birds are my favorite and my best

I've posted a new link to the myspace page of a friend of a friend of my sisters. She has beautiful paintings and her cd is great too. I just really love birds. When I grow up I will have lots of bird feeders and a bird bath in the back garden.

just wondering

My thoughts have been full of poetry lately. Some nights I haven't been able to sleep for thinking of it. If I had my books here I'd be reading Carl Sandburg or E.E. Cummings. As it is I've been trying to lull myself to sleep reciting the bits I have memorized.
What is it in me that longs for life to be like a dream? Full of poetic phrases and romantic imagery? How can I harness the positive, creative side of that while still keeping my feet planted firmly on the ground? How can I live a life that calls dreams into reality without retreating into fancy and imagination?
This is the lesson I want to learn next. These are the questions I'm seeking out.

my top 25 songs by play count on itunes

25. Yellow by Coldplay
24. The Sweetest Thing by U2
23. He Woke Me Up Again by Sufjan Stevens
22. Overflow by Mark Mathis
21. Better Together by Jack Johnson
20. Yellow Submarine by The Beatles
19. Doxology by Mark Mathis
18. Lovestain by Jose Gonzalez
17. Dreams by The Cranberries
16. Daydream Car by Amy Coriea
15. Diana by Waterdeep
14. Mysterious Ways by U2
13. Close to You by Mark Mathis
12. I Want a Broken Heart by Derek Webb
11. To Be Alone With You by Sufjan Stevens
10. The Dress Looks Nice on You by Sufjan Stevens
9. Do You Remember by Jack Johnson
8. Banana Pancakes by Jack Johnson
7. 9 Crimes by Damien Rice
6. We Come to You by Derek Webb
5. A Message by Coldplay
4. Slow Moves by Jose Gonzalez
3. Life is Beautiful by Amy Coriea
2. I Am the Deep Blue Sea by Mark Mathis
1. Something in the Way She Moves by James Taylor

My favorite/newest CD right now is We Both Was Young By Mark Mathis especially Her Name on My Arm and Your Eyes

we've hit Jeremiah in our reading of God's story

this caught my eye yesterday:

You're a one-man defense system against the culture.

hmmm... interesting

just couldn't resist!

Your Score: Definite Article!

Your Izzard-ness is at 95!

Your Izzard-ness is off the charts! You must be a bit of a bastard, cuz you’re getting shagging a-plenty! Your knowledge of the Action Transvestite is unrivaled, and you KNOW you wanna be a beekeeper! You wanna KEEP BEES! But you’re COVERED IN BEES! Quite sexy, actually. Well-done. You beat out Sexie Eddie, Kilted Eddie, and the lowly Plain-clothes Eddie. If I asked you, "Do you have a flag?" you'd say "Yes, five of 'em!" You're like Achilles without the Achilles Heel... Immortal!

Link: The Expanded Eddie Izzard Action Test

a fresh, new start

Coming home is always such a wonderful feeling. I had a lovely time in Scotland with Kirstin and her family. Kirstin was/is still recovering from an ugly episode with some mussels so it wasn't a very activity packed holiday. Most days were spent pottering about the house, reading, watching tv, cooking, and eating. We still managed to have quite a bit of fun! Coming home was an exercise in patience. Riding on a bus for 12 hours is bad enough at night, positive torture during the day. But it's over now and all is well. All of the old things are washed and put in their proper places and all of the new things are making my room look very cheery and warm. I've caught up on emails, facebook comments, and myspace messages. I have a day to get ready for the new term tomorrow and then Monday whooshes us away for a retreat to kick of the second term of Transit, Kind to Others.

In this new season I've decided my focus will be paying attention. Being attentive to God, others, myself, the world around me. Just generally being aware. I have such a tendency to retreat inwardly and create these beautiful worlds of pure fancy; this year I want to live in the present, hopefully to bring some of those dreams into reality. Lord, please help me.

a little something to brighten your new year

While sitting in Victoria Coach Station recently, waiting for a bus, I read this in the latest issue of Relevant Magazine:

"A mathematical discovery by Oxford scientists is being called 'one of the most important developments in the history of science' (at least by one expert). According to the researchers, by studying quantum mechanics, they have determined that parallel universes do exist."

(Other researchers still dismiss the theory as fanciful.)