogen Heap
A city dissolving, the threat of your love in the headlights.
Is it safe now...will your arms be open?
I just have to kiss you...try and stop me.
Closing in...I hope that you make it.
Closing in...I hope that you find your way.
Closing in...it's all that I want...in the whole world.
Closing in...please be mine...please be there.
----- Imogen Heap
No Need To Cry
I lie in back and ignore the TV
Watch the clouds sift through the aereo
And you'll be in my arms again
There's no need to cry
Of all the things so bittersweet
You're the first thing that I see in the morning and in sleep
And you'll be in my arms again
There's no need to cry
Years have been lost that will never be replaced
But my thoughts are with you
Tied to that interstate
And you'll be in my arms tonight
There's no need to cry
There's no need to cry
There's no need to cry
----- Neko Case
Watch the clouds sift through the aereo
And you'll be in my arms again
There's no need to cry
Of all the things so bittersweet
You're the first thing that I see in the morning and in sleep
And you'll be in my arms again
There's no need to cry
Years have been lost that will never be replaced
But my thoughts are with you
Tied to that interstate
And you'll be in my arms tonight
There's no need to cry
There's no need to cry
There's no need to cry
----- Neko Case
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Points of the Compass
Tomorrow we all scatter. The compass needle will be spinning.
D flies West for a week to see J1 and old friends, and then from the "kiss & fly" lot I drive East on business (with perhaps some pleasure mingled in..), and J2 may head South for the weekend, or maybe some friends from the South will head North to see him. :)
Or.. he may be working at FedEx all weekend, which he should find out today. Who knows? Either way, collegians can do more things on the spur of the moment than can adults laden with responsibilities.
Working adults have to plan our escapes well in advance, and make the most of them while we can. They don't come around that often.
D flies West for a week to see J1 and old friends, and then from the "kiss & fly" lot I drive East on business (with perhaps some pleasure mingled in..), and J2 may head South for the weekend, or maybe some friends from the South will head North to see him. :)
Or.. he may be working at FedEx all weekend, which he should find out today. Who knows? Either way, collegians can do more things on the spur of the moment than can adults laden with responsibilities.
Working adults have to plan our escapes well in advance, and make the most of them while we can. They don't come around that often.
devotion
.
consuming passion
organizing principle
shaping all of life
.
you hear it said of people "oh, she is so devoted to her children", or "he has a real devotion to duty." Can it really be said of us that we are truly devoted to anything or anyone, unless the above is true of us?
consuming passion
organizing principle
shaping all of life
.
you hear it said of people "oh, she is so devoted to her children", or "he has a real devotion to duty." Can it really be said of us that we are truly devoted to anything or anyone, unless the above is true of us?
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
fruits
In TS503 the other night, we were discussing Galatians 5 and how to discern the Holy Spirit's presence in a church or person, and we spent some time in verses 22-23: "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law."
This is, of course, in contrast with the 3 prior verses which list the obvious immoral deeds of the fallen human nature, against which the Spirit in us contends for dominance.
It occurred to me that I might spend some of the energies I use for writing haiku (which are usually so full of human emotions and experiences), to try to describe these fruits of the Spirit.
I took a crack at the first three, and will work on the rest over Memorial Day weekend while off at camp, cut off from cyberspace.
Comments welcome. :) There's still time to edit before I submit them to Christianity Today.
Yeah. Like they have a poetry corner.
Maybe Relevant magazine. They might bite.
This is, of course, in contrast with the 3 prior verses which list the obvious immoral deeds of the fallen human nature, against which the Spirit in us contends for dominance.
It occurred to me that I might spend some of the energies I use for writing haiku (which are usually so full of human emotions and experiences), to try to describe these fruits of the Spirit.
I took a crack at the first three, and will work on the rest over Memorial Day weekend while off at camp, cut off from cyberspace.
Comments welcome. :) There's still time to edit before I submit them to Christianity Today.
Yeah. Like they have a poetry corner.
Maybe Relevant magazine. They might bite.
Monday, May 12, 2008
They say
They say that Hope is happiness;
But genuine Love must prize the past,
And Mem'ry wakes the thoughts that bless:
They rose the first - they set the last;
And all that Mem'ry loves the most
Was once our only Hope to be,
And all that Hope adored and lost
Hath melted into Memory.
Alas! It is delusion all;
The future cheats us from afar,
Nor can we be what we recall,
Nor dare we think on what we are.
----- Lord Byron
But genuine Love must prize the past,
And Mem'ry wakes the thoughts that bless:
They rose the first - they set the last;
And all that Mem'ry loves the most
Was once our only Hope to be,
And all that Hope adored and lost
Hath melted into Memory.
Alas! It is delusion all;
The future cheats us from afar,
Nor can we be what we recall,
Nor dare we think on what we are.
