<>I like to watch him, when he is unawares. Alone, free, confident. Nobody to hurt him, judge him, confuse him. Not even me.
Run free, my son. Run free.
*
6.30.2008
RUN FREE
<><>
I like to watch him, when he is unawares. Alone, free, confident. Nobody to hurt him, judge him, confuse him. Not even me.
Run free, my son. Run free.
*
<>I like to watch him, when he is unawares. Alone, free, confident. Nobody to hurt him, judge him, confuse him. Not even me.
Run free, my son. Run free.
*
6.29.2008
CEASE and DESIST
The root for the word Sabbath, literally means cease, quit. Would you like to quit your job? Would you like a break from your daily responsibilities?
Yes, well, the Sabbath, Jesus said, 'The Sabbath was made for you...' It is a time to benefit us, His children, when we can rest in Him and be refreshed. Beware of anyone who gives you a list of "dos and don'ts" for the Sabbath. Those were the very ones Jesus was refuting in the Gospels. If you are not His child, then you will benefit from rest, too, for the God Almight made us to benefit from this time.
Enjoy what God has given you!
*
6.28.2008
Shoe Fetish
Oooh, I can't resist this one. Even though I am technically diagnosed with a Shoe Fetish, I SO need a summer bag.
I get a chance to win this hotty, if I link over to The Secret is in The Sauce. OK, well, I can do that! The SITSas are having six weeks of give-aways and this is one contest where you don't get any junkmail or annoying phone calls!
Woo-hoo!
THERE'S A DEAD FISH IN MY BATHROOM!
. . . because nobody has taught my son that his cute pet goldfish, when it dies, is G-R-O-S-S!!! His dad has let him keep it in a plastic container overnight so that Boo can "grieve."
What you don't understand yet, is that it is not a 1" little goldfish from the fair. This is about 5" from his bulgy eyes to the tip of his fantail. And now that he's been dead for over 24 hours, his blood has started leeching out of him!
AAAAAAAK! I got married so my husband can deal with dead critters - but that meant GETTING IT OUT OF THE HOUSE!!
*
What you don't understand yet, is that it is not a 1" little goldfish from the fair. This is about 5" from his bulgy eyes to the tip of his fantail. And now that he's been dead for over 24 hours, his blood has started leeching out of him!
AAAAAAAK! I got married so my husband can deal with dead critters - but that meant GETTING IT OUT OF THE HOUSE!!
*
6.27.2008
I Love Mommy
"I Love Mommy" by Lizi Boyd is one of my favorite books for Boo. I love everything about the book. I love the graphics, including the font, the drawings, the colors, the characters, the size, the paper - everything. I ran across it at a local bookstore, which sadly, is no more.
I bought the book because Boo had a rather narrow range of emotions. It was one of the many effects of early trauma. I am sure he had feelings, [aside from anxiety, which he readily knew how to express] but I'm not sure he recognized them, and he certainly did not know how to express them. You may say "Oh so-and-so wasn't very affectionate, either." But that's not it. Do you know, somewhere deep inside you, when something is not right with your child? When that rash, that cough, isn't something "normal?" Well, I knew. I couldn't be in denial because he never sat on my lap, never hugged me, never felt pain or extreme cold. Never. I mean never. I had to teach him how to put his arms around me and hug me. I can't explain to you fully what happened in his little brain, but I know, surely as I know there is a God, that he was damaged by being taken from the family he had come to trust. Can you imagine getting all the diapers, crying, messes and duties, but not the cooing, the imitating, the nuzzling? Well, all that's for another post.
.
I was drawn to the book because it so simply shows a relationship between mom and child, and how the very ordinary things in life form the bonds of love. That mommy "always has a fizzy drink for me," that mommy makes me dinner, prepares the perfect bath and tucks me in at night. Fortunately, Boo took to it, too. We read it over and over and over, literally for years. One day, I took the cover image, printed it on some iron-on transfer paper and made him a t-shirt. He loved that shirt and wore it for quite awhile. Then, like most things, he moved on to other books, other shirts, other characters.
.
The other night, he suddenly said, in that tight, tear-filled voice, that he missed his "I Love Mommy" shirt and pulled it out of his drawers to wear that night. I was deeply satisfied, that he had such affection for something I made him, but also that he could feel and express what was locked inside of him. We were both disappointed to see that he had grown out of the shirt. Then he said,
"Oma, when I'm a man, and I'm big, could you make me a 'I Love Mommy' shirt that is man-size?"
.
Ofcourse, honey. Ofcourse I will.
*
6.26.2008
Dishing
A friend of mine saw my posting about a meal I made at the Shore and didn't realize it was posted from the Shore, using the condo's dishes. She remarked that her mother had the same 
dishes. She has a penchant for reminding me that she is younger than me, (ahem!) even though we're sort of cyber-twins. I'm not a dish snob or anything, but I am pretty clear about my design preferences. I am, after all, an architect. We, as a type, are known to have just a few opinions about design. So, I cleared that up pronto! and now she wants to see what dishes I actually have. And use. At my house.
