I can hardly wait to see it! Also, saw the preview for Vanity Fair. That's in the queue, too.
Display Comments »Nicholas Sparks has never really interested me. I tried to read A Walk to Remember but it was just so cliche and sappy I could never get through more than two pages without predicting (accurately) the next few.
Read more Misplaced misprize » Display Comments »One year ago today, I published my first post on my very own blog (using Blogger).
My first reader was someone from vail.net (I have yet to know specifically who that is). My first link was from Minnetta. My very first commentor was Kris, who decided to start her own blog and bless us with her thoughts and takes on life.
What a year. I began to blog as a method of relief for my brain from the thousands of thoughts that pass through my head in a day. I had moved 900 miles from a wonderful network of friends and family. It was challenging to say the least.
One day, I recalled a chance meeting with a friendly woman in a Barnes and Noble. We chatted for a moment and she introduced her husband, who is a much better looking version of Robert DeNiro. They mentioned that they kept a blog ("A what?"). We exchanged e-mail addresses and they included their blog address. Kenyon and Julie have since taken down their site, although I still hear from them occasionally as Kenyon is thoughtful and sends me pictures via e-mail of family events. House-of-Boo-Boos was my second link and my inspiration for blogging.
I gained most of my readers through the tongue lashing of The Daily Kos writer (what's his name again?). I guess it goes to show that there's no such thing as bad publicity. A few of my readers came to me via Blog Madness, and I found some of my favorites from that little game myself.
In April (?)I moved over to Munuviana and with the help of The Bartender and Pam (Pam designed the beautiful banner), the move went smoothly and I got out of the (although newly renovated) projects of blogdom.
Through this tiny little space on the web, I have made a few friends, maintained my sanity, and found a way to read the real news of the world-the daily navigation of people through life.
Thanks for a wonderful year.
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"Shalom", the handprinted lithography produced by IMAGE Journal, is now available via Corridor Press. Please direct all purchase inquiries to Tim Sheesley. A portion of the sales will be be donated to support IMAGE journal.
" 'Quince' was inspired by the Medieval Garden at the Cloisters in Upper Manhattan. Above is 'Three-Fruit,' measuring 89 x 132 inches. Painted on handmade Japanese paper stretched over canvas, these works further explore Makoto's mineral pigments such as malachite, azurite, silver and gold. It was originally displayed in the Millenium celebration at Cathedral of St. John the Divine in 1999-2000. Makoto wrote "when St. John the Divine requested for me to prepare a series of painting for a historic Millenium Christmas, I thought of the quince trees at the Cloisters right away. They serve as a reminder and a symbol of the abundance of life, of fruit of the Spirit that the Incarnation points to.' "(from the site of Makoto Fujimura)
Both pieces by Makoto Fujimura.
This man's art is soothing and fluid. I found him via Gideon Strauss.
Gideon also mentions Objects of Grace: Conversations on Creativity and Faith by James Romaine. A quote from the site: "Objects of Grace promises to enrich our understanding of the artistic process and works of art as they offer insights into the creator God." I hope to soon add this book to my own personal collection.
Display Comments »When the first American was beheaded, I had a difficult time giving words to my emotions. Then I read Juliette, over at Baldilocks. She inspired the words that I couldn't previously find.
Kris has posted some very honest thoughts of hope in remaining faithful to her Lord should she ever face that same situation.
Also, don't you just love to see a game well played? Read how Robert effectively stomped a commentor (and I learned a new word "Blogroach"). Listen....can you hear the swoosh?
I just really enjoy reading Jerry over at Truth Be Told. He is articulate and logical-who couldn't enjoy that? He also is unafraid to ask difficult questions.
Display Comments »My third day with no coffee. Why? Well, in the last six years it seems my normally low blood pressure has gone into the high-normal range. And my cholesterol. It's 258. I am 5'8 1/2 and weigh 140. So, it isn't obesity or being overweight that is causing the high cholesterol and blood pressure.
