Wednesday, February 25, 2009

papyrus font pledge

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You too can take the pledge here. We have to spread the word about evil Papryus font, people.

Yesterday was Ash Wednesday and that means it's the beginning of Lent. I didn't grow up observing Lent, just Easter, so maybe that's why I love the idea of a ritual and symbols. (Today I listened to this sermon by our pastor on the sacraments of communion and what they symbolize and I just thought it was so meaningful and beautiful. The 2nd sermon is here, I guess it's a 2-sermon thingy.) I wanted to give up something for Lent but couldn't think of anything that I could cut out that wouldn't leave me bereft and foaming at the mouth. I thought about giving up coffee, makeup, internet, just parts of the internet like Facebook or Dlisted, some tv show, music, buying music, and just the idea of doing without any of those things made me feel panicked. It's like I need those distractions to freaking survive. The point of giving something up for Lent is to kind of surrender one of your distractions to become more aware of what you really do need. Not that there's anything wrong with fun distrations but I never separate myself from them to try to further my spiritual self, you know? So I want to do that during Lent. I finally decided to give up worrying for Lent. I spend a lot of time worrying and I think I actually enjoy it, because if a problem I'd been worrying about gets fixed, I look for other things to worry about. As if worrying about it can help. I think I feel like I have control over something if I'm stressing out over it somewhat. Really dumb, and I want to be more aware of that. So. No worrying till Easter. This ought to be interesting.

I like this article on Ash Wednesday by Brett McCracken and I liked this bit especially:

"I love Ash Wednesday for the way that it symbolizes—so concisely—what it means to be a Christian. It’s not about being beautiful or powerful or triumphant; it’s about being scarred and humbled and sacrificial. But it’s not like this is a defeatist exercise in self-flagellation or something. No, on the contrary, to “give up” or “sacrifice” in the name of Christ is (or should be) the height of our joy. We should strive to be like Christ, “who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame…” (Hebrews 12:2). For the joy set before him… That should be why we endure suffering and embrace self-denial. It’s paradoxical and mysterious and counterintuitive—certainly. But when I feel those cold ashes spread across my forehead, it all makes some sort of wonderful sense.

Paul Tillich once said that “man’s ultimate concern must be expressed symbolically, because symbolic language alone is able to express the ultimate.” And I think in Christian sacraments and rituals (like communion, baptism, or the imposition of ashes), we can see how true this is. Ash Wednesday is more than just a day that follows Mardi Gras and kicks off the Christian period of Lent. It’s a symbol that exists within and yet points beyond the materiality and ephemera of this place and this time to the transcendent and restorative oneness of the “ultimate concern” which is God Himself."


I have a lot of struggles with this God stuff but a lot of good things too surrounding this God stuff, and I don't want to put my struggles to the side. I want to press through along with them and acknowledge them, not try to bulldoze over them, but I want to take them along on my journey, you know? They're important to my story.

I think I'm in love with Nick Mitchell/Norman Gentle from American Idol. He's SO Richard Simmons.

Sunday, February 22, 2009

my favorite oscar dresses in case you're interested

My 3rd favorite was Marisa Tomei's Versace. (I like to pronouce "Versace" like Jessi Spano did in Showgirls where it rhymes with "your-face"!)

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My 2nd favorite was Penelope Cruz's vintage. (I didn't catch the designer.) It's just too dreamy for words but I would have made her wear Grace Kelly hair (kind of like Kate Winslet did tonight) instead of a bun and also not wear the pearls.

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And my faaaavorite was SJP's Dior Haute Couture, however you spell that.

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You can't tell in this picture but the bodice was taupe and the skirt was 'barely mint,' she said. I DIE! I wish I could see her shoes under there.

Saturday, February 21, 2009

pike place market

It was pretty today and we went down to the market. I told J to take as many pictures as he wanted. I’m biased but I think he’s got an amazing eye, especially for a 7 year old.

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unofficial trader joe's commercial



Thanks to Ann-Krestene.

