tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-140110092011-07-07T13:33:08.497-07:00"Unknown Island North" is culled from Annie Dillard's 1977 "Holy the Firm". A metaphor for a new thought on the horizon, it is "a new island, a new wrinkle, the deepening of wonder." Dillard finds various names for it as she sketches this new thing onto her drawing of the Puget Sound islands visible from her window. I suppose here, in my own way, I am seeking to name the things that most capture my attention as I look out at the world from my perspective. What follows is a record of what I see.Lirahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02756960271981306828noreply@blogger.comBlogger2861100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14011009.post-863891977576489512010-06-28T09:53:00.000-07:002010-06-28T09:58:07.135-07:00

The City of Ember, Jeanne DuPrau ***The Weight of Glory, C.S. Lewis ****The Wayfarer Redemption, Sara Douglass ***Enchanter, Sara Douglas ****Down the Rabbit Hole, Peter Abrahams ***Living Dead in Dallas, Charlaine Harris ***Hungry Moon, Ramsey Campbell ***The Return of Depression Economics and the Crisis of 2008, Paul Krugman ***Black House, Stephen King and Peter Straub ***Julia, Peter Straub *

Lirahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02756960271981306828noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14011009.post-36522119996030411692010-05-17T12:00:00.000-07:002010-05-17T12:12:09.224-07:00

Our first CSA delivery is scheduled for June 10th and we are eager for the produce. One distinct disadvantage of our location has really come to the foreground over the past few months as I've paid closer attention to our food. There are no good sources of fresh goods. Thankfully, it is California; even our local market stocks several organic options. But not fresh produce. And sorry, but I'm

Lirahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02756960271981306828noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14011009.post-15310270561448281022010-04-12T16:40:00.000-07:002010-04-12T16:50:06.720-07:00

Not too much to report, except that I've maintained my new weight, I can now do the first level workout in my exercise program without trouble, and getting fresh produce worth eating in our town is really difficult. So: time to work on actively losing again, time to move on to workout two, and boy are we looking forward to the goods we intend to receive from a local CSA this season. I'm also

Lirahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02756960271981306828noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14011009.post-51400509237743402912010-03-30T14:14:00.000-07:002010-03-30T14:17:44.405-07:00

How to Store Your Garden Produce: The Key to Self-Sufficiency, Piers Warren ***Lasagna Gardening for Small Spaces: A Layering System for Big Results in Small Gardens and Containers, Patricia Lanza ***Blaze, Stephen King as Richard Bachman **Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life, Barbara Kingsolver with Steven L. Hopp & Camille Kingsolver *****The End of Food, Paul Roberts ****Evolution:

Lirahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02756960271981306828noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14011009.post-51910236201128476742010-03-11T20:02:00.000-08:002010-03-11T20:02:40.194-08:00

I've always been the kind of person who reads cookbooks cover to cover. I look at my shelf of cooking books (yes, I am determined to limit this collection to a single shelf; this requires painful cullings from time to time) and I see the two books that have accompanied from my childhood. There's the very worn Betty Crocker's Cook Book for Boys and Girls, and there's Walt Disney's Mickey Mouse

Lirahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02756960271981306828noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14011009.post-27541594633399589772010-02-26T12:08:00.000-08:002010-02-26T12:08:00.089-08:00

Looking at what I have accomplished and what I would like to work on, I've returned to my food plan and examined it with a critical eye. As with any plan based upon goals and strategies for achieving those goals, the food plan I explained in my earlier post has its share of appendices and addendums. These mostly concern habits I am amending and good choices I am trying to turn into habits. I have

Lirahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02756960271981306828noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14011009.post-22439881795780911022010-02-25T10:47:00.000-08:002010-02-25T10:51:44.623-08:00

We've been doing remarkably well. We killed all credit card spending. We're eating much better. Exercise, that's a little tougher. I've been pretty regular with my routine, but my husband's schedule (eek, jury duty!) and my trip to Idaho has prevented us from exercising together. Fun and creative projects happen when we don't play too many computer games. Life isn't exactly balanced yet, but our

Lirahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02756960271981306828noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14011009.post-55914680863133103412010-02-17T13:17:00.000-08:002010-02-17T13:17:32.146-08:00

I came across an interesting post over at SparkPeople, which compares the caloric values of common American meals: best options versus not-so-good options. The best options, take note, are those that are heavy on the vegetables, fruits, and whole grains rather than white flours, cheese! and other fats, added sugars, and high salt content.Looking at plated meals of equal caloric value is a good

Lirahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02756960271981306828noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14011009.post-66882707925315075822010-01-24T18:20:00.000-08:002010-01-24T18:31:29.131-08:00

I've learned a few basics of designing a wholesome diet. First, don't listen to the media about nutrition: seriously, they focus on fads and skew research results to maximize sensationalism. In other words, articles from popular sources confuse the issue. Second, remember: the one component of healthy diets that remains consistent across the board is appropriate calorie consumption. We need to

Lirahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02756960271981306828noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14011009.post-81523275708459904182010-01-06T11:10:00.000-08:002010-01-06T11:37:21.482-08:00

Today is Day 3 of our holistic health improvement project. This is the first day we've incorporated an adaptation into our schedule to accommodate Ecaep's special circumstances in the office today. We didn't exercise this morning so Ecaep could go into the office early. So we bumped our exercise routine over a day. We will make up the session on Saturday morning instead. So far, so good! Here's

Lirahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02756960271981306828noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14011009.post-19180312711973733962010-01-03T20:28:00.000-08:002010-01-03T20:33:16.752-08:00

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, J.K. Rowling **Vampire Hunter D: Mysterious Journey to the North Sea, Part One, Hideyuki Kikuchi ***Bag of Bones, Stephen King ****Archangel, Paul Watkins ****It, Stephen King *****Maximum Ride: School's Out--Forever, James Patterson ****Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, J.K. Rowling ****The 10-Minute Total Body Breakthrough: Get in the Best Shape

Lirahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02756960271981306828noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14011009.post-82477213046757297892009-12-31T13:05:00.000-08:002009-12-31T13:08:57.966-08:00

The RationaleMy husband and I have turned/are turning 30 this year. We've enjoyed being young newlyweds and we've enjoyed progressively leaving the student lifestyle behind in order to pursue professional and/or adult activities. Now we want to sink our teeth into the next decade and live the happiest, healthiest life we can conjure up out of our respective talents and predilections. To that

Lirahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02756960271981306828noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14011009.post-11850649787462323162009-12-30T10:08:00.000-08:002009-12-31T14:14:51.190-08:00

These are the books that have been most influential in my quest for the good life. They are listed in roughly the chronological order that I originally read them. I hope to review them and their influence on my journey in closer detail during the upcoming year.Ishamel, Daniel QuinnPrinciples and Labs For Fitness and Wellness, 7th ed., Werner W.K. Hoeger & Sharon A. HoegerFast Food Nation: The

Lirahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02756960271981306828noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14011009.post-11167282349715731402009-12-29T08:37:00.000-08:002009-12-31T11:51:38.963-08:00

If you had told me in December of 2002, or even 2005, just how far I'd come in a few years with regards to my understanding of diet and health, I might not have believed you. I definitely wouldn't have believed you if you told me I'd be trying to live without cheese. Even in 2005, when I was contemplating the possibilities of a vegetarian life, I never expected to learn how to make my own

Lirahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02756960271981306828noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14011009.post-21265019970833655912009-12-18T18:25:00.000-08:002009-12-18T18:28:42.241-08:00

After giving soooo many explanations about my food-life over the past three years, I completely get this comic strip.SinFest: Satan Clause 5

Lirahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02756960271981306828noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14011009.post-52350868914112484022009-11-16T22:14:00.000-08:002009-11-16T22:17:51.308-08:00

To stay on schedule, I must write 5,000 words tomorrow and 3,000 words the day after that. Shall I abuse caffeine, chocolate, or doom metal to get me through the gauntlet?Choices, choices.

Lirahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02756960271981306828noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14011009.post-89578453844000610652009-11-10T21:28:00.000-08:002009-11-10T21:34:31.156-08:00

Amazingly so, actually. I've worked on the NaNo writing 9 days out of 10 so far. I've put in a total of 24 hours and 45 minutes of actual writing time, at an average rate of 13 words per minute.Yeah, I've always been a slow writer, but I think I'm getting better. Also, this year, while I do get tired, I'm not running out of story steam. If I follow the butt-in-chair principle, the words flow down

Lirahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02756960271981306828noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14011009.post-59834681928516219802009-11-01T22:00:00.001-08:002009-11-01T22:07:14.762-08:00

Yuppers. It's NaNoWriMo time. I. Am. Going. To. Finish. This. Story. This. Year.Thus far, I average 15 words a minute, and 900 words an hour. This is quite an improvement for me. In college, I wrote 250-300 words per hour. Last year, I was up to about 500 words per hour, 600 on a good day. Guess all my writing practice over the past few months has paid off.We're doing a lot of traveling this

Lirahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02756960271981306828noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14011009.post-28209881556667265432009-10-02T09:23:00.000-07:002009-10-02T09:36:59.583-07:00

The Switching Hour: Kids of Divorce Say Good-Bye Again, Evon O. Flesberg **god is not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything, Christopher Hitchens ***Confessor, Terry Goodkind ***The Inferno of Dante, Dante Aligheri, Robert Pinsky, trans. ***Maximum Ride: The Angel Experiment, James Patterson ***Carrie, Stephen King ***Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Roald Dahl ***Charlie and the Great Glass

Lirahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02756960271981306828noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14011009.post-42689247383223923522009-09-07T15:38:00.000-07:002009-09-07T15:42:12.282-07:00

This final post based upon the things discussed at the February conference is more of a collection of general insights and questions gleaned from the conference overall, than anything else. Love is such a large concept. I think most of the attendees took home some ideas about Christian love to try out, or to inspire their current works. We uncovered no definitive Philosophy of Love, but rather a

Lirahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02756960271981306828noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14011009.post-39958711715970420952009-08-11T20:54:00.000-07:002009-08-11T21:16:00.584-07:00

I moved into my own apartment when I was 19. I was a new Christian, an AmeriCorps volunteer on a stipend, and terrified of life in general (including and especially people in general). One of the things I did to encourage myself during this time was to keep a "List o' Lessons Learned" during each month tacked up on my front door.I'm kind of moving into a new place in my life, and it's all scary

Lirahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02756960271981306828noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14011009.post-24981964491269967462009-07-09T19:21:00.000-07:002009-08-11T21:23:24.802-07:00

We see holiness in love operational in Christ.Holiness is God's ungraspability (1 Tim. 6:11-16). In us, holiness is our ungraspability - the wisdom of the world versus the foolishness of God (and God's people). We live according to a different ethic and are both appealing and inscrutable to those who see the love we live but do not join in the fun themselves.This holiness/ungraspability is

Lirahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02756960271981306828noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14011009.post-65810265958971437122009-07-03T18:25:00.000-07:002009-07-03T18:26:13.766-07:00

Churches should be full of neighbors. Sometimes, however, they aren't even full of Christians. This is why it is vital that we don't turn ecclesiology into corporation. The church is the community of God, the body of Christ, bound together through love for and from Christ and empowered for lives of love together by the Holy Spirit. The human experience of God is about love for the other; this is

Lirahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02756960271981306828noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14011009.post-53398560271039378872009-07-01T09:25:00.000-07:002009-07-01T09:37:19.367-07:00

Waaaay back in February, I returned to my alma mater to attend a Wesley Center conference on the topic of "Christian Love: Theory and Practice". Much of what the group considered can be loosely gathered into four categories. The first subtopic of the Christian Love discussion is Christlikeness. For love (or anything else!) to have a distinctly Christian flavor, it must be derived somehow from the

Lirahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02756960271981306828noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14011009.post-56077420934552580922009-06-29T12:39:00.000-07:002009-06-29T12:43:32.513-07:00

Naked Empire, Terry Goodkind ***Writing Brave and Free: Encouraging Words for People Who Want to Start Writing, Ted Kooser & Steve Cox ****The Chalk Box Kid, Clyde Robert Bulla *****Vampires Don't Wear Polka Dots, Debbie Dadey and Marcia Thornton Jones **Bunnicula: A Rabbit-Tale of Mystery, Deborah and James Howe ***Magic Terror, Peter Straub ****The Fairy Rebel, Lynne Reid Banks ****The Mermaid

Lirahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02756960271981306828noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14011009.post-43232434575073481742009-06-05T10:58:00.000-07:002009-06-05T11:05:25.094-07:00

If you haven't seen this, do. Or read the transcript: REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT ON A NEW BEGINNING, Cairo, EgyptI'm impressed by how President Obama can strike a course that is both progressive and middle-of-the-road at the same time. Considering where we've been (collectively, as a global race) and where we could (or should!) go, this is indeed a new beginning.

Lirahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02756960271981306828noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14011009.post-43287257453388402932009-04-24T11:05:00.000-07:002009-07-01T09:45:50.304-07:00

Um. 1) Fascism was what we were leaning toward under President Bush. No one cared. The media in particular did not care. They were busy sounding the war trumpets while minimizing coverage of government attacks on civil liberties and human rights.2) Average Joe and Joelle Schmoe American can't actually define "socialism" and "fascism" other than to say "eek, bad, evil, Hitler Hitler, Stalin Stalin

Lirahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02756960271981306828noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14011009.post-20607999874731651122009-04-23T12:29:00.000-07:002009-04-23T12:32:44.890-07:00

I finished this great book (Writing Brave and Free). In this book there's a couple paragraphs about the Dialectical Process.I have no idea how I made it through gifted and talented grade school classes, high school, and for heaven's sake college without ever hearing this term before. Kooser & Cox explained it all so simply. Click! I grokked it at last!The process: 1) thesis ("this is true"); 2)

Lirahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02756960271981306828noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14011009.post-87687400865621807722009-04-13T08:56:00.000-07:002009-04-13T09:01:39.947-07:00

I am now a (ahem) Living Light Culinary Arts Institute Associate Chef and Instructor.I play with my food!Last July, I took my introductory courses and this year, from March 30 to April 10, I worked very hard to complete the Associate Chef level training. What a wild couple weeks. We had 8-10 hour days and we practiced knife skills, used blenders and processors and dehydrators, made oodles of

Lirahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02756960271981306828noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14011009.post-25722887817700611482009-04-12T21:09:00.000-07:002009-04-13T09:15:35.527-07:00

Temple of the Winds, Terry Goodkind ****The Odyssey, Homer, George Herbert Palmer, trans. ***The Diary of Ellen Rimbauer: My Life at Rose Red, Edited by Joyce Readon, Ph.D. with an Afterword by Steven Rimbauer, Ridley Pearson ***Soul of the Fire, Terry Goodkind **The Suffering of God: An Old Testament Perspective, Terence E. Fretheim *****The Beginning Place, Ursula K. Le Guin *****Vampire Hunter

Lirahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02756960271981306828noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14011009.post-76824698746867893662009-03-20T10:45:00.000-07:002009-03-20T10:57:06.769-07:00

Well, we've been here a year.Our household is reduced in size by many boxes of junk, four cords of wood, and one dear little cat.We've gained a washer and dryer, a dishwasher on wheels, a nearly new Subaru, a shape-changing sofa, hoards of books, and more Sims expansions than I know what to do with yet.My writing has been published in a few online venues and one physical anthology, and I've taken

Lirahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02756960271981306828noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14011009.post-76914682957974268862009-03-09T13:07:00.000-07:002009-03-09T13:15:14.996-07:00

ARIS released its latest survey results today, regarding the religious--and non-religious--nature of American people.I confess, the statistics interest me. I further confess that the decline of American Christianity as normative pleases me. I am also pleased that I finally feel free to express this personal gut-level response. Why is a post-Christian USA a good thing?Because:"Absolute faith

Lirahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02756960271981306828noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14011009.post-84542663052359316222009-02-15T17:35:00.000-08:002009-03-11T17:40:46.577-07:00

My conference was awesome. It will take me time to get my notes in order, but once I do, I'll post the interesting stuff I learned. For now, writing projects and housekeeping calleth.

Lirahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02756960271981306828noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14011009.post-16760398036214479992009-01-20T18:37:00.000-08:002009-01-20T19:01:44.521-08:00

Part 1:Part 2:Via 'Obama's Speech'The one thing that really rankled was President Obama's omission, in his description of our country's history, of the plight of indigenous peoples while "the risk-takers, the doers, the makers of things" up and "settled the West."I am, however, pleased that he named as our foundational values: "honesty and hard work, courage and fair play, tolerance and curiosity

Lirahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02756960271981306828noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14011009.post-9345445461239649992009-01-18T21:32:00.000-08:002009-01-18T21:44:06.248-08:00

Starship Troopers, Robert A. Heinlein ****How to Shit in the Woods: An Environmentally Sound Approach to a Lost Art, 2nd Edition Revised, Kathleen Meyer ***Wizard's First Rule, Terry Goodkind ***The Klamath Knot, David Rains Wallace ***Belladonna, Anne Bishop ***Not Exactly Normal, Devin Brown ***Innocent Traitor: A Novel of Lady Jane Grey, Alison Weir ***Infidel, Ayaan Hirsi Ali ****And Eternity

Lirahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02756960271981306828noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14011009.post-80560152622904111742009-01-18T21:30:00.000-08:002009-01-18T21:31:48.453-08:00

