Reading

I finished The Complete Letters of C.S. Lewis, Volume II yesterday. And read several of Jane Austen's unpublished fragments today, along with a quick perusal of Entre Nous: A Woman's Guide to Finding Her Inner French Girl. All of this over several giant bowls of hot chocolate with my feet on my fake fireplace. Ahhhh.

I'm off now to a Christmas party for my Monday night Bible Study.

Saturday I was in Portland all afternoon filming Minute Zero. Film is an entirely different creative process than theater. How odd to stop mid-stream, and then pick up minutes later trying to remember what your face felt like, and where your hands were at the last "cut." The director kept commenting on my intensity, which threw the other actor off, because I'd get my game face on as soon as the film rolled. It caused him to break character several times. Our three pages of dialog were shot in five sections, three takes each, with five different camera angles. The only quick part was my closeup shots; I could do the whole script in one take.

And this!

Pride and Prejudice

``Marry well'' is Bennet tenet: Bingley singly must remain
Since classy Darcy (Lizzy-dizzy) thinks he's far too good for Jane.
Rummy mummy, jaunty aunty, these would drag both gallants down
--Plus the younger siblings' dribblings over officers in town.
See the specious Wickham trick 'em with his tales of birthright gloom,
See how hideous Lydia's ruin looms before she gets her groom;
Glassy Darcy saves the bacon, shaken out of former pride:
Is he Lizzy's destined love, to shove her prejudice aside?
Has she clout to flout that matron, patroness of priestly coz
(He whose ludicrous proposing Rosings rules -- like all he does)?
Darcy oughter court her daughter, destined his through two decades...

``Mulish, foolish girl, remember Pemberley's polluted shades!''
Dare she share his great estate, or can't Aunt Catherine be defied?
Yes! and ere the bells ring jingly, Bingley too shall claim his bride.

by Mary Holtby

from: How to Become Ridiculously Well-Read in One Evening, compiled by E. O. Parrott (Viking, Penguin Books, 1985)

[Note that this works best when read with a British accent; also "ludicrous proposing" is the object of the verb "rules".]

From the same site

Miss Bates's answering machine:<BR>
"It's so obliging of you to call, but then we have so many obliging friends that we are truly grateful, not that we wouldn't be grateful just for our health, but all these friends are so kind, and I know that you will forgive us for not being here when you called, except that my mother might be in but she can't answer the phone because she's deaf you know, not that she has anything else to disturb her, in fact she's remarkably healthy for her age, and she would answer but she probably hasn't heard the bell, so I'm sure you won't mind, and where was I? Oh yes, if you'd be so good as to leave your message just after the beep, that's the fourth long beep, not the first one, there are three short beeps and then a long one, that's the one to speak after, otherwise the machine won't record your message and we'd be ever so sad if we didn't receive it because I'm sure that it's very interesting, and I will call you just as soon as I get in ..."

Jane Austen

Jane Austen: The Watsons

The following is an interesting scene from an unpublished fragment dated 1803. Does it remind anyone else of a future similar scene with roles reversed?

