Synonomous

We share the same moon but, we argue
whether the man on the moon
watches us down here on earth
or if she is a great lady
up in the night sky.
I find the moon smiles at me
from mud puddles and reflects
off skyscrapers in daylight
while you hold coins in the air
to make her disappear with your hand.
I am always looking for him
to rise, large and round.
You wait patiently for her
to appear on the next clear night.

Can I just vent a little? I mean this is my blog. I can write whatever I want, can't I? Sometimes I just think my roomate is the greatest person. I mean, she is really great.

but you know sometimes she is just so frustrating. It seems like every weekend when its time to do laundry, her clothes are in the wash. I come to the little laundry corner, with my large overflowing basket and what do I find? The washer and dryer are filled every time! EVERY SINGLE TIME. So you know what? I thought, ok, I'm an adult, she's an adult, we can work this out, right? So I sit her down this past weekend to talk, discuss, you know, come to SOME kind of resolution. Anything. I'd be happy. So she sits there nodding, going "uh-huh" "uh-huh" "yah" ....so on and so forth....so I think, great! it's all worked out. We've got a schedule, a plan.

WELL....this evening I come home and what do i find? my roomate, trying to make up for all the earlier headaches, well....she does my laundry!!! And she knows that I love bleaching stuff, so what does she do? She BLEACHES my DARKS! HELLO!

Oh I'm so angry right now.

oh, and by the way, don't tell her i told you all this....

Thom and Kate's Wedding
a few higlights. My pictures aren't even .00001% of how cool it was....


First Dance

The Hallstrom Sisters









Thom tucking his Bride in...

The getaway car...

A.P. hoping to see the light...

some people think this is a trip. no, i wasnt on a trip.

It can happen in a second. It is a matter of a switch of perspective. Pulling a string on a lamp, click, click. Light off, Light on. Just like that. It doesn't have to be a big ordeal. There does not need to be courtroom debate. Its a simple thing. Simple. And why doesn't it happen? That's the complicated part. Reason, experience, geography and so on...

Trust is simple.

Here's a site for all you movie go-ers:
Brian Godawa is Christian Screenplay writer who analyzes movies from their philosophies and worldviews. He is not doing what Ted Baeher does and other sites like that, analyzing how much sex and violence is in a movie. I think that his site (alongside others) would give a better picture of what a movie is about. Caution--he does spoil the movies for you, if you like to not know the story...

Your Fashion Style is Classic

You like what's stood the test of time...Simple, well styled clothes that don't scream trendyYou stay updated and modern, but your clothes stay in style for a whileYou wouldn't be caught in animal prints, fake fur, or super bright colors

What's" Your Fashion Style?

The Everyman Photo Contest

I entered in two categories:
People/Portrait: #344
Landscape/Nature: #615

Under People/Portrait, I like #299
and under Landscape/Nature, #161, #228 and # 382 are also very good.

Wish me luck!

I get a little report on my blog each week that tells me the amount of page loads. I noticed that on this past Sunday, I had 57 page loads, but only 13 unique visitors. These page loads do not include my views as I have a little "cookie" stored on my computer that tells the counter not to count me. It seems that someone was coming back to my blog to look at something over and over. Very interesting.

Some Statistics That You May not Know:

Results for Bloomsday 2002
Jennifer J Staab
Time: 1:14:15 Place: 5908
Ran the race with a pace of 09:57 per mile.
Placed first among people from Bothell, Wa
117th among people the same age
The average time for 27-year-olds was 2:11:34
1672th among female runners
13th among people born on July 8
First among people with the same last name

Bill and Ted would call these two : "Excellent Medieval Babes"

Text Poll:

What is your favorite flavor of Starburst?

Results:
Lemon -2
Cherry-2
Orange
Strawberry

And the more creative types:
Kiwi Mango
Watermelon

And the ones who live in Atlanta, who don't read their text messages very well, and who shall remain nameless, but are moving to Seattle in January (at least that's the rumor):
Chi frap with vanilla

And the ones in foreign countries who have no clue what Starburst is:
im a little confused...

And the roomate who can't make up her mind:
I don't know and even though I am opinionated person , on these kind of questions, I just don't have an opinion.

---------------------------
I wish more people would have responded to this poll, so if you didn't and would like your vote to be counted, leave a comment.

PS: My favorite is Orange, but I didn't count my vote as I couldn't send a text to myself... The reason it is orange is completely arbitrary. When I was about 13, my cousin Roxann and I decided to find out which was the best Skittles flavor, so we played this game called Stadium Marbles with skittles instead of marbles. Well, orange won it, so we made a pact that orange was the best flavor no matter the type of candy.

Look. Blue Sky.

I felt a little silly tonight at my friend E*'s house. We were eating BLT's in front of the TV, watching the news. Some crazy credit card commercial was on with vikings and I was laughing at it. She looked at me and said, "you haven't seen that?"

