Ugh last post was lame; something more fun! DVD's I'd like to have

Not too far in to graduate school I realized that watching television shows on DVD's was highly rewarding aka marathon tv is a great break from 20-page papers. AND who wants to wait a week to see an episode. Watch a show that's already released on DVD and you're golden--instant gratification.

So, DVD's I'd like to have to enable to watch massive marathon tv:

1) all of House. I started watching this show on DVD and I regret not getting totally caught up.... and it's just so fun to see House be right over and over again.

2) How I Met Your Mother. I saw one episode of this show and LOVE IT. Would love to see it all.

3) Friends. Yes I know it's old, and a lot of you out there hate it I'm sure. I used to until my dear roommates watched it all the time, and I tried it out. Now all I have to think is "My Sandwich!" and my mood is lifted.

4) Get Smart. The old show. Love it so much, especially the (movie length?) one where they get engaged with the piece of the microphone.

5) The Simpsons.

6) NCIS. Because 3 times a day is not enough.

7) Perfect Strangers. Because I loved that show and I am curious why.

8) Golden Girls.

9) Arrested Development.

10) Law and Order. All of the 8 million seasons, all spin-offs. Makes my life's challenges look insignificant, or at least less violent or crime-ridden. And it's nice to know that some things stay the same, and procedural drama is, well, procedural.

11) Glee. Yes I am on the bandwagon. And it's the best wagon ever.

12) Entourage. Watched first half of season 1 and loved it, but then I never got the rest from the library ha.

13) True Blood to see what it's all about.

14) Deadwood b/c my sister talks about it and I'm curious. At least I think it's Deadwood.

15) Dr. Who. All of it.

16) Smurf cartoons.

17) Alf. Just kidding I am so scared of Alf.

Anyone, anyone?

Poetry Ebb-tide

I realize now that I am a serious ebb tide for poetry in my life--both reading and writing. I probably couldn't care less about manufacturing poetry (which is what it feels like to me at times), and I decided it was ok that I'm not sad about that.

Maybe my life is the poem now. (ack, I know, cheesy/mushy/dreamy. That sentence makes my own skin crawl ha.)

But I keep having more and more ideas for creative projects, and I'm loving just being and not "trying." I have lots of ideas for paintings, for example. But I'm giving it time.

What do I do, then? Not much, but I try to catch at tv show or two a day. How I Met Your Mother is amazing! Saw it for the first time the other night. And Glee--crazy/delightful.

I don't really sit down much, so maybe the lull in creative activities is not bad. My hobby is resting.

So if my life is a fallow field, and somehow I am in my winter, then spring is somewhere around the corner, though I do like the cold.

IN HONOR--Twilight Saga and New Moon

IN HONOR--Twilight Saga and New Moon
In honor of the movie version of New Moon--whose trailer honestly does not excite me much, rather cringe-worthy actually--I would like say a short couple of things.

1) The soundtrack to New Moon is fantastic and I have only spent 20 minutes listening to it.

2) which reminds me why I even care: the genius of the Twilight Saga is that recreates the intense emotional world of adolescence--which in turn is a key to understanding life. Teenagers are feeling deeply emotions that they have never know--kind of like Joe/Death in Meet Joe Black, which I have actually never seen but I get the idea of all his "firsts." Reading Twilight and the rest brought me back to the highly emotive place I was ten years ago when heartbreak was something new to me, when losing love really meant losing a large part of myself.

Stephenie Meyer's fairytale is not necessarily an example of the art of English-language literature, but it is a testament to the universal language of emotion and the heart: love. Love that doesn't care about religion, race, social ideals, etc.--love that reminds me a lot of God's own.

New TV of the season

Ok, everyone. I have been watching a bit of tv since moving back to Mississippi--without a channel changer (remote)! That aspect alone should show my dedication to engaging the art/media of television. But if that doesn't, here's a bit of a hurrah I'd like to throw out there for some shows I've been watching.

1) NCIS--I LOVE this show. Tony is really growing on me, and I can't wait for him to get together with Ziva. Gibbs continues to be both amazing/annoying; his sniper shot in the first episode pretty much made the series for me. And it makes me laugh--crime and laughter together--God does love me. And Abby--just wonderful. I love her. According to one facebook quiz I am her.

2) NCIS II/: LOS ANGELES--I love shows with rappers (L and O SVU) but this one is not quite panning out for me. I will give it another shot but I think that this one will go by the wayside.

