I have loved Simon and Garfunkel for a long time. Ever since I was a young teenager singing it aloud in the shower to my parent's old cassette tapes. To me, it's pure poetry. Can you think of more poetic music than what these guys created? I mean, who else can name a song: A Simple Desultory Philippic (Or How I Was Robert McNamara'd Into Submission) and get away with it? They even sing about poetry: "You read your Emily Dickinson, and I my Robert Frost..." and they expand on the mysterious world of Richard Cory, a supposed fictitious character brought to life though Edwin Arlington Robinson's 1897 poem.
Speaking of Robinson, try The Graduate. Before there was Dan in Real Life, (500) Days of Summer, and Friday Night Lights, Simon and Garfunkel did the entire movie soundtrack thing.
And back to poetry... bring on the nature.
"Hey Sunshine, I haven't seen you in a long time. Why don't you show your face and then mind mine?"
"But look around, leaves are brown now / And the sky is a hazy shade of winter.
Look around,
leaves are brown / There's a patch of snow on the ground."
"April come she will
When streams are ripe and swelled with rain;
May, she will stay,
Resting in my arms again
June, she´ll change her tune,
In restless walks she´ll prowl the night;
July, she will fly
And give no warning to her flight.
August, die she must,
The autumn winds blow chilly and cold;
September I´ll remember.
A love once new has now grown old."
Just now I am realizing how many of these songs my mom sang to me growing up:
"Are you going to Scarborough Fair? Parsley, Sage, Rosemary, and Thyme"
"Slow down, you move too fast. You gotta make the moment last..."
Not only is the music inspiring (ie: Anji) but the lyrics and vocals are uplifting.
Although difficult to choose a favorite, I think my all time favorite is The Sound of Silence with a close following by For Emily, Whenever I May Find Her.
So what's your favorite Simon and Garfunkel song?
Monday, April 30, 2012
Tuesday, April 24, 2012
Food, Free Music, and God's Laws
My sister-in-law, Cami, sent me a book about a year ago entitled, Listography. She knows I think in lists, and this book is all about journaling via lists. So, right up my alley. I know. I think in lists, work in lists, and organize in lists. I have about a zillion things going on in my head today, so thus a list is born:
I recently learned that my local library offers free song downloads to card members each week. Three per week, which doesn't seem like much, but it does add up. Through Freegal, I have discovered many new artists and enjoyed getting new, free music every week. (Using my daughter's and husband's cards as well= nine new songs a week). They don't have it all, but they have a lot. New artists I have enjoyed as of late: My Morning Jacket, Fleet Foxes, The Avett Brothers, Peter Bjorn and John, Bon Iver, Ray LaMontagne, Phoenix, and 2Cellos.
My exercising at home has not been going well since we got our new dog, had sickies, visitors, etc. Luckily, I have found the joy of dog walking. Yes, with the weather improving most rapidly to boot, I have been loving taking our Ollie for a walk every day. I use the time to think, reflect, indulge in my most recent musical downloads, enjoy the outdoors, and exercise of course. One day I walked to Lake Tye, around and back home. About 3 miles total. I know to all those marathon runners, etc. this is piddly, but it's a milestone enough for me.
I have really been trying to eat healthier. We love our carbs around here, so it's a struggle. But I have been more conscience about adding more veggies with dinner, eating more whole grains, and substituting sugars and fats. I've been eating smoothies, using Greek Yogurt more, substituting whole wheat flour for white, even a little at a time to adjust my tastes, steaming frozen veggies over our pasta noodles, and justifying the cost of produce over prepackaged snack foods. If you know me at all, I just really struggle with food. I love to eat, I need to eat, I like to cook at times, but it doesn't come easily to me. I'd rather bake. But baking usually doesn't create a meal. I don't even crave dinner foods per se. It's hard to come up with meal ideas on a regular basis for my family, let alone healthy ones. I have recently reorganized my personal cookbook and have enjoyed finding new ideas on Pinterest and Pasplore. Pasplore is an amazing website created by a friend of ours, and can grab recipes from the web and save them to your recipe folders. I love order like this (thus again: lists) and it's been nice to have a visual representation of the food we make, as well as a way to find new recipes to make. They continue to add new resources each day to the site, and it's been fun watching it grow. Some of my new fave recipes: Double Chocolate Chip Muffins, Pepperoni Pizza Rolls, and Homemade Granola Bars.