No. I don't watch TV, like ever. So its been a while since I've seen commercials. I wish there was a channel on the internet where I could just watch all the commercials, so I can feel up to speed with American pop culture. Actually, that probably does exist, huh? And you are going to tell me about it huh? Well, let me tell you... !

I do like vikings. I almost bought a TShirt the other day called "real men kill deer with swords"

Switchfoot

Hazy. 1500 people. Hot. Bad venue management. Great second band, Eisley. Sweet light show. Mesmerized crowd. Mostly played from "Beautiful Letdown"--I guess even they don't like their new album. Best part--Bob Dylan cover.

With all the "to-do" about Harriet Miers, I thought it would be good to look up some more reliable sources on the internet...and I found....

Harriet Miers Blog!!

My favorite is the "Princess Sparkle Pony"

(some people have way too much time on their hands)

Calvinist Friendship

How in the world do some friendships begin? To look at the facts of the matter, most of the time it seems unlikely that I and the other person would ever connect in any deep let alone shallow level. Many people say that friendship is a choice based on likes and dislikes, a social contract of sorts, just like the constitution or a business contract. However, there are too many unknowns to factor in such as differences of belief, gender barriers, age gaps and radically different music tastes. Sometimes random conversations begin a friendship while other times, a friendship can start after long periods of conflict with an opponent. I have had both.

It could be that Calvin was right. Nothing starts or ends without the sovereign working of God. Where does free-will play into it all? I am not sure if it has much to do with it. Some of my favorite people are people that I rarely see because of geographic boundaries or other such circumstances. Not that the people whom I choose to spend my time with aren't favorites, but just because I am not around a person doesn't mean I wouldn't love to see them.

Perhaps choice determines the short-term relationships or even aquaintances, but with long-term relationships there is definately something bigger going on. It is never so simple. Friendship is a lot of work and I suppose without God, nothing would last very long. He seems to know better than I do which people are the best fit for me.

Announcement: Two papers finished and turned in. Am I prolific? I am prolific. Perhaps as not at prolific as Ryan Adams, but we all know that he doesn't keep appointments. I do my best to keep important engagements. It's funny, right now I feel like I am on top of the world right now, but tomorrow when I face my stack of books and the other two papers that are due on Friday, I may have fallen deep into the depths of despair. How melodramatic. Lovely. I will name my alter ego Melanie Ivana Demetrius. Three claims to heritage--being British, Russian and Greek Orthodox. She drinks cheap wine by the case, writes very bad poetry, is drop-dead beautiful with waistlength chocolate brown hair, and drives a 20 year old Benz, cream colored. Diesel.

Tonight is a full moon.
Not that we will be seeing it in Seattle because of the clouds. But, I will be looking.

Update on my car: I sent it in for a therapy session today. Two large cavities called brake rotors, along with the heater core. The damage is great. Do I bite it and pay the money or stop driving a car? Is the car even worth it? Perhaps I should just become a pedestrian once again?

I'm going to think about something more positive, like the fact that there is a full moon tonight.

Tonight is a full moon.

4 weeks, twenty papers, that's two dollars....Gee Johnny, I don't have a dime....Didn't ask for a dime....TWO DOLLARS.

Well, for me it's more like one week, 4 papers....I wrote the shortest tonight. Tomorrow is a big one. I'm excited to tackle it. And I will leave you with this.

We must change our language....

And at this moment, i have had 360 visitors to this site. Nod to BillG and MS.

In response to Mr. Touch Down over at Don't Wait I say this....
Don't get sucked in to the gaming console business, young man (I can say this as I am two years older than him, and much much wiser) or else you will end up like this guy or this guy.

The marvels of reproduction....

"I've said it before and I'll say it again: families that reproduce people tend to reproduce ideas, as well. The most vocal non-scientist proponents of ID are those delightfully fertile Catholics, Evangelicals, and similarly right-leaning middle-class college-educated folk -- the kind whose children will inherit the country. Eventually, the social right will have the sheer manpower to teach ID wherever they please." --from "Why Intelligent Design is going to win"

How often does a movie come out the weekend before a paper is due that happens to be on the very same topic? Lucky me. Now, my paper isn't about communism, but rather the cultural war between the left and the right, the rhetoric each side uses as their weapons, so on and so forth...I'm grabbing my notebook and heading to catch the flick on the silver screen.

Fall is such a beautiful time of year. It is also a time for reflection and meditation. Long walks and evenings at coffee shops should be on the program. Friends should not be neglected, but take out that book forgotten on the shelf, wipe the dust off and take a few evenings to read.

What am I saying? I can't read whatever I want! I have 3 textbooks a week to digest. Well, perhaps in 2008...

All arguments and debates seem to come down to one point.

The world is an open sytem, created by a transcendent God, who orders and defines all reality.
OR
The world is a closed system made up of cause and effect and reality is defined in either human or natural terms.

so, this is what a rockstar feels like...

Random Thoughts

I am so glad that I am not working retail during the upcoming holiday season.

I bought three things that sparkle yesterday.

