Flight 531: 10.2008

29 October 2008

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.

20 October 2008

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.

13 October 2008

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.

11 October 2008

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?

05 October 2008

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!