Sunday, June 29, 2008
Speaking of music
I'm probably the last person on the planet to have heard of Duffy. Do you think I'm too old to like this music?
Saturday, June 28, 2008
Saturday Midnight Observations
-Went on an actual date to an actual concert tonight.
-Which was stunning.
-The Cowboy Junkies still got it going on.
-I'm sure the Indigo Girls do, too, only I'm too far away from the old days when I knew all those lyrics by heart to get it in the same way.
-I was half floating on the music, and half wondering how, after so many years doing basically the same thing, you keep it fresh.
-Although, it sort of doesnt matter what's going on with the music, since a concert outdoors in a lovely meadow surrounded by wind-tossed trees, on a day that hit a hundred is just inherently a good thing.
-I said something tactless today. Which, considering my junior high nickname was The Queen of Tact, I dont do all that often anymore.
-I felt sorry about it, and I apologized, but I dont think I'm going to spend the rest of the week chewing on it and feeling sick to my stomach, which in another era I would have.
-This feels like growth to me.
-I DO wish I wouldnt have done it, though. And I'm really hoping I didnt totally screw up what I was hoping was becoming a nice new friendship.
-Speaking of friendship, we just got back from three days at family camp.
-A mixed bag, but definately more good than bad.
-But getting used to a new camp is tricky, isnt it? Because you want camp to be your camp, and each camp definately has its own culture.
-Songs, schedules, how to have fun, physical layout, what the staff do -- it's all different here than at our old place, where we spent many beloved family camps. So there was about 24 hours of transitioning that had to happen.
-For the grownups, I mean. The child was happy to run around the woods and stay up late eating smores without any angst or nostalgia.
-There are a lot of really great things about being six, and I think this is one of them.
-Wow. Sure is hot here. We're not really set up for 100 degrees here in Oregon -- I guess I'll preach short tomorrow and punctuate a sermon about cool glasses of water by actually passing some out.
-Because talking about water (metaphorically) without delivering any (actually) on a day like tomorrow is gonna be would be more like a torture session than church.
-And speaking of chruch, it is officially after midnight, so I need to go to bed now.
-I have some real posts rattling around, hopefully they will make it here sometime.
-Which was stunning.
-The Cowboy Junkies still got it going on.
-I'm sure the Indigo Girls do, too, only I'm too far away from the old days when I knew all those lyrics by heart to get it in the same way.
-I was half floating on the music, and half wondering how, after so many years doing basically the same thing, you keep it fresh.
-Although, it sort of doesnt matter what's going on with the music, since a concert outdoors in a lovely meadow surrounded by wind-tossed trees, on a day that hit a hundred is just inherently a good thing.
-I said something tactless today. Which, considering my junior high nickname was The Queen of Tact, I dont do all that often anymore.
-I felt sorry about it, and I apologized, but I dont think I'm going to spend the rest of the week chewing on it and feeling sick to my stomach, which in another era I would have.
-This feels like growth to me.
-I DO wish I wouldnt have done it, though. And I'm really hoping I didnt totally screw up what I was hoping was becoming a nice new friendship.
-Speaking of friendship, we just got back from three days at family camp.
-A mixed bag, but definately more good than bad.
-But getting used to a new camp is tricky, isnt it? Because you want camp to be your camp, and each camp definately has its own culture.
-Songs, schedules, how to have fun, physical layout, what the staff do -- it's all different here than at our old place, where we spent many beloved family camps. So there was about 24 hours of transitioning that had to happen.
-For the grownups, I mean. The child was happy to run around the woods and stay up late eating smores without any angst or nostalgia.
-There are a lot of really great things about being six, and I think this is one of them.
-Wow. Sure is hot here. We're not really set up for 100 degrees here in Oregon -- I guess I'll preach short tomorrow and punctuate a sermon about cool glasses of water by actually passing some out.
-Because talking about water (metaphorically) without delivering any (actually) on a day like tomorrow is gonna be would be more like a torture session than church.
-And speaking of chruch, it is officially after midnight, so I need to go to bed now.
-I have some real posts rattling around, hopefully they will make it here sometime.
Saturday, June 21, 2008
Meme from Janell
Janell tags me to list "Share 7 facts about yourself on your blog, some random, some weird."
1. It's weird that I can't think of anything weird about myself all of a sudden, because usually I think of myself as very weird.
