Did you think I left you? I didn't. I just failed a baby-size fail in my goal of updating at least weekly. I'm sure my extremely large fan club was in total devastation. But I have a good excuse- I went on vacation! I was very busy the week prior to leaving and I went to New York City for my vacation, so I spent my time trying to make the most of the city instead of blogging. I'm sure you'll forgive me. But I did learn, and I did make little notes so I would remember. So I will give you this in a two-part series.
Here we go, beginning with the week prior to my trip:
Tuesday, Feb 17:
I went out to lunch with my dear friend (and coworker) Rochelle. Ro introduced me to a great little Japanese restaurant downtown called Yoo Mae's. I'm not a connoisseur of Japanese food, but I thought it was great. I ordered a Bento box, which is basically a box lunch of an assortment of things. It was delish, and pretty cheap, too. So I now have another place I love for lunch.
Wednesday, Feb 18:
I learned a new word!
Quorum: the number of members of a group or organization required to be present to transact business legally, usually a majority (from Dictionary.com).
Thursday, Feb 19:
The 2009 Colorado State Budget passed out of the Senate today on third reading. It then went to the House for Consideration. As it left the Senate, it included amendments made by our very own Senator John Morse, who, regardless of your politics, is undeniably one of the state's biggest champions of services for people with developmental disabilities (DD). If you don't know, I work for a company that serves people with DD. We contract with the state and are bound by State rules and regulations, as well as State funding, such as it is. Colorado has a budget crisis right now that is pretty serious, which has caused a lot of cuts across all areas of funding in order to try to recoup the projected losses before the end of the fiscal year. Human Services of any kind generally get the short end of the stick in terms of government funding, and it is certainly true in the DD world. Morse's amendments restore DD funding that was cut recently in response to the current budget crisis. I could wax on for a long time about the needs in the DD world, but this is very intentionally not a soapbox blog, so if you ever want to hear more about what I do and what the 'services' really mean, please ask me. I'd love to talk about it. But for today, I'm hoping the budget will pass through the House with Morse's amendments intact.
Friday, Feb 20:
I learned that my car is in working order. This seems anticlimactic, I know. But I got my oil changed last weekend and was told there was a residue on the oil cap that could indicate that there is a crack or break in a gasket, which could have cost me around 1000.00 to repair, mostly due to labor. I mildly freaked out, because (reference my lesson from yesterday) I work in human services, and do not have an extra 1000.00 lying around at any given time. And I was getting ready to go on vacation. Yikes! So I took the car in, they checked it out, and there is no leak. I'm told that driving short distances like I do causes condensation to form in the oil cap because the car engine doesn't have a chance to warm up all the way before it is turned off. Apparently the condensation is the residue. So, I breathed much easier today. And learned a little bit about cars (which I assure you, I'll forget quickly).
Saturday, Feb 21:
Today I watched my sister's first dance competition of the season. I love watching these things. It's so fun to see how she has grown in her skill, and to watch the talents of other studios and dancers. I learned something I hope I will never have to use, but here it is:
If you have a tutu, you have to hang it upside down when you put it on a hanger. This ensures that when it is time to put it in, the material is as fluffy as possible. This is critical, you know.
I mean, really, flat tutus? How utterly common.
Sunday, Feb 22:
Tonight some of my girlfriends and I got together to watch the Oscars. We got dressed up, in real live dresses (I haven't worn a dress since September), and we went out for martinis. Since we live in such a fast-paced and metropolitan city, our first two choices for martinis were closed, it being a Sunday at 7pm. But we wound up at one of Colorado Springs' best restaurants- The Famous. I had never been there before, but the martinis were lovely. And while I can't testify to their steaks, I can tell you their crab cakes are wonderful.
Monday, Feb 23:
Another lesson involving food (I really like food)! I went to Outback tonight with some friends. I ordered the salmon, which is my favorite thing on their menu. One of the things I like so much about it is the sauce they give you (rémoulade). But apparently they no longer serve rémoulade at Outback.
So I no longer consider the salmon my favorite thing on their menu. Take that, Outback!
Tuesday, Feb 24:
A re-learn: I am still a horrible procrastinator when it comes to packing. No matter how early I promise myself I will do it, I will not. I will start 'packing' around 8pm or later (tonight it started at 10). It will only loosely resemble packing, as it will include beginning a load of the laundry I want to take...and messing around on facebook...and finding things to clean in my room...and searching the internet for things to do on my trip...and occasionally getting up and putting things in a pile next to my suitcase. Slowly it will begin to look more like packing until sometime after midnight I am ready to go to sleep. There will be a long list on my nightstand of all the things I have to remember to put in my bag in the morning, and then I will sleep fitfully, waking every hour or so, because I am so afraid that I might sleep through my alarm clock since I went to bed too late. This is self-sabotage at its finest.
