reverie

Fabric softener is one of my favorite things. I will not do laundry if I am out of fabric softener, save for dire needs when a trip to Target is impossible, but that is rare. For the past couple of years I have been using Downy Clean Breeze. It has served me well, softened my clothes and left just a hint of it's clean breezy goodness behind. This week when I went to purchase a new bottle of Downy I intended to stick with my tried & true scent, but then something new caught my eye: Downy Tahitian Waterfall. I smelled it and was intrigued. I checked out the other new scents, reminded myself of the aroma of my standard, and decided to go with something new. I must say I am very pleased with that choice. :) I know, I'm a nerd. But next time you find yourself in Target (or at my house) check it out, it's quite delightful.

Good ol ' MSN never fails to disappoint. I found an article in the Faith-Based subsection of their Dating articles section entitled "8 great first dates." (I figured it would be a treasure trove of amusement.) My comments in italics. Here are the suggested dates: 1. Putt-putt your way to love. “A miniature golf course is fun and you can talk,” says Jon Caroulis of Philadelphia, PA. “But make sure you have a backup plan in case it rains or if it’s too hot or too chilly.” Tip: If you’re a scratch golfer, give up a stroke or two in the interest of building a good relationship. Mini golf is definitely a good idea. It's fun; it's outdoorsy. It gives you a good idea what kind of sport the other person is -- it's a good sign if they aren't great at it but can still have fun & be goofy, or if they're great at it but don't take it too seriously. FYI Keith, I read this article after suggesting that we go mini golfing. 2. Serve others. “I’m pr...

. . . of Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo! Penguins! A big turtle! And a niece! It's hard to tell from this picture, but the meerkat in the front looks like he lost his left eye in a knife fight with a younger, cockier meerkat. I bet the San Diego zoo doesn't have any miscreant meerkats. An Amish field trip to the zoo. (My mom says they're not Amish, but I can't remember what she said they were, either way still awesome.)

I noticed this flower in a pipe in a curb outside of my friend Rachel's house as we arrived there yesterday morning for breakfast. Things like this tend to catch my eye. Sometimes I feel silly taking pictures of them, but "it helps me remember, and I need to remember. Sometimes there's so much beauty in the world I feel like I can't take it, like my heart's going to cave in." A pretty flower growing in this dark and dank place, I can imagine few better metaphors for hope in an often weary world. Here's hoping that you all are able to see the flowers this week more so than the stagnant water and cobwebs that would delight in snuffing them out. This past week and weekend have been amazing for me, I can barely wrap my head around it. There is much to tell and somehow too few words with which to tell it. If my mind ever finds a coherent way to articulate such things I promise to share. For now let's just say I got my May Day basket this year and it...

For some reason until today I had forgotten about all these pieces I had written for my Rhetoric class in college. It was one of my favorite courses and probably the one that I think of most frequently in every day life situations. I wrote the following piece for a rhetoric of persuasion assignment. I have taken some artistic license with the retelling of the most specific details, but I assure you it holds true to the event. It was the summer of 1986 and we had just moved into our new house. My parents were busy unpacking various boxes and my little brother Raj and I were playing in his brand new bedroom. I was four years old, but even from that young age I knew I wanted to be an artist. Sitting in my brother’s room I decided that we should draw a picture for my parents. After all, the crayons and markers were one of the few things already unpacked and parents like it when their children draw for them, or so I thought. I asked Raj to help and he would have agreed save for...

Don't worry this post is not risque. Nor am I extolling the virtues of Vin Diesel's cinematic achievements. But rather I write to tell you about my new favorite vitamin water called XXX. It is called such because it is packed with triple antioxidants from acai, blueberry, and pomegranate. It is very yummy. Plus you have enjoy any product with witty banter printed on it's labels. *Edit* Just saw this thanks to Keith. If this doesn't convince you of the awesomeness of vitamin water, nothing will. :)

Oh God you are, you are our help You are our helper Through all generations you will be Forever and ever Our shield and our eternal hope, oh Lord You are the Ancient of Days and worthy of our praise I alluded to it before , but a couple of years ago when I was going through a really rough time I used to wake up with that song in my head every morning. Every morning. It was as if God was greeting me and lifting up my head. Calling to my Israelite heart, saying I brought you to this place, do you think I will leave you alone in the desert? As I got off the phone tonight with a new friend, whose presence in my life is a blessing that words fail to encompass, only a smile can suffice, that song popped into my head. Clearly (well hopefully it's clear) not out of a place of despair but this time rooted simply in praise and adoration. A couple weeks a go I had a very difficult conversation with someone I love dearly. And something was said to me that devastated my heart. Since the...