The Sublime Roundabout

Check out these lovely ladies: Aren't they amazing? These are my coworkers, whom I've dubbed (from left to right) Ginger Snap, Ginger Tea, and Ginger Ale. Notice a theme there? ;) We were discussing the advantages of having red hair. They indicated that for females there is not a significant advantage to having red hair. In fact, Ginger Snap asserted, it's a distinct disadvantage. She said that women with red hair "do not date." I assured her that it was because men in general find red hair alluring, to the point where one may find one's self in the awkward position of not being able to speak coherently. I've been there. Some women are so dazzlingly beautiful, so stunningly gorgeous, that it is quite literally difficult to speak. I was reminded of a girl I knew in high school. I sat behind her in class and daydreamed incessantly about her hair. And yet, I'm sure that she never knew how attractive I found her, because I never was abl...

I gave my daughter my phone for a few hours on Saturday. This is (some of) what I found on it. Isn't she beautiful? She makes me smile.

Check this out: This appeals to me on a couple of different levels. I'm a geek about history and antiquity, so seeing the historical aspects of the development of London demonstrated graphically and visually like this is very appealing. I also quite enjoyed the various patterns of growth which contributed to the current infrastructure layout - all influenced by the River Thames. It's interesting also to note the way the outlying areas started out as farmlands and small settlements, which later became incorporated into the larger fabric of London. This appeals to me as a city planner to note the organic way the City evolved over time. I found the effect of the fires and other, social upheavals to be interesting as well, seeing how they affected the way the City would change as people rebuilt either along the same lines and roadways or as they attempted to change things to make for more orderly and efficient infrastructure. I am also intrigued by the two great 20th century pr...

I barrel across the brown landscape Blue streak on tawny high desert scenes My only objective is the road Its very existence is humming As one with the tires Speedy, nimble, agile But my soul yearns for more My heart, unsatisfied, seeks, Longing, so thirsty, parched Like the dry, arid expanse I traverse, driving, driving... When will I slake this desire? Or do I need to be more clear.

“You’ve thought about this a lot, haven’t you?” she said. “Yes.” He waited for her reaction. He was no good at being persuasive. All he could do was set out the situation. If only he could have drawn her a sketch! He felt he had dealt with every possible objection. She must agree now! But still she hesitated. “I’m not sure,” she said. His self-control broke. “Oh, Ellen, don’t say that.” He was afraid of crying in front of all these people, and he was so choked up that he could hardly speak. “I love you so much, please don’t go away again,” he begged. “The only thing that’s kept me going is the hope that you’d come back. I just can’t bear to live without you. Don’t close the gates of paradise. Can’t you see that I love you with all my heart?” Her manner changed instantly. “Why didn’t you say so, then?” she whispered, and she came to him. He wrapped his arms around her. “I love you, too, you silly fool,” she said.” “He felt weak with joy. She does love me, she does, he thought...

A few years ago I quoted this: http://billcobabe.blogspot.com/2010/11/but-im-in-love-and-i-am-happy.html The First Circle is one of my favorite books. It's changed who I am, how I think, and how I view the world and others in it. It's a powerful book, one that I recommend as frequently as I can. I think people misconstrue the nature of love. That's ok, I think. People can be forgiven for not understanding. Just take a look at this: This is such a perfect commentary about what "love" has devolved to in our society - in our world. I love pizza. I love a good baseball game. I love cats. I love to feel love. All of this tends to confuse the issue, and it leads to misunderstandings about what love really is. To me, love is that connection we feel with another. It is exceedingly rare, and all the more precious because of it. When I say connection, I don't mean a relationship. I have relationships with people that I care very much about, but which never...

He was struck dumb by this extraordinary woman. She seemed to make everything all right. Somehow, the fact that she appeared to know everything that was in his heart made him feel better, as if now he had nothing more to be ashamed of. He sighed. Ken Follett The Pillars of the Earth

I recently came across this: Sometimes with One I Love By Walt Whitman Sometimes with one I love I fill myself with rage for fear I effuse unreturn’d love, But now I think there is no unreturn’d love, the pay is certain one way or another (I loved a certain person ardently and my love was not return’d, Yet out of that I have written these songs). Which made me think of the line from the Mamas and the Papas rendition of "Glad to Be Unhappy" -  Unrequited love is a bore (yeah) And I've got it pretty bad. Which reminded me of Harry Connick, Jr. singing "It Had to Be You" - It had to be you, it had to be you I've wandered around, finally found somebody who Could make me be true Could make me be blue And, even be glad just to be sad thinkin' of you Some others I've seen Might never be mean Might never be cross Or, try to be boss But, they wouldn't do For nobody else gave me a thrill With all yo...

Thoughts?