Showing posts with label Words. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Words. Show all posts
06 March 2009
17 February 2009
I am no longer apologizing for the lateness of my posts.
I've just accepted it. I will not be a daily post kind of girl. So here's your taste of the last week of my life:
Tuesday, Feb 10:
You know the phrase, "under the bus?" As in, "He just threw you under the bus?" Well, I learned that the origin of the phrase is, in part, attributed to my very own hometown newspaper! There are a few ideas of where the phrase came from- ranging from Cyndi Lauper in 1984 to Minor League baseball slang. But there is mention that one of the first citations for the phrase in text is from a 1991 article in the Colorado Springs Gazette Telegraph (currently The Gazette). Who knew? To read more on the origin of the phrase, click here.
Wednesday, Feb 11:
I had some girl-time with my friend Rochelle. We had popcorn and watched The O.C. on DVD (yep, I'm serious. We are unapologetic about the quality of television we enjoy). I leanred that Ro has a horrifying habit. She eats unpopped popcorn kernels. She has no explanation for why. I don't even know what else to say, but if you've been wondering what to do with the kernels in the bottom of the bowl, just invite Ro over. They'll mysteriously disappear before you realize what has happened, because of course, you'd never believe a human would eat them. But it's true. And I saw it. And heard it.
Thursday, Feb 12:
I went to court today. I attended a hearing. It was actually incredibly interesting. I learned that some lawyers will use "objection" very liberally in the hopes that the judge will let something slide. I learned that we have at least one magistrate in Colorado Springs who is not all that dissimilar to Judge Judy. And I like her for it. I also learned that if a particular residence has a large number of police/911 calls, the police will assign an officer to check on the residence and try to figure out why the pattern exists.
Friday, Feb 13:
I learned that Anne Boleyn made a joke about having a small neck on the day of her death. For those of you not as obsessed with Tudor England as I am, Anne Boleyn was an English Queen who was executed. She was the second wife of King Henry VIII, and he had her tried for treason and sentenced to death by beheading. On the day of her death, it is said that she joked about her own impending death, saying, "I heard say the executioner was very good, and I have a little neck." She then reportedly put her hands around her neck and "laughed heartily."
Saturday, Feb 14:
I learned something I may never have to use in my entire life. On the original Mario Brothers Nintendo game, there is a place where it is (theoretically) possible to earn 99 lives. If you already know this, you are a bigger nerd than I thought (and you join the ranks of some of my best friends). Anyway, this marvelous opportunity is in level 3-2. At the very end, when you are hopping up the pyramid to get to the flag, there are two turtles walking down the pyramid toward you. You have to jump on one of them, knocking him into just a shell, and then jump up on him again, knocking him against the stairs, and then keep jumping up right as he is bouncing off the stair wall and toward you. If you do this with just the right timing, you keep knocking him against the stair wall every time you jump, which earns you points. If you do it repeatedly in rapid succession, your point values increase by doubles until you are earning 1ups every time he hits the wall. Apparently you can do this 99 times (if you have cat-like reflexes and the patience of a snail). And truly, I suppose you could do it more, but since the original Mario game was pre-Y2K, it didn't foresee such things as triple-digit life counts, therefore, Mario or Luigi can only have up to 99 lives before the game would not track it.
Use this knowledge wisely, folks. With great power comes great responsibility.
Sunday Feb 15:
I learned once again that the logic of children is neither sound nor complicated. My little cousin, Isaiah, is three. I got to see him on Sunday. We were at my friend's photography show (which was awesome, by the way), and there were fruit trays all around. I helped him get some snacks, offering him grapes and melons. He wanted grapes. About halfway through a nice-sized bunch of grapes, the following exchange took place:
Isaiah (holding a grape in his hand after taking a bite of it): "I throw up grapes."
Me: "What?"
Isaiah: "I throw up when I eat grapes." (He pops the other half of the grape in his mouth.)
Me: "Then why are you eating them?"
Isaiah: "I like grapes."
Me (turning to his mom): "Does Isaiah throw up when he eats grapes?"
Isaiah's mom (looking at his plate with more grapes on it): "Yeah."
Awesome.
