Photo Blog-O-Rama!

My thinking power has been expended on papers/research/preparing for class this week, so dear readers I give you a photo blog!

Leia and I decided to put our modeling skills to good use over Easter weekend-


Dear Tyra Banks,

Leia Marie and I would like to show you why we should be America's Next Top Models.

Reason #1: We can do the snobby "high fashion" aloof look

Reason #2: We have the acting thing down. Check out these sad faces!

Reason #3: Leia is pretty much the cutest 13 year old dog ever... Seriously, what more do you need?

Tune in tomorrow when Lindsey in Lawrence brings you adventures with the Sakura Sushi Train.

Same blog time, same blog channel.

The Easter Bunny Gypped Me...

Seriously!
It's not fair.
I mean how else am I supposed to celebrate the arrival of spring and the start of Christianity unless I'm laying sugar-coma-ed and twitching on the living room floor surrounded by half-eaten hollow milk bunnies and Starburst jelly beans?

Soo...Easter thoughts-

Looking around church this morning I realized just how much we need spring time celebrations. We need an Easter or spring equinox or whatever celebration to help us throw off the dull snowy winter and celebrate new life.

Maybe Christianity stole it from the pagans, but this morning at service I was glad they did. People were cheery and smiley and wearing bright colors and we got to yell "Alleluia!" I always forget spring is right around the corner and I especially forget how much I love it. This morning, snickering my way through "In the Garden" and surrounded by generations of the people I love, was the perfect way to usher it in.

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I have this little tradition that I started way back in high school. Every Holy Weekend I listen to the 2nd CD from the Jesus Christ Superstar soundtrack. It starts out with the Last Supper and ends with Judas' death and the crucifixion and it always put me in that sort of Maundy Thursday/Good Friday mindset.

I'll admit it (because this blog is apparently is where I admit things) I cheated this year. Sorry Jesus, but I wanted to skip ahead to Easter because I was in such a good mood that instead of doing my usual second CD run down, I just listened to my favorites. Yeah, yeah I know...

Those of you who know me well probably know that JCS is my favorite musical because I so strongly identify with Andrew Lloyd Weber's portrayal of Judas. However, this time through my favorites I actually listened to the other characters and was struck by something interesting- each of them is desperately trying to make Jesus into what they want him to be.

Mary doesn't know how to love him- he's "just a man" right? Simon the Zealot is looking for a messiah who will over throw the Romans. Herod wants to be entertained by a miracle worker. Pilate wants an innocent man that he doesn't have to punish...etc...etc... And each of them gets frustrated or disappointed when that's not who/what he is. Mary goes so far as to ask (with Peter) "This was unexpected/What do I do now?/Could we start again please?" when things don't turn out like what she had thought.

It made me wonder about the congregation sitting around me in church this morning. What are they expecting and looking for? Who do they want Jesus to be? And more importantly... are they finding what they're looking for? 100 people in church and I bet you I would have received 100 different answers.

That's the beauty (and frustration) of religion.

In other news- I just broke a glass candle holder all over my bathroom floor and I don't want to clean it up. That was never my job.

Eternal Return

Greetings from fabulous Tulsa, Oklahoma...

Tonight my brother and I went to go see my friends Travis and Brian perform at a coffee house. Travis, Brian and I were all interns at good ol' Camp Tawakoni a few years ago and survived quite an interesting summer out there. Both of them are very talented and it was great to catch up and enjoy some wonderful music.

(Grainy camera phone picture courtesy of Nate. Brian is playing the keyboard and Travis is on the bass.)

I always find it amusing and interesting how much I connect my memories with music. The right (or wrong) song can bring back a flood of memories with very little effort, all it takes are the first few notes and suddenly you're back to...well, wherever.

Tonight it was "Doubting Thomas" by Nickel Creek. (The song is on their Myspace and you can listen to it if you click the link. If you haven't heard it you should definitely check it out.) Brian promised me he'd play some Nickel Creek after I whined about him not playing his mandolin (I love hearing NC's song "The Fox") but I wasn't expecting him to make me cry.

You see, there are two very distinct memories that song takes me back to-

One is camp, sitting around a campfire while communion is taking place. Travis is playing guitar and trying to sing, but his voice isn't quite there. The inky black humid night, lit by stars and the occasional airplane was so comfortable for me. There's a certain connection that seems to happen only at camp- an experience of "that which is beyond life". After camp it fades into a vague memory, only to be conjured up in a coffeehouse in Tulsa of all places.

But then your memory takes you someplace else-

To a lake, and a beautiful stormy Sunday morning at an unfamiliar church. A young man is singing his heart out for a congregation who loves him, as I try to hide my tears and Pete plays poker on his phone in the seat next to me. There's a certain ambivalence to the moment- acceptance and peace full of nervousness and excitement; a weekend beyond words and yet so full of them.

Both memories quickly fading and seemingly so far away, I have to decide where to reside...what to remember...

Ah! What about now? I take a breath and allow myself to enjoy the music in the context. Good friends, good chai, good conversation. No need to go someplace else, everything I need is here.

And as Brian finishes the song the way only Brian can, I applaud.
I'm always where I need to be.

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Easter weekend always makes me contemplative.

So um...here's a picture-

Leia says Happy Easter!

Holdin' Out for a Hero

This past weekend found me experiencing an interesting dichotomy of film- 10,000 B.C. and Be Kind Rewind all in one night. One film choice was mine (the girl who has no taste) and one was Shawn's (the film major)...I'll let you figure out who picked what.

Be Kind Rewind wasn't bad. Not the Science of Sleep/Eternal Sunshine Michel Gondry style I expected, but it was a sweet movie and I think maybe I laughed a few times...maybe. Still, I'm not a big Jack Black fan.

The religion major in me loved some of the themes in 10,000 B.C., however. Myth, prophecy and religious beliefs, killing man-made "deities", love and interconnectedness...etc. There was even a brief moment (I swear!) where, once the hero realizes his destiny, we see a group of thorns. Not a crown per se, but it still seems pretty symbolic to me.

10,000 B.C. and the rash of superhero movie previews I had to sit through got me thinking. Why is it our culture has a need for such violent savior figures? Superheros, war heroes, everywhere you look there is some good guy who saves the day by kicking ass and taking names. Very rarely do we see a hero who saves the day through self-sacrifice or non-violence.

This is not a new theme by any means. The Jews were waiting for a savior to conquer and destroy the Romans, and the ancient Greeks gave us Odysseus who is the hero archetype embodied.

If this is not a new theme, then what does that say about our human nature? Are we born with an inherent understanding of archetypes?

Is it the society (perhaps patriarchy) we've created that requires a hero willing to use violence?

Is violence a necessary condition to be a hero?

Can anyone name me one pop culture "hero" who doesn't use violence?

Will Lindsey ever stop asking questions?

In other news-
I love Easter weekend because the Discovery/National Geographic/History Channels play all sorts of religion nerd shows. I also love that Pier 1 is currently a pagan symbol mini-mart of sorts...

Yeah you know, Easter...that holiday when we celebrate Jesus' resurrection by gorging ourselves on chocolate symbols of fertility!