3) HOUSE!!!!!!!!!!! I LOVE IT!!!!!!!!!! Can't say more. The whole time I've watched it I get annoyed when anyone tries to make House nicer or attempts to fix him. I love him claiming his new direction in his own snarky way. Seems like he doesn't want to be an addict. Good for him. Let's see how long the resolution holds, huh?

4) GLEE--Amazing. I missed a could but the laugh/wow factor is just fantastic. And the awkward ridiculousness. Couldn't ask for more...and to think I was so skeptical to begin with.

5) The Office--I have abandoned the Office, I am sad to say. Maybe I will catch the past two seasons on DVD, but this is coming from a person who owns two copies of season 3 and pretty much survived on the show a couple of years back.

6) My Monkey Baby--I just can't believe this is a show. Is it more in the "Hoarders" genre" or "Kate Plus 8"? Am I supposed to be happy or horrified? Not sure. I am horrified, though.

Enough for now. What are you watching?

Impermanence

I've been thinking about things like impermanence and relinquishing, two things often linked to either Buddhist, Eastern, New Age, or self-help philosophies, aka not-so-Christian, at least by reputation. What's that got to do with me, then?

I let stress go. I let the things that go wrong go. Instead of getting mad, I just let go. What kind of things? Things I don't think are worth worrying about. For example, a little baby kid broke my necklace today. It's a very nice necklace. Do I freak out? I could. Am I sad? Not even a little bit. Why? Because I know that change happens. Things break. And I can make the unexpected change into something new and different, and maybe even better.

My broken necklace is not the end of the world. I embrace the unasked-for change because nothing besides God and our being in him that is eternal. That's all--nothing else. That's my version of impermanence. Nothing is forever. I do believe my soul, spirit, and body (at least glorified resurrection body) is forever, but not all the other stuff. I think it's this belief the rich young ruler was missing out on. He thought his stuff was really important. I know I've felt like that before.

But now I get the feeling that life is bigger. I am more than my money, credit history, job, clothes, reputation, jewelry, etc. Naked before God.

And as far as relinquishing is concerned, things about situations or people that would irk me to no end before, now I just let them go. Instead of dwelling on the annoying things a friend or acquaintance does, now I just let them go. I willfully give it up. I let God take it. And if it's really important (to God, eternity, etc.), I let God give it back to me. Then I listen to him on how to deal with it.

Another note on the rich young ruler from the Gospels. I think the people around him mostly just loved him for his money (except for his Mama, maybe). He didn't think people or God loved him without it. His social and financial assets were the only ones he was aware of. To have someone not care about the money--that was the difference. I honestly think Jesus did not really care about the money (St. Paul encourages people to use it wisely, and obviously Jesus didn't only eat miraculously). He just wanted this young guy to see what it felt like without all his crap.

Poetry and healthcare ? Possible ?

So I have been hearing many advertisements and have read many articles concerning this giant healthcare program that has recently been put before our national decision-makers. I want all people to be taken care of and have access to the medical care they each need. On that same note I am a proponent of prenventive medicine aka taking care of oneself so that one doesn't become ill, at least from preventable disease such as heart disease and obesity- related illness.

Am I getting political? No more thani already am. I am one to solve problems more on the micro level anyhow, or with seemingly strange solution. Therefore I say that people who struggle with eating problems need affordable counseling. I think that affordable mental health care would solve many of the problems that abound. What if an internist couldn (or would) prescribe therapy with exercise? Why are people making bad health choices? Anyway, people could then be steered toward healthy ways of coping and healing. Instead most therapy sessions are out of reach for those without insurance or whose provider is not geared towrad including mental or holistic wellness. For me the problem is all about perspective. Why are people sick? What is the real problem? This reasoning is mostly out of my own experience with my own health.

Also if people read a lot more fun poetry, went on more walks, trained more puppies, and cooked more of their own food people would be a lot better off. And then medicine (the drug kind) can fit in with a general plan of wellness. Not that most md's have time to think about all this, but it be ideal. At least for me.

I advocate more good, clean fun! Maybe I should make a PSA.

Back in Business!

What a summer!

I would like to say that Burn Notice is an excellent show. Michael Westen is amazing and Fiona...let's just say that wild hearts still can't be broken.

I now am the proud adoptive parent of a German Mastiff puppy named Belle. That really means she's a Great Dane but that's more or less a misnomer. She's fabulous.

I am working full time. Good times.

I just identified my favorite brand of handmade designer shoes: Magrit from Spain. I have 3.5" heels from them that actually don't hurt my feet. And everyone loves them, including me.

My sister is a fantastic poet. I think we might write books together.

Sarah Dessen is a good read.