Monday, Feb 16:
This lesson was learned somewhere between Sunday and Monday, I can't be sure. Some friends and I went to Cripple Creek on Sunday afternoon. We spent time in the casinos Sunday night and into Monday morning. I can sum up the Cripple Creek gambling experience with the following:
-People under age 40 do not fit in.
-People who can breathe without the aid of medical equipment may or may not fit in, depending on which casino you are in and what time of day it is.
-'Restaurant' is a term used very loosely in Cripple Creek.
-And finally, be careful to look closely at the denomination of your money when tipping cocktail waitresses.
Tuesday, Feb 10:
You know the phrase, "under the bus?" As in, "He just threw you under the bus?" Well, I learned that the origin of the phrase is, in part, attributed to my very own hometown newspaper! There are a few ideas of where the phrase came from- ranging from Cyndi Lauper in 1984 to Minor League baseball slang. But there is mention that one of the first citations for the phrase in text is from a 1991 article in the Colorado Springs Gazette Telegraph (currently The Gazette). Who knew? To read more on the origin of the phrase, click here.
Wednesday, Feb 11:
I had some girl-time with my friend Rochelle. We had popcorn and watched The O.C. on DVD (yep, I'm serious. We are unapologetic about the quality of television we enjoy). I leanred that Ro has a horrifying habit. She eats unpopped popcorn kernels. She has no explanation for why. I don't even know what else to say, but if you've been wondering what to do with the kernels in the bottom of the bowl, just invite Ro over. They'll mysteriously disappear before you realize what has happened, because of course, you'd never believe a human would eat them. But it's true. And I saw it. And heard it.
Thursday, Feb 12:
I went to court today. I attended a hearing. It was actually incredibly interesting. I learned that some lawyers will use "objection" very liberally in the hopes that the judge will let something slide. I learned that we have at least one magistrate in Colorado Springs who is not all that dissimilar to Judge Judy. And I like her for it. I also learned that if a particular residence has a large number of police/911 calls, the police will assign an officer to check on the residence and try to figure out why the pattern exists.
Friday, Feb 13:
I learned that Anne Boleyn made a joke about having a small neck on the day of her death. For those of you not as obsessed with Tudor England as I am, Anne Boleyn was an English Queen who was executed. She was the second wife of King Henry VIII, and he had her tried for treason and sentenced to death by beheading. On the day of her death, it is said that she joked about her own impending death, saying, "I heard say the executioner was very good, and I have a little neck." She then reportedly put her hands around her neck and "laughed heartily."
Saturday, Feb 14:
I learned something I may never have to use in my entire life. On the original Mario Brothers Nintendo game, there is a place where it is (theoretically) possible to earn 99 lives. If you already know this, you are a bigger nerd than I thought (and you join the ranks of some of my best friends). Anyway, this marvelous opportunity is in level 3-2. At the very end, when you are hopping up the pyramid to get to the flag, there are two turtles walking down the pyramid toward you. You have to jump on one of them, knocking him into just a shell, and then jump up on him again, knocking him against the stairs, and then keep jumping up right as he is bouncing off the stair wall and toward you. If you do this with just the right timing, you keep knocking him against the stair wall every time you jump, which earns you points. If you do it repeatedly in rapid succession, your point values increase by doubles until you are earning 1ups every time he hits the wall. Apparently you can do this 99 times (if you have cat-like reflexes and the patience of a snail). And truly, I suppose you could do it more, but since the original Mario game was pre-Y2K, it didn't foresee such things as triple-digit life counts, therefore, Mario or Luigi can only have up to 99 lives before the game would not track it.
Use this knowledge wisely, folks. With great power comes great responsibility.
Sunday Feb 15:
I learned once again that the logic of children is neither sound nor complicated. My little cousin, Isaiah, is three. I got to see him on Sunday. We were at my friend's photography show (which was awesome, by the way), and there were fruit trays all around. I helped him get some snacks, offering him grapes and melons. He wanted grapes. About halfway through a nice-sized bunch of grapes, the following exchange took place:
Isaiah (holding a grape in his hand after taking a bite of it): "I throw up grapes."
Me: "What?"
Isaiah: "I throw up when I eat grapes." (He pops the other half of the grape in his mouth.)
Me: "Then why are you eating them?"
Isaiah: "I like grapes."
Me (turning to his mom): "Does Isaiah throw up when he eats grapes?"
Isaiah's mom (looking at his plate with more grapes on it): "Yeah."
Awesome.