Friday, February 20, 2009

dave eggers & karl rove, together again

Friday night in your 30s can include being giddy about the house finally being quiet and then being even more giddy reading about Karl Rove's hearing before Congress. I'm watching Dateline. I love Dateline. This woman on here is interceding for the child sex slaves and it's making me cry. I want her job.

I watched this video clip of Dave Eggers talking about his 826 Valencia project. I was so proud when he picked one of David's short stories to be in a collection he edited. I love that Dave Eggers.

Thursday, February 19, 2009

14 layer cake

I'm going to make this cake when Simone visits, and then I'm gonna make it again for when Jona vists a week later. How does that grab you?

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Wednesday, February 18, 2009

here's hopin'

The posting yesterday and today brought to the surface past memories of when people did bad things to me in the name of Jesus. That's kind of vague but I know a lot of people have been there. It just reminded me of being helpless and being lied to by people who said they were doing God's will. I'm pretty sure there is nothing worse than being harmed when you're helpless, and that most horrible thing I think is made even worse when you're being harmed by someone who says they are doing it in God's name. I battle feeling worthless every hour of the day. I got these sweet things today and want to put them here so I'll always have them.

"I got a little teary reading that. I have some emotions to get out, I guess. I haven't been part of a church since college because I hate having to try so hard to feel loved in God's house. You and I have discussed this. I'm just gun shy with religion and admire your drive to love deeper and make every village count."

"Stephy's so sweet and compassionate. I love that she fights the good fight. But I hate that doing so hurts her! I wish I could physically kick the asses of everyone who has ever made her cry...."

then David said this

"It's so hard being married to a sensitive prophet. She's like a little wind-up old testament David, stepping up to hurl stones at all of the Goliaths everyone else avoids. And then when the Goliaths bite back, she can fall to pieces. So my role is to 1. Warn her about the danger of the fight she is about to pick 2.Tend to her wounds when she gets hurt 3.Step into the very fights I wouldn't have started. 4.Rinse and repeat.

I told one of our counselors that it sometimes feels like Stephanie is a speedboat and I am a water skier behind the boat just trying to keep up.... so I'm trying to be in the boat more often and not fall out when she hits the gas.

If you are going to kisk the asses of everyone who has ever made her cry, unfortunately I'm first in line."

who needs lily allen?

"Who needs Lily Allen?" will never get old for me.



Amy Sedaris on How's Your News.

Tuesday, February 17, 2009

it's not a dead horse and it's worth beating. let's not lose hope

Here is a letter from a little over two years ago, written by Shari MacDonald Strong whom I subsequently made friends with because of her character, insight and gentleness. In this she writes about the protest of Mars Hill in Seattle on Dec 3.

Friday, November 17, 2006

Why On Earth Would I Want to Picket a Church? More on the Mark Driscoll/Mars Hill Seattle Action


To: Mark Driscoll
Mars Hill Elders and Deacons
Acts 29 Church Planting Network
Seattle Times

As a Christian woman who is planning to participate in the planned December 3 protest at Mars Hill, I wanted to write to explain my reasons for wanting to do so and to share my concerns about some of Mr. Driscoll's recent teachings and writings.

Let me start by saying, I appreciate Mr. Driscoll's recent blog post, in which he amends his previous blog entry about the Ted Haggard affair and about the dangers of pastor's wives "letting themselves go." In particular, I am grateful for the gentle tone of the post. I believe that if this were the tone that he was known for, there would not be this current firestorm of emotion around his teachings.

It was the Ted Haggard post that brought Mr. Driscoll's teachings most recently to my attention. However, I live on the West coast and have heard of him before. I know both that Mark Driscoll is a very powerful man and that many, many people – a large percentage of which are women – have left Mars Hill Church and sometimes the larger church as a result of Mr. Driscoll's teachings. I also have heard that many people have sought therapy after leaving Mars Hill, as a result of the damage done by his teachings. That last statement, of course, is based on hearsay, so I went online to read some of Mr. Driscoll's writings and to listen to some sermons. In addition to the comments about women "letting themselves go," here is some of what I encountered (in random order):

• Derogatory comments made regularly and consistently about people who disagree with Mr. Driscoll's theology, labeling them not only wrong or liberal, but "wussified," "#######," "chickified," and "effeminate" (e.g., "if the Christ you serve is just a really nice guy – I hate to tell you, but you serve a weak, effeminate, ####### Christ").

