06.23.06

So I just got off the phone with an old and dear friend who happens to live in Austin, Texas.  In the course of our conversation she casually questioned, “Are you going to Austin City Limits this year?” which of course made me laugh.  About a month ago I looked up who was going to be playing the festival, and my heart began to ache with jealousy over the thousands of people who will be there without me to see all sorts of amazing musicians.  Of course, tickets are expensive, but that isn’t my biggest obstacle in going.  My biggest obstacle is the fact that I have to practically bribe my friends to go to concerts with me.  I would love to go to ACL, but there’s no way I could afford to pay for someone else to go just so I could have a festival buddy.  So when dear old friend mentioned that she was about to buy her ticket, my heart was no longer jealous, but brightened.  Now it’s by no means a for sure thing … we’ll see how expensive it’s going to be to fix my brakes, but man, I sure hope it works out.  And if it does …

I WILL GET TO SEE:

Ben Harper & the Innocent Criminals (a must see in order that I may live a fulfilled life)

Guster (How do more people not know about them?)

G. Love and Special Sauce (already seen and loved … oh, the harmonica)

The Rocket Summer (Thank you 91 FM for introducing me to him … sad day you are no more.)

 

The above are all faves and ones I’m most excited about, but I also can’t wait to see:

Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers (So it’s a little weird that he was like the NBA musician of the year, but you gotta love I Won’t Back Down.)

Van Morrison (Thank you dear old friend for pulling me beyond Brown Eyed Girl … ahhh, Sweet Thing)

Willie Nelson (Used to hate ‘em, now I love ‘em.  My mom actually went to a Willie Nelson concert!)

The Flaming Lips (Mmm … vaseline on toast.  I took a picture with Wayne Coyne at the Coldplay concert!)       

The Shins (excited to hear more from … they did make a guest appearance on Gilmore Girls)

Iron & Wine (soothing to the soul)

Aimee Mann (I heart girl singers with low voices)

The New Pornographers (interesting name … again heard of them first on GG … love The Laws Have Changed)

Nada Surf (I’ve only heard their cover of If You Leave, but they seem to have a great sound.)

 

Plus a plethora of others I know I’m bound to love.  Here’s hoping!

06.21.06

Not a whole lot to write about … I basically am posting just so I can say I’m currently listening to the new Guster album. 

Highlights for today:

1) Indian Taco Wednesday at Tim’s Drive In with all the HDs.  Hmm … time to get back with Body for Life.

2) ABC is thankfully airing Lost season 2 in order thus far this summer.  Two more episodes tonight.

3) Big Brother All Stars … is Jason coming back?  We’ll see.

Awhile back I started a series of posts chronicling my thoughts on singleness/relationships/marriage.  If you have no idea what I’m talking about (and nothing better to do with your time), you can read my previous posts here, here, here, here, and here.  I feel a conclusion to my ramblings coming soon. 

06.18.06

Last Saturday evening my mother called to tell me my grandfather had passed away.  Six months ago he was diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) or Lou Gehrig’s Disease.  Although he had grown much worse over those six months, no one expected his death this soon.  After a very emotional week of much travel and tears, I am back at home and beginning to get back to life.  However on this Father’s Day, I want to share a little about one of the greatest fathers there has been.

A year and a half ago my grandparents celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary with all of our family at the beach in Corpus Christi.  They asked me and my uncle Jack, who’s a pastor, to organize and speak at a little worship/celebration service just for our family.  This last Christmas, because of the ALS, it was difficult to get out to go to church, so we again had a family worship time.  My grandfather insisted that my grandmother lead us in worship on her harmonica and that I give the “sermon.”  So when my grandmother asked me to speak at Papa John’s funeral, as scared as I was, I couldn’t think of a more appropriate way to honor him. 

So I don’t forget, I want to try and recap the words that I shared on Tuesday.

Over the past couple days the grandchildren have talked a lot about our favorite memories of Papa John. 

There are silly memories such as the ongoing game of “hide Papa John’s pillow” that Carlee and Jayme liked to play.  And there are all the arguments between the cousins about who got to sleep on the orange thing, a giant couch cushion Papa John picked up off the side of the road and brought home.

There are memories of quality time he spent with us.  The countless games of Rook and Chess, hunting trips with JD, and telling Grace bedtime stories.  He drove many miles to watch his grandchildren play all kinds of sports: basketball, volleyball, baseball, cheerleading, soccer, boxing, and track.  Although he loved to watch his grandkids excel in sports, he was so willing to support us in whatever creative endeavor we might choose from watching JD perform in a play, to listening to Ericka play the guitar or Daniel play the violin, to sitting through several four hour dance recitals to watch me dance maybe all of ten minutes on stage. 