My mother redefined time for herself a long time ago. The other day she commented that "we have always been able to talk." I stiffled a chortle and my silence propelled her on to other conversation. I love my mother and long ago forgave her, but in choosing to forgive, I also chose never to forget; thus not allowing myself to rewrite my own history.
Read more No thank you to the Twinkies » Display Comments »There is a movement in churches to introduce Praise songs and choruses into the worship service. Some are replacing traditional hymns and some are only integrating the newer styles.
When we first moved here, we attended a church that only sings contemporary songs. We are now comfortably situated in a different church and their mode of worship is a hymnal, piano, and organ. There is a personal aspect of the praise and worhip songs that appeals to me-I do really commune with my God during the singing of those songs. An example:
Read more Sing A Song » Display Comments »This latest letter from Dave made me blink hot tears from my eyes. Anyone who critcizes the Marines is just speaking out of utter and complete ignorance. In the Persian Gulf War, my R was one of those sergeants (and Dave mentions him specifically as such). Please take a few minutes to read this and then be thankful for some young man over in Iraq who takes seriously his mission to serve his men, accomplish the missions, be respectful to the foreign civilians, and does so with the upmost respect, integrity, honor, and with every muscle and bone in his body.
Emphasis mine.
Dear Dad -
While you were gone, the effort here continued much the same. As you have no doubt seen, the violence has escalated as predicted but the average Iraqi actually appears to be more and more fed up with the acts of the insurgents. In our area, the viciousness and undisciplined nature of the enemy has caused them to fracture somewhat even to the point of fights breaking out between them.
Read more This latest letter from Dave » Display Comments »Next time you move to a state known for it's lack of cultural diversity and ethnicity and then decide to complain- don't.
Display Comments »(yawn) Just...recuperating....from ....8 days....of company......
Be back tomorrow or Monday well-rested and ready to type, but for now, it's just me, my book, and my bed.
Display Comments »It has been a busy week. One of R's buddies from his active duty days in the USMC arrived last Friday evening. On Saturday, they went to Zion National Park. On Sunday, with three of our girls in tow, they hit the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. Monday, they were guided to an off the map gorgeous trail in Kolob Canyon. Tuesday, taking the older girls, they hit Zion again and did several trails along with one that E had previously done, Hidden Canyon. Wednesday Pete took himself to Bryce Canyon and R took himself in for one day of work. Today, we began the swimming competition of Utah Summer Games. Our girls all won medals in backstroke. For some reason, they excel at this stroke. A brought home a gold; E a silver; C has a bronze and a personal best time in dropping 15 seconds. For those of you who don't swim, let me assure you, that is huge. I timed lane one- easy as giving a baby candy. In four hours, I only had five swimmers. I like cheering on the swimmers as they are coming in the home stretch. It is such a demanding sport that a kid can feel that kicking in the last 10 meters won't matter-so I give a big grin and encouraging words. The meet continues for the next two days.
Read more It has been a busy » Display Comments »Checking my sitemeter is one of the first things I do each morning after getting on-line. So, I guess it's true, I am slightly addicted to "hits and page views." While I am pleasantly surprised by high numbers (they typically only occur with a controversial post that is found by a search engine or a dissident link), I am more content with the faithfulness of the few. So, I am averaging around 58 hits a day.
I am always curious as to how I am found. It isn't always discernable from the meter, so, I boldly but politely visit the site, look around, leave a comment about a specific post and then ask how in the 'sphere they found this tiny site on the web.
Today, I am going to list a few new blogs that I have added. I have yet to make it to the show, but I enjoy a small readership and receive a steady flow of comments. I recall the days when nary a comment was found; for months. So, in the name of not forgetting those days, I am going to give a bit of publicity to a few bloggers that I have recently added to my list of daily reads.
Writing to Understand Kris is one of my closest friends and knows me far better than most. She has a talent and love for thinking through to the logical conclusions in almost every situation.
Dissident Frenchman I just found him today, but so enjoyed reading his site, that I linked him immediately.
Letters from New York Michele has endured many venemous attacks for changing her political position. She is a deep soul with a beautiful hand for her writing.