In key with that, for two weeks in a row, we have had Sunday dinner invites. I love it! LOVE it. I love to see what and how other people create food and meals for their families. I'm slightly obsessed with it in fact. I love to try new foods without the pressure of wasting it or the money to make it if it's unliked, and it's fun to add new foods to our repertoire. Of course, I also love not having to decide what to make nor getting it all together in a timely fashion. (Both weaknesses of mine)
I have been amazed at how my cooking abilities have evolved since I was first on my own. Of course the factors have changed since cooking for myself, then for my husband and me, and then adding two wiggly picky eaters in the mix. My tastes mature as times goes on. I make less chicken dishes that appall and am slowly adapting to creating an entire meal as opposed to just an entree. In fact, I make very few of the dishes I did when I was first married.
A dream came true yesterday. The weather was delightful; the blossoms all out, giving the air sweet smelling goodness. I had a vague idea for dinner, but set out to the park around 5 pm with them to play in the glorious sunshine anyway. I painted my toes a delightful shade of orangey yellow, because I was wearing flip-flops (and shorts!), played, watched the girls play, and then my husband and dog joined in the fun after work. We arrived home later. They played in the backyard, counting how many of our peas had come up so far. I made homemade baked macaroni and cheese for dinner with broccoli. And strawberries and cream for dessert. We ate it outside. It was heavenly. Just enjoying a meal together outside. A dream come true.
A friend came over today, and I was telling her this realization I had awhile ago. Thought I'd share. There are two strict laws from God regarding life: no killing and no sexual relationships outside of marriage ie: procreation. As in no taking life away or creating life. Without His consent. He concedes when we are married to the creation of life. He also concedes to taking others' lives away in certain situations (ie: Nephi and Laban in The Book of Mormon). Only He can give us permission to alter life we may say. This is just fascinating to me. That's all.
I recently learned that my local library offers free song downloads to card members each week. Three per week, which doesn't seem like much, but it does add up. Through Freegal, I have discovered many new artists and enjoyed getting new, free music every week. (Using my daughter's and husband's cards as well= nine new songs a week). They don't have it all, but they have a lot. New artists I have enjoyed as of late: My Morning Jacket, Fleet Foxes, The Avett Brothers, Peter Bjorn and John, Bon Iver, Ray LaMontagne, Phoenix, and 2Cellos.
My exercising at home has not been going well since we got our new dog, had sickies, visitors, etc. Luckily, I have found the joy of dog walking. Yes, with the weather improving most rapidly to boot, I have been loving taking our Ollie for a walk every day. I use the time to think, reflect, indulge in my most recent musical downloads, enjoy the outdoors, and exercise of course. One day I walked to Lake Tye, around and back home. About 3 miles total. I know to all those marathon runners, etc. this is piddly, but it's a milestone enough for me.
I have really been trying to eat healthier. We love our carbs around here, so it's a struggle. But I have been more conscience about adding more veggies with dinner, eating more whole grains, and substituting sugars and fats. I've been eating smoothies, using Greek Yogurt more, substituting whole wheat flour for white, even a little at a time to adjust my tastes, steaming frozen veggies over our pasta noodles, and justifying the cost of produce over prepackaged snack foods. If you know me at all, I just really struggle with food. I love to eat, I need to eat, I like to cook at times, but it doesn't come easily to me. I'd rather bake. But baking usually doesn't create a meal. I don't even crave dinner foods per se. It's hard to come up with meal ideas on a regular basis for my family, let alone healthy ones. I have recently reorganized my personal cookbook and have enjoyed finding new ideas on Pinterest and Pasplore. Pasplore is an amazing website created by a friend of ours, and can grab recipes from the web and save them to your recipe folders. I love order like this (thus again: lists) and it's been nice to have a visual representation of the food we make, as well as a way to find new recipes to make. They continue to add new resources each day to the site, and it's been fun watching it grow. Some of my new fave recipes: Double Chocolate Chip Muffins, Pepperoni Pizza Rolls, and Homemade Granola Bars.
In key with that, for two weeks in a row, we have had Sunday dinner invites. I love it! LOVE it. I love to see what and how other people create food and meals for their families. I'm slightly obsessed with it in fact. I love to try new foods without the pressure of wasting it or the money to make it if it's unliked, and it's fun to add new foods to our repertoire. Of course, I also love not having to decide what to make nor getting it all together in a timely fashion. (Both weaknesses of mine)
I have been amazed at how my cooking abilities have evolved since I was first on my own. Of course the factors have changed since cooking for myself, then for my husband and me, and then adding two wiggly picky eaters in the mix. My tastes mature as times goes on. I make less chicken dishes that appall and am slowly adapting to creating an entire meal as opposed to just an entree. In fact, I make very few of the dishes I did when I was first married.
