comfort reading

Well - we have been in Greensboro for a full month now. I am trying to get settled in. Things are moving along - but it just takes time. I've been trying to find things to help me get past the stress and be comfortable in this new town. "Comfort food" has been a good option in the past - but as I age, I am trying to find healthier ways to get "comfort." In that light, I just finished my umpteenth reading of Pride and Prejudice. And I have been so in love with the BBC miniseries from a few years ago, I can only imagine Colin Firth as Mr. Darcy when I read it.

And so I share one of my favorite pics with you. Colin, in all his loveliness, commenting on what makes an attractive woman (from an interview about the first Bridget Jones's Diary movie). Hope you enjoy!

Quiz from EM

So I have been out of town for a few days and am trying to see what Edgy Mama has been bloggin about. She has found a made-up quiz that tells us about ourselves, as opposed to say the Enneagram. Knowing that I am a 3, and the pitfalls of that :), I decide to check out this person's vision of personality types.

And this is what comes up -

You are Form 8, Demon: The Destroyer.
"And The Demon took advantage of the chaos and seized civillization. With grace and style, Demon slit The Goddess's belly and drowned the world in her blood. The Goddess, The Demon, and the world were no more."
Some examples of the Demon Form are Seth (Egyptian) and The Horsemen of the Apocalypse (Christian).The Demon is associated with the concept of destruction, the number 8, and the element of earth.His sign is the full moon.
As a member of Form 8, you are a very strong willed individual. You don't let others' opinions sway your own and you're usually not afraid to speak your mind. However, some may see you as a bit overly passionate but it's just because you never back down from your values. No matter what, you always do everything with style. Demons are the best friends to have because they will back you up.


I do admit to being a Blue Devil... Well, at least I do everything with style :) Thanks EM!

info session

Got the idea from Robin -

What I was doing 10 years ago - I was married and had a very energetic 1 and 1/2 year old little boy. I was working 20 hours a week at a wonderful church (mainly Sundays and Wednesdays with a little bit of time otherwise). I was pretty worn out from chasing after MB all the time - but that was just about my favorite age with him - even though I still very much enjoy his current age.

5 years ago - I had two children then - a really enegetic 6 and 1/2 year old boy, and a very sweet-tempered, easy going baby girl who was almost 3. I was working in campus ministry, so my summers were fairly free. We were at the neighborhood pool a lot! And I was getting ready to go to an international campus ministry conference in Vancouver (broke my leg on the way there - didn't know it - fun story).

1 year ago - At the pool all the time (great tan!) with two kids who could swim fairly well. Thinking about ways I could make my job more interesting and creative - something of a midlife crisis. Started reading Entertainment Weekly on a regular basis (and passing them on to EM)!

Yesterday - Went to Home Depot and bought ceiling fans (95 degrees!!) for two rooms in new house - central air will go but so far. Called friend to ask him to come help me install them (I'll hand him the tools). Went to work. Had lunch with a work colleague and friend. Went to Target. Came home and let husband order pizza while I spent the next three hours finishing putting together an armoir for our tv and stereo stuff in the living room (on sale at Big Lots!).

5 snacks I enjoy -
Chocolate!!
Chex Mix
a juicy apple
yogurt
Jelly Bellies!

5 Songs I know all the words to -
Amazing Grace (what minister wouldn't?)
Red, Red Wine (should always be a duet with Tracey, especially to annoy sonny-boy) - UB40
Man, I feel like a woman! - Shania Twain
Satisy my soul - Bob Marley
Take on me - Aha

5 Thing I would do with $100 million
Give to charity (especially the YW in Asheville)
pay off debts of friends and family
buy a big, old house and adopt more children
travel
quit working and be a full-time mom and writer (and definitely hire a maid)

5 locations I would like to run away to
Australia
Scotland
Spain
a less traveled spot in the Carribean
Santorini

5 bad habits I have
worrying unnecessarily
eating chocolate when stressed
taking stress out on Hubby
becoming irritable when made late (ask family, esp Hubby, about this!)
drinking fountain diet cokes too much

5 things I like doing
reading
playing/watching tennis
walking outdoors
having fun with my family
being with friends

5 things I would never wear
a thong
a bare midrif top
something orange
a gold dress
a bow in my hair

5 things on tv I like
Lost
Alias
Gilmore Girls
those cleaning out the house shows (makes me feel so much better about my house!)
What not to wear (makes me feel so much better about what I do wear!)

5 biggest joys of moment
my family
some dear friends
settling into our new home
my pets
doing some writing

5 favorite toys
my cell phone
the tv with the new cable system
my new work laptop
tennis ball
board games


If you decide to answer these as well, please let me know!

abelard and heloise

I've been reading about Abelard and Heloise lately - Heloise in particular. Abelard was one of the best known philosophers/teachers of the 12th century in France. He apparently was really, really smart, charismatic and a hottie to boot. (I'm not quite sure how that kind of information comes down through history, but the idea persists...)

Heloise was a very smart young woman under the guardianship of her uncle. Abelard became her tutor. (He was probably in his 30's, while she was a number of years younger. These two previously celibate, but apparently well-matched people, began a very intense love affair. It resulted in a son, a big-big scandal, and in Abelard's castration at the hands of Heloise's uncle. At Abelard's insistence, Heloise entered a convent (where she eventually became abbess), while Abelard as well entered a religious community. After about 10 years, at Heloise's insistence, they began corresponding - some of the most beautiful letters ever written. They also saw each other on occasion. Heloise clearly maintained that Abelard was the love of her life - above the church even.

Such a tragic story. Abelard was never the same after he was so horribly violated. As a theologian, he countered some of the prevailing dogma of the day - and but for different circumstances, the church might have followed his insights in a way that could have avoided some of the horrible things done in God's name over the years. His teachings have always been marred by being someone "who gave into lust and temptation."