At the conclusion of the two dances, Emma found herself, she knew not how, seated amongst the Osborne set; and she was immediately struck with the fine countenance and animated gestures of the little boy, as he was standing before his mother, wondering when they should begin.
"You will not be surprised at Charles' impatience," said Mrs. Blake, a lively, pleasant-looking little woman of five or six and thirty, to a lady who was standing near her, "when you know what a partner he is to have. Miss Osborne has been so very kind as to promise to dance the two first dances with him."
"Oh, yes! we have been engaged this week," cried the boy, "and we are to dance down every couple."
On the other side of Emma, Miss Osborne, Miss Carr, and a party of young men were standing engaged in very lively consultation; and soon afterwards she saw the smartest officer of the set walking off to the orchestra to order the dance, while Miss Osborne, passing before her to her little expecting partner, hastily said: "Charles, I beg your pardon for not keeping my engagement, but I am going to dance these two dances with Colonel Beresford. I know you will excuse me, and I will certainly dance with you after tea"; and without staying for an answer, she turned again to Miss Carr, and in another minute was led by Colonel Beresford to begin the set. If the poor little boy's face had in its happiness been interesting to Emma, it was infinitely more so under this sudden reverse; he stood the picture of disappointment, with crimsoned cheeks, quivering lips, and eyes bent on the floor. His mother, stifling her own mortification, tried to soothe his with the prospect of Miss Osborne's second promise; but though he contrived to utter, with an effort of boyish bravery, "Oh, I do not mind it!" it was very evident, by the unceasing agitation of his features, that he minded it as much as ever.
Emma did not think or reflect; she felt and acted. "I shall be very happy to dance with you, sir, if you like it," said she, holding out her hand with the most unaffected good-humour. The boy, in one moment restored to all his first delight, looked joyfully at his mother; and stepping forwards with an honest and simple "Thank you, ma'am," was instantly ready to attend his new acquaintance. The thankfulness of Mrs. Blake was more diffuse; with a look most expressive of unexpected pleasure and lively gratitude, she turned to her neighbour with repeated and fervent acknowledgments of so great and condescending a kindness to her boy. Emma, with perfect truth, could assure her that she could not be giving greater pleasure than she felt herself; and Charles being provided with his gloves and charged to keep them on, they joined the set which was now rapidly forming, with nearly equal complacency. It was a partnership which could not be noticed without surprise. It gained her a broad stare from Miss Osborne and Miss Carr as they passed her in the dance. "Upon my word, Charles, you are in luck," said the former, as she turned him; "you have got a better partner than me"; to which the happy Charles answered "Yes."

Evolution

Evolution

I believe that Christianity can still be believed, even if Evolution is true. ~C.S.Lewis

I see no need to disbelieve evolution on the principle that it diminishes God's place in creation. The accounts of creation in Gensis leave a room for speculation: The Genesis creation is entirely Earth-centered. The Bible is not God's plan for the universe, or God's complete and total account of all of his workings everywhere; it is a very specific story of his workings on this planet, specializing in one particular group of people that live here; how he worked through them and for them; and what became of those that he directly affected while walking around for a few years on our little swirling rock. Even that account leaves gaps. Other than a few speculatory passages, there is no account of what he did with the rest of the population in the same little history. Nor what he intends to do with those that won't get a chance to hear this little history now. Since the Bible is only intended for a very specific purpose, it is the hight of ego to assume that nothing at all happened until the moment before we appear into the universe.

The following little story is the image of creation in my own head, influenced liberally by Tolkien's Silmarillion and Lewis' The Magician's Nephew. It isn't intended to be doctrinal, but a fantasy that allows for both creation and evolution. (That having been said, it doesn't matter one bit whether one believes in one or the other, so long as everyone agrees on the core beliefs. But western Christiandom specializes in majoring in the minors, and it would be good to remind ourselves from time to time that passionate fighting on the minors both detracts from our witness, and takes time and resources away from helping those we're meant to help)

God spoke, and all the matter that would become the Universe burst outward into the void. And God and the Angels watched as the matter began to form together. Some globs swirled together and burst into flame. These lighted balls began to dance through the heavens. Some bits of matter were pulled into their dance, and began revolving around the points of light. And the great Celestial dance was made, each ball of matter, large and small, taking their place. And the stars sang together while all the angels shouted for joy. A few balls of matter erupted, spewing clouds that wrapped around the bare rock, concealing the face. Plates of rock ground together. Mountains pushed up from under the surface. Lightning struck the rock and pools of mud began teeming with microscopic life. And God looked down, and caused streams of water to come up through the rock and flood the entire surface. He pooled the waters together in places. He breathed and small points pushed through the newly exposed earth, small at first, then growing larger, and spreading green branches toward the sky. In the new moisture small tufts of heath covered the bare earth. Bright points of color appeared, dotting the ground. In the waters, the microscopic life took on new shape. Large creatures, and the small ones, and ones that could not be seen. God beckoned and some swam toward the shore and changed shape. Their scales hardened. Their fins became feet and claws instead. They grew in size. Some grew strength in necks and tails and began rampaging through the foliage. Others grew stumpy and muscular. Some developed spines, and sails, and ridges. And they lumbered around the new fresh planet. God beckoned again, and more creatures emerged from the seas. These ones lost their scales and hair sprouted. Fins and flippers morphed into all kind of claw and hoof and pad. Flippers sprouted feathers and became wings. Some ran, some galloped, and a few walked upright. And God took interest in one such creature, and changed him the most of all. He drew him into a shaded glade between four rivers. He caused the animal to shed its fur, and changed its shape. Into its mind He poured parts of himself; his desires, creativity, and love of beauty. He breathed a soul into the man, and woke him.