----- Lord Byron
Faith needs hope
Anselm of Canterbury (1033-1109) coined this Latin phrase, which has been an underlying definitional principle of theology for a 1000 years:
Fides quaerens intellectum - Credo, ut intellegam
"Faith seeking understanding - I believe, that I may understand."
I much prefer the version proposed by Jurgen Moltmann in 1964:
Spes quaerens intellectum - Spero, ut intellegam
"Hope seeking understanding - I hope, that I may understand."
Moltmann says "... it is hope that maintains and upholds faith and keeps it moving on ... hope is the mobilizing and driving force of faith's thinking, of its knowledge of and reflections on human nature, history and society. Faith hopes in order to know what it believes."
Yes. I agree.
When faith is shaken, as mine has been in recent years, hope upholds it; when you're bruised and beaten up by life, so that you're not even sure what you can depend on anymore, hope keeps faith alive.
For me, it's hope in the compassionate and loving nature of God, in the restorative and reconciling grace of God toward me - that's what keeps faith alive, and what constantly informs it of the dependable, trustworthy character of God.
Then, even in crisis, I can remain open to God's working on my faith - teaching, perfecting, maturing. No matter what it feels like.
Fides quaerens intellectum - Credo, ut intellegam
"Faith seeking understanding - I believe, that I may understand."
I much prefer the version proposed by Jurgen Moltmann in 1964:
Spes quaerens intellectum - Spero, ut intellegam
"Hope seeking understanding - I hope, that I may understand."
Moltmann says "... it is hope that maintains and upholds faith and keeps it moving on ... hope is the mobilizing and driving force of faith's thinking, of its knowledge of and reflections on human nature, history and society. Faith hopes in order to know what it believes."
Yes. I agree.
When faith is shaken, as mine has been in recent years, hope upholds it; when you're bruised and beaten up by life, so that you're not even sure what you can depend on anymore, hope keeps faith alive.
For me, it's hope in the compassionate and loving nature of God, in the restorative and reconciling grace of God toward me - that's what keeps faith alive, and what constantly informs it of the dependable, trustworthy character of God.
Then, even in crisis, I can remain open to God's working on my faith - teaching, perfecting, maturing. No matter what it feels like.
Sunday, May 11, 2008
Another little hole
no need to tell her she knows that there's
another little hole in her heart
each day each dollar she knows it tears
another little hole in her heart
'cause she feels it happen
no doubt that there's
another little hole in her heart
The day is breaking
and the time is taking
the love were making
away
this life can only leave us lonely
there's no tomorrow
just another little hole in her heart
no need to tell me i know that there's
another little tear in my eye
i'm quite aware i see that there's
another little tear in my eye
do you ask yourself why
should we ask ourselves why
is there any point in wondering why
any point in wondering why
The day is breaking
and the time is taking
the love were making
away
this life can only leave us lonely
there's no tomorrow
just another little tear in my eye
another little tear in my eye
i don't know i don't know i don' t know i don't know i don't know
the day is breaking
and time is taking
the love were making
away
the gods have spoken
the spell is broken
and love will tear us
love will tear us apart
this life can only leave us lonely
there's no tomorrow
just another little hole in my heart
another little hole in my heart
i don't know i don't know i don' t know i don't know i don't know
----- Matt Hales (Aqualung)
another little hole in her heart
each day each dollar she knows it tears
another little hole in her heart
'cause she feels it happen
no doubt that there's
another little hole in her heart
The day is breaking
and the time is taking
the love were making
away
this life can only leave us lonely
there's no tomorrow
just another little hole in her heart
no need to tell me i know that there's
another little tear in my eye
i'm quite aware i see that there's
another little tear in my eye
do you ask yourself why
should we ask ourselves why
is there any point in wondering why
any point in wondering why
The day is breaking
and the time is taking
the love were making
away
this life can only leave us lonely
there's no tomorrow
just another little tear in my eye
another little tear in my eye
i don't know i don't know i don' t know i don't know i don't know
the day is breaking
and time is taking
the love were making
away
the gods have spoken
the spell is broken
and love will tear us
love will tear us apart
this life can only leave us lonely
there's no tomorrow
just another little hole in my heart
another little hole in my heart
i don't know i don't know i don' t know i don't know i don't know
----- Matt Hales (Aqualung)
Saturday, May 10, 2008
Weekend miscellany
theology of the sacraments
J2 job interview at UPS (4AM!!)
reading Acts 2 in German for Pentecost Mass
tennis with a new friend
tuna salad made from the grilled steaks (mmm.. best ever, D says)
postmodernism and ecclesiology
worship team Sunday AM
song lyrics and poetry (it never stops..)
coffee with another new friend
dubbing a movie from VHS to DVD
the church and eschatology
run. watch what I eat. run. ugh.
music, music, and more music
thinking ahead to next week's trip
and maybe a little (!) introspection...