Leaves of grass The body electric Words of praise Raised on high The sidewalk ends A secret smile A clever simile The longest mile Heart petals Lightning mind-flashes Arcing across space Gossamer, golden tendrils From the bard To the heart To the mind To the soul Lovely Lovely Love

Last night I drove home to my sister's place in East Millcreek by a different route. I usually drive home via Weber Canyon to 89 and then south to I-15 and that way. But last night I decided to head straight south and went past East Canyon and up over Big Mountain down through Emigration Canyon. It was an incredibly lovely drive - lots of good twisty bits for my little blue car to cruise. It took me significantly less time than my GPS indicated that it might. ;) I was impressed by a couple of things. I thought of the pioneers making their way through these canyons, following the water and hiking up the mountains with all their worldly possessions in small handcarts. I thought of bad shoes, tired feet, knees, and arms, worn out bodies, sudden chilly rains, and the overall exhaustion they must have felt at this point in their journey. Then, to reach the top of Big Mountain and look down into the Valley for the first time... It took me an hour to do what must have taken them a solid...

I've just had an interesting conversation with a female coworker. She's awesome. We talked about how this past weekend was Mother's Day and how it stresses her out. She said she appreciates the general thought of the day - celebrating mothers is a good thing. But what of the women who are not mothers? Where is the day to celebrate their contributions? And what about the women who act as mothers to children who are not their own - not just adoptive mothers, but women who nurture and care for children because they are children? And how about those families where the mother is absent? She suggested that it would be more beneficial to have a "Women's Day", honoring the contributions of women to society in general. A "Double X Chromosome" Day. She said - I find I'm becoming more and more of a feminist. I laughed (with delight). Something about the red hair, methinks. And we hired an office assistant who is a ginger as well. And our transcriptionis...

I was able to spend some time this weekend with my sweet mother. Living close to her and dad is going to be awesome, I think. Because who loves you like your mother? Having three day weekends every week is going to be awesome, too, because I will be able to go up and see them more often and spend good time up there. So I'm excited. My relationship with my mother (since you asked) has not always been the best. When I was very young she was a very difficult person to live with. She did a lot of things that she regrets, I'm sorry to say. It was difficult for one as young as me and as naturally sensitive as me to understand. It hurt a lot. But sometime around my junior year in high school all that changed. She went through some extensive therapy which helped her with her stress. That in turn made her more calm and rational, which meant that I could relate to her more easily. I still don't understand it all - how could I? - but I have come to put things in a context that I cou...

To look into another's soul And see the glory there To reach another's reaching Is love beyond compare For who has plumbed the darkness And who has scaled the heights Who has known the joys and fears And who will stand the nights The faithful love with constant hope Their light shines bright indeed And the outstretched hands fend off the cold Their warmth doth all exceed I sit and watch the sunset shine In blazes of red and gold And ponder on the love I feel Truly, tis wondrous to behold My thoughts return to thee, my love And prayers fly on angels' wings To bless you, keep you, evermore Until with you my soul sings I love you. That's forever.

Sweet love, renew thy force; be it not said Thy edge should blunter be than appetite, Which but to-day by feeding is allayed, To-morrow sharpened in his former might: So, love, be thou, although to-day thou fill Thy hungry eyes, even till they wink with fulness, To-morrow see again, and do not kill The spirit of love, with a perpetual dulness. Let this sad interim like the ocean be Which parts the shore, where two contracted new Come daily to the banks, that when they see Return of love, more blest may be the view;     As call it winter, which being full of care,     Makes summer's welcome, thrice more wished, more rare.

Here's a couple of things I'll miss from Oregon. These ones are called "Elegant Cat's Ear" or "Elegant Mariposa Lily". It was so small and lovely... This one is called a trillium. It grows for several years before it blossoms out, and then it only does so for two years before perishing. This one is some kind of an iris. It was very lovely. These are manzanita trees. They're more commonly seen in shorter, scrubby kinds of groves only about 6'-8' high. These trees were maybe 15'-20' high. The bark was incredible, growing over the dead portions of the tree, swisting and gnarled and oozing. Kind of beautiful in a macabre kind of way. And one last one, just because I love rainbows:

I heard this on my way home from work yesterday: http://radiowest.kuer.org/post/news-0 It reminded me of this: I thought about what it is we hear on the "news". How is it presented? Who gets to make the decisions about what is presented and how? What is their agenda/bias? One of the things that came out of the radio talk show that I thought was interesting was regarding the idea of bias. The guest suggested that bias is universal and unavoidable, and that as a solution to the bias of the presenter, a contrary bias should be sought and presented along with the original. This would give the listener/observer the opportunity to decide, having both sides of a particular idea. This is interesting to me because people often feel that presenting opposing points of view lends a sense of credibility and balance to the discussion. But, in reality, the balance is somewhere in the middle. So perhaps the presenters should have at least three points of view - left, right, and c...

This song makes me smile. Also, these chicks are hot. :D When I was first learning of love as a teenager One source gave me all my ideas and theories Jane Austen's masterpiece work, Pride and Prejudice Or actually, the 1995 BBC mini-series Oh that Mr. Darcy, so gruff and so distant With a sensitive spirit just waiting to shine There's a good reason that women love jerks It seems like a fantastic idea at the time Oh, oh, oh, Mr. Darcy Oh, oh, oh, Colin Firth You're tall, dark, and handsome You're charming and wonderful No other men are worth half what you're worth When I was 19 I traveled to Europe To study and learn and go clubbing and drink There was a cute boy in my history lessons Who hailed from near London and mostly ignored me So, of course, I fell for him and his charming voice His detachment and rudeness got me in a snap He finally noticed me at the end of semester Took me on one date and treated me like c...