My design sensiblities lean toward Modernism. That would be the early 20th Century revolution by the likes of Bertoia, the Eames', Corbu, Wirkkala. Teaks, stainless steel, glass, burlap, earthenware, leather. No space-age George Jetson stuff. No Kitsch. Atleast, not in my house. I appreciate all good design, no matter what style, as well as the cultural relevance of bad design.
There was a "I'll show you mine" thing on a bunch of blogs awhile back. It's a fun, girly thing to do. So, here's a little glimpse of who I am:
EVERYDAY
This white set is for our everyday. No, I don't use linens everyday. We have Boo, remember?? I moved his plastic place mat off to the side for the effect. :-) Those aren't all the pieces, but it gives you an idea of the clean look I prefer. It's a combination of Crate & Barrel, Target and Craigslist. The lip on the plates are great for a little one chasing peas with a fork.
FRIENDS
This Sasaki set is in pale, pale pink with a raw stoneware edge. It is designed by Vignelli and Vignelli, a graphic designer/architect team out of New York. I love how the raw edge looks, and sets it off from the table. Conceptually, it's very East Asian,
in that it is lifted high off the surface, and the raw edge is accentuating it's differentiation from it's surroundings. I use this set when I'm having friends over, and if I'm not serving a tomato sauce. The red-orange doesn't look appetizing on the blush tone. I love the shapes. I could practically eat up those salt and pepper shakers.
Here we are at a summer time potluck. These women are some of the first friends I met here 5 years ago, when we were put together as a playgroup. We got on so well, we ditched the group that put us together, but stayed together as a playgroup!
FORMAL
This is my wedding china. I should say "ours," because I've never met a man that was so concerned about china as my HH. Having a design-sensitive husband is a blessing and a curse, y'know! For those of you who roll their eyes at their seemingly colorblind husbands, think of the alternative!! Actually, I love that HH has a great sense of design. . . we're a great team. Anyway, here's a combination of Mikasa Royal Glimmer, Dansk teak and Sasaki Orbit Gold. I have to credit my best friend, Artsy, for finding me those napkins. They are so funky and work so perfectly with my dishes, to give it an individual flair. I try to put a retro spin on it by combining the settings with teak and vintage pieces. No brass candlesticks here.
For those that have "issues" with using Art in manufactured products, you'll just have to decline the invites to our home! Ha! Actually, I have issues with that too, sometimes. I think Klimt, though, and other Secessionists, are good at transferring to other media like linens, carpeting and decor.
I have sixteen - yes 16 - place settings. Of course I didn't know gold can't go in the dishwasher!! Can you imagine setting out 16 place settings of your good china and then washing them at the end of the evening?? Not this mama!
So, come on over!
*
dishes. She has a penchant for reminding me that she is younger than me, (ahem!) even though we're sort of cyber-twins. I'm not a dish snob or anything, but I am pretty clear about my design preferences. I am, after all, an architect. We, as a type, are known to have just a few opinions about design. So, I cleared that up pronto! and now she wants to see what dishes I actually have. And use. At my house.My design sensiblities lean toward Modernism. That would be the early 20th Century revolution by the likes of Bertoia, the Eames', Corbu, Wirkkala. Teaks, stainless steel, glass, burlap, earthenware, leather. No space-age George Jetson stuff. No Kitsch. Atleast, not in my house. I appreciate all good design, no matter what style, as well as the cultural relevance of bad design.
There was a "I'll show you mine" thing on a bunch of blogs awhile back. It's a fun, girly thing to do. So, here's a little glimpse of who I am:
EVERYDAY
This white set is for our everyday. No, I don't use linens everyday. We have Boo, remember?? I moved his plastic place mat off to the side for the effect. :-) Those aren't all the pieces, but it gives you an idea of the clean look I prefer. It's a combination of Crate & Barrel, Target and Craigslist. The lip on the plates are great for a little one chasing peas with a fork.
FRIENDS
This Sasaki set is in pale, pale pink with a raw stoneware edge. It is designed by Vignelli and Vignelli, a graphic designer/architect team out of New York. I love how the raw edge looks, and sets it off from the table. Conceptually, it's very East Asian,
in that it is lifted high off the surface, and the raw edge is accentuating it's differentiation from it's surroundings. I use this set when I'm having friends over, and if I'm not serving a tomato sauce. The red-orange doesn't look appetizing on the blush tone. I love the shapes. I could practically eat up those salt and pepper shakers.
Here we are at a summer time potluck. These women are some of the first friends I met here 5 years ago, when we were put together as a playgroup. We got on so well, we ditched the group that put us together, but stayed together as a playgroup!