We have memories of what he built.  There were blocks for us to play with as children and birdhouses for us to paint.  I spent countless hours playing with my five-foot tall dollhouse he built just for me.  He built me my very own tree house and my brother a flying airplane swing and backyard fort.  He built Jayme her very first basketball goal, getting her off to a great start.

We have memories of what he gave.  He never forgot a birthday and always made Christmas so special.  I remember as a little girl when Wiley and Zackry would come to visit, Papa John would set out all of his antique pocket knives, letting the boys pick out their favorites.  He promised his musket to Daniel who wants to pass it on to his own grandson someday. 

The most important thing he gave to us grandchildren was his example.  Papa John left us quite a legacy … one of humility and service and especially love.  He had such love for our grandmother, love for our whole family, love for all his friends and neighbors, but most of all love for Jesus Christ.

Ericka shared that one of her favorite memories was going to an Easter Pageant with Papa John.  When it came to the point that they were crucifying Jesus, Ericka looked over and tears were streaming down Papa John’s face as he looked upon the sacrifice that was made for us.  On one of Carlee’s last visits with Papa John, he asked her to get out his Bible and read his favorite scriptures to him. 

There’s a song that perfectly sums up the kind of legacy that Papa John has left for us by Nicole Nordeman called “Legacy.”  I’d like to read some of the lyrics and then share the song with you.

I wanna leave a legacy

How will they remember me?

Did I choose to love?

Did I point to you enough to make a mark on things?

I wanna leave an offering

A child of mercy and grace who blessed your name unapologetically

And leave that kind of legacy

 

The entire funeral was incredibly meaningful.  A close friend of my grandparents played guitar and sang “I’ll Fly Away.”  My uncle Jay spoke about how even in my grandfather’s condition the last days of his life he asked for his prayer list every morning to pray on behalf of others.  My uncle Jack said that he’d personally rather see a sermon than hear one any day, and that is certainly the kind his father preached.  As I look back on the words that I spoke, it doesn’t even come close to capturing who John Thompson was.  I can’t even imagine all of the lives he touched.  I heard my aunt call him the best man.  I certainly can’t think of one better. 

 

06.06.06

I seriously considered choosing a different edition of Anna Karenina as my “currently reading,” considering that this one so boldly proclaims “OPRAH’S BOOK CLUB.”  However, in all honesty this is the edition that I checked out from the Edmond Public Library, and I must say that nowhere on the cover of my book is Oprah even mentioned. 

In the spirit of honesty, I must admit that my motivations for reading Anna Karenina are anything but scholarly.  The first appeal is the name … Anna Karenininininininina … it’s fun to say.  The second, and by far the more significant appeal is the fact that it has been mentioned numerous times on Gilmore Girls.  Rory encourages Dean to read it because it’s one of her favorite books.   In her valedictorian speech, she talks about living in two worlds, one of books, in which she rode a sad train with Anna Karenina. 

Last summer I started Pride and Prejudice and after a hundred pages or so in, I still wasn’t into it.  I’ve heard that in the case of P&P, it might actually be better to watch the six hour Colin Firth miniseries first.  Who knows.  Anyway, this summer I have chosen Anna Karenina as my classic literature summer reading, and much unlike P&P, at 60 pages in, I am totally hooked. 

A novice reader, I have yet to read any Tolstoy.  I thought it would be difficult … a struggle to get through.  I haven’t found it so, but have rather been completely drawn in by his description of characters.  He writes people so well; you really think their thoughts and feel their emotions.  He puts words to your own thoughts that were never quite solidified.  And this all from 60 pages … I can’t imagine what I’ll think come page 817.

Anyway, I’m sure that my reading will spark a few Xanga entries.  In fact, I had intended this post simply to be a few thoughts on a particular quote, but I have obviously digressed.  Now back on track, here’s the quote, my thoughts, and a solicitation for your thoughts:

In describing one of the main characters, a man named Levin, Tolstoy writes, “He had heard that women often love unattractive, simple people, but he did not believe it, because he judged by himself, and he could only love beautiful, mysterious and special women.” 

Whoa … the honesty.  I think I might have said out loud, “That is so true!”  Now I’m making some sweeping generalizations, but it seems to me that women are much more likely to love men for who they are, sometimes in spite of their appearance, than men with women.  Think about it … how often do you see a very attractive woman with a not so attractive man?  It’s decently common.  But how often do you see an incredibly attractive man with an unattractive woman?  Hmm … I’ve maybe seen that twice in my life.  Some friends of mine have a game they play called “Who Wins?”  You look at a couple and try to figure out who is getting the better deal, totally based on appearance.  If the girl is more attractive, the guy wins, and if the guy is more attractive, the girl wins.  From what I hear, the guy almost always wins … and I believe it.