My new dentist said I have good bone structure and no tooth decay. Direct Quote: "You have beautiful teeth." I like him already.

Fall has really set in. The grey days are here to stay.

I hope my car survives the winter. It keeps blowing a specific fuse. The one that controls my speedometer and gauges. I finally figured out the problem. When I turn on my lights and the windshield wipers at the same time, it blows. I have a stash of fuses. I figure I will just put in one a week to make sure I know how much gas I have.

My car has also been making some funny noises lately: a squealing belt on cold mornings, a grating brake sound in the rain, squeaky wheel on the drivers side. None of these things seem to happen ALL of the time, just some of the time.

I think I worry too much.

I like drinking barley green and orange juice. Wierd, but I really like the taste!

It's difficult to take pictures of the moon with a digital camera, but I had to try as it was such a gorgeous October moon behind bare tree branches.

Yes! I am studying.

I just wanted to say that I really like the snickerdoodles at Cafe Ladro in Bothell, WA.

Dreaming of Motorcyles.

The plan is: at age 50-ish, I'm buying a Harley. I will wear a long black Aussie coat, Leather Chaps, and Motorcyles boots. I won't dye my hair. It will be long, braided and grey. I will spend all of my free time riding the open road, philosophizing and writing poetry in the Dakotas.

C will pull up beside me at some random small town 4 way stop. She will be in a pearl white Cadillac--Long, Wide and Sleek. She'll be wearing a long white camel hair coat, white silk scarf and large gold sunglasses, very Jackie O.

I'll rev my bike at her before roaring off and leaving her in the dust.

The movie Everything is Illuminated was playing at Queen Anne, so I headed down with E. You know, when I read the book, I remember it being cryptic and disturbing. The movie wasn't so much that way. I enjoyed Elijah Woods. Excellent Cinematography and the music, perfect. I still wouldn't be able to recommend it unreservedly as I think any movie about, or even just generally about the Holocaust is disturbing in some way. I will say, that the sunflower part is just about the best bit of the whole movie, along with the dog. Anyway, thanks TH and AP for letting me know the movie was playing. I think I'd rather have just seen the movie than read the book, but too late to go on about that now.

Wow. A typically mundane and a little boring post, here. Don't worry, I'm sure I will spice it up a little tomorrow.

Update: as requested...

Jonathan (Elijah Wood): "Are you my translator?"
Alex (Eugene Hutz): "Forgive my speaking of english, Jonfen, as I am not so premium with it."

Another note about blogging...it's annoying when people leave their sidebar as such:
Google News
Edit Me
Edit Me

If these folks can't figure out how to change that, use MySpace or someother hyper-user-friendly blog space...PLEASE?

Whoah, Jen! Good thing it's the weekend, eh?

Say Hello to Henry everyone! (He likes carrots, btw)

Welcome, Gus. I just want to know which kind of blogger you are....

Lucie over at International Orange created a word called meta-blognition: blogging about blogging. There are different kinds of bloggers, just like there are different kinds of personalities. Here is my list:

1. Hyper-texters: These folks find thing of interest and fill their post full of links. Another name for this kind of person could also be "Internet Tour Guide." One example: "Don't Wait"
2. Social Commentarians: The blogosphere is full of these. Sound Politics and Michelle Malkin are two of my favorites.
3. Gimmicksters: Gotta have a trick or some type of clever scheme to attract readers. Daily Dancer is probably one of the best I've seen, along with Anonymous Lawyer.
4. Dear Diarians: One interesting thing about these bloggers is the large amount of personal information that they share on their online "journal" that they would never say out loud. I won't give any examples of these as I wouldn't want to outright embarrass anyone.
5. Escapadists: People who blog after some sort of crazy event or adventure. The question I have about these is this: Do they have adventures, then blog or do they have adventures so that they can blog? I would admit to being one of these.
6.Cranberries: "Everyone is doing it, so why can't we?" Practically every person on MySpace.com
7. Conglamorites: Any combination of the above.

I have an addition...

8.up-Daters: Here we have people who are "talking without talking" to someone in particular.

The Roomate

Yesterday, many of you were breathless with anticipation to hear more of Marsha's Adventures, but the author is going to take a small rabbit trail today, to tell a story about Marsha's roomate, Opal.

A few years ago, Opal also had some car troubles. Luckily, her cousin loaned her a car for a few months. A 1965 Mustang. Was she excited? You bet. True, there was no heat, but who cared when driving a Mustang! For a few weeks, everything went great. And, on top of it all, she knew that she was just really cool. However, one cold winter day, she was pulled over--for the first time in her life, I might add.

"Your tabs are expired."

Opal's heart stopped. What was she going to do? Well, she started by handing the officer her license and reached for the insurance. (I must rewind a little. Opal's cousin's kid had been playing in the Mustang the day before and had strewn the insurance cards all over the floor.) Opal searched the entire car for the right one, but could not find it, so she had to hand over an old card.

Opal received a very large ticket.

