passion and purpose

"Without passion man is a mere latent force and possibility, like the flint which awaits the shock of the iron before it can give forth its spark." -Henri Frederic Amiel

"Passion surprises. One doesn't search it. It can happen to you tomorrow." -Isabelle Adjani

"Temperance is simply a disposition of the mind which binds the passion." -Saint Thomas Aquinas

lyrical therapy

Daisy, give yourself away
Lookup at the rain
The beautiful display
Of power and surrender
Giving us today
And she gives herself away

Rain, another rainy day
Comes up from the ocean
Give herself away
She comes down easy
On rich and dead the same
And she gives herself away

Let it go
Daisy, Let it go
Open up your fist
This fallen world
Doesn't hold your interest
It doesn't hold your soul
Daisy, let it go

Pain, give yourself a name
Call yourself contrition
Avarice of blame
Giving isn't easy
Neither is the rain
When she gives herself away

Daisy, why another day?
Why another sunrise
Who will take the blame
For all redemptive motion
And every rainy day
When he gives himself away

Let it go
Daisy, Let it go
Open up your fist
This fallen world
Doesn't hold your interest
It doesn't hold your soul
Daisy, let it go

-Switchfoot, "Daisy"

the saga continues

I bought a six pack of Corona tonight.

I was NOT carded.

I was wearing a shirt that said "I put the SC in Senior Citizen".

i put the r in rad

Here's an amusing little story.

I was at my friend Lesli's house last week and she was having a woman clean her house. We were all sort of chatting and the woman said to me, "My daughter wore that very same shirt to school today!" I looked down at my shirt... it says "I put the R in Rad." Oh, so there are two of us? Sweet.

Lesli and I, of course, cracked up. She went on to say, "She's 17 though, so she knows what's 'in'." Whew, I feel much better now.

"Of course, she borrowed the shirt from my 14 year old."

We lost it. I think Lesli is still on the floor laughing at that one.

Now, I told you that story to tell you this story:

Lately I've really needed a baby-free day. On Monday Phil was off of work so he sent me out to be alone and get some things done that I wanted to do, instead of needed to do (which always ends up happening when I get time alone. It's the grocery store... the post office... you get the idea). After my haircut and pedicure I ended up at the movie theater. I've been wanting to see Children of Men since I heard it was coming out (it ended up being a waste of time and money... a huge disappointment. But that's another blog for another day) so I purchased a ticket from the teenager behind the window and went inside to the ticket-taker.

A woman no more than ten years older than me smiled as I handed her my ticket. She looked at it, looked at me, and then looked back at the ticket. I was still holding my hand out, waiting for her to tear the damn ticket and give it back to me so I could buy some scrumptuous popcorn and get to my seat but she was just standing there staring at me with the Diane Sawyer look (you know the one... that weird, sort of far-off constipated look). I raised my eyebrows in a not-so-subtle "WTH is your problem" kind of way and she cleared her throat and said... wait for it...

"Can I see your ID please?"

WHAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I suddenly got all flustered like I got caught trying to skip class or something. I fumbled in my diaper bag-esque purse and pulled out my wallet while she tried to make nice by telling me, "Someday, honey, you'll appreciate this."

No, Honey, I think what I would appreciate is buying some scrumptuous popcorn and not having to fish my ID out of my purse to prove to you that I am, in fact, OVER THE AGE OF 17. SEVEN. TEEN. I know I look young, but not senior-in-high-school young. Come on, lady.

When I finally got to my seat with my scrumptuous popcorn I set my purse down and noticed my shirt... "I put the R in Rad". And also, apparently, in "caRded at the R-Rated movie".

That shirt is going to Goodwill. Or the 14 year old down the street.

please pray

for my friend Tracey. She's in the hospital on life support and things aren't looking great right now.

roots

We have spent the last two-plus months packing up our house, doing some home-improvement projects and trying to get this place in tip-top shape. We listed our house the week of Christmas and it sold ten days later. Yes, folks, we're heading home to Ann Arbor.

Phil will still be working with Accenture, though we're not sure the nature of his project just yet, and we'll be able to be near family and friends, our rockin' church and of course TRADER JOE'S.

The plan is to be there by the first week of February (after Brian's birthday). For those of you in Charlotte, we will miss you! We'll be back at some point... we're thinking of this trek back to our roots as our temporary and much-needed oasis (hilarious when you consider the climate, I know, but oh-so-true) and want you to feel free to visit anytime. And for those of you in Michigan... we'll see you in a month!