J2 job interview at UPS (4AM!!)
reading Acts 2 in German for Pentecost Mass
tennis with a new friend
tuna salad made from the grilled steaks (mmm.. best ever, D says)
postmodernism and ecclesiology
worship team Sunday AM
song lyrics and poetry (it never stops..)
coffee with another new friend
dubbing a movie from VHS to DVD
the church and eschatology
run. watch what I eat. run. ugh.
music, music, and more music
thinking ahead to next week's trip
and maybe a little (!) introspection...
Friday, May 09, 2008
Once I Walked In The Sun
Once I walked in the sun
You told me I was the one
who made this life
so it is worth the sorrow
You said you felt the same
You reached out and whispered my name
Promising me tomorrow
All you left me is a song
I sing it now that you've gone
At least love in the songs lasts forever
Music only survives
In the melody we're alive
Feeling it all together
Living inside a song
When we made love
What a perfect world we made together
When we made love
How I wished that life went on and on
Once I walked in the sun
Once I walked in the sun
I feel the light until my life is done
Lovers dance by the sea
And they're always you and me
And music soft as the night falls around us
Hope you're watching the stars
And the moonlight falls where you are
One time the music found us
One time we made a song
When we made love...
----- as sung by Jane Monheit
You told me I was the one
who made this life
so it is worth the sorrow
You said you felt the same
You reached out and whispered my name
Promising me tomorrow
All you left me is a song
I sing it now that you've gone
At least love in the songs lasts forever
Music only survives
In the melody we're alive
Feeling it all together
Living inside a song
When we made love
What a perfect world we made together
When we made love
How I wished that life went on and on
Once I walked in the sun
Once I walked in the sun
I feel the light until my life is done
Lovers dance by the sea
And they're always you and me
And music soft as the night falls around us
Hope you're watching the stars
And the moonlight falls where you are
One time the music found us
One time we made a song
When we made love...
----- as sung by Jane Monheit
Come And Get Higher
I miss the sound of your voice
And I miss the rush of your skin
And I miss the still of the silence
As you breathe out and I breathe in
If I could walk on water
If I could tell you what's next
I'd make you believe
I'd make you forget
So come on, get higher, loosen my lips
Faith and desire and the swing of your hips
Just pull me down hard
And drown me in love
So come on, get higher, loosen my lips
Faith and desire and the swing of your hips
Just pull me down hard
And drown me in love
I miss the sound of your voice
The loudest thing in my head
And I ache to remember
All the violent, sweet
Perfect words that you said
If I could walk on water
If I could tell you what's next
I'd make you believe
I'd make you forget
So come on, get higher, loosen my lips
Faith and desire in the swing of your hips
Just pull me down hard
And drown me in love
So come on, get higher, loosen my lips
Faith and desire in the swing of your hips
Just pull me down hard
And drown me in love
I miss the pull of your heart
I could taste the sparks on your tongue
I see angels and devils
And God, when you come on
Hold on, hold on, hold on, hold on
Sing sha la la la
Sing sha la la la la
So come on, get higher, loosen my lips
Faith and desire and the swing of your hips
Just pull me down hard
And drown me in love
So come on, get higher, loosen my lips
Faith and desire and the swing of your hips
Just pull me down hard
And drown me, drown me in love
It's all wrong, it's all wrong
It's all wrong, it's so right
So come on, get higher
So come on and get higher
'Cause everything works, love
Everything works in your arms
----- Matt Nathanson (opening act for Lifehouse)
And I miss the rush of your skin
And I miss the still of the silence
As you breathe out and I breathe in
If I could walk on water
If I could tell you what's next
I'd make you believe
I'd make you forget
So come on, get higher, loosen my lips
Faith and desire and the swing of your hips
Just pull me down hard
And drown me in love
So come on, get higher, loosen my lips
Faith and desire and the swing of your hips
Just pull me down hard
And drown me in love
I miss the sound of your voice
The loudest thing in my head
And I ache to remember
All the violent, sweet
Perfect words that you said
If I could walk on water
If I could tell you what's next
I'd make you believe
I'd make you forget
So come on, get higher, loosen my lips
Faith and desire in the swing of your hips
Just pull me down hard
And drown me in love
So come on, get higher, loosen my lips
Faith and desire in the swing of your hips
Just pull me down hard
And drown me in love
I miss the pull of your heart
I could taste the sparks on your tongue
I see angels and devils
And God, when you come on
Hold on, hold on, hold on, hold on
Sing sha la la la
Sing sha la la la la
So come on, get higher, loosen my lips
Faith and desire and the swing of your hips
Just pull me down hard
And drown me in love
So come on, get higher, loosen my lips
Faith and desire and the swing of your hips
Just pull me down hard
And drown me, drown me in love
It's all wrong, it's all wrong
It's all wrong, it's so right
So come on, get higher
So come on and get higher
'Cause everything works, love
Everything works in your arms
----- Matt Nathanson (opening act for Lifehouse)
Thursday, May 08, 2008
A Swell Show
.... from The Swell Season. :)
Three and a half hours, including a 45 minute encore. Wow. That's even better than at the Eels concert. And a lot less quirky.