Wait. The drama does not stop there. She headed over to the Shoreline Municipal court to plead her case to the judge. The insurance part of the ticket was removed, and so all that had to be taken care of was the tabs. She gave the information to her cousin and thought no more of it....

...Until a year and a half later, no longer driving the Mustang, Opal receives a call from a bill collector: "You have a $175.00 ticket you must pay and your license has been suspended."

"What? For how long?"

"Six months. We've been trying to track you down."

Opal had been driving around for six months with a suspended license. And had no clue. Some people, especially Opal's mother think she needs a husband to take care of minute details like this one, but the author isn't so convinced. It's more the issue of being a victim of the American Legal System, don't you think?

One other quick note, we just were informed that Opal also forgot to renew her license this year and so drove around for a month, and even rented a car, on an expired license...

Maybe she does need to get married.

The Continuing Saga of Marsha* and Her Vehicles
Or better known as, Where'd I Park my Car Last Night?

* names have been changed to protect the identity of the innocent.

Once upon a time, there was a girl named Marsha. She had car problems and as she had money problems concurrently, the car sat for three months in someone's yard. Finally, the money was lined up and the car was fixed. Soon after she started driving it again, Marsha noticed that there was horrible smell in the car. She thoroughly cleaned the car, washing it down, vacuuming it, even bleaching the seats and dashboard. She could not completely eradicate the smell, but it was at least borderline tolerable.

One morning, while driving to class, with her carpool--a young man named Leroy--Marsha was pulled over for speeding. At the moment that Marsha asked Leroy to pull the registration out of the glove box, the unthinkable happened.

As Leroy opened the glove box (yes, I realize that some of your smart thinkers have already jumped the gun on this one, just hold on and wait for our slower readers to catch up) a most horrific smell poured out along with all the contents of the glove box that had been recently shredded and nested in by a large rodent. The policeman immeadiately stepped a few few away from the car. "What is that godawful smell?"

Marsha was not let off the hook by the tragedy, and still had to pass her half-eaten registration over to the now Tee'd off cop. And yes, she received a ticket.

Tune in tomorrow when we find out why part of the guard rail on Highway 2 is now gold-flecked...

Sometimes, when I am in my new apartment, with the electric kettle boiling, the sound of the washing machine overriding the Rachmaninoff on the record player, the smell of bleach in the air and candles lit, I feel as if I am in someone else's house.

But, when I am in my bed, with the covers pulled to my chin, and the sound of rain coming in from the open window,

Or

if I am in the kitchen with the pots and pans out, vegetable peelings in the sink, the fridge partially open and the combined smell of olive oil, garlic and onion,

I feel completely at home.

I don't think I will try an analyze this one.

Blustery Day

It looks to be the first blustery day of Fall 2005 in Seattle. Walking in the wind, and picking blackberries, very exciting! I don't understand why people don't enjoy weather. I like weather. But I don't like blackberry seeds in my teeth.

Walking

In Switzerland, because of having to walk everywhere, Andrew and I started to keep a walking journal. Andrew was my "pedestrian pool." (instead of carpool, you see?)

Today, on my lunch walk, I thought I should again keep track of things that I notice while i am walking.
1. I picked up two very colorful leaves, and then later added two more. I have a collection pressed into the yellow pages on my bookshelf in my office.
2. The Blackberry bushes are laden. I ate a couple. I wasn't sure if there are pesticides on them, but I haven't felt any adverse side effects since lunch, so I think tomorrow I will take a container of some sort and pick some.

a. If there was some kind of disaster in Seattle, I would want it to happen at work, because of several factors. First, the large amount of blackberry bushes around the area. That would be a great form of sustenance. Next, My building is next to the caterer's building. This means that there would more than likely be food in this building and I could go over and....no....would i really do it? looting? Last, we have a lot of candy stashed at work. This would be able to be rationed out. I would even eat Hershey's if it came to that.

b. I was also thinking about how I would make a blackberry pie in case of a disaster. Here's how I thought it might work. Pick a lot of blackberries. Break open the vending machine at work, take out all the cookies, crunch them up into bits, make a little paste with some of the milk from the cooler. Put the crust into the bottom of the candy bowl, recently emptied of its contents by ravenous techs, and then put the berries on top. Then either try cooking it in the microwave or put it on top of the server. Or maybe make a big fire out back with pallets and cook it over an open fire. That would probably be the best idea.

3. It took me about 20 minutes to walk my circle.
4. The weather was absolute perfection.

"If only there were evil people somewhere , insidiously committing evil deeds, and it were necessary only to seperate them from the rest of us and destroy them. But the line dividing good and evil cuts through the heart of every human being. And who is willing to destroy a piece of his own heart?" --Alexandr Solzhenitsyn.

