Quote of the day

Worth pondering:

"Most men lead lives of quiet desperation and go to the grave with the song still in them." ~ Henry David Thoreau

A Billy Sook

Shel Silverstein is my new hero. He wrote a book entitled Runny Babbit: A Billy Sook. I first discovered it in the children's section of Borders and fell in love with its playful and incredibly witty word games:

Kugs and Hisses

Runny said, "I'm lonesome,
I feel so glad and soomy.
I need some kugs and hisses--
Now, who's gonna give 'em to me?"
"I will," said Polly Dorkupine,
"'Cause you're cute as a rug in a bug."
Said Runny, "Well, I'll kake the tiss,
But never hind the mug."

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas

Have you seen The Boy in the Striped Pajamas? An eight-year-old boy, Bruno, discovers the brutal realities of the Holocaust in this exquisitely filmed movie. This blue-eyed child, curious and innocent, spends his days swinging on a tire swing and contemplating the far-off "farm" he can see from his house. Gradually, he realizes that this "farm" is no farm. It's a concentration camp. He befriends a boy his own age who sits by the electric fence surrounding the camp. This boy wears "pajamas," gray and white striped shirt and pants, matted with layers of dirt, evidence of the backbreaking labor he has been forced to do.

The ensuing events are both inspirational and heart-wrenching. This is a must-see movie.

Faerie Tale Theatre with Shelley Duvall

While babysitting today, I watched a DVD rendition of The Three Little Pigs. It was part of the Faerie Tale Theatre series that aired in the early '80s. Now, you must understand, I used to watch this series fanatically; I've seen every videotape my library owns. You also must understand that this particular episode I'm about to describe is one of the most ridiculous episodes ever made.

Anyway, I started watching it, while little two-year-old Will played with toys on the floor. Billy Crystal and Jeff Goldblum played the "runt of the litter" and the Big Bad Wolf, respectively. Watching two very well-respected actors make absolute fools of themselves in pig costumes... highly enjoyable, let me tell you.


Here's a choice excerpt from the screenplay for you to enjoy:

(The oldest pig is leaning against a counter. A voluptuous female pig sashays up to him, and a conversation ensues.)

Male pig: "Well HELLO, sweetie sweets! Talk about your prime cuts!"

Female pig: "Cut the bull. Name's Tina - T-I-N-A. May be a small name, but it's attached to a whole lot of lady."

Male pig: "Ooooh. I'm Paul. Paul, Paul, the... pig on the ball. Tell me, Bacon Bits, where have you been all my life?"

Female pig: "Avoidin' wild boys like you."

Male pig: "Ooh, spunky! I like that in a sow. Tell me, uh, Tina, let's say you and me go chew some hay someplace, if you know what I mean."

Female pig: "Well, I think you already bit off more than you can chew, if you know what I mean."

(She discovers he doesn't own a house and rejects him as a result...)

Female pig: (Walking away) "Arrivederci, mon ami."

Male pig: "Yeah, ditto, sweetface."


Horrifying, right? I don't think the screenplay could be any more awful than this. But it's fun to laugh at, that's for sure.

Farewell

I just learned a few days ago that Michael Crichton passed away. This is truly a great loss to the writing world and to me. I have spent many a summer afternoon baking in the sun because I couldn't tear myself away from one of his novels. Jurassic Park, Timeline, Rising Sun, The Andromeda Strain... you name it, I've probably read it.

I'm horrifically ignorant about all science-related topics. Most of his novels deal with minute scientific details that just go WHOOSH over my head. But somehow, I find them riveting. I pick them up and can't put them down. For this reason, I pack a Michael Crichton novel whenever I go to the beach or I'm planning to enjoy a lot of down time. There's just no one better.

You will be missed, Mr. Crichton.

Tales of a Spelling Perfectionist

Yes, it is true.

I, the spelling fanatic, misspelled a word today. Adrenaline: A-D-R-E-N-A-L-I-N-E.

It was a Cranium question. My team was required to spell the word "adrenaline" backward, with each person saying a letter until we reached the end (or, rather, the beginning). We were doing SO well, until we got to the "d". My letter. I said "a" then quickly switched to "d" but not before everyone "oohed" and dismissed it as an unpardonable mistake.

Grrrr.

Podcasts and sermons you have to check out

Friends:

You must experience Mark Driscoll's sermon series "The Peasant Princess." Mark is the pastor of Mars Hill Church up here in Seattle, for those of you who don't know. In the past few weeks, he has been preaching on the Song of Solomon. I have been so impressed by each and every sermon in this series. My Bible is covered with notes. I don't have enough space to write down everything. :) To listen to these sermons, either go to www.marshillchurch.org or download the podcast from iTunes. It's totally worth it. Do it!!

Secondly, you also must experience Focus on the Family's radio show called The Boundless Show. It consists of a bunch of 20-somethings and 30-somethings engaging in roundtable discussions about important topics. I listen to this show while working at World Vision each morning, and it has helped considerably in keeping me from getting bored. Focus on the Family is one of the best organizations out there, and if you're not familiar with it, GET FAMILIAR! (Download the podcasts from iTunes)

Thanks in part to these things, I have been gaining a much clearer understanding of how a life lived entirely for and in Jesus should look. And I'm getting really excited about it! I hope you do too!