My Brightest Diamond - The Gentlest Gentleman [Live]

     Inspiration at it's finest. A friend of mine by the name of Hillary Barthe sent this song to me in an e-mail earlier this week. I have listened to the track about 20 times since I first opened the message. The flawless, soothing, and simply charming melodies and lyrics by singer songwriter Shara Borden--- have jumped to second place on my current favorite female vocalist list. Leslie Feist (my song of choice), has taken up residence in first for about three or four years now. Just below Shara is Carla Bruni (my song of choice), in third. If you are in the mood to be dazed and dazzled, give each of them a listen! There are many truly great male artists out there, however I don't think there is anything as lovely and delicate as the female voice. Here are some others to give a listen to:

Christiane Legrand, Beach House- Norway

Jenn Grant- Everybody Loves You

Alela Daine- The Rifle

An Artistic Interpretation

Presenting the talented, quirky, and beautiful Elizabeth Clark

Take a peak into her mind

Death Cab for Cutie - A Lack of Color

      Its interesting how switching an ipod to shuffle can instantly take you to a place you have not been for a very long time.

      Since Sunday evening, I have been listening to Death Cab for Cutie.  It came on randomly while I was driving to meet with some friends after church.  The tittle of the track that came on was Blacking Out The Friction, off of The Photo Album. In that moment, I was immediately taken back by how far I have come, ironically. 

      This specific song I've chosen to post is not of any great significance. It just suites my mood this afternoon as I sit here and study, in between spontaneous bursts of nostalgia. Lack of Color is off of the Tansatlanticism album.

      It's a good feeling, getting excited by both the future and the past all at once. I wonder if there is a word that fits that definition. A friend of mine calls it optimism... I think it's a little mix of that and something else. Either way, I am happy to be alive.

Is it not it a curious world we live in?

           Being a part of generation with infinite information available at it's finger tips, leaves me more often then not, overwhelmed. It is possible that I am the only human being that has a hard time with knowing when enough is enough.
           It is also possible that I am not, and more than one of you know the exact feeling I speak of.
Every situation is unique, but swinging open MY laptop is all-to-easy.
          As you sit there reading this, possibly alone, you are in fact in the company of millions doing that very same thing. While the possibility of them reading these words is unlikely. It IS possible.
          And even if they are not, they ARE in some way engaging themselves in this or that and the other thing...each of which can be found easily, most of which they did not actually intend on engaging themselves in.
         With an array of social networking options, you can say hello to a person without actually saying it. You can share your currant thoughts and have them immediately viewed and responded to in a manner of seconds. You can peruse the many sites, where people have chosen to both publicly display and with hold information about themselves. One has the option to respond or to not respond to inquires, greetings, & invitations. Is it not it a curious world we live in?

          While my thoughts are doing cartwheels, here as I write...I have yet to come to any real good conclusion as to what I am actually trying to say. All I know is, with the tools and resources we have available to us, I guess I'd encourage you to ask yourself..."what am I doing with them?"
          You say, "I am allowed to do anything"--but not everything is good for you. You say, "I am allowed to do anything"--but not everything is beneficial (1 Corinthian 10:23, New living translation)
           Guard your hearts, minds, and thoughts with what you let in my friends. Guard your hearts, minds, and thoughts with what you let out. With knowledge comes great responsibility.

The title of this entry is a question, so please, feel free to comment, and share your insight. If you so desire.

Ever feel like this?

Pete Yorn - For Nancy ('Cos It Already Is)

A person can not be mad at a rock for falling off a cliff: 

it has no control over where it might land.

Whether it be your head or your friends head, it will fall where it may.

Staring in the mirror and searching your own eyes for some form of an answer will turn even sanity on it's self.

A Super Short Story--"Happy Birthday Erin"

 :: I felt like writing, but did not want to get to involved::

The phone rang. It was Sunday morning and Erin was laying in bed, restless. She rolled over and glanced at the caller id, it was her mother. After the third ring she answered it, and with a raspy voice she said hello. The tone she chose was that of a strangers, she didn’t want her mother to know that she had been anticipating her call.
“Erin, did I wake you up?” her mother asked.
“No,” she replied.
“You sound sick, are you sick again Erin?”
“No mom, its just early.”
“Okay.”
There was a short silence, but it lasted long enough for Erin to become distracted by the sound of the television in the background of her mother’s line. Her mother chooses to keep the television on most of the time, its been that way since Erin was a child. It keeps her company, she says. This is something Erin has never understood, she much more prefers the silence of her apartment over the loud mixture of corporate commercials, and yesterdays news.
“Erin, I’m calling because I haven’t heard from you in over a week.”
“I know mom, I’ve been really busy with,” she paused, “stuff.”
“Stuff?”
“Yes mom, stuff.”
“Well, what kind of stuff?”
“I don’t know---I’ve just got a lot going on mom.”
“A lot going on,” her mother repeated after her.
The two of them have made a habit of saying each other’s names frequently, when addressing one another. Its a habit that Erin is not fond of, makes her feel on edge. And yet, she persists.
“You ought to come home and visit one of these weekends, we all miss you here.”
These words Erin has heard, in that exact sequence, time and time again.
“I will mom, when my load lightens up.”
Her mother sighed, “okay, Erin.”
Erin’s shoulders tensed, and then released as she forced herself to exhale. With one arm outside of her covers holding the phone to her ear, and the other under, tucked snugly at her side: she sank into her pillow.
 “I---I better get going mom, or I’ll be late for---work.”
“Okay,” her mother replied in a high pitched cat like tone.
And then, descending into a shaky whisper,
 “Happy Birthday Erin---I love you.”