A thundering I love you to thezzyzx and desertgirlva. Boom Boom!
You two are the best.
(I am too sober... and your house is bugged David, so I can hear you. Check yourself ;) )
Best 4th in Seattle yet!!!
Cherry wheat, kick ass 'bobs, getting to caress Mel's shoulder and the smiley faces both from the hill and
while listening to Bike... [among so many others (Reckoning and just a few more weeks for the other one right?)] made for a perfect evening. :)

And the drive home was spectacular. Warm enough to put the front windows down, open the roof and indulge in a little Nikka funkin' out on the way home whilst the hair was madly flying. (I was going to get the sub woofer disconnected, but every once in awhile it definitely is worth it. Sweeet!) Passed two fuzzes on the way... and ready to turn in with the kinder, gentler ones at home.

All is well near the Qua.

...and I don't even necessarily agree that it has to be a formal religion per se.
Just the fact that the human race could conceive of a story like the one of Jesus and Buddha (true though it might be) gives my heart as much joy as if I did in fact believe it. The soul is still there and it is wonderful that anyone should have such a strong belief in love and kindness. That there are people that do believe and want to believe in the heart of those teachings regardless of how or where they came to be known is the only true significance to me.

"We must take time, take pains, have a plan, form spiritual habits, if we are to keep our souls alive; and now is the time to begin. A man to whom religion is a reality, and who knows what is meant by "the practice of salvation," keeps his balance, because the living center of his life is spiritual. He cannot be upset, not shaken. The same hard knocks come to him as to others, but he reacts to them by the central law of his life. He suffers deeply, but he does not sour. He knows frustration, but he goes right on in his kindness and faith. He sees his own shortcomings but he does not give up, because a power rises up from his spiritual center and urges him to the best.
- Joseph Fort Newton

I didn't realize Bear sung my favorite lyrics here, but I always thought of him during this song. Weird...

Favorite tracks thus far... This is likely to change in the future, as it always does - of course.

Southern Point
Fine for Now
Cheerleader
Ready, Able
While You Wait for the Others
Foreground

About Face and Hold Still get honorable lyrical mention. Good for them...

This is not to say I don't receive sufficient enjoyment from the others because I definitely do.
The album is incredibly musically lush and satisfying through and through, one of my favorites in a long time.
I'm so honored to have been at the day of the release "party"/concert.

Grizzly Bear was transcendent genius. One of the best concerts I've ever been to... It might actually be the best.

If you like this type of music (alternative, psychedelic pop - on the mellow side), go see this band.

In concert they are F'in outstanding.... Just incredible. Ed's angelic vocals, Dan's smooth vocals and killer guitar, Chris's tight drumming and Bear's clarinet and beautiful harmonizing... The song structures (the way they build and various time changes...) and the level of emotion conveyed. All of it. Amazing. For the concert alone it was well worth the trip, and that's saying something because Vancouver itself was astounding. I'll be driving back just to spend weekends biking, camping and hiking, it was that impressive.

And for traveling I highly recommend the bed and breakfast experience over your standard hotel (relatively same price when you look at the quality of morning meal and service you get...), and traveling by train over flying (any day of the week, for emphasis). Much more room on a train and the sightseeing makes it wonderful as well. There were bald eagles flying right next to the train after we crossed the Canadian border. They were beautiful...

Pitchfork's review of the new album is HERE. They are giving it a 9/10. Hell yeah!

..and quite like it, particularly those last three words.

Doubt, to my mind at least, is not at all the “function of human confusion” though it can certainly lead to confusion if we let it consume us. Then again, if we let our appetite for any emotion or passion or pursuit consume us it is possible we will be rendered helplessly confused - by love, by greed, by faith even. By certainty, even.
-E.D. Kain

(Other than my Mom of course...)



http://www.chrisjordan.com/

Well wishes for safety and strength for those aboard the shuttle tomorrow. With the fuel leak and the debris from the satellite collision, I feel like they need some extra prayers and thoughts for this mission.
The launch is at 7:43 pm EST.



Here's a link to an introduction to the crew on this flight:
http://www.space.com/common/media/video/player.php?videoRef=SP_090305_sts119_crew

I'm particularly interested in what Wakata said about the new technologies that are being tested which are meant to ensure the survival of our species. And the picture of him in the hang-glider cracks me up. (My Dad hang-glides.)

I loved Fox Confessor, but Cyclone might actually surpass it for me.

Eye candy for the West Wing crowd:

http://www.whitehouse.gov/photogallery/The-story-of-the-economic-recovery-package/

These are awesome pictures.

I particularly love 13, which is the creme de la creme of West Wing eye candy.
22 because of the painting in the background... and I'm sure you'll think of the other comparison, Kool Aid or not.
All of the Air Force One photos...
And of course 23...

I watched this program this morning... and granted it is about kids, but it really makes you think about your presence online.

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/kidsonline/

(I'm not sure if all the frontline episodes are available to watch here online, but there are many here to view as full episodes if anyone is interested.)

It's so much easier to say things online that you might not say in person. And I've often wondered how the internet has changed things for the next generation... I've also wondered how it has changed things for me, and how it has changed things about me (or rather I guess I should say how it has made it easier for me to change some things about me).

Lots of food for thought here.

As a result of pondering all these things, I've also decided to use the mass locking feature to friends lock all my old entries. I'll have some entries in the future that will be public, but not nearly as many. I liked my private life better, and I think I liked my mindset better prior to my presence here as well.

The internet has helped me to learn so many things. I've grown incredibly by what I have been exposed to online, but I also think there are things I have lost. My integrity I think is one thing that has suffered and my immediate reaction to things seems more amplified. I'm not as patient as I used to be either. These are things that I would like to reverse to their previous state. I don't know if that will be wholly possible, but I am certainly going to try.

Whirling dervishes... and onto your standard Turkish folk dancing.
I don't know how the former participants don't get dizzy and fall down...

As for the latter, Turkish men can dance.. well.

May not be wholly apparent here, but their timing is nearly impeccable. And the solo at 6:30 is beautiful.
Extraordinary grace and balance... And the music is enchanting as well. Definitely need to explore Turkish folk music.

If the economy were better I'd consider doing Greece and Turkey in one trip.


Zeybek Dance (mountain warriors sometimes simulating hawks - from Western Anatolia region)

For future reference:
http://www.photoseek.com/greece/SantoriniCrete.html
http://www.photoseek.com/Turkey.html
Samarian Gorge, Crete
http://www.west-crete.com/samaria-gorge.htm
http://www.salon.com/books/literary_guide/2006/09/04/turkey/
http://www.allaboutturkey.com/regions.htm

http://www.tower.com/sultans-secret-door-burhan-ocal-cd/wapi/105873179