Summer Resolution

I am failing at this blogging thing. My goal for the summer is to make this something fun - and perhaps even share it with some people I know...or some people whose blogs I look at. Hmmm...only time shall tell!

For now - movie recommendation: Hotel Rwanda. Not an easy movie to watch, but an important movie.

What will the world be like when I'm 80?

I've been chatting w/ my cousin Tim lately on AOL instant messenger. He's in Iraq - and I'm in my friends' living room on my laptop. If I think about it much it makes my brain hurt! I've not been good about keeping in touch with him until the Christmas season, so I'm grateful for the technology.

My dad likes to play this game with my sisters - it's "what are you older than?" For example, my dad is older than TV, computers, and a bunch of other stuff - hah! I would be older than...remote controls, the internet/email, CDs/DVDs, and a few more things. Mary (my youngest sister - she's 14) says I'm old.

Last week we got to visit my Nana in Wisconsin - she'll turn 97 this month. When I realize that she was my age in the 1930s - working as a nurse in Chicago during the Great Depression - it blows my mind to think about how much change she's seen in her life.

So what will life be like if/when I'm in my 80's? As Tim would say, "I have NO idea."

Insomnia

So I've always been a night owl (runs in my family)...and at this point I've effectively established a WAY too late bedtime.

But, it doesn't help that HGTV has back to back episodes of House Hunters on at 1am.

Suzanne Whang, rock on!

Christmas commercials

On the way to Lincoln this morning, I heard 3 radio commercials with Christmas gift ideas:

#1 - Season passes to Knight's Action Park - not so funny if you've never been there, but if you have you'll understand why it is doubtful ANYone would want this.
#2 - Lotto tickets - no joke. The funny thing was that the commercial presented it as the best thing to happen to people who are bad at buying gifts. Or you could throw your money away.
#3 - Mercedes/Benz - who gets a CAR for Christmas?!?

I thought about how this could make for an example of America's consumerization of Christmas...or how people don't give meaningful gifts to the people they love...but I just thought it was funny.

Oh happy day!

And we took Wake Forest to school tonight.

Man, I love college basketball....

and I love my team.

Nice work, Illini....keep it up!

Procrastination

I know myself...and so I'm not surprised I got here. Another week of late nights and trying to catch up with a mountain of work that was never meant to be done in a small amount of time. I used to say I work well under pressure - but judging from my emotional state of mind, I'm not sure that's true! (Thanks to my friends for putting up with me this week - yikes)

So here's to another week - another fresh start to get ahead and be disciplined...so help me, God.

2 New CDs....highly recommended

I was in a dry music phase for a while....but fortunately in the last 2 weeks I've been enjoying 2 REALLY exceptionally fabulous CDs. I know no one reads my blog, but I feel the need to say this anyway!

Share the Well - Caedmon's Call - I always buy their CDs on release day. They never disappoint, but with this album they've done something really cool. The band wrote and recorded this in India, Ecuador, and Brazil. To read more about the concept, see their website. I have thought about writing a full review sometime - but will just say that my current favorite songs are: "Mother India," "Wings of the Morning," "Dalit Hymn," and "Bombay Rain." If I get to see them in concert on Nov. 5th I will be SUPER excited.

Behold the Lamb of God - Andrew Peterson (His Christmas Album) - I bought this without hearing any of it because I'd heard so much about the project, and I know I like Andrew Peterson's writing and musical style. What's great about this is it's the whole story of Christ's coming chronologically, but done in a very fresh way. I've been playing it non-stop in my office since I got it last Monday. If I had more money, I would buy 20 copies and give them to lots of people - because I think lots of people would like it and it's THAT good. Too many Christmas albums are weird covers of carols and then a few random original songs. I'll definitely be adding this album to my all time favorite Christmas albums. I just hope I'm not tired of it by December! I'll also link to AP's page in case anyone's interested.

(By the way - I just got Wifi in my apartment, so from now on I should be able to post from somewhere OTHER than Panera!)

And I like to go to Boston in the fall

Fall is by far my favorite season. I love everything about it...the weather, the leaves, the colors, the smells, the food, Illinois football games, fall retreats, etc. etc. This week is the first time it's really felt like fall, and I am soaking it in! I've been driving with my windows down, having Chai ('cause it tastes like pumpkin), and trying to figure out when I can go to some type of fall festival.

About a year ago, Melissa and I went to Boston - and I've been thinking about it a lot recently. It was only for a long weekend - but we both decided it was one of our favorite places. Here in Springfield, our sense of history is pretty contained to a few places Abe Lincoln used to hang out. In Boston, you can walk around the Old North end, and you feel like you've traveled back in time. You can be downtown, yet see buildings that are older than the Declaration of Independence. I don't know that I'll ever live outside of central Illinois (and don't get me wrong - it has served me well for 23-ish years), but if I did, I want to be close to Boston.

Melissa at Harvard 

I know it's sideways, but I'm still learning :) 

Somewhere

This is an experiment. I enjoy this whole blogging concept - but I prefer to eavsdrop on others' thoughts. Should be interesting to try this myself. I may not share this address with too many people at first - especially those I know in real life!

So...."somewhere, beyond these reasons and feelings, somewhere beyond the passion and fatigue I know You're there and that Your Spirit is leading me somewhere...beyond all this." (Rich Mullins)