• Mocking and undermining another denomination of the Christian church:
“The One God has kindly told us who He is—Father, Son, and Spirit. But some chicks and some chickified dudes with limp wrists and minors in 'womyn’s studies' are not happy because two persons of the Trinity have a dude-ish ring. So, in an effort to copy-edit God, some folks at the Presbyterian Church (USA) who have free time because no one is going to their church have decided to consider new names for God.”

• Comparing women in leadership to "fluffy baby bunnies":
“All of this [the Episcopal church appointing female and homosexual leaders] has led this blogger to speculate that if Christian males do not man up soon, the Episcopalians may vote a fluffy baby bunny rabbit as their next bishop to lead God’s men. When asked for their perspective, some bunny rabbits simply said that they have been discriminated against long enough and that people need to “Get over it.”

• Stating/implying that men are the only demographic that matters:
The question is: “If you want to be innovative, how do you get young men?” All this nonsense about how to grow the church – one issue: young men. That’s it – that’s the whole thing. They’re going to get married, make money, make babies, build companies, buy real estate; they’re going to make the culture of the future. If you get the young men you win the war – you get everything; you get the families, the women, the children, the money the business: you get everything. If you don’t get the young men you get nothing.

• Calling strong women who disagree with his interpretation of Scripture "godless" and saying the Bible has "a low opinion" of them:
If it’s a godly woman who has a godly agenda who has something godly to say, then she can speak. If she’s an ungodly woman with a godless feminist agenda that she borrowed from the serpent, like her mother Eve in Genesis 3, and she’s on some tirade mission to represent all women, which is what sometimes happens, women nominate themselves to represent all women… – I love it when the national organization for women, for example, comes out and says, ‘…and representing women…” What women? Did they take a vote? Did all the Christian women vote? Did the mothers vote? Did the wives vote? No. You don’t represent all women. You represent a liberal feminist constituency. Period. Not all women. Not all women. But there are women who will rise up like that, saying “I speak for all women. I champion women’s rights. I champion women’s causes” (sarcastically). We say, that’s not a problem if it’s in accordance with the rights and liberties and dignities that are afforded to a woman in the Bible. The Bible doesn’t have a low view of women. It just has a low view of some women."

• Making fun of strong women and mocking feminists:
"The question is not: Will someone be offended? The question is, who will it be? Will we offend God, saying, you know what? This is an old book, you’re kind of an idiot. I have some other opinions. I went to community college. I have a degree in women’s studies. I have a pushup bra and clear heels and opinions! [Congregation laughs.] The question is, who will be offended: God or us? And if we are offended do we really believe that God doesn’t know what he’s talking about or that this really isn’t God speaking to us? Those are the issues on the table. 'As in all the congregations of the saints, women should remain silent in the churches.' He’s speaking here about godless feminist women who are on an agenda, beatin’ a drum, plantin’ a flag in the ground, “We’re for women! We’re for women! We’re for women!” He says, 'You know what? We’re for Jesus.' Wrong mission. Women are great, as long as they’re for Jesus."

• More making fun of women and feminists:
"They [feminists] will say, “You need to treat me like a man!” None of you women want that. No woman wants a man to treat her like another man. Because if we do…you cry. That’s true. [laughter and applause in congregation] Also: " The problem with women, though, who want to be treated like men, is as soon as you do, they say, "You know what, you hurt my feelings. I'm a girl."

• Mr. Driscoll implies that Brian McLaren has sex with goats because he accepts gay people into his church.

• “…women who don’t respect godly authority are demonic.”

• Rather than Mr. Driscoll simply saying that he disagrees with the lifestyles of young men who work in coffee shops and suggesting an alternative or challenging them, he makes fun of them. He uses shame to get men to do what he wants, calling them "chickified," "limp-wristed," "#####," "#######."