Write...or Die Trying ZaphodBeeblebrox-this, too, is one of my personal friends who took a leave of absence from blogging for awhile, but recently returned. I truly believe we will one day see him published ("Never, never, never, never give up!").
My Thoughts... Exactly David R. Darrow. I don't even recall how I found David (do you David?) but I immediately liked his writing. David is an artist who also takes time to transfer his artistry into blogging.
Truth Be Told Jerry is a frequent commentor over at La Shawn's. He recently moved into the blogdom kingdom and is a powerfully persuasive writer.
Jeremy Gilby I think Jeremy found his way here through Nathan and I'm glad he did. He is a true Jack of All Trades (he knows a lot about a lot) with a touch of sincerity (and sarcasm).
Please take a minute and visit these bloggers; leave a comment; become a regular. You will enjoy your reading and perhaps, learn something new.
Display Comments »Maj. Bellon's dad forwarded this to us. After some internet investigation, I found that I really like William A. Mayer, the author of this "updated" account of D-Day. At the end of this article, written for the PipeLineNews web paper, Mr. Mayer, the editor and publisher, quotes a different kind of reporter that exisited during World War II, Ernie Pyle:
"Maybe Ernie Pyle can point the way - help us understand on this day of remembrance, where we need to be again, in the context of the battle in which we now find ourselves – precisely the same place where the infantry found themselves in that great war to which so many cloudily invoke and pay false homage.
'He wants to kill individually or in vast numbers. He wants to see the Germans overrun, mangled, butchered in the Tunisian trap. He speaks excitedly of seeing great heaps of dead, of our bombers sinking whole shiploads of fleeing men, of Germans by the thousands dying miserably in a final Tunisian holocaust of his own creation.
In this one respect the front-line soldier differs from all the rest of us. All the rest of us - you and me and even the thousands of soldiers behind the lines in Africa - we want terribly yet only academically for the war to get over. The front-line soldier wants it to be got over by the physical process of his destroying enough Germans to end it. He is truly at war. The rest of us, no matter how hard we work, are not.' "
He also examines the effect of judicial activism on the moral fiber of this country. I will be listing his organization in the Truthsayers section of my blogroll as he has gained a regular reader.
Mr. Mayer has "re-reported" the infamous happenings of D-Day as they would be recorded today by a typcial journalist with a personal agenda, rather than "just the facts."
Tragic French Offensive Stalled On Beaches
By William A. Mayer, Editor & Publisher - PipeLineNews.org
Normandy, France - June 6, 1944
Pandemonium, shock and sheer terror predominate today's events in Europe.
In an as yet unfolding apparent fiasco, Supreme Allied Commander, General Dwight David Eisenhower's troops got a rude awakening this morning at Omaha Beach here in Normandy.
Read more Ernie Pyle isn't here anymore » Display Comments »The girls and I went to a watercolor show at Blue Sage Frame Shop and then headed over to Groovefest with a couple of quilts. E and her friend took off to check out a few of the booths by themselves and A and I went over to look at some of the artist's kiosks. We found a handcrafted alabaster horse and a red coral bracelet. I also ran into a very gifted and hyperactive artist. He fashioned beautiful waterfalls in various sizes out of copper and copper patina. Two Slim and the Taildragons (a SRV wanna be group but actually pretty decent) played and the girls made fun of the lead singer/guitarist making faces and felt sorry for the bassist who got no notice (we determined it was his lack of face making). It was a fun evening together.
Display Comments »I am still amazed at the naysayers who continue to press that "America should have left well enough alone" in Iraq. Because I know Dave personally and know that he holds the highest standard of integrity, I believe his word over any reporter. I know that his purpose is for the people of America know the truth, not attempt to sway them to a liberal self-serving agenda.
Dave should have been a carpenter as he always hits the nail right on the head!