A good friend of mine made this comment on this post of mine from last week:
"Talking in the language of war could be easily misconstrued... "

This is an excellent point. Something that I have been thinking about, mainly because I have been reading a truckload of books on this topic, is media and how we communicate using it. In this specific instance, the use of the internet, there is something built into the way the internet works called html links. A reader, in a very postmodern way, can create his or her own text to read. It is difficult to direct a reader in a specific path. The internet user will choose to click on a certain link, but not on another. What does this mean? When there is a specific message that needs to be communicated and you are using language or a metaphor, such as war, to represent or mean something else, AND you are using the internet to communicate that, then there will be even a greater chance of miscommunication and misrepresentation than if you were engaged in a face to face conversation. And we all know how hard it is to even just communicate with people face to face. When considering using the internet, TV or other media like this, that has built into it, the ultimate choice for the audience, this point has to be understood.

This is just my humble opinion.

I don’t want to be a band-aid.
Can I be an envelope instead, a message inside,
licked seal, placed in a mail box—
addressed, stamped, postmarked?

I’d much rather become a packet of seeds,
taken out one by one, lined up all in a row
in the ground, covered, stomped on,
watered and waited upon.

Or a para-glider, with the whole world below,
carried on the winds down, all the way
to the ground, carrying you with me.

The problem with having too many blogs to post to, it that it can confuse the author. She writes something intended for one, but yet, it goes to another.

Time Management Issues

This weekend, I found an unlikely opponent--My Time. Wherever I turned, he was there waiting to punch me in the stomach, trip me or pull my hair. (Yah, he fights dirty). Now that I think about it, he may even had spit a few spitwads in my direction and thrown in a few wet towel snaps. OUCH.

So, I am going to make some changes. First, an experiment. How much time do I waste talking on IM? I will disengage for a week and see what happens. Oh, you will see me online, but I just won't respond.

We will see in a week how my homework level stands and reassess (That's a wierdly spelled word when looking at it too long).

Friday night before the big crash of Hurricane Rita on the Texas coast.

What will we wake up to tomorrow? With all the negative backlash about the slow response of the Federal, State and local governments after Hurrican Katrina, here's one group that has made a difference. We can't wait around for the government to solve our problems. When citizens take action, we see results!
For updates, prayer requests and action points for Hurricane Rita check out this site of a church in Dallas--click on the Hurricane Rita link.

I did not take this picture. I wish I had.

You know, it kind of feels good when people that I am close to make such an impact in a community that there is a backlash. I mean, when someone goes to all the trouble to make a website attacking what we hold dear, it makes me think that we are doing something right.

Vote today: Washington State Primary

I think I may have been the first person at the polling place this morning, as it took my election worker a few minutes to figure out how to turn on the machine and give me my voting card. I was a little dissapointed that I couldn't vote for the Bothell city council. I guess it is because I am registered in unincorporated Bothell.

I wonder what percentage of people in Washington will actually vote in the primary?

Autumn is approaching...

Did anyone see the moon this morning, about 7am? He just didn't want to go to bed. He was in full view, strong and bright.

I have been taking brisk walks at lunch and noticing the leaves changing color, a few are falling to the ground already. The blackberry bushes are laden with ripe berries. The air is getting descisively colder each morning. A few thoughts roll around in my brain: my skin is getting dry, I need to have my cousin Jared fix my heater before the first frost, I need to collect more leaves and make a collage for Mirjam, when can I start wearing leg-warmers again, it's been a year since I've been home, I miss Switzerland, and time for Gluehwine (mulled wine) and raclette!

I don't watch TV, but I'm addicted to the Internet.

"One of the more dangerous myths about television is that it is a wasteland appreciated only by the lazy and the illiterate." --Roderick P. Hart, Seducing America: How Television Charms the Modern Voter.

Speaking of a wasteland...

I sat upon the shore
Fishing, with the arid plain behind me
Shall I at least set my lands in order?
London Bridge is falling down falling down falling down
Poi s'ascose nel foco che gli affina
Quando fiam uti chelidon - O swallow swallow
Le Prince d'Aquitaine à la tour abolie
These fragments I have shored against my ruins
Why then Ile fit you. Hieronymo's mad againe.
Datta. Dayadhvam. Damyata.
Shantih shantih shantih

...kind of like a bunch of sound bytes, eh? A prophetic PoMo.

AND, speaking of voting, don't forget that next Tuesday, September 20th is the primary. VOTE.

if i could open my arms
and span the length of the isle of manhattan
i'd bring it to where you are
making a lake of the east river and hudson.
if i could open my mouth
wide enough for a marching band to march out
they would make your name sing
and bend through alleys and bounce off all the buildings.

"Marching Bands of Manhattan" --Death Cab for Cutie

In response to the "South Beach Diet" WE, my roomate and I, have decided to create a new diet.

The Viking Diet

1. Fresh Kill Only. The liver must be eaten first, preferably raw.
2. Foraged foods such as berries and roots are optional. Note: Roots of any sort make a good tea when boiled in water.
3. Fermented drinks only

Promises:
If you strictly follow The Viking Diet, you will see a drastic change in your weight, especially your abdominal area. Your hunting skills will increase greatly, especially the strength of your arms and hands as you will find the best method for the "Fresh Kill" is wringing or strangling.