Another beautiful venue. The Hennepin Theatre District has done a marvelous job of restoring, maintaining and modernizing these vintage opera houses. Gorgeous.
The opening act was an Irish duo, Damien Dempsey and .. what's-his-name, the mandolin player and backup vocalist. Dempsey was kinda different, right from the opening number, which had an improbably long title: "I'm not going to let your negative vibes penetrate into my psyche and cripple me", and sounded for all the world like Irish rastafari music. ;) Go figure.
After 45 minutes he yielded the stage to Glen Hansard and the audience erupted. :) What an ovation.
I think he opens each show this way: he steps around in front of the mic and sings "Say It To Me Now" as if he were the street busker that he plays in the movie Once. It's a song where he just lets it rip vocally and the audience loved it.
After that he brings on Marketa Irglova and they do a few of their best softer numbers.
The two of them were heads-together-and-talking all night, comparing notes, negotiating on what to do next, almost like they had to confer on every little detail, like a new couple trying to put their best foot forward together for relatives and friends. It was cute.
And then the rest of the band comes on, and they hit their stride. By the time they got to "When your mind's made up", one of my favorites, they just blew the lid off - fantastic. :) I just let the song and the feelings that go with it wash over me... it was wonderful.
Hansard was as full of blarney as any stereotypical Irishman. ;) What stories. Full of hooey, most of them. I wish I were going to be in Milwaukee tonight to see if he ever tells them the same way twice. :) Not to mention that I'd also like to experience it all again - the same.. but somehow very different.
At the end we all stood and hollered and begged for more. They made us wait a long time, but when they came back, it was a terrific encore - half a dozen songs, some new tunes, and more stories.
Swell show. One of the best ever. :)
Three and a half hours, including a 45 minute encore. Wow. That's even better than at the Eels concert. And a lot less quirky.
Another beautiful venue. The Hennepin Theatre District has done a marvelous job of restoring, maintaining and modernizing these vintage opera houses. Gorgeous.
The opening act was an Irish duo, Damien Dempsey and .. what's-his-name, the mandolin player and backup vocalist. Dempsey was kinda different, right from the opening number, which had an improbably long title: "I'm not going to let your negative vibes penetrate into my psyche and cripple me", and sounded for all the world like Irish rastafari music. ;) Go figure.
After 45 minutes he yielded the stage to Glen Hansard and the audience erupted. :) What an ovation.
I think he opens each show this way: he steps around in front of the mic and sings "Say It To Me Now" as if he were the street busker that he plays in the movie Once. It's a song where he just lets it rip vocally and the audience loved it.
After that he brings on Marketa Irglova and they do a few of their best softer numbers.
The two of them were heads-together-and-talking all night, comparing notes, negotiating on what to do next, almost like they had to confer on every little detail, like a new couple trying to put their best foot forward together for relatives and friends. It was cute.
And then the rest of the band comes on, and they hit their stride. By the time they got to "When your mind's made up", one of my favorites, they just blew the lid off - fantastic. :) I just let the song and the feelings that go with it wash over me... it was wonderful.
Hansard was as full of blarney as any stereotypical Irishman. ;) What stories. Full of hooey, most of them. I wish I were going to be in Milwaukee tonight to see if he ever tells them the same way twice. :) Not to mention that I'd also like to experience it all again - the same.. but somehow very different.
At the end we all stood and hollered and begged for more. They made us wait a long time, but when they came back, it was a terrific encore - half a dozen songs, some new tunes, and more stories.
Swell show. One of the best ever. :)
Wednesday, May 07, 2008
Feels good - feels bad
Feels good:
Two sets of tennis Monday (after a two and a half year layoff), on a perfect sunny day, at the neighborhood courts, with a new playing partner. Redness on my face the next day from the sun.
Feels bad:
Sore forearm from the hedge trimmer (and maybe from tennis a little) while cutting back the lilac bushes on Monday, plus sneezing from the pollen. More redness on my face from the sun, but also red scratches on legs and arms from the lilacs. Itchy.
Today I go to the dentist. Small chip to fix in a front tooth and a crack in a gold crown (that now pops off with a toothpick) to repair. My guess is... feels bad. :(
Then there's the appointment with Dr. Shrink-wrap (down to every other week now. Progress!) Those meetings can go either way.
So what will I have today to counterbalance these? What will the "feels good" part be?
Oh yeah! Concert tonight! :) There's the "feels good" part (I hope.)
