Brian and I spent most of yesterday driving back and forth and carrying things in and out while moving him into his new place. Now the cleaning comes.
We had 2-3 inches of snowfall this morning. The icy roads make me nervous, but boots that keep my feet dry make me happy. I think it is about time for Christmas shopping to begin.
10.30.2006
9.13.2006
Chapter 74, The Life of Pi
"I practised religious rituals that I adapted to the circumstances...They brought me comfort, that is certain. But it was hard, oh, it was hard. Faith in God is an opening up, a letting go, a deep trust, a free act of love - but sometimes it was so hard to love.
Sometimes my heart was sinking so fast with anger, desolation and weariness, I was afraid it would sink to the very bottom of the Pacific and I would not be able to lift it back up.
At such moments I tried to elevate myself. I would tough the turban I had made with the remnants of my shirt and I would say aloud, "THIS IS GOD'S HAT!"
I would pat my pants and say aloud, "THIS IS GOD'S ATTIRE!"
I would point to Richard Parker and say aloud, "THIS IS GOD'S CAT!"
I would point to the lifeboat and say aloud, "THIS IS GOD'S ARK!"
I would spread my hands wide and say aloud, "THESE ARE GOD'S WIDE ACRES!"
I would point at the sky and say, "THIS IS GOD'S EAR!"
And in this way I would remind myself of creation and of my place in it.
But God's hat was always unravelling. God's pants were falling apart. God's cat was a constant danger. God's ark was a jail. God's wide acres were slowly killing me. God's ear didn't seem to be listening.
Despair was a heavy blackness that let no light in or out. It was a hell beyond expression....The blackness would stir and eventually go away, and God would remain, a shining point of light in my heart. I would go on loving."
A few notes to help you understand if you don't know the story already: this is the story of a young boy from India who is stranded in the middle of the Pacific Ocean with a huge bengal tiger as his sole companion on a small lifeboat. I have been excited about this book since I began reading it, but today reading on my lunch break, I came across this chapter and it left me amazed. This is an excellent book.
"I practised religious rituals that I adapted to the circumstances...They brought me comfort, that is certain. But it was hard, oh, it was hard. Faith in God is an opening up, a letting go, a deep trust, a free act of love - but sometimes it was so hard to love.
Sometimes my heart was sinking so fast with anger, desolation and weariness, I was afraid it would sink to the very bottom of the Pacific and I would not be able to lift it back up.
At such moments I tried to elevate myself. I would tough the turban I had made with the remnants of my shirt and I would say aloud, "THIS IS GOD'S HAT!"
I would pat my pants and say aloud, "THIS IS GOD'S ATTIRE!"
I would point to Richard Parker and say aloud, "THIS IS GOD'S CAT!"
I would point to the lifeboat and say aloud, "THIS IS GOD'S ARK!"
I would spread my hands wide and say aloud, "THESE ARE GOD'S WIDE ACRES!"
I would point at the sky and say, "THIS IS GOD'S EAR!"
And in this way I would remind myself of creation and of my place in it.
But God's hat was always unravelling. God's pants were falling apart. God's cat was a constant danger. God's ark was a jail. God's wide acres were slowly killing me. God's ear didn't seem to be listening.
Despair was a heavy blackness that let no light in or out. It was a hell beyond expression....The blackness would stir and eventually go away, and God would remain, a shining point of light in my heart. I would go on loving."
A few notes to help you understand if you don't know the story already: this is the story of a young boy from India who is stranded in the middle of the Pacific Ocean with a huge bengal tiger as his sole companion on a small lifeboat. I have been excited about this book since I began reading it, but today reading on my lunch break, I came across this chapter and it left me amazed. This is an excellent book.
8.29.2006
For Rachel:
J.K. Rowling reading from "The Half-Blood Prince"
I haven't watched it yet...but I also have not read the book yet, so I think you will enjoy it much more than I would.
J.K. Rowling reading from "The Half-Blood Prince"
I haven't watched it yet...but I also have not read the book yet, so I think you will enjoy it much more than I would.
8.22.2006
7.27.2006
"Books, Muggles, and Rock 'n Roll"?
Check this out. These two guys are actually doing a tour and actually wrote an album full of songs about Harry Potter books. Uhh...I'm not really sure what to say to that. This is very weird. These guys are very nerdy.
7.06.2006
The Walkmen
Brooke, this one's for you.
(Remember that time when you told me I should turn this uber-boring blog into something better...something about music...? This is the first attempt at that.)