2. I just found out today from a self-described pagan that pagan and wiccan are different. She says it's like Catholic and Christian - "All wiccans are pagan, but not all pagans are wiccan." Did you know that? I didnt. (This one definitely falls more under the "random" than "weird" category, dont you think?)
3. Right before I lead worship, I stand in front of the full length mirror in my office, close my eyes and say my prayer three times "Make me worthy, make me worthy, make me worthy." Then I open my eyes and put on lipstick. If I skip either one of these steps, I sort of falter. I also guess I would falter if I did them the other way around and prayed with eyes open and applied lipstick with eyes closed. (Is it weird that I think that last bit is funny? Yeah, I guess so....)
4. The last few days, I think about getting home all the time, so I can see our new foster-kittens, who we have now named, after our favorite book series: Freddy, Jinx and Mrs. Wiggins. (Is it weird that when you let your 6 year old name the cats, he chooses names from children's books written in the 1940's? It is weird, isnt it, but in kind of a cool way? Personally, I'm stunned he didnt name them R2D2, Luke and DarthVader'sRedLightSaber.)
5. I confessed at a dinner party tonight that I just cannot like Pink Floyd. Or Led Zeppelin either.
6. But when someone, joking, said "Oh, well, maybe you like the KINGSTON TRIO instead?" I sang Hang Down your Head Tom Dooley all the way through. And I could have done Charlie on the MTA, too, if the subject hadnt inexplicabley changed from Our Favorite Folk Music of the 1960's to another topic.
7. Speaking of dinner, I have a new weigh-in day for weight watchers, which is Monday instead of Friday. This new schedule does not help with my previous problem of sticking with it for about 4 or 5 days and then slacking off for the last 2 or 3 of the week. Dont know why I do it this way. Every week I tell myself I could actually Lose Weight if I did it every day, but every weeek I drop off. And I seem ot keep lingering right around 173-ish. Although, I referred to myself as "svelte" today, which is maybe the reason I"m not working it that hard.
8. It's after 9, but it's still light out, so I'm going for a walk. And that's 8, so I'm done.
According to the meme, I could tag 7 of you, but I would love it if you would tag yourself and let me know in the comments.
1. It's weird that I can't think of anything weird about myself all of a sudden, because usually I think of myself as very weird.
2. I just found out today from a self-described pagan that pagan and wiccan are different. She says it's like Catholic and Christian - "All wiccans are pagan, but not all pagans are wiccan." Did you know that? I didnt. (This one definitely falls more under the "random" than "weird" category, dont you think?)
3. Right before I lead worship, I stand in front of the full length mirror in my office, close my eyes and say my prayer three times "Make me worthy, make me worthy, make me worthy." Then I open my eyes and put on lipstick. If I skip either one of these steps, I sort of falter. I also guess I would falter if I did them the other way around and prayed with eyes open and applied lipstick with eyes closed. (Is it weird that I think that last bit is funny? Yeah, I guess so....)
4. The last few days, I think about getting home all the time, so I can see our new foster-kittens, who we have now named, after our favorite book series: Freddy, Jinx and Mrs. Wiggins. (Is it weird that when you let your 6 year old name the cats, he chooses names from children's books written in the 1940's? It is weird, isnt it, but in kind of a cool way? Personally, I'm stunned he didnt name them R2D2, Luke and DarthVader'sRedLightSaber.)
5. I confessed at a dinner party tonight that I just cannot like Pink Floyd. Or Led Zeppelin either.
6. But when someone, joking, said "Oh, well, maybe you like the KINGSTON TRIO instead?" I sang Hang Down your Head Tom Dooley all the way through. And I could have done Charlie on the MTA, too, if the subject hadnt inexplicabley changed from Our Favorite Folk Music of the 1960's to another topic.
7. Speaking of dinner, I have a new weigh-in day for weight watchers, which is Monday instead of Friday. This new schedule does not help with my previous problem of sticking with it for about 4 or 5 days and then slacking off for the last 2 or 3 of the week. Dont know why I do it this way. Every week I tell myself I could actually Lose Weight if I did it every day, but every weeek I drop off. And I seem ot keep lingering right around 173-ish. Although, I referred to myself as "svelte" today, which is maybe the reason I"m not working it that hard.
8. It's after 9, but it's still light out, so I'm going for a walk. And that's 8, so I'm done.
According to the meme, I could tag 7 of you, but I would love it if you would tag yourself and let me know in the comments.
Yes, they really ARE this cute.
These are the two little girls - still unnamed. There's a little boy, too, just as heartbreaking.