PS: We do not apologize for our politically-UN-correct diet, as its benefits outweigh the offenses.

poem snippet

the moon moves out from behind
the clouds, peeking at me
the tears i saw on your face yesterday
lighting up the dark sky
for a moment
before moving back hiding again
so i grip the steering wheel
speed up a little
and scan the night hoping for one more view

In an attempt to record the last ten years or so of my life:

(this in no way, reflects my favorites, but rather my time allotment)

2005: Finding Neverland Soundtrack/Garden State Soundtrack
2004: Alles Fur Den Herrn (Xavier Naidoo)/A Rush of Blood to the Head (Coldplay)/Amelie Soundtrack
2003: The Hours Soundtrack/ Yankee Hotel Foxtrot (Wilco)
2002: Philadelphia (Mark Knopfler)/ Coldplay (Yellow)
2001: NPR
2000: NPR
1999: nothing
1998: nada
1997: nichts
1996: Delirious 3 & 4
1995: August and Everything After (Counting Crows)
1994: Silver (Starflyer 69)/Everybody Else is Doing it, So Why Can't We (Cranberries)
Pre 1994: U2 and The Wall (Pink Floyd)

Good Movie Title?

I read this morning that "tears are meant for an audience." Not only does this appeal to my poetic nature, (I began to think how to write a poem about this image without being too sappy. --but it's hard to write poems about tears, as tears in themselves have become cliche--) but I began to think practically, this is a true statement. What are tears, but a signal that something is wrong? We have something in our eye or we feel pain, physical and/or emotional.

So why is it that we try to hide our tears? Is is because we are ashamed of something? When we write a song or make a movie, do we hide them? No, because they are meant for an audience. How different would life be if we proudly displayed our tears, waving flags, blowing whistles and shouting to everyone, "Hey look! I'm crying!"?

"How stupid not to have thought of that!" --Thomas Huxley upon hearing of Darwin's theory of natural selection.

I take this short commercial break from my studies to promote my library.

note: I have not read Ulysses. Have you?

Across the Breakfast Table at I-155.

As we, in our household want to promote equal opportunity for all, Christy my 5'10" roomate always takes the low seat. (The UW camp chair) Of course, this means she has more fun as after prayer, she invariably finds her chin in her pancake.

Wanna sneak preview of Switchfoot's Nothing is Sound?

"Change depends on experiencing the character of God." --Larry Crabb

Myths. (of NO)

go to www.google.com

enter 'failure' into the search bar.

hit "im feeling lucky"

I'm sorry, but that's just WRONG.

Whatever happened to HONOR and RESPECT? I guess those aren't American values anymore.

Northwest Creativity

Here are some of the things that Northwesterners are responsible for creating:
The Happy Face (you know...Have a Nice Day)
Microsoft
Kwik-Lok plastic bag ties
Down Parkas
the Gas station
Hacky Sac
Slinky pull toy
Quick release ski binding
The electric guitar

Not only do we have the mountains and the sound, but we sure are a creative bunch of people!

Evil Super Powers

Usually, we want to be the super hero. But I wondered this evening, while wrapping miles of net cable, what would I be if I was an Evil Super Power.

--The Lemonater--
I would squirt lemon through my eyes at people to cause their own eyes to sting and burn, then they'd run away from me crying. I myself would be immune to citrus in the eyes.

Then I asked my two co-workers what TSG specific super power they would like and the consensus was: Jedi Mind Powers. Mark actually tried his mind tricks on our lead, (so we could go home) but failed miserably. Good try, Mark. I applaud your effort.

So, IF I was to write a poem about working at the MSCC, it would go something like this...

Here, in the small closet
I sit.


note: if you don't know what the MSCC is, don't worry about it.

Cooking Class #1

Mobile cooking....all you need is two cell phones and an egg cup to cook an egg.

Delicious!

There is a little metallic green martian named Whizby who shares my office with me. He's very small, so I am pretty sure most people have never noticed him. He lives inside of a "C" and doesn't make any noise, a perfect office mate. I like him a lot and would be so sad if he ever decided to leave. I wonder if Whizby has ever been anywhere else besides Building 126? I should invite him to go with me to Switzerland.

Give to The Salvation Army for Hurricane Katrina Relief
Check out Hurricane Katrina: Blog for Relief Weekend

Another great story from New Orleans...inside the Ritz...

The health care situation here has dramatically worsened overnight. Many people in the hotel are elderly and small children. Many other guests haveHave unusual diseases. They are unfortunately . 'We have better medical letter. There are ID physicians in at this hotel attending an HiV confection. We have commandered the world famous French Quarter Bar to turn into an makeshift clinic. There is a team of about 7 doctors and PA and pharmacists. We anticipate that this will be the major medical facility in the central business district and French Quarter.Our biggest adventure today was raiding the Walgreens on Canal under police escort. The pharmacy was dark and fool of water. We basically scooped the entire drug sets into gargace bags and removed them. All uner police excort. The looters had to be held back at gun point. After a dose of prophylactic Cipro I hope to be fine.In all we are faring well. We have set up a hospital in the the French Qarter bar in the hotel, and will start admitting patients today. Many with be from the hotel, but many with not. We are anticipating to dealing with multiple medical problems, medications and and acute injuries. Infection and perhaps even cholera are anticipated major problems. Food and water shortages are iminent.