Monday, Feb 16:
This lesson was learned somewhere between Sunday and Monday, I can't be sure. Some friends and I went to Cripple Creek on Sunday afternoon. We spent time in the casinos Sunday night and into Monday morning. I can sum up the Cripple Creek gambling experience with the following:
-People under age 40 do not fit in.
-People who can breathe without the aid of medical equipment may or may not fit in, depending on which casino you are in and what time of day it is.
-'Restaurant' is a term used very loosely in Cripple Creek.
-And finally, be careful to look closely at the denomination of your money when tipping cocktail waitresses.
02 February 2009
January is over and my blog is overdue.
It's been one long week, my friends. But I did keep track of what I learned. So here goes:
Monday, Jan 26:
My friend Sheonaid taught me what a yurt is. It's like a hut/tent that is semi-permanent. When I looked it up, I found out they were originally used by nomads in Central Asia. But we also have them here in Colorado in the mountains, if you ever want to use one for camping.
Tuesday, Jan 27:
My sister is doing a report on Ella Fitzgerald, and she taught me some of what she has learned. Ella Fitzgerald had a troubled childhood and an amazingly successful career. But the thing that stuck out most that I didn't know before was that she had both of her legs amputated due to complications with diabetes. I might be a little out of the loop not knowing that, but I'll admit my ignorance anyway.
Wednesday, Jan 28:
Wednesday was a re-learn day. Most of my friends know I'm not a big fan of the being in the gym. I like to exercise outside in the sun and wind and nature. But in Colorado, there are times of the year that it's the gym or nothing. So I was at the gym on my lunch hour, which is unfortunately a pretty busy time for my YMCA branch. And I re-learned another reason why I hate that place.
IT STINKS. Yes, running makes me feel healthy, but exposure to the smell of sweaty people in close proximity is a definite temptation to join the ranks of the sedentary. At least the odor suppresses my appetite, so even if I have to cut my workout short in order to breathe, I can make up for it by skipping my dinner.
I can't wait for spring.
Thursday, Jan 29:
My friend Laura is one of my favorites. She lives in NYC and I am staying with her when I go out there at the end of February. We were talking about all the things to do in New York, and I learned one thing I am unapologetically excited about (in all my nerdiness): The Tenement Museum. I love history. I love learning about the day-to-day in different periods of history. I love seeing old furniture, clothing, houses, and buildings. I love learning about the way things were. So the Tenement Museum is a must-see for me. They conduct tours of an old tenement building. It was built in 1863 and housed thousands of New York immigrant families until it was vacated and boarded up in 1935. It was untouched until 1988 when the Tenement Museum discovered it and restored it to its former glory. I'm probably more excited to see that than I am about seeing Times Square.
Friday, Jan 30:
I learned a few small lessons from a night with friends:
1. The proper pronunciation of the word Curaçao is "cure-a-so," like this.
2. Some people aren't cut out for card tricks.
3. It is possible to spend time with Jared Harp without witnessing a Chris Brown dance routine.
4. Best in Show is still hilarious.
Saturday, Jan 31:
I learned the joy of answered prayers. I had a date with my sister. If you are not a girl with a sister, I'm sorry you'll never know the pleasure of a sisterly bond, but it is a beautiful thing. There are ten years between me and my sister, so when she was little, our relationship was atypical. I was more of a babysitter/third authority figure. But now, she's a teenager. She's heading into high school, and over the past few years, I've been praying about how to navigate the transition between authority-type and sister/friend. It's not been that easy, but it has been worth it. Friday was a really sweet time. We had dinner and a movie and talked about boys and school and real life. I realize I might be biased, but I'm pretty sure I have the best sister ever.
Sunday, Feb 1:
I learned that some things are still embarrassing, no matter how old you are. On Sunday we had fantastic weather, so I went for a run outside. At least, I made it through most of my run. But on the last block back to the house, I definitely took a nice, classic, completely ungraceful face plant. I am blaming it on the downtown sidewalk that is cracked and broken. But I had just run on such a sidewalk for 20 minutes, so there might be more to it. Like me not picking up my feet. Or the gods being against me.
Anyway, I definitely scraped a nice piece of skin off my knee. And I definitely looked around immediately afterward (you always do the look-around when you're embarrassed). The only thing that saved me was the complete state of desolation that befalls most of America from 4pm-9pm on Superbowl Sunday. So there was basically nobody around to see it. Although I'm sure some CC student was looking out the window of their apartment and had a good laugh. All I know is, it still hurts, and I still feel like a kid. Your pity is welcomed.