I recently got a hold of an issue of "Time Out Chicago" and while flipping through its pages I stopped at the music section when a blurb on The Walkmen caught my eye. This reminded me that I have their album Bows + Arrows and that I like their album Bows + Arrows. Check out "Hang On Siobhan" on insomniac nights and "The Rat" & "New Years Eve" any time. Their newest album, A Hundred Miles Off is out now, I have yet to hear it, but go here to see part of a video for the song "Louisiana." I thought it was funny, but I don't know why you can only watch the first 30 seconds.
More to come...possibly.
(Remember that time when you told me I should turn this uber-boring blog into something better...something about music...? This is the first attempt at that.)
I recently got a hold of an issue of "Time Out Chicago" and while flipping through its pages I stopped at the music section when a blurb on The Walkmen caught my eye. This reminded me that I have their album Bows + Arrows and that I like their album Bows + Arrows. Check out "Hang On Siobhan" on insomniac nights and "The Rat" & "New Years Eve" any time. Their newest album, A Hundred Miles Off is out now, I have yet to hear it, but go here to see part of a video for the song "Louisiana." I thought it was funny, but I don't know why you can only watch the first 30 seconds.
More to come...possibly.
4.04.2006
The Storm
After reading my last post, I realized once again how selfish I am. I used this blog as an outlet where I could complain and feel sorry for myself. I am sorry to all of you who read it. The post was not necessary and has been deleted...
From now on, I make it a point to slap myself upside the head and not come near a computer when I am in such a state of mind as I was that night. There are so much bigger things in life.
From now on, I make it a point to slap myself upside the head and not come near a computer when I am in such a state of mind as I was that night. There are so much bigger things in life.
3.17.2006
Kiss me, I'm not Irish
I have a habit of being very quick to make judgements and form negative opinions of things, people, and situations. Several things of the past week have brought this to my attention.
Everything will change. My mind is bending to match.
Children need friends. I need friends. An essay on the subject is in the works. Research supporting this topic has been rather interesting to read, but not so intersting to write about.
Today is St. Patrick's Day and I am not wearing green. This morning I realized that I do not own many articles of green clothing...I have about two...and I didn't feel like wearing either of them.
It's friday, I'm in love.
What I like about Fridays: whatever I was about to say has been discarded, because I admit, I like the same things about Fridays that every other person probably likes about Fridays, and you really don't need to hear about that for the 1 millionth time of your life.
Currently listening to:
The Life Pursuit (its the new Belle and Sebastian!)
Strangers, Ed Harcourt
Everything will change. My mind is bending to match.
Children need friends. I need friends. An essay on the subject is in the works. Research supporting this topic has been rather interesting to read, but not so intersting to write about.
Today is St. Patrick's Day and I am not wearing green. This morning I realized that I do not own many articles of green clothing...I have about two...and I didn't feel like wearing either of them.
It's friday, I'm in love.
What I like about Fridays: whatever I was about to say has been discarded, because I admit, I like the same things about Fridays that every other person probably likes about Fridays, and you really don't need to hear about that for the 1 millionth time of your life.
Currently listening to:
The Life Pursuit (its the new Belle and Sebastian!)
Strangers, Ed Harcourt
2.16.2006
How much I like the Internet
This whole week at work I have been researching stuff related to science and homeschooling. Although my research findings have not been very fruitful, I did find some quotes I liked, from sources who are worthy of being quoted...
"To be Queen Elizabeth within a definite area, deciding sales, banquets, labor and holidays; to be Whitely within a certain area, providing toys, boots, sheets, cakes and books; to be Aristotle within a certain area, teaching morals, manners, theology and hygiene: I can understand why this might exhaust the mind, but I cannot understand how it could narrow it. How can it be a large career to tell other people's children about the Rule of Three (R's) and a small career to tell one's own children about the universe? How can it be broad to be the same thing to everyone and narrow to be everything to someone? No; a woman's function is laborious, but because it is gigantic, not because it is minute."
G. K. Chesterton
"If I had to live my life over again, I would elect to be a trader of goods rather than a student of science. I think barter is a noble thing."
Albert Einstein
PS. I love the internet...and I can't really imagine life without Google. Latest found feature: Google Calculator. Calculate anything. 658,255.48 divided by 82
"To be Queen Elizabeth within a definite area, deciding sales, banquets, labor and holidays; to be Whitely within a certain area, providing toys, boots, sheets, cakes and books; to be Aristotle within a certain area, teaching morals, manners, theology and hygiene: I can understand why this might exhaust the mind, but I cannot understand how it could narrow it. How can it be a large career to tell other people's children about the Rule of Three (R's) and a small career to tell one's own children about the universe? How can it be broad to be the same thing to everyone and narrow to be everything to someone? No; a woman's function is laborious, but because it is gigantic, not because it is minute."