Here, for the whole story

Audio Blogging from the Astrodome.

More good stuff.

Photos of the renegade bus.... They are truly amazing photographs.

A Great Story! ---And full of hope too!---

I Like President Bush.

I have been alternating between reading blogs about New Orleans and responding to my classmates in "discussion boards." I have found myself wishing that I could find people writing about hope in the midst of chaos. I KNOW there are miracle stories out there. I know that out of this, good will come, if not a reminder to all Americans just how fragile our safe and comfortable living can be. Its good to be shaken up a little, no, ALOT.

Its amazing the support and care that I do see on the blogs. People are so willing to give money and offer support.

Some interesting up to date blogging I have found:

http://www.livejournal.com/users/interdictor/

http://neworleans.metblogs.com/

Recommended:

Plans; Death Cab for Cutie. new release

...when anyone starts an album with a song about Manhattan, it's got to be good. I found it at Fred Meyer this morning for 12.99 USD.

What IS creativity?
Last night, I called my mom on my way home from the library and asked her to rate my creativity on a scale of one to ten. (I actually have an assignment at school where I have to poll people I know on MY creativity!) She of course gave me a nine, which is good as she IS my mom. When I asked her why she said it's because I grew up not having any money, so I learned to use my resources in a very creative way. That is true, I think. Then as we kept talking she said, "I've always known you are a very creative person, but I can never figure out what you are trying to say!" I started laughing so hard, tears were rolling down my face. She then said that when I was going to the thrift store to buy flannel shirts, she always wished she would have never taken me to a thrift store in the first place.

I asked this same question of my carpool cohort, Graham. He responded with a 6 or 7 because, as he put it, "You are not as creative as Finley. He can say anything and makes it sound completely true." I thought that was pretty funny too.

So far, my poll has only shown that people rate creativity differently. I wonder that other kind of responses I will get?

I found the end of the internet.

The Cost.

What is my level of obedience to Christ? That word, obedience, is not popular today. Children are not even expected to obey their parents, let alone me, a grown woman. But the Bible is clear. Obedience to Christ is a clear command. Obedience is costly. It's not easy. It's not always fun. It is not what I like. But the promise is also clear...Grace. That one thing that is free and yet at the same time costs me all. The paradox is--in obedience is complete freedom. In obedience, there is joy.

I write all this and think, does this just sound like empty religion? No! Religion and legalism do not and never lead to Grace. They lead away from it. Religion does not lead to freedom and joy, but bondage and depression. When I complain, fight, drag my feet...that's bondage. As Dietrich Bonhoeffer said, I want my to be "distinguished from the life of the world." I want Jesus Christ to be represented in the way and the how of my life, because I am walking in complete obedience.

I fall short. I cannot do this! It is the impossible. That is why I need, crave, desire Grace. The Grace of God.

Current Jokes in Iraq

Polls That Just Don't Make Sense:

For Migrant workers From Mexico: Do you think the immigration laws in the US are too tough?

For Children Everywhere: Do you like candy?

For Saddam Hussein: Do you think you will receive a fair trial?

For Democrats in King County, Washington State: Did Christine Gregoire win the 2004 election?

For Anti-War Demonstrators: Do you think the war in Iraq is justified?

For Folks Sitting at a Sports Bar with a Cold Beer in Hand, Waiting for the Seahawks Game to Begin: Do you think there should be a Blackout of the game when not enough tickets have sold?

---Can you think of any more?

Rahel 

Tough Swiss Posse 

Andreas 

"All the celebrated technological acheivements of progress, do not redeem the twentieth century's moral poverty." --Alexander Solzhenitsyn.

"Costly grace is the gospel which must be sought again and again, the gift which must be asked for, the door at which a man must knock." --Dietrich Bonhoeffer.

How much do I feed myself with "junk messaging?" Filling up my mind and spirit with information, gorging on the latest, the biggest, the best. Eating information like it is candy. I would never give a kid tons or candy, because he'd just get sick. Do I practice moderation in my information eating? I don't think I do, or at least, I don't really think about my practices. Yes, I don't surf everywhere on the internet. I don't read everything. I don't look at porn sites. I don't hack into other people's servers or websites. But what about moderation, discernment, humility, community, friendship? Can I really have a friendship based solely on messaging and email? Can I learn and grow in my character from the internet?

I don't want to forget about the principle of seeking hard for a treasure. I don't want to get so used to having everything right there whenever I want it. I want to learn patience, perserverence and self-control. I don't want to lose that commitment to seeking and pursuing a goal until it is reached. I don't want to "google" my vision and call on my life and take the first five sites that I hit.