Monday, Feb 2:
I learned that my friend Allison is now LEED-accredited! Allison is an architect and she has been studying like crazy for the test she took today. The LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) accreditation demonstrates a knowledge of green building: environmentally friendly design and construction with an emphasis on sustainability. Last week, Angela, another good friend of mine, also became LEED accredited. Congrats Al and Angela! I'm proud to know you both. I'll take you out for a celebratory drink at the next possible time. Ange- that means we should wind up in the same state again sometime. ;)
Monday, Jan 26:
My friend Sheonaid taught me what a yurt is. It's like a hut/tent that is semi-permanent. When I looked it up, I found out they were originally used by nomads in Central Asia. But we also have them here in Colorado in the mountains, if you ever want to use one for camping.
Tuesday, Jan 27:
My sister is doing a report on Ella Fitzgerald, and she taught me some of what she has learned. Ella Fitzgerald had a troubled childhood and an amazingly successful career. But the thing that stuck out most that I didn't know before was that she had both of her legs amputated due to complications with diabetes. I might be a little out of the loop not knowing that, but I'll admit my ignorance anyway.
Wednesday, Jan 28:
Wednesday was a re-learn day. Most of my friends know I'm not a big fan of the being in the gym. I like to exercise outside in the sun and wind and nature. But in Colorado, there are times of the year that it's the gym or nothing. So I was at the gym on my lunch hour, which is unfortunately a pretty busy time for my YMCA branch. And I re-learned another reason why I hate that place.
IT STINKS. Yes, running makes me feel healthy, but exposure to the smell of sweaty people in close proximity is a definite temptation to join the ranks of the sedentary. At least the odor suppresses my appetite, so even if I have to cut my workout short in order to breathe, I can make up for it by skipping my dinner.
I can't wait for spring.
Thursday, Jan 29:
My friend Laura is one of my favorites. She lives in NYC and I am staying with her when I go out there at the end of February. We were talking about all the things to do in New York, and I learned one thing I am unapologetically excited about (in all my nerdiness): The Tenement Museum. I love history. I love learning about the day-to-day in different periods of history. I love seeing old furniture, clothing, houses, and buildings. I love learning about the way things were. So the Tenement Museum is a must-see for me. They conduct tours of an old tenement building. It was built in 1863 and housed thousands of New York immigrant families until it was vacated and boarded up in 1935. It was untouched until 1988 when the Tenement Museum discovered it and restored it to its former glory. I'm probably more excited to see that than I am about seeing Times Square.
Friday, Jan 30:
I learned a few small lessons from a night with friends:
1. The proper pronunciation of the word Curaçao is "cure-a-so," like this.
2. Some people aren't cut out for card tricks.
3. It is possible to spend time with Jared Harp without witnessing a Chris Brown dance routine.
4. Best in Show is still hilarious.
Saturday, Jan 31:
I learned the joy of answered prayers. I had a date with my sister. If you are not a girl with a sister, I'm sorry you'll never know the pleasure of a sisterly bond, but it is a beautiful thing. There are ten years between me and my sister, so when she was little, our relationship was atypical. I was more of a babysitter/third authority figure. But now, she's a teenager. She's heading into high school, and over the past few years, I've been praying about how to navigate the transition between authority-type and sister/friend. It's not been that easy, but it has been worth it. Friday was a really sweet time. We had dinner and a movie and talked about boys and school and real life. I realize I might be biased, but I'm pretty sure I have the best sister ever.
Sunday, Feb 1:
I learned that some things are still embarrassing, no matter how old you are. On Sunday we had fantastic weather, so I went for a run outside. At least, I made it through most of my run. But on the last block back to the house, I definitely took a nice, classic, completely ungraceful face plant. I am blaming it on the downtown sidewalk that is cracked and broken. But I had just run on such a sidewalk for 20 minutes, so there might be more to it. Like me not picking up my feet. Or the gods being against me.
Anyway, I definitely scraped a nice piece of skin off my knee. And I definitely looked around immediately afterward (you always do the look-around when you're embarrassed). The only thing that saved me was the complete state of desolation that befalls most of America from 4pm-9pm on Superbowl Sunday. So there was basically nobody around to see it. Although I'm sure some CC student was looking out the window of their apartment and had a good laugh. All I know is, it still hurts, and I still feel like a kid. Your pity is welcomed.