• More mocking of women who disagree with him, painting women who have opinions as "hot-headed" and "emotional," and more implications that God doesn't like these women:
"some women think they can do everything on their own" and that if men sit by idly like cowards because they don't want to get into with with their hot-headed, emotional, wives, eventually the women will take over the church, and then the church will go to hell."

• Undermining women's efforts to hold him accountable for his words, implying that the raising of theological questions by a woman is the same thing as them calling the Bible "ridiculous," and calling the squelching of a woman's intellect and voice "sexy":"Does it say, "Ladies, don't have any questions"? Does it say that? No. Does it say, "Ladies, don't disagree." No. Does it say, "Ladies, don't think for yourself." When you disagree, when you're super-theological, when you're all fired up, the first thing you don't do is start yellin' at the pastor and yellin' at the church, firin' nasty e-mails, and declarin' war and puttin' together a, a, little group of, you know, feminist women with guns who are gonna make a difference."
If you're married, you go talk to who? Your husband. You say, "Sweetheart, I was readin' The Bible, I think it's ridiculous." And he would say, "We should probably talk." "Honey I was readin' the Bible, I don't understand." He should say, "Let's, let's study that together. Let's take some time, and study -- together. Now some of you will protest and say, "THAT is SEXIST!" As a married man, I will tell you, it is sexy. That's what it is. There is nothin' hotter than a wife with a great new testament, commentaries, concordances, and questions. That is theological foreplay. It's awesome. Because now you're connecting at the level of then heart and the soul and god is honoring of that."

• Mocking homosexuals:
"I am myself a devoted heterosexual male ####### who has been in a monogamous marriage with my high school sweetheart since I was 21 and personally know the pain of being a marginalized sexual minority as a male #######."


There is more, but I believe I've more than made my point. Frankly, I am upset, I am concerned, I am angry, and I am embarrassed to belong to the same religion as Mark Driscoll. I am deeply offended – not by God, but by Mark Driscoll. If I believed that Mr. Driscoll's words and attitude were reflective of the God of Christianity, I would walk away from Christianity altogether. I read at least one report of a former Mars Hill member who has. Unfortunately, as the Christian religion writer for the Seattle Times, in addition to his other roles, Mark does for many represent the face of Christianity. As that representative, he is showing the world a religion that is mean-spirited and unkind, one that depends upon mockery and shame, ######### and disrespect, smugness and name-calling to make its points.

I am sure that Mr. Driscoll has many fine points and I am not calling into question his love of God or Jesus or the Bible. I am, however, pointing out that his demonization of everyone who deviates from his absolutist claims is causing vast damage to individuals, to the community, and to the church. Perhaps he is trying to be hip and funny and provocative. But the price of this approach is far too high.

Again, I appreciate Mr. Driscoll's clarifying blog post about the Haggard situation, although I wish he had said "I'm sorry, I was wrong" instead of simply saying he'd been "misconstrued." Mr. Driscoll should apologize publicly for all the things referenced above, for the mean, flippant attitude with which he is attempting to deliver the gospel.

In the original, offending blog post, Mr. Driscoll wrote: "At the risk of being even more widely despised than I currently am, I will lean over the plate and take one for the team on this. It is not uncommon to meet pastors’ wives who really let themselves go; they sometimes feel that because their husband is a pastor, he is therefore trapped into fidelity, which gives them cause for laziness…" If he realized that the post would make him "more despised," then why say something he already has recognized as being despicable? Mr. Driscoll has had to apologize publicly for his abuse before; on March 27, 2006, he apologized for comments made on the CT Leadership blog, in which he (among other abuses) implied that Brian McLaren had sex with goats because he accepted gay people in his church. John Piper also has censured him for being "clever."

Yet Mark Driscoll continues to deliver messages filled with meanness and sarcasm and mockery of those who have different opinions or theological positions, and the congregation laughs whenever he does this. Who is holding him accountable? Who, among the Acts 29 community and/or Mars Hill, is talking with him about this, saying: "Mark, you can't be this mean. This has to stop"?