A dream came true yesterday. The weather was delightful; the blossoms all out, giving the air sweet smelling goodness. I had a vague idea for dinner, but set out to the park around 5 pm with them to play in the glorious sunshine anyway. I painted my toes a delightful shade of orangey yellow, because I was wearing flip-flops (and shorts!), played, watched the girls play, and then my husband and dog joined in the fun after work. We arrived home later. They played in the backyard, counting how many of our peas had come up so far. I made homemade baked macaroni and cheese for dinner with broccoli. And strawberries and cream for dessert. We ate it outside. It was heavenly. Just enjoying a meal together outside. A dream come true.
A friend came over today, and I was telling her this realization I had awhile ago. Thought I'd share. There are two strict laws from God regarding life: no killing and no sexual relationships outside of marriage ie: procreation. As in no taking life away or creating life. Without His consent. He concedes when we are married to the creation of life. He also concedes to taking others' lives away in certain situations (ie: Nephi and Laban in The Book of Mormon). Only He can give us permission to alter life we may say. This is just fascinating to me. That's all.
Tuesday, April 3, 2012
Choosing to be a Mother
As most of you know, I like movies, tv shows, music, and books a little too much. I just love how they create emotion and bring everything from life to life in concrete and unique ways. Have you seen Mona Lisa Smile? I just like that movie. And probably most for the scene below: (It's not very high quality, and cuts off... but you get the idea)
I have just been thinking a lot about choosing everyday what I choose. Every day I wake up and choose to be a good mother or a mediocre mother. A good wife or a mediocre wife. Being a homemaker is such funny job really. It isn't measured by yearly evaluations, nor by promotions or raises. (In fact, when we get promotions, we usually have to learn to live on less money as opposed to earning more). It's measured in the everyday little things. Smiles. Lack of tantrums. Happiness. Giggles. Attitudes. Compliments of "clean house!" "Great dinner," "Thanks for all you do!" and also from within.
Recently, I watched the Annual General Conference from our church, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. And every time I watch our living prophets and apostles teach us, I am always struck by the simplicity of what they say. "Stop it!" and "Don't judge me because I sin differently than you" And afterwards, I always want to be a better mother, a better wife, a better person. It doesn't materialize as quickly as it does in my heart, but it does inspire me, and it does change me. If I choose to let it. Agency is crazy amazing, folks. Every day, every moment, we choose what kind of person we are going to be. And every moment we choose our attitude. I have had a bad attitude lately, and I think it could use some adjustments. And because I chose to stay at home with my children, there are certain things I don't do. There are certain things I do do. And there are things I don't regret, like "not using my degree." But surely, I wonder. Yet I also can guarantee that if I had chosen a career over motherhood, it would gnaw at me everyday. Thanks Joan, for putting it like it is...
I have just been thinking a lot about choosing everyday what I choose. Every day I wake up and choose to be a good mother or a mediocre mother. A good wife or a mediocre wife. Being a homemaker is such funny job really. It isn't measured by yearly evaluations, nor by promotions or raises. (In fact, when we get promotions, we usually have to learn to live on less money as opposed to earning more). It's measured in the everyday little things. Smiles. Lack of tantrums. Happiness. Giggles. Attitudes. Compliments of "clean house!" "Great dinner," "Thanks for all you do!" and also from within.
Recently, I watched the Annual General Conference from our church, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. And every time I watch our living prophets and apostles teach us, I am always struck by the simplicity of what they say. "Stop it!" and "Don't judge me because I sin differently than you" And afterwards, I always want to be a better mother, a better wife, a better person. It doesn't materialize as quickly as it does in my heart, but it does inspire me, and it does change me. If I choose to let it. Agency is crazy amazing, folks. Every day, every moment, we choose what kind of person we are going to be. And every moment we choose our attitude. I have had a bad attitude lately, and I think it could use some adjustments. And because I chose to stay at home with my children, there are certain things I don't do. There are certain things I do do. And there are things I don't regret, like "not using my degree." But surely, I wonder. Yet I also can guarantee that if I had chosen a career over motherhood, it would gnaw at me everyday. Thanks Joan, for putting it like it is...
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