Monday, Feb 2:
I learned that my friend Allison is now LEED-accredited! Allison is an architect and she has been studying like crazy for the test she took today. The LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) accreditation demonstrates a knowledge of green building: environmentally friendly design and construction with an emphasis on sustainability. Last week, Angela, another good friend of mine, also became LEED accredited. Congrats Al and Angela! I'm proud to know you both. I'll take you out for a celebratory drink at the next possible time. Ange- that means we should wind up in the same state again sometime. ;)
11 January 2009
Catching up on the Weekend
This weekend passed in a blur. The things I have learned are decidedly brief, but they are new to me just the same. I only have a picture for one of the past three days, which has me thinking I may reconsider the element of photography in this blog. I am thinking about just going with a picture a day whether or not it relates to what I learned (essentially stealing my friend Allison's idea, which was stolen from her friend, which may have been stolen as well. I don't think it's particularly original at this point, but a fun idea anyway). I also may approach the photography piece in a separate place, too. I'm not sure yet. Just know I'm toying with the idea in my mind. I've been good at taking my camera with me and taking pictures on a daily basis, but the issue is that the pictures don't always relate to what I have learned. Hopefully I'll work out the kinks in that soon, but for now, here are the last 3 days' updates:
Friday, Jan 9:
I learned a new word (well, an old word I did not yet know).
Foundling: An abandoned infant of unknown parentage
This word is from Middle English. I learned it from reading a novel set in Regency England. I have a little thing for historical fiction, but that's a blog for another day.
Saturday, Jan 10:
I learned about two musicians I hadn't heard before. I went to a Marc Broussard concert (if you haven't heard him, I highly recommend listening. He's one of my favorites).
He played a lot of his older stuff, which was a treat for me, because I've been a fan for about 5 years now. Like most artists, his older, indie stuff was raw and awesome. The more exposure he's gotten, the more pop has worked its way into his music. But his voice is always amazing, so I think even his newer stuff is good, it's just not my preference. Anyway, Marc (yeah, we're on a first-name basis) had two openers and they were both pretty good. First up was Josh Hoge. I liked him best of the two openers. He has a pop-ish sound but he has good lyrics and a strong voice. Second was Jessie Baylin. She has a very simple voice, but it's clear and pretty and her songs were good.
I love live music. I also love the company of good friends, and thanks to my friends Sheonaid and Elisa, I had both!
Sunday, January 11:
I learned about a story that Nathaniel Hawthorne wrote. It's called The Great Stone Face. Today my pastor made a reference to it in church. Since The Scarlet Letter is one of my favorite classics, I was interested in reading another of Hawthorne's stories. I found it here and read it. It's a short story about humility and wisdom. It illustrates the truth that we become what we behold. That was the point of the sermon in church today and therefore why this story was mentioned. I'd encourage you to read it. Like so many older works, the language is beautiful, but it's also just a good reminder of a simple truth.
Friday, Jan 9:
I learned a new word (well, an old word I did not yet know).
Foundling: An abandoned infant of unknown parentage
This word is from Middle English. I learned it from reading a novel set in Regency England. I have a little thing for historical fiction, but that's a blog for another day.
Saturday, Jan 10:
I learned about two musicians I hadn't heard before. I went to a Marc Broussard concert (if you haven't heard him, I highly recommend listening. He's one of my favorites).
He played a lot of his older stuff, which was a treat for me, because I've been a fan for about 5 years now. Like most artists, his older, indie stuff was raw and awesome. The more exposure he's gotten, the more pop has worked its way into his music. But his voice is always amazing, so I think even his newer stuff is good, it's just not my preference. Anyway, Marc (yeah, we're on a first-name basis) had two openers and they were both pretty good. First up was Josh Hoge. I liked him best of the two openers. He has a pop-ish sound but he has good lyrics and a strong voice. Second was Jessie Baylin. She has a very simple voice, but it's clear and pretty and her songs were good.I love live music. I also love the company of good friends, and thanks to my friends Sheonaid and Elisa, I had both!
Sunday, January 11:
I learned about a story that Nathaniel Hawthorne wrote. It's called The Great Stone Face. Today my pastor made a reference to it in church. Since The Scarlet Letter is one of my favorite classics, I was interested in reading another of Hawthorne's stories. I found it here and read it. It's a short story about humility and wisdom. It illustrates the truth that we become what we behold. That was the point of the sermon in church today and therefore why this story was mentioned. I'd encourage you to read it. Like so many older works, the language is beautiful, but it's also just a good reminder of a simple truth.
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