(If you are in PDX area, these will be ready to adopt in about 4 weeks, btw. You know you want one.)
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
Weds night
I dont know what I've been doing on the computer, but I only have 11% power on my computer, so I'm doing a quick check in, in the form of a list.
-Summer seems to have arrived.
-I did not plant any veggies, though.
-But I have the seeds. Do you think I am too late?
-I dont have time for planting anyway, I'm too busy getting an ass-whupping in therapy.
-Yikes, is that previous sentence going to attract a weird crowd?
-Like, is there some kind of whupping subculture of which I am not aware?
-Well, if it has, you are them, go away, please. This is the most boring blog no the planet.
-I'm in therapy about feeling overwhelmed, which it turns out is sort of a pattern for me.
-So. It, you know, brings a lot of that bottom-feeding sludge to the surface.
-Hmm, yet another pleasant therapy metaphor. Good thing my therapist doesnt read this blog, or his feelings would certainly be hurt.
-See, spending time worrying about stuff like whether I'm hurting my therapists feelings is what got me this one way ticket to Overwhelmed Island.
-I've never recovered from vacation. I'm still treading water. To continue the Island metaphor. Which is nicer than the others I've been working, but probably not as descriptive.
-I missed the newsletter deadline and I keep forgetting to call people back.
-It's not going to get better any time soon, either, since next week we go to family camp.
-Which was a beloved tradition in our former UCC conference, and one I hope we like here, too.
-So, it takes time away, but it's great, so it's worth it.
-But the real reason I'm so distracted is because there are three cute kittens in my extra bathroom right now.
-Which I picked up today at the shelter, as our first assignment as Foster Care Kitten Family.
-We will keep them for about 4 weeks, until they're ready to be spayed and adopted out.
-Shhh, dont tell my mom. Or my dad. They think I have too much going on already.
-But 4 hours in, it's working out pretty well.
-Except they dont seem to be eating yet.
-I'm hoping that's just the excitement, and doesnt mean they'll have to be bottlefed, which is a possibility.
-They seem pretty spunky and clever. I'm sure they'll figure out the eating thing.
-Right?
-Dont have any pictures yet.
-Just find a picture of the 3 cutest grey or greyish kittehs you can imagine, curled up asleep together.
-And that will be them.
-(Contented sighs all around.)
And just in time, as I am down to 4% juice, which means I could conk at any minute.
No, that's not the computer I'm talking about.
-Summer seems to have arrived.
-I did not plant any veggies, though.
-But I have the seeds. Do you think I am too late?
-I dont have time for planting anyway, I'm too busy getting an ass-whupping in therapy.
-Yikes, is that previous sentence going to attract a weird crowd?
-Like, is there some kind of whupping subculture of which I am not aware?
-Well, if it has, you are them, go away, please. This is the most boring blog no the planet.
-I'm in therapy about feeling overwhelmed, which it turns out is sort of a pattern for me.
-So. It, you know, brings a lot of that bottom-feeding sludge to the surface.
-Hmm, yet another pleasant therapy metaphor. Good thing my therapist doesnt read this blog, or his feelings would certainly be hurt.
-See, spending time worrying about stuff like whether I'm hurting my therapists feelings is what got me this one way ticket to Overwhelmed Island.
-I've never recovered from vacation. I'm still treading water. To continue the Island metaphor. Which is nicer than the others I've been working, but probably not as descriptive.
-I missed the newsletter deadline and I keep forgetting to call people back.
-It's not going to get better any time soon, either, since next week we go to family camp.
-Which was a beloved tradition in our former UCC conference, and one I hope we like here, too.
-So, it takes time away, but it's great, so it's worth it.
-But the real reason I'm so distracted is because there are three cute kittens in my extra bathroom right now.
-Which I picked up today at the shelter, as our first assignment as Foster Care Kitten Family.
-We will keep them for about 4 weeks, until they're ready to be spayed and adopted out.
-Shhh, dont tell my mom. Or my dad. They think I have too much going on already.
-But 4 hours in, it's working out pretty well.
-Except they dont seem to be eating yet.
-I'm hoping that's just the excitement, and doesnt mean they'll have to be bottlefed, which is a possibility.
-They seem pretty spunky and clever. I'm sure they'll figure out the eating thing.
-Right?
-Dont have any pictures yet.
-Just find a picture of the 3 cutest grey or greyish kittehs you can imagine, curled up asleep together.
-And that will be them.
-(Contented sighs all around.)