Two sets of tennis Monday (after a two and a half year layoff), on a perfect sunny day, at the neighborhood courts, with a new playing partner. Redness on my face the next day from the sun.
Feels bad:
Sore forearm from the hedge trimmer (and maybe from tennis a little) while cutting back the lilac bushes on Monday, plus sneezing from the pollen. More redness on my face from the sun, but also red scratches on legs and arms from the lilacs. Itchy.
Today I go to the dentist. Small chip to fix in a front tooth and a crack in a gold crown (that now pops off with a toothpick) to repair. My guess is... feels bad. :(
Then there's the appointment with Dr. Shrink-wrap (down to every other week now. Progress!) Those meetings can go either way.
So what will I have today to counterbalance these? What will the "feels good" part be?
Oh yeah! Concert tonight! :) There's the "feels good" part (I hope.)
Tuesday, May 06, 2008
Pension, schmension
Just registered for grad school classes for next year's academic year. Hermeneutics and two Church History courses; another one per quarter. There seems to be neither any point in, nor ability in me for, taking more than that while working full-time.
So, the scenarios roll through my head, and as I mull them, the cartoon-y calendar pages flip rapidly by. I'm fighting against the clock, against the grinding relentlessness of Father Time. When can I cut over to this new career?
2017? Do I try to work for my current employer for 10 years, to qualify for their lucrative retiree health benefits and use my current income stream (and eventually, D's) to get all debts retired before I do? Do I see this teaching thing as a true retirement career, as part-time adjuncting only, probably teaching to adult learners like me instead of to malleable youth?
Or..
2014? At one class per quarter, I would be done in May 2014 and would be looking to get hired for the 2014-15 school year at age 58. Is there really any possibility of being offered a full-time contract at that age? For college undergrads? High Schoolers? Will I still connect with twenty-something-ish people like I can right now?
Or..
2011? If I do one/quarter for the next two academic years, and (assuming D finishes her Accounting degree program by Dec 2009 and is decently employed for all of 2010 & 2011) then quit and go full-time for one year to finish it up.. I'd be looking for a teaching position while still 55. Seems more reasonable at that age to think I could land something full-time teaching to youth, and pull it off. But, definitely more living on the edge financially to get there.
So, I have this pension vested from the employer I'd been with for 17 years (right up until I started this blog.) That has the potential to help fund a career transition to a lower salary level. It's not as rich as a military or government or teacher pension, but it's something. But when do I start to draw on it? And the same for Social Security?
55?
59 1/2?
62?
65?
Of course, the longer you wait to draw, the more per month you get, but.. what is the utility of the money if I'm too old to use it to facilitate the career change I want now? Utility for old age only?
Sometimes advances in medical science really do seem like a blessing. Like when I feel that I'm in the best shape of my life - at my current age. Like today - first time ever running a mile in under 9 minutes.
And I recovered so quickly, I think "why didn't I run longer??" Should've - felt great. :) Better living through chemistry, man. Timothy Leary sure had that part right.
But sometimes medical advances feel like a curse. Like when I do financial planning and I have to think about not just living until I'm 80, but.. for however long past that the medicine of the future will allow. And how the heck am I going to enjoy it if I can't afford it?
Ugh.
And speaking of ugh... not that I know about any of this from personal experience, you understand, but.. here's that haiku on dissipation that I promised you from the weekend's post. I know how you all have been eagerly anticipating it. :)
So, the scenarios roll through my head, and as I mull them, the cartoon-y calendar pages flip rapidly by. I'm fighting against the clock, against the grinding relentlessness of Father Time. When can I cut over to this new career?
2017? Do I try to work for my current employer for 10 years, to qualify for their lucrative retiree health benefits and use my current income stream (and eventually, D's) to get all debts retired before I do? Do I see this teaching thing as a true retirement career, as part-time adjuncting only, probably teaching to adult learners like me instead of to malleable youth?
Or..
2014? At one class per quarter, I would be done in May 2014 and would be looking to get hired for the 2014-15 school year at age 58. Is there really any possibility of being offered a full-time contract at that age? For college undergrads? High Schoolers? Will I still connect with twenty-something-ish people like I can right now?
Or..
2011? If I do one/quarter for the next two academic years, and (assuming D finishes her Accounting degree program by Dec 2009 and is decently employed for all of 2010 & 2011) then quit and go full-time for one year to finish it up.. I'd be looking for a teaching position while still 55. Seems more reasonable at that age to think I could land something full-time teaching to youth, and pull it off. But, definitely more living on the edge financially to get there.
So, I have this pension vested from the employer I'd been with for 17 years (right up until I started this blog.) That has the potential to help fund a career transition to a lower salary level. It's not as rich as a military or government or teacher pension, but it's something. But when do I start to draw on it? And the same for Social Security?
55?
59 1/2?
62?
65?