Dear Dad -
The past week has seen both an increase in temperatures and an increase in violence here. Unfortunately, the violence has been particularly deadly for the Iraqi citizens who have not picked up arms against the coalition. It is pretty obvious here that the insurgents have determined that their best course of action is to kill any Iraqi who assists the coalition in any way. This means that even if a man hates Americans with every fiber of his being but takes a job pulling weeds around a US base, he is subject to be killed. The mujahadeen literally wait outside the bases near the highway and watch for Iraqis leaving a base. They either flag them down or they simply pull up along side of them and empty a magazine from an AK47 in to the vehicle. This occurs daily - many times a day here. Of course we are out there patrolling and trying to interdict these murders but it simply pushes the muj back and they wait further down the road. The amazing thing is that the Iraqis keep coming to work because they want to feed their families. Lately, the workers have started to arm themselves and there have been full blown shoot outs in the streets.
Read more » Display Comments »I always enjoy reading La Shawn. She is a strong and knowledgable writer, but she allows a bit of herself into her posts, too, and that is what makes me visit her so frequently.
She wants to know why you blog and read web logs? Go give her an answer.
Display Comments »I just love new finds. This is a Lady of the 'Sphere. Most definitely.
Thanks, Z. Oh, and welcome back :)
Display Comments »To the female representative of the Utah Summer Games that told me "it's not my job" and "calm down" in the most condescending, unkind, and uncomforting voice that could be used toward a woman fraught with fear over her eight year old daughter being lost amongst 3000 people on a dark football field: may you only receive kindness and genuine concern and help should you be separated from your children, grandchildren or those unable to defend or help themselves, and you may also thank God above for it was only He that stayed my fist from making contact with your mouth.
To the security guard whose kindness and compassion and genuine concern were calming and effective- thank you! thank you! thank you! And when I find out your name (and I will, believe me) I will do anything I can to show my eternal gratitude.
When I returned to the stands (after E found me behind the stage and told me that C was safe), I held C for a minute; a long minute. Just as she looked up at me, the fireworks display began. I looked into her eyes, hugged her a little tighter and said, "This is were the story ends, 'And they all lived happily ever after.' " I love you, C.
Note to self: Call and let director of games (with whom I am personally acquainted) and let him know that turning off the stadium lights without an announcement while children without parents are on the field isn't the safest thing to do!
Second note to self: Don't forget to thank God and C's guardian angel tonight, lest you be like the woman who said it wasn't her job. Sometimes forgiveness takes time....
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"In closing, let me thank you, the American people, for giving me the great honor of allowing me to serve as your president. When the Lord calls me home, whenever that may be, I will leave the greatest love for this country of ours and eternal optimism for its future.
I now begin the journey that will lead me into the sunset of my life. I know that for America there will always be a bright dawn ahead."
From the hand of our 40th President, Ronald Reagan.
Thank you for your love of this country and may your eternal rest with Our Lord be even more than that for which you hoped, longed, and dreamed.
Display Comments »The Jane Austen Book Club by Karen Joy Fowler. Am running to get it this minute (well, erm, not exactly this minute, but in about five). More info here.
Am throwing all other pieces of current reading to wind for this one. Heard about it on The Diane Rehm Show this morning on NPR. And, eeeehh, got on as a caller :) Ahhh, can you say "Made Her Day?" Now this is the Diane to whom I actually enjoy listening.
Kris is going to get the book, as well. We are going to read it together and start a "Literature Day" section on our blogs. I simply can't wait!
Display Comments »Reading to my children has always been a delight. I have a certain repertoire that I use with all of them. When each reaches three, I begin to aclimate them to listening to short pieces of chapter books, beginning with the Pooh series by A.A. Milne. We then move on to other greats: Just So Stories and Rikki Tikki Tavi; the Raggedy Ann setThe Wind in the Willows;The Secret Garden; A Little Princess; The Little House series; E.B. White's Charlotte's Web; The Trumpet of the Swan, and Stuart Little. So, that by the time they are 6, they are re-reading them for themselves. I enjoy bringing the characters to life: creating an accent appropriate for the personality cultivated by the writer; talking about them and referring to them in conversations.
Read more Once upon a time » Display Comments »I have always enjoyed royalty, but when I skipped over to HRH's palace this evening, I fell down laughing. This is just one of the reasons I love reading The Queen.