I've been working on a paper that in part tells about Heloise. I keep wondering what things we can learn from her story. Should we not give into temptation? Do we want to continue to separate the flesh and spirit instead of seeing God in all things? Or should we see love as a gift from God and find ways in the world to celebrate that love? How do we do that without harming others? Or eventually harming ourselves?

Heloise and Abelard are often thought of as star-crossed lovers. I think of Romeo and Juliet that way - and who on earth wants to end up like that? Yet, after all the tumult, Abelard and Heloise were able to continue their lives - making important contributions to the world and people around them - and able to forge a lasting relationship with each other, albeit not the one they would have probably chosen.

Lasting love seems always to get past the exciting, heart-throbbing beginnings. May not be exciting at all sometimes, may be mundane and even trying later on - but I do think with some really hard work and committment - people can turn out better than Romeo and Juliet.

finished

Finished Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince last night. Had a good cry. I'll have to reread it later, but I really think it might become my favorite of the whole series thus far. Really, really good book to read - but just heartbreaking in parts. Even kept dreaming about it last night.

made a mistake...

Yes, I am a really big Harry Potter fan. I reread all the books last winter in preparation for today. And yes, I am still unpacking our home, have a paper due in a few days for my doctor of ministry (paper is close to being finished), and have a big armoir to put together. But I had to go buy the book today. I read a couple reviews (which thankfully did not give the plot away), and know that I will need lots of tissues. I still remember crying my eyes out when Cedric Diggory died! I cried more for Harry when he lost Sirius. And I'll need even more tissues?!

I've made it through a few chapters thus far. I'll let myself read one chapter and then I have to go do something that needs to be done. Already started crying on p. 55!

Really, really should have waited to get the book after my paper was done at least. Who cares about some unhung pics and a big box with parts of an armoir in my living room?

moving to the big city

So a couple weeks ago we moved to the big city of Greensboro - about 3 times the size of my beloved Asheville. I'm in the big city, driving around unable to find things half the time, feeling overwhelmed by the size, hearing reports of rising crime and drug activity in NC (especially along the major highways), etc, etc.

And what are the lead pictures in the local paper the past two days? Yesterday showed a picture of the major highway running the Greensboro with a horrific traffic jam. The cause? Way too many SUVs and tractor-trailer trucks driving 80 mph? A deadly car chase after drug runners? A high-powered exec talking on the cell phone while driving? No - the traffic jam was due to 2 bulls who escaped from a truck (while it was still moving or not, I am unsure) and were chased by officials for a couple hours before rounded up. Where have all the cowboys gone?

Then today's lead photo - the major road that goes from W. Greensboro to East Gboro - an 8 lane monstrosity. Big traffic jam - and the reason? A gaggle of about 30 geese crossing the road.

Good thing a grew up in the country...

the best james bond movie?

Well, I spent some time working today (mainly unpacking boxes), and then I came home and unpacked more and kept trying to put the house together. We have a renovated 1923 bungalow, and the upstairs bath is really beautiful - but absolutely no storage - no medicine cabinet, no shelf, nothing. So - on my every other day trips to Target, I have bought an "American Cottage" medicine cabinet, standing cabinet with shelves, and a wall shelf with towel rack. I spent 2 hours today putting together both the medicine cabinet and the standing cabinet. 2 hours !?

So - had to come and do nothing in front of the tv for a while. How can I have 100+ channels and still not find anything I want to watch? (and what on earth does that say about me and our society). So - I did find Dr. No - and I figure a good James Bond movie is always worth watching (and my Dad would agree).

My Mom has always said that if you live long enough, you are bound to look good for your age at some point. And then there is Sean Connery, who has never looked bad a day in his 70+ years. As I was watching him evade destruction on his way to the faux Asian "mountain woman" (as I like to call her), I started thinking about my favorite James Bond movie. I have liked a number of them. I think Dr. No is my favorite. I definitely have to rule out Moonraker (except for the scenes with Jaws), and all the Timothy Dalton ones (not sure if it was him or just the writers - but those movies were awful!). And I have truly loved Pierce Brosnan since Remington Steele, but Dr. No was just the best. It had the original guy, techno stuff advanced for that time, the beautiful women, the great villians, and great action.

Any thoughts out there on your favorite JB movie?

nothing like a good grocery store

Well - it's been one week in this strange, new town. (Yes, I went to college in this town a number of years ago, but what a college student needs to know - like where are the best bars and fast food joints and the mall - is quite different than what a mom in her late 30s needs to know.) It's been a tough week - all the unpacking, trying to find space in a small kitchen, trying to keep the kids entertained, trying to keep the dogs from messing up the refinished hard wood floors, trying to comfort the freaked out cats, and also trying to start a new job. I've even called Mom a few times, telling her that I want to go home. Her standard response, "You are home now, honey." Yes, I know I am. I will always feel like the NC mountains are my "home," - but I am at our new home now.

There were fireworks at the local highschool stadium last night. They had the Gboro Philharmonic playing standard band tunes (felt like I should know the names, but didn't - and was lucky to come up with John Philip Sousa's name). The display was actually nice - but it just felt so odd being there. Everything has felt odd and different.

But then Monster boy and I went to the nearest Harris Teeter today. I know it doesn't take much to get me excited these days (like finding a parking space close to the front of Target), but the store was really great. They had these new plastic carts that you could easily navigate with one hand (or even just a couple fingers)! There was a Starbucks there, and as much as I like to patronize local places - I really like those Chai Tea Lattes there.) And the HT had the foods I like, and it was laid out in an easy to follow manner.

Grocery store - not much to get excited about - but just something that didn't feel too strange or odd was really nice in this new town.