Of course, the longer you wait to draw, the more per month you get, but.. what is the utility of the money if I'm too old to use it to facilitate the career change I want now? Utility for old age only?
Sometimes advances in medical science really do seem like a blessing. Like when I feel that I'm in the best shape of my life - at my current age. Like today - first time ever running a mile in under 9 minutes.
And I recovered so quickly, I think "why didn't I run longer??" Should've - felt great. :) Better living through chemistry, man. Timothy Leary sure had that part right.
But sometimes medical advances feel like a curse. Like when I do financial planning and I have to think about not just living until I'm 80, but.. for however long past that the medicine of the future will allow. And how the heck am I going to enjoy it if I can't afford it?
Ugh.
And speaking of ugh... not that I know about any of this from personal experience, you understand, but.. here's that haiku on dissipation that I promised you from the weekend's post. I know how you all have been eagerly anticipating it. :)
Monday, May 05, 2008
Falling Slowly
I don't know you
But I want you
All the more for that
Words fall through me
And always fool me
And I can't react
And games that never amount
To more than they're meant
Will play themselves out
Take this sinking boat and point it home
We've still got time
Raise your hopeful voice you have a choice
You've made it now
Falling slowly, eyes that know me
And I can't go back
Moods that take me and erase me
And I'm painted black
You have suffered enough
And warred with yourself
It's time that you won
Take this sinking boat and point it home
We've still got time
Raise your hopeful voice you had a choice
You've made it now
Take this sinking boat and point it home
We've still got time
Raise your hopeful voice you had a choice
You've made it now
Falling slowly sing your melody
I'll sing along
----- Glen Hansard & Marketa Irglova from the movie "Once"
But I want you
All the more for that
Words fall through me
And always fool me
And I can't react
And games that never amount
To more than they're meant
Will play themselves out
Take this sinking boat and point it home
We've still got time
Raise your hopeful voice you have a choice
You've made it now
Falling slowly, eyes that know me
And I can't go back
Moods that take me and erase me
And I'm painted black
You have suffered enough
And warred with yourself
It's time that you won
Take this sinking boat and point it home
We've still got time
Raise your hopeful voice you had a choice
You've made it now
Take this sinking boat and point it home
We've still got time
Raise your hopeful voice you had a choice
You've made it now
Falling slowly sing your melody
I'll sing along
----- Glen Hansard & Marketa Irglova from the movie "Once"
When Your Mind's Made Up
So, if you want something
And you call, call
Then I'll come running
To fight, and I'll be at your door
When there's something worth running for
When your mind's made up
When your mind's made up
There's no point trying to change it
When your mind's made up
When your mind's made up
There's no point trying to stop it
You see, you're just like everyone
When the shit falls all you want to do is run away
And hide all by yourself
When you're far from me, there's nothing else
When your mind's made up
When your mind's made up
There's no point trying to change it
When your mind's made up
When your mind's made up
There's no point even talking
When your mind's made up
When your mind's made up
There's no point trying to fight it
So, if you ever want something
And you call, call
Then I'll come running.
----- Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova from the movie "Once"
And you call, call
Then I'll come running
To fight, and I'll be at your door
When there's something worth running for
When your mind's made up
When your mind's made up
There's no point trying to change it
When your mind's made up
When your mind's made up
There's no point trying to stop it
You see, you're just like everyone
When the shit falls all you want to do is run away
And hide all by yourself
When you're far from me, there's nothing else
When your mind's made up
When your mind's made up
There's no point trying to change it
When your mind's made up
When your mind's made up
There's no point even talking
When your mind's made up
When your mind's made up
There's no point trying to fight it
So, if you ever want something
And you call, call
Then I'll come running.
----- Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova from the movie "Once"
Sunday, May 04, 2008
Music & movies
J2 is home for the summer. We've already figured out how to share our limited men's bathroom space. That's a good sign. :) I also got the el cheapo wired router hooked up so that he can access the internet from his computer in his bedroom. I think I can live with this nasty cord in my office until September.
Went with the boy Sunday to the new Iron Man movie. Yeah, baby! Cool gadgets, high body count, sophisticated hero, pretty women.. what else do you want in an action picture? Or in real life for that matter. :) Oh, wait.. not the high body count. Unless you're a professional soldier of fortune or something similarly whacked out.
Slate Magazine (the e-version) said that Robert Downey, Jr. plays Tony Stark, the Iron Man alter-ego, "as the Oscar Wilde of superheros, a dissipated roué who seems weary of his own charisma." Hm. Sounds vaguely familiar somehow. ;)
I think I need to write a haiku on dissipation. Then one on being a roue', and then another on charisma. Although.. I may have to bring in a consultant to truly understand the last two. :P Or do I have that order wrong? Hm.