G. K. Chesterton
"If I had to live my life over again, I would elect to be a trader of goods rather than a student of science. I think barter is a noble thing."
Albert Einstein
PS. I love the internet...and I can't really imagine life without Google. Latest found feature: Google Calculator. Calculate anything. 658,255.48 divided by 82
2.14.2006
My addiction...
My worst fear has become a reality. I am addicted to a TV show...
I go to sleep thinking about Lost, I have dreams about Lost, and I wake up thinking about Lost. I have over 12 chapters of homework to read, a reaction paper to write, work to do, people to see, and all I actually care about is watching another episode. This is pathetic. But it's so good!
That's really all I have to say...
I go to sleep thinking about Lost, I have dreams about Lost, and I wake up thinking about Lost. I have over 12 chapters of homework to read, a reaction paper to write, work to do, people to see, and all I actually care about is watching another episode. This is pathetic. But it's so good!
That's really all I have to say...
1.24.2006
The Birthday Post!
Today is Brian's birthday. Now he is old like me. Now he can legally go and get wasted with his friends, not like me. Sweet. (this is a joke..you can laugh)
Happy Birthday, love. Have fun. I will miss you.
Lovingly,
Anna
Happy Birthday, love. Have fun. I will miss you.
Lovingly,
Anna
1.19.2006
Speak for Yourself
It has been a few weeks now since I first heard Imogen Heap's album "Speak for Yourself," but I just started actually listening to this album a few nights ago. While I was shopping with my sister at the Gap, we heard Imogen's voice over the speakers. I don't even know which song was playing, but on the trip home we listened to the album, and I haven't really stopped since. You can read a rather long conversation with her here.
1.14.2006
Yesterday while I was attempting to work hard in front of my desk with a glaring computer screen in my face, the idea of making top ten lists sounded extremely appealing. I started these right then and there and have just completed them today. In reading these, you may find out things you about me that you do not really wish to know....don't say I didn't warn you.
top ten songs of the week:
1. The Frankston Line, Youth Group
2. Extraordinary Machine, Fiona Apple
3. Lua, Bright Eyes
4. Misunderstood, Wilco
5. Champagne from a Paper Cup, Death Cab for Cutie
6. Born, Over the Rhine
7. Ripchord, Rilo Kiley
8. This Charming Man, The Smiths
9. In The Cold, Cold Night, The White Stripes
10. Ten, Jimmy Eat World
top ten movies I've seen over the past months:
1. Magnolia
2. The Big Sleep
3. Toy Story 2
4. The Producers
5. King Kong
6. Kill Bill, Vol 2
7. For A Few Dollars More
8. The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe
9. Casablanca
10. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
ten strange and/or annyoing habits I posess:
1. cutting up fruit before eating it
2. checking myself out in a mirror/window as I walk by ("to see what my hair is doing, it is kinda skywalker, or is it kinda stupid?" Yes, I am vain.)
3. eating the same kind of sandwich for lunch every day of the week
4. making my bed before climbing into it at night
5. rubbing baby lotion on my stomach before I am able to sleep (hey, it's calming)
6. poking people to show that I love them
7. using a lot more chap-stick every day than my lips really need
8. asking "why?" too much
9. pressing the snooze button too many times, which causes me to get up late
10. working out at 11pm
highlights of the last ten days:
today. so far, taking pictures of anything and really nothing
yesterday. watching "The Big Sleep" for the first time
day before. kids at Head Start arguing about what foods contain water
wednesday. shopping with my mom and my sister
tuesday. finding out I have enough vacation time to get paid during my trip to Europe
monday. getting up early enough to work out before work
sunday. making muffins
saturday. driving the back roads to Big Timber and back with friends
friday. nothing I did has stuck in my memory
thursday. being with Brian
These lits are multiples of five, only because five is the most I could think of...