I realize that I am exactly the type of strong-willed, opinionated woman that Mark Driscoll believes to be "an ungodly woman with a godless feminist agenda that she borrowed from the serpent, like her mother Eve in Genesis 3." I do have an opinion about this matter (though I don't have that pushup bra he accused all feminists of having), and I feel it is my responsibility to stand up and say something. Mr. Driscoll will likely see this letter as fitting his example of those "super-theological," "fired up" "feminist women with guns who are gonna make a difference." I admit, I do hope to make some difference in this situation (no gun, though); unfortunately, I don't really expect this letter to change his heart.

I am, however, appealing to those surrounding him: Please listen. Please understand that Mark Driscoll's teachings and his harsh, unkind, mocking words are hurting women and hurting the church. Please set up some form of accountability (or, if one exists, a stronger form of accountability). Ask him to get some therapy. Until he can control his words and his tone, please ask him to step down as the religion columnist representing Christianity for the Seattle Times. Listen to his sermons with a discerning ear and hold him accountable for what he's teaching; if the tone of the above comments continues, remove him from leadership. Ask him to apologize, publicly. Most importantly of all, please set up some kind of information-seeking group within the church to hear the stories of people who have been hurt by Mr. Driscoll and his teachings – and be willing to act upon what you learn.

You have the power to do something about this. All I have is the power to write this letter. And to stand outside the church, holding a sign. Which is why I still plan to attend the protest on December 3. This isn't an attempt to be divisive and it isn't an attempt to persecute anyone, as some Mars Hill members have claimed. It's simply an attempt to say: "Somebody please do something. Please stop this." The question is: Are you listening?

Sincerely,

Shari MacDonald Strong

Monday, February 16, 2009

hamburgers, wieners & dobsons

Jen sent me the link to this dress and I wish I could get it for Simone aka Mrs. Hamburger.

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The aforementioned Ryan Dobson is writing a new book called a MANual. I think it's a book for men about being godly and stuff, and I asked him "Is it about wieners?" and he thought that was funny. He emailed me this picture today because he saw it and thought of me. He just ingratiated himself to me in a major way. I can't believe I have love in my heart for a Dobson.

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facebook status update conspiracy.

"Jen loves that my husband makes 9:30 'Jen time'."

Wow.
Hold on...throwing up now....

a couple more thoughts on mars hill/driscoll

My friend C and I just sent me this about Mars Hill church and Mark Driscoll:

C:
Oh-- I also wanted to tell you that I was thinking of an acquaintance/friend who has the most natural sort of goofy joy and creativity that I intuitively feel like he squelches... lives life a little harder on himself than seems necessary. I was looking at his blog, and had a prayer-thought... "I wonder of the fact that he goes to Mars Hill is bad for his spirit?" and then I saw your blog post, and that was one of those weird coincidences that's hard to ignore. Did you guys actually attend for a spell, or just visit?

Me:
We've just visited. It felt sinister and I've never felt that way about a church I've been to. Have you ever attended?

C:
No-- I have virtually no desire to even peek in. But what always surprises me is finding out that someone I know well-ish attends. I'm sure it has something to offer-- challenge? community? good music? fieriness that seems true and honest? I only had to read a little of the pastor's blog when we first moved here to want to avoid it. My parents went once on someone's suggestion, and they said he ripped on lots of different people groups during the sermon, which really turned them off, understandably. But I'm not that informed otherwise.

Sunday, February 15, 2009

quotey mcquoterson

I'm reading The Athlete's Way: Sweat and the Biology of Bliss by Christopher Bergland. He's an ultramarathoner and son of a neurosurgeon and he's telling his story about his crazy distances he does and how he uses the mind-body connection. He has lots of quotes and here are some of the poignant ones I found so I thought I'd put them here to have a record of them and also let someone else read them if they want. I like to think about the story behind these quotes, whatever may have brought them to arrive at whatever they said. Kinda neat.

