It pains me, at times, that about all I can manage here these days are intermittent 'catch up' posts. It isn't for the lack of want but let's not belabor the tired story of being swamped. It's a thing. Life rolls on.
So for the last couple of weeks (Is it just me, or is time stuck on warp speed?):
Writing -
Obviously nothing here. Essentially I am scribing to-do lists, exams, and emails. That's it.
However, last weekend at a retreat meeting, a man came up to me and said, 'You need to be writing.'
As far as I know, I do not know if he reads this blog or my travel blog, or how he would know my writing but he made several comments about it and just encouraged me to do it. It is always amazing when 'out of the blue' things like this happen.
So as I sat stunned, taking in his words, I whispered a familiar prayer, 'Lord, I am willing. How? When? What?'
Reading -
The usual for this time of the semester. Nothing exciting. I
have been reading lots of educational reform articles, etc. and have a growing desire to speak out, somewhere, somehow. I jokingly (but not really) told my seniors on Friday that they might just hear of their prof downtown at the state capital giving the powers that be a piece of her mind - look out.
What I WILL be reading soon - Fall break is just days away, and while our plans have changed, my intent for it hasn't: I am going to ban all school-related anything and bring a 'fun' book to read.
This book will be going with me and it is the ONLY thing I plan to read in anticipation of the movie for the book coming out.
'The Best of Me' by Nicholas Sparks
Listening -
Last weekend we had an INCREDIBLE time at the concert for Penny and Sparrow AND we discovered a band - Judah and the Lion, that we now all love. So here's a song from each.
All I know is in sleep
I can taste and feel meek
Life alone makes me shake
If I die before I wake
Every drop that I bleed
Is a gift you give me
Let me spend my skin on you
Kiss me, whisper, make me new
I'm a creature for your love
I'm a creature for your love
I'm a creature for your love
I'm a creature for your love
On the day you come home
Look at you and your throne
Every joy I've seen is waste
When I touch your gorgeous face
Oooh
I'm a creature for your love
I'm a creature for your love
I'm a creature for your love
I'm a creature for your love
I'm a creature for your love
I'm a creature for your love
I'm a creature for your love
I'm a creature for your love
Woah - even better...I found someone's Vlog where they recorded the concert (some of it) at the Masquerade. If you can skip past the first couple of minutes of the girl recording herself getting there, you can see a snippet of Penny and Sparrow (it was INCREDIBLE when they sang Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing and the entire place was singing). The energy during Judah and the Lion was palpable and ranks up there with some of my favorite concerts by other well-known artists. The sound in the video doesn't do them justice, live. I plan to go see them again in Athens in December.
We were standing just to the left of stage right off screen beside the guitarist on the left.
It is hard to give context to this but you have to understand that this venue is a bit sketch. It hosts a wide range of up and coming (and obscure and just starting out) artists and bands. The rooms are named Heaven (top floor), Purgatory (main level) and Hell (lower level room). We were in Hell. This building hosts some bands that are just flat out evil - in fact, there was a band above us that was screaming and after my son and friends went up to see what they were about, said, 'Nah, you don't wanna go up there...'. So to hear these two artists sing about what they do, and have a blast doing it, in a place like this - was INCREDIBLE.
Watching -
Nothing. Well, not absolutely nothing. Just snippets of new tv shows that I happen to be in the room for while grading/working that Hubs has found and now follows. It still baffles me how people have 'their shows' that they watch and plan for each week, sometimes multiple shows. This is a part of our culture that I seem to always be standing just outside of, the ever-awkward adolescent nerd hugging the walls at the dance because I just don't know 'the moves' of the latest dances. Yep. That sums me up nicely.
Okay, I just watched AND LOVE this Subaru commercial. I want to be THIS grandma one day....
'I was naked ziplining' ......BAH HA HA HA HA!!
Wanting -
Just a break. It is coming. I just need it to get here soon.
Needing -
See above.
Eating -
I actually 'caved' yesterday and let myself dive face first into a good ol' gltuten-y veggie pizza. Oh.my.word. It hit the spot.
Drinking -
Mason jar full of o.j.
Wearing -
I always think that I just want to leave this out because really, who cares? But one day, just for fun, I'd love to report that I am sporting 'my winning smile' or 'slinky sequined number and 4" stilettos' or my kirtle and partlet from my Elizabethan closet, or better yet, a lady pirate's corset and eye patch.
But alas, not that interesting - just my Political Party t-shirt (founding father's donning sunglasses and lofting red solo cups), camo pants and gray Chucks.
Looking forward to -
Fall break. It starts Wednesday. Instead of a trip to the beach, we opted to stay a bit closer to home and go camping. I know it sounds crazy that I would turn down a journey to the shore, but we have limited time, and the 6+ hour drive, one way, wasn't jiving with me. Besides, one off-spring is going backpacking into the wilds of the Appalachian Trail (Dear Lord, keep the bears far, far away) and the other offspring will go with us for a couple of days, but has to work so we can't be crazy far for her to get home.
I have actually been longing to go camping. Just pack a tent, a chair, a good book and go live out in nature for a while. Breathe the damp and scrubbed clean air of the mountains. Let the sky and forests be my living space. I am
craving to get OUT of the manmade constructs of containment, particularly my office. If I don't get out soon, I might just wield a sledgehammer, and that might be frowned upon in that establishment.
Quote of the Day -
"Let the rain kiss you. Let the rain beat upon your head with silver liquid drops. Let the rain sing you a lullaby." ~ Langston Hughes
Loving this rainy Sunday.
Pic of the Week -
This past week was spirit week on campus. Every day is a different 'dress up' day. On dress like your favorite character day, my Best Girl chose one of my favorite historical icons - Rosie The Riveter.
She rocked it.