A few years ago, while going to pick up my brother from day care, my mom and I were listening to a radio broadcast of Chuck Swindoll speaking about marriage and relationships.  On a sidenote, he said that he had thought of entitling the sermon series “Peter, Paul and Marriage” which I thought was super clever.  Anyway, he mentioned what have been described as the differing needs of men and women, taken from the popular book “His Needs, Her Needs.”  I remember hearing the lists, and at the time, I was a little disturbed by the men’s side.  According to this book, the top five needs a man has within his marriage are:

1. Sexual Fulfillment
2. Recreational Companionship
3. An Attractive Spouse
4. Domestic Support
5. Admiration

Does this sound like a prostitute/buddy/nanny combo to anyone else?  From my perspective, I was like, “Where’s communication?  Where’s connectedness?  Where’s intimacy?”  I mean, I was floored that attractiveness was that high on the list of NEEDS, not wants, and who are we kidding … number three is pretty connected to number one.  Anyway, according to the book, the top five needs of a woman within her marriage are:

 

1. Affection
2. Conversation
3. Honesty and Openness
4. Financial Support
5. Family Commitment

Does anyone else see a major imbalance between the two sets of needs?  Maybe I’m having a hard time getting out of my own female perspective, but it seems to me that according to these lists, any woman will due for a man if she is attractive enough and can cater to his interests.  However, a woman needs a man with a brain, capable of complex thought and emotion. 

 

So I guess my real question is, how capable are men of seeing beyond the surface?  I take that back … how capable are they of disregarding the surface?  Now I’m not talking about dating or marrying someone whose appearance you find revolting.  But as a woman, I can say that I have been physically attracted to guys after getting to know them who I may not have been physically attracted to from the start.  I am one of the women Levin had heard about who could love “unattractive, simple people,” at least according to the world’s perspective. 

 

I have no idea who will read this, but if you do, and you have any thought one way or the other, I would be extremely grateful to hear it. 

06.04.06

A few years ago I decided that I wanted to watch every movie that ever won the Academy Award for Best Picture.  I was on a roll for awhile, but lately have been neglecting my Oscar goal.  This summer I believe I’ll try to knock a few more off the list.  As of today, I’m 46 for 78.  Just in case you were wondering, here is a list of all the winners with the ones I’ve seen marked in bold.

1928 – Wings

1929 – The Broadway Melody

1930 – All Quiet on the Western Front

1931 – Cimarron

1932 – Grand Hotel

1933 – Cavalcade

1934 – It Happened One Night

1935 – Mutiny on the Bounty

1936 – The Great Ziegfeld

1937 – The Life of Emile Zola

1938 – You Can’t Take It with You

1939 – Gone with the Wind

1940 – Rebecca

1941 – How Green Was My Valley

1942 – Mrs. Miniver

1943 – Casablanca

1944 – Going My Way

1945 – The Lost Weekend

1946 – The Best Years of Our Lives

1947 – Gentlemen’s Agreement

1948 – Hamlet

1949 – All the King’s Men

1950 – All About Eve

1951 – An American in Paris

1952 – The Greatest Show on Earth

1953 – From Here to Eternity

1954 – On the Waterfront

1955 – Marty

1956 – Around the World in 80 Days

1957 – The Bridge on the River Kwai

1958 – Gigi

1959 – Ben Hur

1960 – The Apartment

1961 – West Side Story

1962 – Lawrence of Arabia

1963 – Tom Jones

1964 – My Fair Lady

1965 – The Sound of Music

1966 – A Man for All Seasons

1967 – In the Heat of the Night

1968 – Oliver!

1969 – Midnight Cowboy

1970 – Patton

1971 – The French Connection

1972 – The Godfather 1973 – The Sting1974 – The Godfather Part II1975 – One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest1976 – Rocky1977 – Annie Hall

1978 – The Deer Hunter

1979 – Kramer vs. Kramer1980 – Ordinary People1981 – Chariots of Fire1982 – Gandhi1983 – Terms of Endearment

1984 – Amadeus

1985 – Out of Africa

1986 – Platoon

1987 – The Last Emperor

1988 – Rain Man

1989 – Driving Miss Daisy

1990 – Dances with Wolves

1991 – The Silence of the Lambs

1992 – Unforgiven

1993 – Schindler’s List1994 – Forrest Gump1995 – Braveheart1996 – The English Patient1997 – Titanic1998 – Shakespeare in Love1999 – American Beauty2000 – Gladiator2001 – A Beautiful Mind

2002 – Chicago

2003 – Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King

2004 – Million Dollar Baby

2005 – Crash