Nobody realizes that some people spend tremendous energy merely to be normal. - Albert Camus

I know very well that many others might, in this matter, as in others, do better than I can; and though I believe that I have not so much of the confidence of the people as I had some times since, I do not know that, all things considered, any other person has more; and, however this may be, there is no way in which I can have any other man put where I am. I am here. I must do the best I can and bear the responsibility of taking the course which I feel I ought to take. - Abraham Lincoln

I sweat real sweat and I shake real shakes. - Elizabeth Taylor

What we feel and what we think and are is to a great extent determined by the state of our ductless glands and viscera. - Aldous Huxley

The surface of the earth is soft and impressible by the feet of men; and so with the paths which the mind travels. How worn and dusty, then, must be the highways of the world, how deep the ruts of tradition and conformity! - Henry David Thoreau

Everything should be made as simple as possible, but not simpler. - Albert Einstein

Strong reasons make strong actions. - William Shakespeare

A box without hinges, key or lid, yet golden treasure inside is hid . . . Still round the corner there may wait, a new road or a secret gate. - J. R. R. Tolkien

I would not talk so much about myself if there were anybody else whom I knew so well. - Henry David Thoreau

Now, here, you see, it takes all the running you can do, to keep in the same place. If you want to get somewhere else, you must run at least twice as fast as that! - Lewis Carroll

Some people create with words or with music or with a brush and paints. I like to make something beautiful when I run. I like to make people stop and say, "I've never seen anyone run like that before." It's more than just a race, it's a style. It's doing something better than anyone else. It's being creative. - Steve Prefontaine

In the depth of winter, I finally learned that there was in me an invincible summer. - Albert Camus

The quality of strength lined with tenderness is an unbeatable combination. - Maya Angelou

Yippee! That may have been a small one for Neil, but it was a big one for me. - Pete Conrad, on the moon

Life is 440 horsepower on a 2-cylinder engine. - Henry Miller

You have to sweat, and roll up your sleeves and plunge both hands into life up to the elbows. - Jean Anouilh

In this age, which believes that there is a short cut to everything, the greatest lesson to be learned is that the most difficult way is, in the long run, the easiest. - Henry Miller

One doesn't discover new lands without consenting to lose sight of the shore for a very long time. - Andre Gide

There is nothing like returning to a place that remains unchanged to find the ways in which you yourself have altered. - Nelson Mandela

Do not anticipate trouble, or worry about what may never happen. Keep in the sunlight. - Benjamin Franklin

Saturday, February 14, 2009

the week in pictures

birthday dinner made by the husband

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daughter's school valentine party

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son's school valentine party

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shopping for valentine's dinner and dessert

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valentine's whoopee pies we made

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heart pizza

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15 albums

Think of 15 albums, CDs, LPs that had such a profound effect on you they changed your life. Dug into your soul. Music that brought you to life when you heard it. Royally affected you, kicked you in the wazu, literally socked you in the gut, is what I mean. Then when you finish, tag 15 others, including me. Make sure you copy and paste this part so they know the drill.

These are all albums I know every note of. I'm a gaywad; be warned.

1. Amy Grant, Unguarded – in fifth grade I got this album and so did Natalie Lane and Ashley Rogers. We listened to it constantly and made an Amy Grant scrapbook and had sleepovers where we only listened to this and we practiced our signatures to look like Amy’s and did our hair like hers.

2. Michael W. Smith, The Big Picture – I got this in sixth grade and had a ginormous poster of the cover in my room that was bigger than my door.

3. U2, Joshua Tree – I read in a magazine about this when it came out. I was 13 and it was the first “secular” album I bought. I listened to it a lot and One Tree Hill would make me cry. I know.

4. Nirvana, Nevermind – I got this in 1992. I used to listen to this on my walkman (walkman!) when running for soccer.

5. James Taylor, Greatest Hits – in the summer of 1993 I was at a Christian thing in Colorado Springs all summer and this was the only non-christian music they let us listen to, so this is all we listened to.

6. Alice in Chains, Dirt – I got this in 1993. It was never out of my reach for about four years after that.

7. Smashing Pumpkins, Siamese Dream – my roommate Morgan had this our freshman year and it’s all we listened to that whole semester.