Screened some more film at church in the "Reel Jesus" series. This time it was "Jesus", a made for TV movie from 1999, "The Last Temptation of Christ" (the Scorsese film from 1988 - again!), and "Jesus of Montreal" a movie from 1989. The focus was on the scenes of Jesus' temptation by the devil in the wilderness, and the amount of screen time spent (and artistic license taken) with a passage that, by verse count, is really quite short.
Of the four gospels, the count of verses dealing with Jesus' temptation number exactly 13, 11, 2, and 0. But the directors were fascinated by it. You know.. the hero presented with difficult moral choices.
Hey. How about mine? I got some beauties. Wanna make a movie of those? I choose against my conscience as often as with it. And remorse? I got that in spades. My life has dramatic tension. Have your people call my people, we'll talk.
Plus tonight, a private screening (for D and J2 - she was interested, he was ambivalent) of last year's hit indie rock musical "Once", anticipating a concert by the two co-stars coming up on Wednesday night. It really is good music and a poignant story. There's one spot in particular where I just can't keep my cheeks dry. It's as if it somehow becomes very real and personal. :(
The rest of the weekend (besides the time I spent studying, and cooking, both of which I actually made time for; the grilled tuna steaks in a mint/garlic marinade were.. wow! although next time I think I'll use salmon - it's cheaper) was spent at the college taking in concerts. University Jazz Orchestra & Vocal Ensemble Friday night, an international touring boy's choir Saturday night, and the best of the lot: the University Handbell Choir and Mens' Chorus Sunday afternoon.
Handbells - they're not just for High Mass anymore. :)
Went with the boy Sunday to the new Iron Man movie. Yeah, baby! Cool gadgets, high body count, sophisticated hero, pretty women.. what else do you want in an action picture? Or in real life for that matter. :) Oh, wait.. not the high body count. Unless you're a professional soldier of fortune or something similarly whacked out.
Slate Magazine (the e-version) said that Robert Downey, Jr. plays Tony Stark, the Iron Man alter-ego, "as the Oscar Wilde of superheros, a dissipated roué who seems weary of his own charisma." Hm. Sounds vaguely familiar somehow. ;)
I think I need to write a haiku on dissipation. Then one on being a roue', and then another on charisma. Although.. I may have to bring in a consultant to truly understand the last two. :P Or do I have that order wrong? Hm.
Screened some more film at church in the "Reel Jesus" series. This time it was "Jesus", a made for TV movie from 1999, "The Last Temptation of Christ" (the Scorsese film from 1988 - again!), and "Jesus of Montreal" a movie from 1989. The focus was on the scenes of Jesus' temptation by the devil in the wilderness, and the amount of screen time spent (and artistic license taken) with a passage that, by verse count, is really quite short.
Of the four gospels, the count of verses dealing with Jesus' temptation number exactly 13, 11, 2, and 0. But the directors were fascinated by it. You know.. the hero presented with difficult moral choices.
Hey. How about mine? I got some beauties. Wanna make a movie of those? I choose against my conscience as often as with it. And remorse? I got that in spades. My life has dramatic tension. Have your people call my people, we'll talk.
Plus tonight, a private screening (for D and J2 - she was interested, he was ambivalent) of last year's hit indie rock musical "Once", anticipating a concert by the two co-stars coming up on Wednesday night. It really is good music and a poignant story. There's one spot in particular where I just can't keep my cheeks dry. It's as if it somehow becomes very real and personal. :(
The rest of the weekend (besides the time I spent studying, and cooking, both of which I actually made time for; the grilled tuna steaks in a mint/garlic marinade were.. wow! although next time I think I'll use salmon - it's cheaper) was spent at the college taking in concerts. University Jazz Orchestra & Vocal Ensemble Friday night, an international touring boy's choir Saturday night, and the best of the lot: the University Handbell Choir and Mens' Chorus Sunday afternoon.
Handbells - they're not just for High Mass anymore. :)
Friday, May 02, 2008
A good start
... to May. :)
Despite the opening verse of the song posted below (which, by the way, may just be my new theme song... thanks, J2), it *was* a good day yesterday, all around.
And it promises to be a good month, too. The first half at least. And that's about as far as I can see right now.
Beyond that, there's still kind of a fog on the horizon. For the second half, and on into June, I can only hope for good at this point, and that the fog will lift, giving place to sunshine.
However, I am working on living less subject to the day-to-day swings of circumstance and more to the long-term steady upward path to peace of heart. Small bits of progress so far, nothing dramatic; I do still need help (which I'm getting) to get to a long-lasting shalom.
It'll come. :) I'm sure of it.
Despite the opening verse of the song posted below (which, by the way, may just be my new theme song... thanks, J2), it *was* a good day yesterday, all around.
And it promises to be a good month, too. The first half at least. And that's about as far as I can see right now.
