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Friday, 23 October 2009

Thursday, 22 October 2009

  • Currently
    Ocean Eyes
    By Owl City
    Hello Seattle
    see related

    Childlike eyes

    I am quite taken with the music of Owl City. The name actually only refers to one person- Adam Young- but that's fine with me. The man is a genius. His lyrics reflect a boundless imagination and whimsy, yet also gently lead the listener to reconsider an object or experience. I am so glad I purchased the album- it makes even the most mundane activity (even dishwashing) feel light and easy. FYI, he collaborated on several tracks with another singer/songwriter I enjoy (Matthew Thiessen of Relient K) whose lyrical style is similar and whose sweet, catchy, witty songs are a joy. 

    So, go check it out. 'Fireflies' was the song that started it all for me, and it's eating up the charts.

    This article also made me think, because: Mr. Young titled the album "Ocean Eyes" and covered the jacket with photography of the ocean. He also uses oceanic imagery in about half of his songs and titles (in particular listen to The Bird and the Worm and see if you don't grin). Yet, he has never seen the sea himself. I'm sure that, if asked, he would know some information about it- it's blue, it's salty, it's wet, etc- but that information is limited to what he has been told or what visual reproductions he has seen.

    Sound familiar?

    I instantly thought of Heaven, our eternal home.
    A place that I have no doubt is more beautiful than any other. A place I know will feel like home more than any other. A place that sparks my imagination and causes me to wonder. A place about which, were I asked, I could relate some information, but that information would be limited to what has been revealed and verbal descriptions that have been written in the Scriptures.

    {You may have thought I was going to say God, instead. The reason I thought of Heaven and not God was because the sea is a place, so my mind connected the two, and also, God is a Being and therefore we can have a relationship with Him. This relationship is not limited by earth-bound time or place. Furthermore this relationship extends beyond the revealed and described, because we can know Him even though we cannot yet see Him. Just in case you wondered.}

    Maybe this is a jump. Maybe you just want to listen to the playful music. Maybe you hate playful music. Maybe you think I'm one of those people who mystifies everything by making it 'religious'. Maybe that's too personal.

    Or maybe you, like I, have a tangential mind that is quick to draw connections between seemingly unrelated things (emo/synth/pop and Heaven- what a pair!) and enjoys considering why I thought of one when studying the other.

    No matter how much you know second-hand about the ocean, such knowledge is small, flat, and weak compared to the first sight of a shore. The hypnotic motion of the waves, the tang of the air, the alluring thunder of the surf, the sight of its horizon, and the actual experience of wading in until you are engulfed by saltwater is so much richer and more sensual than the words on the page- or screen. Every time I visit the sea I still feel the emotional power of all that. Imagine your first experience with the ocean, if you can't remember it. It's incredible. The sheer power and life of the crashing waves puts me in awe of their Creator.

     

    Just imagine how many millions of times greater than that our first experience of Heaven will be! Not only physical beauty awaits us, but renewed bodies that will never fail, our brothers and sisters in faith who have already arrived, and the sheer glory of GOD Himself.

     

    My heart aches for it all.

     

     

     

     

Tuesday, 20 October 2009

  • Currently
    Ocean Eyes
    By Owl City
    Dental Care
    see related

    New shoes....

    I found my camera (you'll never guess where- see my comment on the last post), so I ran out and took these before getting started on the dishes. Such sacrifice for you, dears!

    First, I think I omitted sharing a photo of my favourite purchase of the summer....

    these sandal heels were $30 from Bakers Shoes and I love them!
    I treat them as a neutral in order to spice up plain dresses and trousers.
    They are beige and gold and marigold yellow, and much strappier than anything I'm used to, but SO worth it.
    I actually wore them for about 13 hours on the day of my grandparents' 50th wedding anniversary celebration and felt fine. They also looked really punchy with the cobalt dress I bought for attending this summer's weddings.

    Incidentally, these are knockoffs of a designer pair (Gwen Stefani's L.A.M.B. line), and about one-twelfth the cost. Do I feel bad about that? Mmm, NO, not really. Plenty of people subscribe to the theory that whatever item MUST be genuine to be chic. Sorry, can't afford (nor would I spend) vast sums to perk up my wardrobe.
    Shabby and cheap chic forever!

    Next are the two pairs of flats I found at Marshall's. My previously shown flats died a sudden death about 2 weeks ago, making me realize how much I depended on them for foot-friendly cuteness. These fit my criteria: cute, cheap....and shiny!



    These cost $15 (Kenneth Cole, originally $45) and are a gold brocade with a faint paisley pattern.
    They originally had gold elastic across the middle, like the ballet slippers I had when I was six, but it dug into my foot as well as making me look stumpy, so I cut them out.
    Here's a closer shot:

    Another great neutral.

    And these are my especial favourites:

    Mhm, blue sequined ballet flats! Oh-so-spangly! Love them!
    They were only $12 (!) so I had to bring them home. (They were also the only ones of this type, whereas there were several pairs of the gold ones and multiples of some pink patent ones and leopard satin ones- nice but not so me.) They're made by some company called Wanted, which I thought very apropos after clapping eyes on them!
    Like other directional materials (suede, for example), sewn seqins can be manipulated:


    There are always a few that have been scuffed to the silver side, or were sewn that way, creating a pleasant starry effect. I have even worn them to the office (business casual) with pinstriped trousers and simple blouses.

    Shoe-wise, I'm on the hunt now for some stylish boots (like Louise's). I already have Army boots and real, North-Country-worthy snow boots (not that I need them much here!). I just want a more equestrian style or heeled pair for wearing to work. Something I won't slip in, that's not chunky nor expensive, and that fits my bothersome calves.
    Oh, and not as flat soled, ideally.

    In looking at a wide variety of boots online to determine what I'm aiming for,
    I find I have a weakness for checking out pseudo-Victorian shoes like these:



    ...which are only $60- but those peep-toes are wildly impractical here in wet-winter PA.
    These ones are $50 and look like a possibility, if I am bent on buttons:



    I like the idea of taller boots, but am deeply uncertain I could pull them off. Especially with dresses.
    These beauties are $950 (because they're real equestrian boots); I do like the style though.

     


    Opinions, advice, suggestions- all welcome.

    Time to get back to the dishes!

Saturday, 17 October 2009

Friday, 16 October 2009

beautifulmonday

  • Visit beautifulmonday's Xanga Site
    • Name: Laura
    • Birthday: 3/14/1986
    • Gender: Female
    • Member Since: 11/22/2004

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