five things that are really nice to drink:
1. water
2. chai tea vanilla silk latte
3. black coffee
4. cloudy apple juice
5. herbal tea
five of the most annoying books I've read:
1. Preparing for Marriage God's Way, Dr. Wayne A. Mack
2. Amusing Ourselves to Death, Neil Postman
3. The Excellent Wife: A Biblical Perspective, Martha Peace
4. How to Read a Book, Mortimer J. Adler and Charles Van Doren
5. Caddie Woodlawn, Carol Ryrie Brink
top five favorite colors to wear:
1. brown
2. pink
3. black
4. white
5. blue
my five favorite things to take pictures of:
1. feet
2. shadows
3. close ups of faces
4. the sky
5. random corners and meaningless things
five places I visit most frequently:
1. Target
2. Gap
3. Hastings
4. jcrew.com
5. Old Navy
top ten songs of the week:
1. The Frankston Line, Youth Group
2. Extraordinary Machine, Fiona Apple
3. Lua, Bright Eyes
4. Misunderstood, Wilco
5. Champagne from a Paper Cup, Death Cab for Cutie
6. Born, Over the Rhine
7. Ripchord, Rilo Kiley
8. This Charming Man, The Smiths
9. In The Cold, Cold Night, The White Stripes
10. Ten, Jimmy Eat World
top ten movies I've seen over the past months:
1. Magnolia
2. The Big Sleep
3. Toy Story 2
4. The Producers
5. King Kong
6. Kill Bill, Vol 2
7. For A Few Dollars More
8. The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe
9. Casablanca
10. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
ten strange and/or annyoing habits I posess:
1. cutting up fruit before eating it
2. checking myself out in a mirror/window as I walk by ("to see what my hair is doing, it is kinda skywalker, or is it kinda stupid?" Yes, I am vain.)
3. eating the same kind of sandwich for lunch every day of the week
4. making my bed before climbing into it at night
5. rubbing baby lotion on my stomach before I am able to sleep (hey, it's calming)
6. poking people to show that I love them
7. using a lot more chap-stick every day than my lips really need
8. asking "why?" too much
9. pressing the snooze button too many times, which causes me to get up late
10. working out at 11pm
highlights of the last ten days:
today. so far, taking pictures of anything and really nothing
yesterday. watching "The Big Sleep" for the first time
day before. kids at Head Start arguing about what foods contain water
wednesday. shopping with my mom and my sister
tuesday. finding out I have enough vacation time to get paid during my trip to Europe
monday. getting up early enough to work out before work
sunday. making muffins
saturday. driving the back roads to Big Timber and back with friends
friday. nothing I did has stuck in my memory
thursday. being with Brian
These lits are multiples of five, only because five is the most I could think of...
five things that are really nice to drink:
1. water
2. chai tea vanilla silk latte
3. black coffee
4. cloudy apple juice
5. herbal tea
five of the most annoying books I've read:
1. Preparing for Marriage God's Way, Dr. Wayne A. Mack
2. Amusing Ourselves to Death, Neil Postman
3. The Excellent Wife: A Biblical Perspective, Martha Peace
4. How to Read a Book, Mortimer J. Adler and Charles Van Doren
5. Caddie Woodlawn, Carol Ryrie Brink
top five favorite colors to wear:
1. brown
2. pink
3. black
4. white
5. blue
my five favorite things to take pictures of:
1. feet
2. shadows
3. close ups of faces
4. the sky
5. random corners and meaningless things
five places I visit most frequently:
1. Target
2. Gap
3. Hastings
4. jcrew.com
5. Old Navy
1.13.2006
tastes like summer
I ate strawberries for lunch today, which I purchased from Wal-Mart (seriously my least favorite store on the planet) a few days ago. They were amazingly good, and to think, I almost passed them up because they didn't look ripe enough. All this to say, strawberries in January...mmmm yeah. I'm happy about this.
1.05.2006
The weight is a gift or, this life is a gift, or, thoughts about things I do not deserve...
This past week has been one never to be forgotten. It sends me into a fury of thoughts at the amazingness of God's goodness. I can spend an entire week not really doing anything in particular and love it so much and know that it was a week well spent. Brian has documented things beautifully, so go read about it while I save my breath.
So friends, I have decided it is time to become a more faithful blogger. A post every month (or less) doesn't cut it. (Especially when my posts are really not about anything.) I am not promising my future posts will be about "anything" more than my previous ones have been, but they will be more frequent, and hopefully more worth-reading.
Album of the week:
"The Weight is A Gift" by Nada Surf
(especially "Always Love" and "In the Mirror")
So friends, I have decided it is time to become a more faithful blogger. A post every month (or less) doesn't cut it. (Especially when my posts are really not about anything.) I am not promising my future posts will be about "anything" more than my previous ones have been, but they will be more frequent, and hopefully more worth-reading.
Album of the week:
"The Weight is A Gift" by Nada Surf
(especially "Always Love" and "In the Mirror")
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