8. Green Day, Dookie – I bought this the summer of 1994. I couldn’t get enough of it, it always made me happy.

9. Helmet, Betty – I got this without wanting it from the Columbia record company but when I listened to it I was in love and listened to it constantly from Sept. 1994 till the end of the summer 1995.

10. Primus, Pork Soda – I bought this my sophomore year of college in 1995 and listened to it every day for a year. I loved how the bass and drums sound together.

11. Beck, Odelay – I bought it the summer of 1996 and it didn’t leave my car cd player for at least a year.

12. Radiohead, OK Computer – I got this in 1998, right before when David and I were getting together. That’s what it reminds me of.

13. Ben Folds Five, Whatever and Ever Amen – David had this and I was obsessed with it. His lyrics and his playing and the song “Song For The Dumped” and “Evaporated.”

14. Foo Fighters, The Colour and the Shape – This became my favorite album the summer of 1997 when I lived in Dallas and hated life and this album kept me going, more or less.

15. Supergrass, In It For the Money – I bought this in spring 1998 after I read that Dave Grohl said that Supergrass was the best live band he’d ever heard. It became my favorite album and it’s still my favorite album of all time, ever.

I'm adding one more:

16. Supergrass, Diamond Hoo-Ha Man – This came out last year. I love it so much I think it has altered my brain chemistry.

Thursday, February 12, 2009

mi cumpleanos

Would you like to see some baffling foreign movie posters? I thought you would!

And did you see Joaquin Phoenix on Letterman? It made me love Dave all over again, how he handled it.



Okay, this was the high point of my week. The pinnacle of all YouTubage sent to me. Here is Tommy Wiseau (of my favorite awful movie The Room) doing a screen test and it's painful painful painful. When Simone sent it to me she said "I know it's hard to watch but stick with it. There's a good payoff around the 5:45 mark."



My birthday was on Monday! It was a good one and I got to see a lot of the people I love the most. Here are some red velvet remnants

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and some hilarious-to-me decorations

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and the irrepressible Carrie & Lauren

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and of course the David.

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*He was saying "Judah, I have a dream...that you clean your room."

The next day we went to the cold beach and threw rocks in the water.

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All in all, pretty perfect. It lacked Simone, Jona, Heather Belle, Kate, Karla, Megan, Jenny, John, my cousins and maybe Supergrass, to name a few, but Simone & Jona will be here in a month. The rest of y'all, let's work something out.

Jose came in here this morning and when he says something scandalous he does this panting laugh with one hand over his mouth and when we do it together I feel like we're Jack and Karen for a minute. He just emailed me these photos from his cube.

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So I'm having a good day. Jose visited my office for an hour and then my sweet coworker Alecia showed up and then my sweet coworker Shari brought me an americano. Maybe I'll be productive today at work and then this evening go running. Maybe tomorrow I'll have a fun time with the kidlets cooking them pancakes and taking them to school and keeping busy with my unrelenting life mission of making/keeping the house feeling cozy & keeping on top of too many things to think about for even a second & trying not to worry & trying not to laugh at the wrong times & avoiding library fines.

Wednesday, February 11, 2009

fun with dr. dobson

Ryan Dobson (son of Dr. James) and I went to church camp together a long time ago and now we're friends on Facebook. He's actually very nice to me and we don't argue about our values or anything like that. He's a good guy. Anyway, I like to have fun with him on there. His latest status update goes like this:

J Ryan Dobson is having an event TOMORROW night in Dana Point. Anyone want to come? Free meal and a couple of Dobsons speaking!! Good Times!!!

Stephanie Hill Drury at 2:46pm February 11
Hey I'll invite my liberal friends! :)

J Ryan Dobson at 2:49pm February 11
Please invite them!! :-)

Stephanie Hill Drury at 3:22pm February 11
I'd love to attend. Can I wear my Rock of Love outfit and a ball gag?

Oh it's fun being passive-aggressive towards the Dobsons in this manner. He knows it's all in good fun though. He seriously is nice.

Saturday, February 7, 2009

stephen colbert doing christian bale

This is specially for Christina.