Now, if I could only have gotten through to Diane Rehm's show this morning and told her that.....
Display Comments »Ronald Reagan inspired me to public speaking. As an eleven year old, I would listen intently to his speeches. I felt inspired and encouraged and awed. I even recall wishing he could have served another term, just so I could personally vote for him when I came of age. I haven't felt that way while listening to a president for a long time. I am thankful that he served and grateful to have experienced first hand his presidency and his presence.
Display Comments »I think it is the seasons that I miss most.
Strawberry season was first, the end of April/first of May. I would take the girls and grab a few wooden crates. They would remove their shoes and slide their feet in the loose dirt around the vines. Pledging to touch nary a berry, they would place a few in my flat and proceed to fill their bellies to overflowing. When I stopped by a friend's home to drop off one of the many flats, she told me before she saw the berries that I smelled "wonderfully sweet."
Next the blueberries popped out in splendor on their small bushes. I didn't particularly enjoy the cheap tasting ice-cream that came in five gallon buckets, but they were fun for the children to use in their picking. My favorite place to pick was off of a precarious dirt road in Barton County. There the grower would pleasantly greet us and point us in the direction of the kind of berries we preferred. All I remember was the row of the extra sweet, my personal favorites. We moved along the rows plucking the small blue beads. Once again, there were more berries on hands and faces than in the buckets. I would take them home, rinse them, and freeze them on baking sheets. We could eat them as snacks or I could measure them out for muffins for a Saturday morning breakfast.
Cherries from a neighbor's hard picking were pitted and pied and pulled out for quick snacks at summer swim meets.
In the midst of a humid Missouri summer came the blackberries. We once had a home that was literally surrounded by bushes that were at minimum 20 feet deep. Needless to say, the rabbits abounded in the protection of the briars. The nicks were a small sacrifice for the plump berries that would burst in your mouth, or on fingers if not delicately picked. The insects could be intense at times, competing for the juicy sweet prize.
Apples from Kuhn's Orchard were the best I ever had. In that old barn, I was introduced to crisp Pink Ladies (now a family favorite); tart Granny Smiths with green skins; gorgeous Galas elegantly flecked with gold. The cider was frozen in a milk style gallon jug. Warmed up on a fall evening, it made our hands almost as warm as our hearts.
I always identified well with Scarlett's love of the land; Missouri is my Tara and I cannot wait to return to her. I love her strong oak arms; her moody temperament; how she draws the sweat from my body as a sacrament unto her; how her girdth and height spans cultures and ethnicities. Through her and supporting her are the rivers of life and hold so much history of this continent. Yes, she is my Tara; I will return home, someday.
Display Comments »Summer is upon us and so are the Mormon Crickets. I am busy with summer plans and company, and thus am tired, so there are few words in my head at the end of the day.
Display Comments »Last week R received quite a few junk e-mails, but tucked neatly away in the midst of them was a forward from his cousin entitled: "Letter from Dave." Knowing before he opened it what it contained, he responded with a brief history of his personal friendship with "The Real Soldier" (as the prologue captured him to be~sigh...I know people mean well, but a Soldier is in the Army, A Marine is in the United States Marine Corps). After a quick lesson in correct terminology, he clicked send.
I received the same forward the next day from the wife of R's cousin. I, too, replied. It was a strange moment to know that the thoughts of someone we actually know are flying around the world via the internet. I am glad that a voice of reason from the front is being heard, but I am prompted further to increase my prayer for his safety and that of his family.
Please read. As usual, Dave always satisfies the desire for real news like a Rib-eye instead of a drive-through burger. Savor the taste of truth.
Dad -
Some interesting developments out of Falluja and Iraq in general that I wanted to share with you. Since we have agreed to stay at arms reach with Falluja, we have been able to focus our efforts on the surrounding towns and villages. The result is that we have made great inroads in breaking up insurgent cells through ambushes and raids. Even more important, we have began to establish an early and still fragile rapport with the people of these areas. The areas are historical sanctuaries for terrorists so they are important.
Read more Round and Round and Round Robin » Display Comments »
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