But I love the internet! I love technology. I love the connectedness I feel with people through instant messaging and email.

A Quandry. There's got to be a balance.

Hope does not need a happy ending.

Let me just tell ya, it's addicting once you get started taking photos of yourself. Am I a Narcissist?

Ever bumped into someone you knew a long time ago on the internet?

I had this wild experience yesterday. I read a local political Seattle blog, Sound Politics. Yesterday, there was an interesting post about abstinence statistics, so I read the string of comments. Most of the comments were just totally obnoxious, but I came to one that was intelligent. The author of the comment called himself by the name of an old classmate from high school. Mark Congdon. I don't think I have seen him since graduation day, 1992. Crazy. So I followed his internet trail and found he has a blog himself and I was able to shoot him an email.

We talk about how the internet has made the world smaller. Yesterday, I experienced that first hand.

Old Maid Thoughts

At times, I want to be like Emily Dickinson, sitting in her room, writing poetry, a recluse. And yet, after her death, her writing is immortalized.

"EXULTATION is the going
Of an inland soul to sea,—
Past the houses, past the headlands,
Into deep eternity!

Bred as we, among the mountains,
Can the sailor understand
The divine intoxication
Of the first league out from land?"
--Emily Dickinson

But, then there are the hard cold facts--after a week of it, I'd be done. I'd want to see people. I'd want to run outside, feel the weather on my face, explore new places, travel. So, I will never be a reclusive old maid.

Now, I have been accused of thinking of myself as an old maid and almost prophesing it into my life. Yes, this may be partly true. If I say, "Well, I've been having so much fun hangin with God," then some might call that religious fanaticism. Why couldn't there be some kind of program in Evangelical Christianity like Monasticism? I don't ever hear nuns being called old maids or religious fanatics. If I could be even remotely like Mother Theresa, that's who'd I'd like to be. Everyone agrees that she was one amazing lady who really changed the world.

I'm not so sure that I want to change the whole world. If I could be a wife and a mother, I would have the opportunity to influence a few in a powerful way. This, I think, is the best. Who knows, maybe I will be the mother of a president or a nobel prize winner? All these ideas are mixed up in my head and heart...perhaps there is a way to reconcile them all.

Meteor Shower, Friday, August Twelfth.

We lay on our backs, blankets to our chins, hooded sweatshirts pulled
tight around our faces, hoping the clouds pass by,
looking for the first one, wondering when, hoping
it's not a waste of time.
the streak covers the whole sky with its tail, we both squeal,
little girls again. Later, as the night grows older, we make our vow
to God. If we can just see it one more time,
then we will go to sleep.
With each successive flash, we continue to break our promises.

Moon Chasers

Remember that big "to-do" about the storm chasers in the late 90s? I was thinking, last night as I dragged my parents outside to view the big peach slice of a moon--there should be a group called the "moon chasers." I could apply for government grants, buy a vehicle (complete with moon roof, mounted telescope and espresso machine), and start chasing...you know, I coul totally see myself doing that for the rest of my life. I think I may have missed my calling.

Here it is. My ticket to the NOW CANCELLED Ryan Adams concert.....and Tour.....It's taken me a few days to recover. But, I thought I'd photograph the evidence to prove that at one time he was planning on being in Seattle, or at least that's what we were "told." Perhaps there is a conspiracy here. Well, I now have this and three other tickets. What should I do with them in the meantime? Suggestions anyone?

Friendship

Yesterday, I was reminded (again) of the great privilege of having relationships with people. I feel a little like Edmund Dantes when he arrives on the Isle of Monte Cristo and finds a treasure so large that it cannot even fit into eight ships. Everywhere I turn, I find friendship. How is it that I am so blessed? I can't claim to understand it. And not just the friendship based on common likes and dislikes, but based on something deeper and more real. People in my life speak up when they see me thinking or doing something that could get me into a mess of some kind. Friends bless me unexpectedly with laughter, stories or surprises. I have learned more from people than I have ever learned from books--and that's a big deal as you all know that I am quite the bookworm. I can go almost anywhere in the world, and I know people: France, England, Switzerland, Germany, Austria, Kenya, Costa Rica, Singapore, and a large portion of the 50 US states.

Connection. How does it even happen? Sometimes, it takes years to build that connection with another person. Other times, it happens in a week. The God factor is a big part of it, as without His grace, I don't know how I could really love people and receive love from them. I think that also, I have to remember that people are really the treasure that is important--not money, education and/or a career. If my motivation in life is for myself, then I just cut off the treasure that surrounds me, other people. And thanks to Jesus Christ, I don't have to worry about getting shafted by other people because of this big word: Forgiveness.

Yes, just call me Countess.

the poem that started it all...


Grape
Sky
penetrating
my soul
i
shiver
hands close
to my breast.
i bite and
chew
the
coldness.
blowing a
bubble
it grows
and engulfs
my head.

Candace and Jen at Mudhouse (see Jill, I found one cool cafe!) 

Candace and Her Hat