Beyond that, there's still kind of a fog on the horizon. For the second half, and on into June, I can only hope for good at this point, and that the fog will lift, giving place to sunshine.
However, I am working on living less subject to the day-to-day swings of circumstance and more to the long-term steady upward path to peace of heart. Small bits of progress so far, nothing dramatic; I do still need help (which I'm getting) to get to a long-lasting shalom.
It'll come. :) I'm sure of it.
Up and Up
Yesterday
Is not quite what it could've been
As were most of all the days before
But I swear today
With every breath I'm breathing in
I'll be trying to make it so much more
Cause it seems I get so hung up on
The history of what's gone wrong
And the hope of a new day
Is sometimes hard to see
And though I'm finally catching onto it
And now the past is just a conduit
And the light there at the end is
Where I'll be
Cause I'm on the up and up
I'm on the up and up
And I haven't given up
Given up on what
I know I'm capable of
And I'm on the up and up
I'm on the up and up
Yeah there's nothing left to prove
Cause I'm just trying to be
A better version of me
For you
A better version of me
For you
To be prosperous
Would not require much of me
You see contentment is the one thing
It entails
To be content with where I am
And getting where I need to be
I'm moving past the past
Where I have failed
But I'm finally catching onto it
And now the past is just a conduit
Right there at the end
Is where I'll be
Cause I'm on the up and up
I'm on the up and up
And I haven't given up
Given up on what
What I've gained from love
And I'm on the up and up
I'm on the up and up
Yeah there's nothing left to prove
Cause I'm just trying to be
A better version of me
For you
A better version of me
For you
You never cease
To supply me with
What I need
For a good life
So when I'm down
I'll hold my head up high
Cause you're the reason why
I'm on the up and up
I'm on the up and up
And I haven't given up
Given up on what
What I've gained from love
And I'm on the up and up
I'm on the up and up
Yeah there's nothing left to prove
Cause I'm just trying to be
A better version of me
For you
A better version of me
For you
----- as sung by Relient K
Is not quite what it could've been
As were most of all the days before
But I swear today
With every breath I'm breathing in
I'll be trying to make it so much more
Cause it seems I get so hung up on
The history of what's gone wrong
And the hope of a new day
Is sometimes hard to see
And though I'm finally catching onto it
And now the past is just a conduit
And the light there at the end is
Where I'll be
Cause I'm on the up and up
I'm on the up and up
And I haven't given up
Given up on what
I know I'm capable of
And I'm on the up and up
I'm on the up and up
Yeah there's nothing left to prove
Cause I'm just trying to be
A better version of me
For you
A better version of me
For you
To be prosperous
Would not require much of me
You see contentment is the one thing
It entails
To be content with where I am
And getting where I need to be
I'm moving past the past
Where I have failed
But I'm finally catching onto it
And now the past is just a conduit
Right there at the end
Is where I'll be
Cause I'm on the up and up
I'm on the up and up
And I haven't given up
Given up on what
What I've gained from love
And I'm on the up and up
I'm on the up and up
Yeah there's nothing left to prove
Cause I'm just trying to be
A better version of me
For you
A better version of me
For you
You never cease
To supply me with
What I need
For a good life
So when I'm down
I'll hold my head up high
Cause you're the reason why
I'm on the up and up
I'm on the up and up
And I haven't given up
Given up on what
What I've gained from love
And I'm on the up and up
I'm on the up and up
Yeah there's nothing left to prove
Cause I'm just trying to be
A better version of me
For you
A better version of me
For you
----- as sung by Relient K
Thursday, May 01, 2008
It's May!
Must be.
The tulips are starting to show off what they've got.
And they don't do that for just any old month. They wait for the right one to come along.
As further evidence, the hen in our mallard pair is almost on the nest,
with the drake trading off between rounding up dinner and pulling guard duty when the crows come around. The crows and the drake actually fight! Yikes!
That plus a new distance mark for me on the track Tuesday. I've never run 2 1/2 miles in my life! Not even in my twenties. And to keep the pace below 10:00/mile that whole time is a pretty big deal for an old guy like me.
Must be May. Can't think of anything else that would explain all this.
Hope it's a good month all around. It won't all be easy.. but it could all be good. For my part.. I'll try.
:)
The tulips are starting to show off what they've got.
And they don't do that for just any old month. They wait for the right one to come along.
As further evidence, the hen in our mallard pair is almost on the nest,
with the drake trading off between rounding up dinner and pulling guard duty when the crows come around. The crows and the drake actually fight! Yikes!
That plus a new distance mark for me on the track Tuesday. I've never run 2 1/2 miles in my life! Not even in my twenties. And to keep the pace below 10:00/mile that whole time is a pretty big deal for an old guy like me.
Must be May. Can't think of anything else that would explain all this.
Hope it's a good month all around. It won't all be easy.. but it could all be good. For my part.. I'll try.
:)
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