And just in time, as I am down to 4% juice, which means I could conk at any minute.
No, that's not the computer I'm talking about.
Sunday, June 08, 2008
Announcements, announcements, aNOUUUUNNNNCEments
To everyone who was formerly my friend on Facebook, especially the extremely cool Chicagans who I just friended pretty much hours before the spam situation:
Sorry about sending you that incredibly annoying spam by accident. I am a doorknob at Facebook.
To people who want to be more organized, but who, like me, hate more gadgets: Check out this awesome article (and a hat tip to Seattle Rachel for the link).
To whoever swapped back that guy living in our house yesterday with our real son, who seems to have returned: Thank you.
It's 8:11 pm. You know what that means.
Sorry about sending you that incredibly annoying spam by accident. I am a doorknob at Facebook.
To people who want to be more organized, but who, like me, hate more gadgets: Check out this awesome article (and a hat tip to Seattle Rachel for the link).
To whoever swapped back that guy living in our house yesterday with our real son, who seems to have returned: Thank you.
It's 8:11 pm. You know what that means.
Saturday, June 07, 2008
Addiction Experiment
I threw myself into a mild panic earlier this week by suggesting to myself (after spending the wee hours with Dooce and the Gofugyourself girls - the shadow side of the internet) that I might have little bit of a Problem handling my internet use and what would it be like if I just didnt use the computer after 8 pm for a week or so and see what happened?
See how it is in my head?
Well, I did it last night, and during that time wrote a Big List of all the things I could be doing if I WERE on the computer, which included:
buying books,
sending email (Rachel! Try Vitalist with your Jott - you will LOVE it!),
writing some stuff for work and fun,
and looking up when the bus would go by our house this morning.
So now it's 7:55. And instead of telling you about the amazing way the Philip Yancy has been foisted into my consciousness suddenly, or a 6 year olds awesome one mile race and terrible tantrum today (Preacher Mom, I know you are really busy, but when you have a minute, can we talk about parenting a boy this age? I think we are having the same problem right now), or my review of Akeelah and the Bee (oh by GOD bring me a hankie, honey) or the way that the vegetable garden is all turned over and ready for some seeds to go in there,
I'm going to turn off the computer now and
just
walk
away.
See? I'm doing it right now.
Now.
Right now.
Really. Now.
See how it is in my head?
Well, I did it last night, and during that time wrote a Big List of all the things I could be doing if I WERE on the computer, which included:
buying books,
sending email (Rachel! Try Vitalist with your Jott - you will LOVE it!),
writing some stuff for work and fun,
and looking up when the bus would go by our house this morning.
So now it's 7:55. And instead of telling you about the amazing way the Philip Yancy has been foisted into my consciousness suddenly, or a 6 year olds awesome one mile race and terrible tantrum today (Preacher Mom, I know you are really busy, but when you have a minute, can we talk about parenting a boy this age? I think we are having the same problem right now), or my review of Akeelah and the Bee (oh by GOD bring me a hankie, honey) or the way that the vegetable garden is all turned over and ready for some seeds to go in there,
I'm going to turn off the computer now and
just
walk
away.
See? I'm doing it right now.
Now.
Right now.
Really. Now.
Wednesday, June 04, 2008
Summer Meme
(thanks for the tag, Diane!)
1.) What first tells you that summer is here?
Even after 10 years in the PNW, we are still all Norman Vincent Peale about the weather. Once it gets warm and sunny, we expect it to every day and every way to keep getting better and better. Alas, that is not how it works here. Weather is pretty unpredictable, but there are more blustery days than not, until mid June at least.
2.) Name five of your favorite distinctively summer habits or customs.
Eating outside, wearing pretty clothes and sandals, walking around at 6 am or 9 pm and having it be light out, wading in water, bike rides with E.
3.) What is your favorite smell of summer?
New mown grass. Double favorite if I've done the mowing and can feel smugly hard working at the same time.
4.) What is your favorite taste of summer?
Hmm, summer fruit, I think. Extra yummy with good vanilla ice cream.
5.) Favorite summer memory?
The first thing that comes to mind is sleeping in a tent, which is odd because I dont consider myself much of a camper now. But at one time, (maybe when someone else took care of all the logistics) I think did enjoy it more.
6.) Extreme heat or extreme cold? Which would you choose and why?
Yikes. Are these the only two choices? Neither, please.
7.) What books do you plan to read for the season?