By dark, I mean, electrical lightlessness. Yup. We lost electrical service on December 17th. It was only supposed to be for a couple days, while our landlord did some work on the cabin to bring the place up to snuff for inspectors.Then it was a week. Then it was only another couple days. Then it was another week.We didn't get our power turned back on until January 5th. Uh huh: the cabin was off

Lirahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02756960271981306828noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14011009.post-26693087458984752042008-12-13T13:50:00.000-08:002008-12-13T13:59:38.465-08:00

So, if The Lord of the Rings was a D&D campaign, how might it go? My husband dug up a gem of a webcomic the other day and I nearly died laughing at some of the pages. The fact that the author, Shamus Young, makes fun of the recent films is the icing on the cake. In some cases, he absolutely pegs the stupidity of the film makers as opposed to the actual works of Tolkien.Yeah, I'm a Tolkien purist,

Lirahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02756960271981306828noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14011009.post-29693958136060888112008-11-17T21:55:00.000-08:002008-11-17T21:56:27.093-08:00

I hit 20,000 words today on the NaNo writing.I have spent a total of 30 hours since November 1st writing these 20K words. I have an estimated 44 more hours to go. I have 13 days left.I have never put this many words together in a single narrative.Is it stupid to say, "I am in awe"? Really, I wasn't sure--I was not sure--I could do this. Now the proof lies before my eyes, 42 pages in OpenOffice. I

Lirahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02756960271981306828noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14011009.post-86056523482640539742008-11-04T09:35:00.001-08:002008-11-04T10:08:39.904-08:00

Fall has been spectacular here. The whole forest lit up with a zillion colors and we had a warm spell before Halloween that encouraged me to go out and play in the golden light. Two shots of home: the road into our little woodland haven, and the cabin itself.I've got more fall photos in my DeviantArt gallery. Feel free to have a look.It is November. Which means it's NaNoWriMo time again. Once

Lirahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02756960271981306828noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14011009.post-45265811894213651382008-10-17T11:08:00.000-07:002008-10-17T11:11:05.131-07:00

Spent a couple weeks visiting friends and family back in Idaho. It's kinda funny to see Boise/Nampa/Caldwell again after seven months in the woods. Boise claims to be the "City of Trees." The Les Bois! Les Bois! legend aside, I have concluded that Boise does not have trees. Boise has landscaping. There's a big difference. Mom and I ended up watching the entire-as-it-now-stands Harry Potter saga

Lirahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02756960271981306828noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14011009.post-46866033058825471122008-09-23T10:52:00.000-07:002008-09-23T10:56:52.506-07:00

Moon Dance, S. P. Somtow * (story concept gets ** but the book sucked)The Cat Who Walks Through Walls, Robert A. Heinlein ***Faeries of Dreamdark: Blackbringer, Laini Taylor ****The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, Sherman Alexie *****The China Study: The Most Comprehensive Study of Nutrition Ever Conducted and the Startling Implications for Diet, Weight Loss and Long-Term Health, T.

Lirahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02756960271981306828noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14011009.post-33638100117923760352008-09-14T23:36:00.000-07:002008-09-14T23:38:22.512-07:00

Oh, this is soooooo spot on.Evil, Inc. - My Politician

Lirahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02756960271981306828noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14011009.post-57151522707653957812008-09-12T10:57:00.000-07:002008-09-12T10:58:04.896-07:00

[Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince spoiler alert. If, like me, you are one of those rare creatures who hasn't read the book and are eagerly awaiting the film, you might not want to read my little rant. It's not so different from others out on the web and it talks about my unintentional discovery of the sixth book's conclusion. Fair warning.]So it appears that the sixth Harry Potter film

Lirahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02756960271981306828noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14011009.post-71316127437624881332008-09-05T10:46:00.000-07:002008-09-05T10:51:53.662-07:00

So what is a Mischievous Christian? Well, firstly, it's a phrase I created to describe myself because people (especially Christians, I've noticed) always get uncomfortable and a little cranky when they can't attach a label to me. In introducing myself to others, I invariably meet Christians who want to know if I'm (a) Christian, (b) really a Christian, (c) a

Lirahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02756960271981306828noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14011009.post-31502190420570123122008-08-31T10:55:00.000-07:002008-08-31T10:58:45.108-07:00

Admittedly, I was born somewhat south-er of where I currently reside, and I spent over twenty years growing up in Idaho, but I was still born in California. Which makes this little map funny to me. Thought I'd post it while the jibe at the current White House occupant is still accurate. Click the image below to see the map key and explanation on etherfarm.

Lirahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02756960271981306828noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14011009.post-21174621868162922382008-08-28T08:55:00.000-07:002008-08-28T08:55:56.835-07:00

Well, I'm still a twenty-something, but this second decade of mine is waning. The season, too, is slipping away. The days are cooling and the nights are chilling, and the nights are definitely longer than the days. This country is pretty serious about moving on from summer. After the infernal Augusts I've known in Idaho, this is a welcome change of pace.Had a very happy birthday indeed! We went

Lirahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02756960271981306828noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14011009.post-60477132337740689812008-08-07T22:38:00.000-07:002008-08-07T22:40:22.242-07:00

Thought I'd put up some pictures from my Living Light experience in July. Wow, that was such a great session. I'll definitely be going back, but probably not until next year. As in the spring. When the passes are open and the fires have yet to spark.I took three classes at the Living Light Culinary Institute: FUNdamentals, Essentials, and Science of Raw Food Nutrition. Good stuff to know, let me

Lirahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02756960271981306828noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14011009.post-65068808246455006382008-07-20T10:21:00.000-07:002008-12-10T09:21:01.791-08:00

Yesterday morning, my husband had his first major motorcycle crash. He was on his way to the Karuk Tribal Reunion, where he and the IT department were slated to run the burger booth. He admits he was distracted by plans for the day ahead and so he was unprepared for a particular sharp curve in the road. He ended up in the ditch.It could've been a lot worse. As a friend put it, the roads around

Lirahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02756960271981306828noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14011009.post-89479138317986279422008-07-12T20:29:00.001-07:002008-07-12T21:42:38.639-07:00

So my latest silence is due to the fact that I'm currently in Fort Bragg taking culinary arts courses at the Living Light Culinary Arts Institute. That's right. Raw food chefiness. And I'm having a blast.I desperately wanted to know how to eat more whole foods because my repertoire was rather lacking in matters of utter vegetation. And wow, do I know how to make yummy stuff now! Pies, wraps,

Lirahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02756960271981306828noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14011009.post-82896392750951791802008-06-28T07:55:00.003-07:002008-06-28T11:00:46.130-07:00

Forever Knight was a TV series in the early '90s (1989-1996) that originally caught my attention in the middle of it's third (and final) season. I was in high school at the time. Premise: He was brought across in 1228. Preyed on humans for their blood. Now he wants to be mortal again. To repay society for his sins. To emerge from his world of darkness. From his endless, forever night.The "He" to

Lirahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02756960271981306828noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14011009.post-4891257360470308052008-06-27T11:23:00.000-07:002008-06-27T12:23:59.378-07:00

Fire season is underway and the price of gas in town is over $5 a gallon.Yup.Last weekend's little storm sparked us some flames. Approximately 2,000 acres are burning and there are over 500 firefighters and 1 helicopter at work right now. They only had 10% containment as of yesterday. Interested parties may find regular updates on fire conditions at the Klamath National Forest Newsroom page.On a

Lirahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02756960271981306828noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14011009.post-69823454093540633482008-06-20T18:22:00.000-07:002008-09-23T10:57:12.594-07:00

Snow Crash, Neal Stephenson *****Leaving Church: A Memoir of Faith, Barbara Brown Taylor **Beast, Donna Jo Napoli ****From a Buick 8, Stephen King ***I Feel Earthquakes More Often Than They Happen: Coming to California in the Age of Schwarzenegger, Amy Wilentz ***For the Time Being, Annie Dillard ****The Greatest Story Ever Sold: The Decline and Fall of Truth from 9/11 to Katrina, Frank Rich ***

Lirahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02756960271981306828noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14011009.post-8269540169540044892008-06-18T21:40:00.006-07:002008-12-10T09:21:02.004-08:00

Good-bye, dear friend. It was a good life and I am honored to have shared it with you. You were my very best birthday present. I will remember you always. Love you, little one. Sleep well.

Lirahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02756960271981306828noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14011009.post-59162984839959519892008-05-19T10:10:00.001-07:002008-05-19T11:24:08.639-07:00

People are too enamored of what they believe to be absolutes. It is either exegesis or it is lectio divina. It is either a black man or it is a white man. It is an animal, it is a mineral, or it is a vegetable. It is of God or it is of "the world" (whatever that means); or, for the dualists, who are shockingly abundant in Christian congregations, it is either God or it is Satan. Things are more

Lirahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02756960271981306828noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14011009.post-55235565215412583272008-05-16T00:59:00.000-07:002008-05-16T02:00:22.711-07:00

I caught the local bug from the landlord's wife when I paid rent this month. Got a little sick. Better now. Netflix and my sleepy little foot-warmer of a cat got me through the days in bed. But now I'm up and around again, enduring the record high temperatures and grateful that the difference between 96° in Canyon County and 96° in Siskiyou County is that here it actually cools off at night.Yeah,

Lirahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02756960271981306828noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14011009.post-83835551545543085612008-05-06T09:33:00.001-07:002008-05-06T10:47:43.820-07:00

I found a nifty water footprint poster at the Virtual Water Project's website this morning. If you visit the site, be sure to scroll down to the "click and drag to pan graphic" so you can see both sides of the poster. This is fascinating data, and, for me at least, a compelling argument for a vegetarian diet from an environmental standpoint. It takes a lot of water just to produce various foods,

Lirahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02756960271981306828noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14011009.post-41300190432772631182008-05-05T11:50:00.002-07:002008-05-05T12:54:06.964-07:00

I came across The old error of 'A New Earth' today as I was perusing my news sources. It's an article about a new book and online workshop on contemporary pop-spiritual thought."It appeals to many disaffected believers, because it claims to liberate us from old, ideological, 'I am right; you are wrong' religious beliefs. It offers a new spirituality that supposedly lies at the hidden center of

Lirahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02756960271981306828noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14011009.post-40888160175897672782008-05-02T08:42:00.000-07:002008-05-02T09:55:43.167-07:00

I love both the book and the movie...and the substance at the heart of both. My final senior theology project consisted of an exploration of spirituality and theology in Chocolat (comparing, contrasting, and combining both the film and the novel versions). I've seen the movie several times. And now: Chocolat Author Returns with a Dark Confection. I can't wait to read The Girl with No Shadow,

Lirahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02756960271981306828noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14011009.post-12960877738959786432008-05-01T01:24:00.004-07:002008-08-20T14:53:32.053-07:00

The Heroine's Journey: Woman's Quest for Wholeness, Maureen Murdock ****The Occult and the Supernatural, Mildred Bangs Wynkoop * (last chapter **)Being Peace, Thich Nhat Hanh *****Thor, Wayne Smith ****Cell, Stephen King ***Night Flying, Rita Murphy ***Listening for God through Revelation: Lectio Divina Bible Studies, George Lyons *****Daughter of the Blood, Anne Bishop ***Heir to the Shadows,

Lirahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02756960271981306828noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14011009.post-51164844313168817822008-04-30T22:47:00.000-07:002008-05-01T01:20:30.203-07:00

You know, sometimes there are things a body picks up along the way: information, habits, experiences. And it turns out that these things are incredibly undesirable, horribly antithetical to the smooth operation of one's life. For me one such thing is the survival strategy that is deeply ingrained in most Religion majors at NNU. I suspect this strategy is adopted by most students entrenched in the

Lirahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02756960271981306828noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14011009.post-62109855979095997542008-04-29T11:56:00.005-07:002008-12-10T09:21:03.170-08:00

For you die-hards out there who keep checking the Unknown Island in spite of the lack of new posts: thanks! And, wow; you've got persistence going for you at the very least. Anyway. I'm still lovin' the cabin. The unpacking goes slowly, but then that's a chronic problem for me. Sometimes it takes me a month just to unpack my suitcase after a trip, let alone a large pile of moving boxes. I think

Lirahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02756960271981306828noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14011009.post-32108442554388047032008-03-31T22:05:00.000-07:002008-03-31T11:10:21.787-07:00

This now, considered along with Earth: The Sequel is even more of a positive statement. Can you tell I'm into the celebration of many facets of solutions rather than one "hot topic" of the conversation? But it still disturbs me to know that profit is the only motivator for so much of our societal workings; from government, to industry, to corporate interests.

Lirahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02756960271981306828noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14011009.post-13814583976752868332008-03-31T08:02:00.001-07:002008-03-31T09:07:40.430-07:00

Amazon - Earth: The Sequel: The Race to Reinvent Energy and Stop Global WarmingWell, it's the first trailer for a book that I've ever seen. Heh. Three thoughts on this puppy. First, it's about time someone published a positive message in a wide-reaching format regarding global warming, energy production, and eco-friendlier technologies. The media in general have gotten way too much profit from

Lirahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02756960271981306828noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14011009.post-79303472279633704962008-03-21T19:20:00.001-07:002008-03-21T20:30:36.083-07:00

Well...we can get to online computers at the community computer center in town, but we aren't wired at home yet. I just think it's cool that we can get DSL in the literal sticks. We're supposed to get our modem by early April (grk! Lira offline for soooo long!). Then I can play with my poor neglected blogs 'n stuff again. :)But internetish things aside: We made it! Ecaep has successfully

Lirahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02756960271981306828noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14011009.post-49779766860487264402008-02-26T20:57:00.004-08:002008-03-21T20:12:16.393-07:00

The smell.The Caldwell-Nampa smell.If you have never experienced the local aroma: count your blessings.If you know what I'm talking about, well, not much else to say, eh?

Lirahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02756960271981306828noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14011009.post-4903844669497495432008-02-24T17:13:00.001-08:002008-12-10T09:21:03.521-08:00

To confirm substantiated as well as unsubstantiated rumors regarding Lira 'n Ecaep: yes, we are moving. Ecaep has been hired by the Karuk Tribe of California and we are moving to northern California in early March. Yeah, like the month that is arriving in a couple weeks early March.We are leaving Idaho and our apartment livin' behind to go live 70 miles deep into the woods. Lira is thrilled. See

Lirahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02756960271981306828noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14011009.post-43241392501131653482008-02-13T18:39:00.005-08:002008-02-13T18:57:40.497-08:00

I dunno. It just made me feel good to see "Everything's On Sale" on Sinfest. It kinda goes with the playlist I made today for my new Care2 page:Music To Inspire Devious Plots Against The EstablishmentHeh. Heh. Many thanks to K.A.M. for the bloggerly introduction to playlist.com . And while I'm at it, I should also thank the Nomad for introducing me to Johnny Cash in the first place (see...erm

Lirahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02756960271981306828noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14011009.post-5650329181518047202008-02-02T19:42:00.000-08:002008-02-02T19:44:05.821-08:00

I can't eat it anymore. I still like the stuff (although not as much as I used to), but I don't digest it well anymore. All this dairy-limited veggie-munching seems to have altered my digestive system's dietary preferences, not to mention my taste buds'. But now...NOW...I can have my UNcheese and eat it too! Hee!One of my lovely Christmas presents this year was The Ultimate Uncheese

Lirahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02756960271981306828noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14011009.post-23431670733603893572008-01-31T10:33:00.000-08:002008-01-31T10:34:53.044-08:00

Following the funereal progress of leadership transition in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, I came across this little gem today. According to the Deseret Morning News, the infamous Westboro Baptist Church intends to stage a protest at President Hinckley's funeral. Planned sign slogans accuse Hinckley of being a false prophet who led millions astray and are purported to include

Lirahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02756960271981306828noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14011009.post-752279260343073212008-01-30T13:44:00.000-08:002008-01-30T13:44:21.741-08:00

Came across a couple interesting articles about two presidents as I was perusing my net news sources today. The Good Riddance to George piece certainly sums up my own view of our current national leader's presidency. Bush is already a lame duck and we haven't even settled on the final presidential contestants--erm--candidates yet.The second president to whom I refer is the late Gordon B.

Lirahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02756960271981306828noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14011009.post-31699605536542071012008-01-20T21:13:00.000-08:002008-01-20T21:19:09.418-08:00

Bitten, Kelley Armstrong ****Wild Magic: The Immortals Book 1, Tamora Pierce ***Hell House, Richard Matheson ****I Am Legend Collection, Richard Matheson: I Am Legend **** "Buried Talents" ** "The Near Departed" *** "Prey" **** "Witch War" ** "Dance of the Dead" *** "Mad Hosue" **** "The Funeral" **** "Fromd Shadowed Placed" **** "Person to Person" ***V for Vendetta (graphic

Lirahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02756960271981306828noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14011009.post-21790165349080808412008-01-16T17:31:00.000-08:002008-01-16T17:38:31.458-08:00

Sometimes I just need a little...erm...color-flash to the past to brighten up my cold and freezy day. Rainbow Brite was my girlhood shero! She-Ra was kinda cool too, but Rainbow didn't need to pack a sword to be wonderful. She just needed to be brave, resourceful, and collect friends along the way like lightbulbs draw moths. And she made pretty colors show up wherever she went, and rode a snarky

Lirahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02756960271981306828noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14011009.post-43155371574368041532007-12-15T12:28:00.000-08:002007-12-15T12:33:30.464-08:00

I swear my cat does this. Okay. The baseball bat might be a bit much even for Squeakers Dax, but still. She is very good at opening our bedroom door to romp in at us, squawking. *loves the kitty!*

Lirahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02756960271981306828noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14011009.post-80742075464660116882007-11-18T21:07:00.000-08:002007-11-18T21:13:14.140-08:00

From the illustrative mind of the artist who brought you Blackbeard's Rugged Tampons, comes--wait for it--TA DA! Elder Clean Soap!You have to see it to believe it. *winks happily* Hell, I'd buy me some bars of this right along with those tampons.

Lirahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02756960271981306828noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14011009.post-88519694847318409132007-11-08T11:51:00.000-08:002007-11-08T12:16:09.519-08:00

You know, I've only had to work in an office setting a few times in my 12 years of paid employment. But those particular days were enough for me to discover that I would assuredly run barking mad if I was ever desperate enough to try to do cubicle time consistently. Hell, when I was in 6th grade the powers that be once appointed me to the coveted position of "office aid" (a situation reserved for

Lirahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02756960271981306828noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14011009.post-9804596303756330732007-10-26T22:24:00.000-07:002007-10-26T22:44:50.173-07:00

It's been a good week, a get back in touch with the family kind of week. I got to spend time with my sister on Thursday, which is so freaking cool I can't really explain it. She's back from the Iraq thing and now I have my sister again. We went shopping at the local mall (which is the quietest, emptiest mall I have ever been in during my 27 years of life on planet Earth) and I finally got to

Lirahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02756960271981306828noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14011009.post-67862148663299862852007-10-22T15:29:00.000-07:002007-10-22T15:43:06.994-07:00

Oh, I was reading through the Legislation and News Report archives over at The Week In Congress and came across this little gem of a paraphrase. Section 1(a) of this Executive Order is rather scary. Yeah, Executive Order 13440 leads me to remember last year's shameful debacle regarding our President and our nation's post-9/11 atmosphere of senseless-violence-against-the-evil-doers-or-those-

Lirahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02756960271981306828noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14011009.post-83441829347168942802007-10-21T19:41:00.000-07:002007-10-21T19:51:09.977-07:00

I mentioned power at the end of my last post. I think I should elaborate because power is one of those slippery subjects, especially when considering matters of theology, ecclesiology, and holiness at the same time. There is a passage in the Gospel of Matthew that relates the words that Jesus spoke to His apostles as He sent them out to tell everyone about the kingdom of God. This discourse

Lirahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02756960271981306828noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14011009.post-64428925680663457132007-10-20T16:07:00.000-07:002007-10-21T19:57:41.660-07:00

So I've reread an earlier post and now I'm asking, um, why is my "sense of self in Christ" fragile? How did it get that way? I mean it kind of started out that way when I was getting to know the Guy, but for some time I was building an identity I liked and the foundation was solid. So what happened? Let me think...Okay. When my church fired my mentor (mentor number two, to be specific, a youth

Lirahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02756960271981306828noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14011009.post-75210027185675375572007-10-18T23:32:00.000-07:002007-10-18T22:32:37.449-07:00

In school I learned to trust my professor in almost everything (God, he's a wise man! I took notes on everything he said, even when it did not directly pertain to our subject--New Testament interpretation) and I particularly trust him in matters concerning the final book of the Bible: Revelation. So I checked out a university library book from the Lectio Divina Bible Studies series: Listening for

Lirahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02756960271981306828noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14011009.post-56774192233346661582007-10-18T22:16:00.000-07:002007-10-18T22:18:22.669-07:00

In school and church, when I felt afraid, or guilty, or alienated, it was because I was failing--or refusing--to conform. I was doing the right things, but the things I preferred to do were considered with suspicion, envy, or rejection by others. Their ways comprised an Ideal that I could not or would not meet--and, alas, I began to measure myself according to the degree of approval or

Lirahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02756960271981306828noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14011009.post-67434559771328707662007-10-17T10:25:00.000-07:002007-10-18T21:44:45.570-07:00

Today I was remembering a book written by one of my university professors, Holiness in Everyday Life, and I think I've started to get a better understanding of what it means to be holy. One might belive that finishing my degree at a holiness movement denominational institution would imbue me with an adequate grasp of sanctification and holiness, but I confess I left only a little better informed

Lirahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02756960271981306828noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14011009.post-89848285956145977102007-10-13T10:16:00.000-07:002007-10-13T10:21:39.272-07:00

From The Nightmare Before Christmas, edited to feature "This is Halloween" by Panic! at the Disco.'Tis the season, dontcha know! Heeeeee!

Lirahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02756960271981306828noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14011009.post-63547761513220325612007-10-06T23:05:00.000-07:002007-10-06T23:14:01.279-07:00

Hee! Ain't this just the absolute bare-ass truth about how we're expected to live like if we're Christians in Idaho...the USA...or it is North America as a whole now? I can't believe it's not Jesus either!

Lirahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02756960271981306828noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14011009.post-40868006598011006882007-10-05T09:19:00.000-07:002007-10-05T09:36:15.374-07:00

The Princess and the Goblin, George MacDonald ****Eat This Book: A Conversation in the Art of Spiritual Reading, Eugene H. Peterson **The Language of the Night: Essays on Fantasy and Science Fiction, Ursula K. Le Guin; ed. Susan Wood ***Natural Cures "They" Don't Want You to Know About, Kevin Trudeau *Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life, Anne Lamott ****Blood and Chocolate,

Lirahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02756960271981306828noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14011009.post-69050122880044811542007-09-29T16:30:00.000-07:002007-09-29T16:38:01.156-07:00

One of many, many reasons why we can't wait to get out of Idaho:Health Experts: Require Insurance

Lirahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02756960271981306828noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14011009.post-86141431405626192912007-09-04T16:00:00.001-07:002007-09-04T16:01:11.567-07:00

THE KID IS BACK.God help us, life will be interesting again! (Heh heh.)

Lirahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02756960271981306828noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14011009.post-4588148261991688292007-08-15T10:46:00.000-07:002007-08-15T10:48:07.891-07:00

My mom sent this video my way. I cheered too! What an awesome act.

Lirahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02756960271981306828noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14011009.post-9679175510170111762007-08-08T16:09:00.000-07:002007-08-08T16:10:07.417-07:00

I know that sounds bad, but it's been a little hectic lately. Housekeeping (I'm behind again!), grading online student work, implementing our family reunion, working on my myriad of projects...it all keeps a girl busy. All that's left for this month is a vet visit for my kitty, running child care for my alma mater's annual faculty retreat, and then my birthday. Somewhere in there, I'm hoping

Lirahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02756960271981306828noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14011009.post-31433058953846252672007-07-04T11:39:00.000-07:002007-07-04T11:49:00.222-07:00

I am currently reading a collection of Le Guin's essays on Fantasy and Science Fiction as a restorative, having just suffered Peterson's Eat This Book during the weekend. Yes—suffered—because ordinarily I enjoy Peterson's work in my wary-of-all-things-Evangelicalesque way, but this latest text offended my long-term devotion to the fantastic when Peterson put “horror stories” in the same “escapist

Lirahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02756960271981306828noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14011009.post-46774589256507970082007-06-29T13:52:00.000-07:002007-06-29T13:52:44.350-07:00

That's right! My little anecdote about the end-of-the-year faculty dinner is now the subject of a Totally Not Vegan strip. Life is so good. Hee!Ecaep and I savored our little anniversary vacation to Seattle, a couple weeks ago now--married five years and still madly in love! We met with old friends and made new ones. We saw Westside Story on stage and rented The Illusionist on DVD. We also

Lirahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02756960271981306828noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14011009.post-45881027437390810952007-06-29T13:11:00.000-07:002007-06-29T13:11:50.392-07:00

Algernon BlackwoodRay BradburyEmily DickinsonAnnie DillardRobert A. HeinleinBarbara KingsolverAnne LamottUrsula K. Le GuinC. S. LewisH. P. LovecraftGeorge MacDonaldJoyce Carol OatesJ. R. R. Tolkien

Lirahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02756960271981306828noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14011009.post-67570299550648479952007-06-29T12:48:00.000-07:002007-10-05T09:18:46.161-07:00

"The Black Bag Left on a Doorstep," Catherine Louisa Pirkis **"For the Blood is the Life," F. Marion Crawford **"The Body Snatcher," Robert Louise Stevenson **Meat Market, Erik Marcus ****"The Prisoner in the Caucasus," Lev Tolstory ***"The Canterville Ghost," Oscar Wilde ***"A Princess's Vengeance," Catherine Louisa Pirkis **The Haunted and the Haunters, Lord Lytton ***"A Historical View of

Lirahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02756960271981306828noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14011009.post-89195548933144383212007-05-29T22:12:00.000-07:002008-12-10T09:21:04.031-08:00

[Long post, but it was a long weekend...]We got back home from Portland late last night after our marvelously refreshing weekend away. Convergence 13 was scrumptious! I don't think I've had so much fun since my wedding day (5 years ago now). We left last Thursday, driving to my husband's parents' place and spent the night in eastern Oregon, then finished the drive on Friday. We picked up our

Lirahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02756960271981306828noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14011009.post-32389293995467075002007-05-07T09:23:00.000-07:002007-05-07T09:25:57.797-07:00

So I've spent some time prodding the internet for interesting videos and articles--again--this time regarding the process of bringing food from its sources to our shopping centers. I highly recommend viewing the two videos posted below. They are the two-part documentary "Supermarket Secrets" from the UK's Channel 4 Dispatches program. While these videos examine the UK situation, they are

Lirahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02756960271981306828noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14011009.post-54854184471614317772007-04-29T19:35:00.000-07:002007-04-29T19:37:25.935-07:00

Eudaimonia posted a beautiful description of contemplative life recently, a piece written by Sister Mary of the Trinity, O.P. You will have to visit Eudaimonia's blog for her further explanation of how this statement has influenced her mind and heart (and the lives of others, it seems). All the same, An Explanation of Cloistered Contemplative Life is something I would also like to pass along to

Lirahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02756960271981306828noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14011009.post-25914810525797623472007-04-24T08:28:00.000-07:002007-04-24T08:29:36.283-07:00

Perhaps an uncommercial speaks a thousand words...

Lirahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02756960271981306828noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14011009.post-38990186638597058472007-04-23T23:04:00.000-07:002007-04-23T23:06:37.461-07:00

This is my cat.

Lirahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02756960271981306828noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14011009.post-37360746845679061482007-04-23T12:03:00.000-07:002007-04-23T23:06:49.066-07:00

Yeah, I ate an Amy's Roasted Vegetable Pizza tonight for dinner. It was very tasty with my homemade garlic and olive oil dipping sauce, but now I'm in the mood for cheese. Again. Then I went and read the Vegan Lunch Box crew's response to the Follow Your Heart cheeses that I buy whenever I make my monthly Boise Co-Op restock trip. I realized that, yes, I don't eat the stuff unmelted because

Lirahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02756960271981306828noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14011009.post-38343717512327294322007-03-31T21:02:00.000-07:002007-04-23T21:12:07.415-07:00

My response to the film in three words: I was not impressed.I suppose, for some people, a film like this might help them to realize that environmental concerns are worth everyone's attention. Also, the message is tailored to be attractive to middle class American viewers who ordinarily live in their own little gated-community bubbles. So maybe it's a good thing to tell such folks that they need

Lirahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02756960271981306828noreply@blogger.com0