Bookstravaganza

Alternate Title: Because Jess Did

My haul from the ridiculous used book sale in Gainesville a couple weeks ago.  I was going to list them here, but it's far more efficient to photograph them.  Even if there is a wonky shadow across the spines and the angle is kind of weird.

Shifting Sand

I had been playing Christian-music Russian Roulette (very similar to Bible-Verse Russian Roulette, just on the iPod) for the past couple days - resisting the temptation to skip tracks and listening to whatever song pops up on the random play.  At any rate, on my way home tonight, I decided to listen to a specific song, this song, a song I've always liked the sound of but never really listened to the lyrics.  But it was worth about 30 minutes of constant-repeat play in the car tonight, in some bout of song-autism to which I am prone.

Shifting Sand, Caedmon's Call

Sometimes I believe all the lies 
So I can do the things I should despise 
And every day I am swayed 
By whatever is on my mind 

I hear it all depends on my faith 
So I'm feeling precarious 
The only problem I have with these mysteries 
Is they're so mysterious 

And like a consumer I've been thinking 
If I could just get a bit more 
More than my 15 minutes of faith, 
Then I'd be secure 

My faith is like shifting sand 
Changed by every wave 
My faith is like shifting sand 
So I stand on grace 

I've begged you for some proof 
For my Thomas eyes to see 
A slithering staff, a leprous hand 
And lions resting lazily 

A glimpse of your back-side glory 
And this soaked altar going ablaze 
But you know I've seen so much 
I explained it away 

My faith is like shifting sand 
Changed by every wave 
My faith is like shifting sand 
So I stand on grace 

Waters rose as my doubts reigned 
My sand-castle faith, it slipped away 
Found myself standing on your grace 
It'd been there all the time 

My faith is like shifting sand 
Changed by every wave 
My faith is like shifting sand 
So I stand on grace 

I have more to write about what I think about this, but it's going to take more work for it to make any sense outside of my own brain, so I will append more here later.  It would be a verbal Jackson Pollock painting if I tried to articulate anything tonight, and I don't really want to foist that on you, gentle reader.  I don't know why I was so taken by these lyrics this evening.  They don't capture my current emotions.  Not at all, really.  Not even lately.  But here they are.  

Weekend Project

Here's what I did on Sunday, instead of grading papers.

A couple weeks ago, I found my box of pastels in a closet of craft supplies (what, you don't have a closet for craft supplies?  I have two. :)  Well, one and a half.  Anyhow...).  I pulled them out and figured I'd eventually do something with them.  So last night, with a couple photographs for inspiration, I laid down some pigment on paper.

(sorry for the weird angle on that)

and

There's a lot I don't love about them, but they were really quick one-offs that I didn't spend too much time getting technically right.  But, hey, it's something.

Sunflowers

Shoulder to shoulder,

preened and ready,

necks craned for

their first glimpse.

Suffocating clouds.

Delayed arrival.

Love's threadbare clothing

goes unnoticed.

Could they ever think

he might not come

to court again

tomorrow?

My Latest Project

Ha ha - well, the latest project I've actually finished.  The scrollwork is a little shaky, but it's not bad, considering I was balanced upon crutches to do it. 

Jess's Birthday Cake!

Stuff Jen Likes II

In no particular order:

Subways and trams.

1990s Jonathan Pryce.

Jeremy Irons in Lolita.

Eyewear.

Semicolons.

The ice at Tijuana Flats.

Blackberry fragrances, like Sephora Mure andTrish McEvoy #9.

Cheese fondue.

Used books and used book sales.

Backseam hosiery.

Palladium windows.

Dances with steps (e.g. Electric slide, most ballroom dances).

Chivalry.  Hey, I like a door held open for me.

Dill weed.

Fountain cherry cokes with extra cherry syrup.

Birthdays.

Cotton candy.  (Jelly Belly cotton candy jelly beans are really good, too.)

Sicilian Creme from The Cheese Shop, Indianapolis.

America's Test Kitchen cookbooks

Mint chip ice cream - but only if it's green.