Thursday, February 5, 2009

25 things about me, by someone else

I love the 25 things and wish everyone would do them. David and I did them about each other to make it more interesting.

25 things about David, written by Stephanie:

1. Every night he takes his socks off by pawing his feet on the ground like a horse.
2. David can drink espresso and then fall right asleep.
3. He doesn't have any vanity concerning cars. He wouldn't mind driving a total piece of crap.
4. He secretly loves cute and cuddly things.
5. He's been working on a novel almost every day for the past seven years.
6. He has perfect eyesight.
7. He is disgustingly good at Boggle.
8. He is disgustingly good at Scrabble.
9. He can hit home runs.
10. He takes his baseball bag he had in Little League to Mariners games with his mitt in it in case the ball comes towards him.
11. He played intramural hockey in grad school in Canada.
12. He claimed a freckle on Lolly's knee as his favorite and she always says "That's daddy's favorite frickle."
13. He loves watching waves or a river and he could stare at it all day. Maybe he's a little bit autistic.
14. He is quiet.
15. He has 3 sisters and no brothers, and I think this might be partly why he is so calm.
16. He doesn't shy away from confrontation but manages not to seem threatening when he does it.
17. He can play the harmonica crazy well and I had no idea about this until we'd been married like 7 years and he said he never plays it cause it's dumb.
18. His favorite thing is to wake up before the sun comes up and write for hours.
19. He puts hot sauce on almost everything.
20. Sometimes he'll sneeze about nine times in a row without stopping and it's sort of scary.
21. He loves when the sheets are cold. I don't get it.
22. He loves Sparks.
23. He has no use for pets.
24. When he leaves on a trip he tells Judah that he's the man of the house and to take care of his girls.
25. He has a bald spot in his beard.

25 Things About Stephanie, written by David:

1. She has never seen Star Wars.
2. Whenever Stephanie gets into a car, she starts craving Diet Coke.
3. Has painted and repainted every piece of furniture in our home multiple times.
4. She could lie in bed all day multi-tasking (reading, watching tv, blogging) and never fall asleep.
5. Conversely, she falls asleep during most movies.
6. She reads and recycles 20-30 magazines a month.
7. Her feet look like they've never been walked on.
8. She does, however, have one mohawk toe from running.
9. Was faulted for causing 9 car accidents during college. Zero since.
10. Stephanie played Rugby in college, and bit people in the scrum when she had opportunity.
11. Bakes cakes on a whim.
12. Is obsessed with books on cleaning and organization.
13. Likes to dream up new names for kittens.
14. Likes to draw cartoon bunnies and coo at them.
15. Dresses as a southern baptist every Halloween.
16. Will say she is not hungry, and then eat off of your plate.
17. Is always on the hunt for an unmanned piano to play.
18. Hates Uggs and Crocs. Loves cowboy boots.
19. Eats chips and salsa at least once a day.
20. Runs marathons.
21. Makes a mean chicken fried steak dinner.
22. Has most television commercials from the 1980's memorized.
23. Still wants to be a cheerleader.
24. Still listens to Amy Grant.
25. Loves reality shows involving haunted houses and ghosthunters.

a ferris bueller moment

This T Mobile Commercial was shot in Liverpool with 400 dancers mixed in with an unsuspecting rush hour crowd. When the music cues, everyone starts to dance and before long even the bystanders were joining in. Sighhhhh!



Wednesday, February 4, 2009

french milk

I've been watching this ring on ebay all week. I love it so much but alas I think it's going to get away from me. Oh well, maybe another one later on.

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I just finished this book and I totally loved it. It made me want to draw my life and just document like she did.

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i daydream about being somewhere else

bill o'reilly & christian bale: the mash-up!

Tuesday, February 3, 2009

slanketly yours

I would like one thousand Slankets to go, please.

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They look so happy and content. I could be that way too, if I only had a Slanket.

Monday, February 2, 2009

curry mystery

Last night the following conversation took place -

Me: Why do my fingers smell like curry?

David: EW!

Me: I'm serious, smell them!

David: (long pause and giant sigh) All right. But I am ONLY doing this because I am married to you.