FORMAL
This is my wedding china. I should say "ours," because I've never met a man that was so concerned about china as my HH. Having a design-sensitive husband is a blessing and a curse, y'know! For those of you who roll their eyes at their seemingly colorblind husbands, think of the alternative!! Actually, I love that HH has a great sense of design. . . we're a great team. Anyway, here's a combination of Mikasa Royal Glimmer, Dansk teak and Sasaki Orbit Gold. I have to credit my best friend, Artsy, for finding me those napkins. They are so funky and work so perfectly with my dishes, to give it an individual flair. I try to put a retro spin on it by combining the settings with teak and vintage pieces. No brass candlesticks here.
For those that have "issues" with using Art in manufactured products, you'll just have to decline the invites to our home! Ha! Actually, I have issues with that too, sometimes. I think Klimt, though, and other Secessionists, are good at transferring to other media like linens, carpeting and decor.
I have sixteen - yes 16 - place settings. Of course I didn't know gold can't go in the dishwasher!! Can you imagine setting out 16 place settings of your good china and then washing them at the end of the evening?? Not this mama!
So, come on over!
*
6.25.2008
Cool
I crawled into bed with little Boo last night. He was all cozy from having been under the covers. All warm, doughy and squishy the way little ones get. When I got in, I was cool from being out in the air-conditioning of our house. He entangled his little legs around mine and said,
*
"Mom, you feel fwesh!"
*
6.24.2008
Fate Accompli
"It was Fate."
"As Fate would have it. . ."
Do you ever say things like that? What is fate? Does it affect your life? How?
It has always struck me that Fate is inanimate, so to speak. To me, it was Nothing, to which we attributed control over our mulitple, combined actions. Fate has no power. . . or does it?
The understood definition these days "the will or principle or determining cause by which things in general are believed to come to be as they are or events to happen as they do." Where did this idea come from? In Greek and Roman mythology, the Fates are any of three goddesses who determined human destinies, and in particular the span of a person's life and his allotment of misery and suffering. But it was Homer who referred to Fate as an impersonal power.
"Impersonal power." Is this your god? Does this god play with us, our loved ones, our future spouses, our very future? Is Fate our fait accompli?
*
"As Fate would have it. . ."
Do you ever say things like that? What is fate? Does it affect your life? How?
It has always struck me that Fate is inanimate, so to speak. To me, it was Nothing, to which we attributed control over our mulitple, combined actions. Fate has no power. . . or does it?
The understood definition these days "the will or principle or determining cause by which things in general are believed to come to be as they are or events to happen as they do." Where did this idea come from? In Greek and Roman mythology, the Fates are any of three goddesses who determined human destinies, and in particular the span of a person's life and his allotment of misery and suffering. But it was Homer who referred to Fate as an impersonal power.
"Impersonal power." Is this your god? Does this god play with us, our loved ones, our future spouses, our very future? Is Fate our fait accompli?
*
6.23.2008
May The Force Be With You
We traveled to our home region over the weekend. We visited MIL, went to a family wedding and on the same night had our High School reunion. I have "car head." And hence, no posts.
On our way to the wedding, I had the chance to be in the car alone, listening to whatever I wanted. (Read: NOT listening to the favorites of a 6 year old.) A familiar song came on:
What makes you say love will end
When you know that my whole life depends
On you . . .
I heard those words in a new way. And they scared me. Yes, scared me. I grew up with that song, and others of that ilk. Then, immediately, these words came to me:
For they exchanged the truth of God for a lie,
and worshiped and served the creature
rather than the Creator. . .*
I came to ponder a rather large notion, "what is love?" OK, so it's a big topic that philosophers, theologians, authors, poets and even scientists have studied for centuries. Here is what I know:
God is love. God = Love. As in many mathematical formulae, the converse is not true. Love is not God. Love /= God.
God is the Author, Source, Initiator, Wellspring. What happens to The Associations, The Beatles, and the millions of us, who worship Love? As the words of the Bible say, we worship the created, the product, in this case, LOVE, and not the Author, without considering the Creator.
All you need is Love? No. All you need is The Source.
*Romans 1:25 (NAS)
On our way to the wedding, I had the chance to be in the car alone, listening to whatever I wanted. (Read: NOT listening to the favorites of a 6 year old.) A familiar song came on:
What makes you say love will end
When you know that my whole life depends
On you . . .
I heard those words in a new way. And they scared me. Yes, scared me. I grew up with that song, and others of that ilk. Then, immediately, these words came to me:
For they exchanged the truth of God for a lie,
and worshiped and served the creature
rather than the Creator. . .*
I came to ponder a rather large notion, "what is love?" OK, so it's a big topic that philosophers, theologians, authors, poets and even scientists have studied for centuries. Here is what I know:
God is love. God = Love. As in many mathematical formulae, the converse is not true. Love is not God. Love /= God.
God is the Author, Source, Initiator, Wellspring. What happens to The Associations, The Beatles, and the millions of us, who worship Love? As the words of the Bible say, we worship the created, the product, in this case, LOVE, and not the Author, without considering the Creator.
All you need is Love? No. All you need is The Source.
*Romans 1:25 (NAS)
6.18.2008
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