Well, for work I'm looking for a few good books on the psalms for a sermon series I'm planning for August. For fun, well, I guess dont know yet. Any suggestions?
8.) How does the summer affect your faith? Is it a hindrance?
Any time that I feel rested and cheerful and in love with God's creation, that has to be good for faith, doesnt it?
Feel free to tag yourself and let me know in the comments if you play.
1.) What first tells you that summer is here?
Even after 10 years in the PNW, we are still all Norman Vincent Peale about the weather. Once it gets warm and sunny, we expect it to every day and every way to keep getting better and better. Alas, that is not how it works here. Weather is pretty unpredictable, but there are more blustery days than not, until mid June at least.
2.) Name five of your favorite distinctively summer habits or customs.
Eating outside, wearing pretty clothes and sandals, walking around at 6 am or 9 pm and having it be light out, wading in water, bike rides with E.
3.) What is your favorite smell of summer?
New mown grass. Double favorite if I've done the mowing and can feel smugly hard working at the same time.
4.) What is your favorite taste of summer?
Hmm, summer fruit, I think. Extra yummy with good vanilla ice cream.
5.) Favorite summer memory?
The first thing that comes to mind is sleeping in a tent, which is odd because I dont consider myself much of a camper now. But at one time, (maybe when someone else took care of all the logistics) I think did enjoy it more.
6.) Extreme heat or extreme cold? Which would you choose and why?
Yikes. Are these the only two choices? Neither, please.
7.) What books do you plan to read for the season?
Well, for work I'm looking for a few good books on the psalms for a sermon series I'm planning for August. For fun, well, I guess dont know yet. Any suggestions?
8.) How does the summer affect your faith? Is it a hindrance?
Any time that I feel rested and cheerful and in love with God's creation, that has to be good for faith, doesnt it?
Feel free to tag yourself and let me know in the comments if you play.
Monday, June 02, 2008
Donate PAPERBACK BOOKS to the Women's Prison Book Project
Hey, my awesome friend Sarah can often be found giving her time and talent to the Women's Prison Book Project - an organization that receives requests for books and sends them to women in prison. They just did a big mailing and are looking for paperbook books in the following categories. Do what you can.
Thanks!
card making
tattoos
meditation
daily affirmation
Christian
Islam
lesbian romance
drawing
cookbooks
exercise
sea life
true crime
narcotics recovery
self-help
Native American n/f
Latino n/f
general health
and as ever,
urban books
dictionaries
journals (we'll take these in hardcover as long as they don't have spirals--unlined pages are welcome, too!)
If you live in the Twin Cities area, you may drop books off anytime in our donation box located outside Arise Bookstore at 2441 Lyndale Avenue in South Minneapolis. If you live outside the Twin Cities area, you may mail your donations to:
Thanks!
card making
tattoos
meditation
daily affirmation
Christian
Islam
lesbian romance
drawing
cookbooks
exercise
sea life
true crime
narcotics recovery
self-help
Native American n/f
Latino n/f
general health
and as ever,
urban books
dictionaries
journals (we'll take these in hardcover as long as they don't have spirals--unlined pages are welcome, too!)
If you live in the Twin Cities area, you may drop books off anytime in our donation box located outside Arise Bookstore at 2441 Lyndale Avenue in South Minneapolis. If you live outside the Twin Cities area, you may mail your donations to:
Women's Prison Book Project
c/o Arise Bookstore
2441 Lyndale Ave. S.
Minneapolis, MN 55405
Advice Column
Dear Neti Pot Experts,
If you could tell you were getting a cold, so you started the Neti Pot (1 -2 times a day for 3 days), then you got a really really bad cold that included losing your voice and totally getting stopped up ears, would you do the Neti Pot again, or figure that was what had given you all this mucus in the first place and stop it?
Dear Parenting Experts,
Do you let a five year old boy choose the paint colors in his room, even if the only colors that he will consider are those of the Oregon Ducks teams?
Dear Math Experts,
How much more laundry can there POSSIBLY be? There are only THREE of us.
If you could tell you were getting a cold, so you started the Neti Pot (1 -2 times a day for 3 days), then you got a really really bad cold that included losing your voice and totally getting stopped up ears, would you do the Neti Pot again, or figure that was what had given you all this mucus in the first place and stop it?
Dear Parenting Experts,
Do you let a five year old boy choose the paint colors in his room, even if the only colors that he will consider are those of the Oregon Ducks teams?
Dear Math Experts,
How much more laundry can there POSSIBLY be? There are only THREE of us.
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