A Single Layer

good morning.

i like phoenix.

- Mark Van Doren She lay there in the stone folds of his life Like a blue flower in granite - this he knew; And knew how now inextricable the petals Clung to the rock recessed beyond his hand-thrust; More deeply in, past more forgotten windings Than his rude tongue could utter, praising her. He praised her with his eyes, beholding oddly Not what another saw, but what she added - Thinning today and shattering with a slow smile - To the small flower within, to the saved secret. She was not to have - except that something, Always like petals falling, entered him. She was not his to keep - except the brightness, Flowing from her, that lived in him like dew; And the kind flesh he could remember touching, And the unconscious lips, and both her eyes: These lay in him like leaves - beyond the last turn Breathing the rocky darkness till it bloomed.

Okay, this is pretty hilarious . Maybe it's not so funny for those who haven't spent the last two years staring at young adult literature, wondering why all the covers look vaguely similar. You see, there's this whole world of YA followers, bloggers, forums, readers (obviously), and it's filled with its own heroes, enemies, controversies, etc. But essentially, there's something about it all that seems randomly selected. Anyway, I tried the make-your-own-cover thing, only I don't have a program to piece it all together right now. So, my new name is Sidney Jones (not a big fan), and the title of my YA novel is 'Bolster.' It goes beautifully with my cover (which may break the rules, being an illustration, but I like it anyway).

i've been browsing through my old poetry, making sure my documents are all right and tight in their new computer-home. it's an odd practice. i'll read one and think 'why did i ever save this piece of trash?' and another 'if this is ever published i will surely be declared the most brilliant of poets.' one in particular gave me pause. on the whole, it's not very good. i just saved it for the first two lines, which i will give you here: 'Jesus, who are you, and what am i doing in your brain?' Huh. What should I do with that?

We [Christians] should not abandon music because of the superstitions of pagans if there is anything we can take from it that might help us understand the Holy Scriptures... Nor is there any reason we should refuse to study literature because it is said that Mercury discovered it. That the pagans have dedicated temples to Justice and Virtue and prefer to worship in the form of stone things which ought to be carried in the heart is no reason we should abandon justice and virtue. On the contrary, let everyone who is a good and true Christian understand that truth belongs to his Master, wherever it is found. - Augustine what you learn when you read beyond the Confessions.

oh yippee. :)

it's sunday, after all.

I just finished reading Catching Fire , the eagerly-awaited sequel to Suzanne Collins's magnificently popular teen novel The Hunger Games , that came out last year. It was a wonderful read, and I continue to be amazed by the author's ability to weave together so many bizarre, disparate elements to create a compelling, convincing story. Like The Hunger Games , there were several parts where I stopped to ask, 'is she talking about this oppressive post-apocalyptic society, or is she talking about our own?' If M. T. Anderson's Feed feels too hard and desperate, these books tackle the same themes without leaving you hopeless for the human race. Ultimately, they are less about sending a message (though a message remains), and more about telling a really fascinating story. Katniss has just won the Hunger Games without losing her partner - an unprecedented act of rebellion against the Capitol that cannot be ignored. Now she must face the consequences of her victory - and t...

There are no words.

There is a strange difference between my public and my private self. Of course, I tend to think the private self is more 'me' and the private is the 'show'. This is where lack of self-awareness comes in. It is me no matter where or when I am. Me hyped on people, me polite, me snarky, me calm, me careful, me spontaneous, me grumpy, me determined to get over the grump. I told a friend the other day, 'I'm really a very quiet person,' and she just laughed. Once upon a time, it would have been the other way around. 'I'm really a very social, funny person. The life of the party. Unpredictable, quirky, sometimes obnoxious.' Right. It used to bother me, these distinctions. I called it inconsistency. I think I might have considered it a sin, somewhere in my frustrated, legalistic brain. (I'm still frustrated, still legalistic, still sinful and inconsistent.) Now, I think it's just me being human. It's also a kind of coping mechanism. I laugh m...

Buildings crumbling from the blast and I'm staring at you. Stones and bones a thousand years old and I'm staring at you. The tapestry, the tombs, frescoes, catacombs, and you, blonde and blue. The hair falling over you, hiding your balding, and in the corner of your mouth a sore slow to healing. I've never been so captivated, simply enervated, by your simple staring. (never mind it's to the camera. not to me.)

in the meantime, follow the link to the links . unless you're emily. because then you'll just be going right back to your own blog.

this is the most wonderful blog collection ever.

Browse through these to your heart's content. Tell me which is your favorite. (Guess which is mine.)

This floats my boat.

Just watched 'Happy-Go-Lucky' with the family. It was my fault. I had some noble notion of giving Mike Leigh another go. Nobility... not worth it. There was no acclimating oneself to Sally Hawkins giggle. And if hers was a lesson in flirting, I'm not interested. Was the whole point to learn that happiness can only achieved when you embrace inanity? I know that film is an art form and straight narrative is not always necessary, but seriously. Something could have happened. Sometime. Ever. I appreciated the crescendo with the driving instructor, but it was not worth all it took to get there.

Independence Day! was yesterday (duh), and one of the best celebrations in a long while. Of course we wrap ourselves in glow sticks and launch water balloons at each other in blissful forgetfulness, ignoring the facts. That our country is owned by China, our state is spitting on the Constitution (to its own detriment), and we are missing a president. I mean, they tell me we have a president, but I haven't really noticed any real leadership happening. We have a celebrity, but didn't we already have a bunch of those? Yeah, so there's a lot to be frustrated about. I guess the thing to do is to rise above it. If our leadership sucks, that's just reason for us to be the better man. Or woman. If our country spends extravagantly and stupidly, that's just reason for us to learn sound judgment with our personal finances. And if our nation compromises its integrity by parceling itself out to foreign nations that have little regard for human rights or the health of our earth, ...