Leave it to the Carpetbaggers

Further Evidence of Carpetbaggers

Ah, the carpetbaggers. The locusts who descended upon the destitute South to make a profit while there was still money to be squeezed. It's nice to know that still exists.

Go figure that those with more money than they can manage, at an interest rate sky high in point 3 font, would find a way to benifit even from Habitat for Humanity.

Brown Sugar Cookie Recipe

Brown Sugar Cookie Recipe

1 Cup packed brown sugar
1 cup butter softened
1 tsp vanilla
1 large egg
2 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp Baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/3 cup vanilla almond granola

Combine butter, brown sugar and vanilla in food processor. Add egg. Add cinnamon, baking soda, salt. Add flour 1/2 cup at a time. Add granola. (The recipe originally called for chopped nuts, but adding the granola tastes great and is a wonderful way to get rid of the small bits of granola after you've eaten all of the good chunks) Chill for up to 24 hours. Roll out on lightly floured cutting board. Heat oven to 375. Cook until golden brown on lightly greased cookie sheet.

Makes about 2 dozen cookies.

Post Holiday

Post Holiday

I'm watching the Monk Marathon today as inspiration to clean during the commercials. So far I have a clean living room and kitchen, clean dishes in the dishwasher, and fresh baked brown sugar granola cookies for Flogamockers this evening.

Next week, if we don't flag over Psalm 119 (all 127 verses or whatever), we'll be DONE WITH THE OLD TESTAMENT. It's taken us a little over a year but we read the WHOLE OLD TESTAMENT. OUT LOUD. With voices, hand gestures (wave offering), and much sloughin over the names (Sherubabababal), and group sayings (THUH priest!), the occasional themed party, and whatever else it took to keep us engaged. I'm hoping Jesus doesn't plan on coming back in the next week, because I would lack closure.

The tree is up (only one, though) and the garland at the folks' house. It was a slow year for additional Kunzepalooza-ers. Only Bean came over. Denise is in the doghouse.

And I'm off tomorrow after other Bible study to finish filming the music video. Pray much and wish me luck. There was over a foot of snow on the pass last night.

The Locker Room Story

The Locker Room Story

We were recounting stories after dinner, and here's one of mine from my days off in Seattle

I've never been in a locker room. As an adult. As a kid I remember walking around the athletic club or the YMCA and seeing saggy middle aged women walking around naked. At Baylor, I'm sure there was a locker room, but my dorm was nearby, so I dressed there and went over the to equipment room. I'm not a modest person after years in the theater, but the last time I was really naked in 'public' was when Crissie and I went skinny dipping in my grandparent's pool on our senior trip.

The Logsdons gave me a weeks free pass to their Athletic Club. I did two yoga classes and worked out on the elliptical machines one morning. And there, in the locker rooms, were more naked women. Walking around. Talking to each other. Drying their hair. Toweling off. And after spending time trying NOT to look, I noticed something. These are all women much older than me, all of which have clearly had children at some point.

So one night Becky and Miles took me along to a swim class. Aha. A bathing suit moment. So I slunk over to my locker and changed quickly into the bathing suit Becky lent me. I did it. I was naked in front of people.

So, I got into the pool. I did five laps, and decided that I had enough water up my nose to last a while, and got back out. I decided, since I had time to kill, and Miles and Becky would be swimming for a while, it was my time to be brave. I went back to my locker, disposed of my suit, wrapped my towel around, and headed for the group showers. And I saw myself in the mirror. And I saw the other ladies. And I realized something. I have the best body in this room. So I hung up the towel, and walked into the group shower. I was alone. All that bravery for nothing. But after I'd shampooed, I turned around and the room was full of women. Showering. Talking about their kids, their instructors, and the errands they needed to run.

Flush with success, I decided to go try the steam room. I've watched Sex and the City enough to be intrigued. This was a cedar hot room with a little rock bucket to make steam. I took in my Interview with a Vampire to kill time. I spread out my towel, and streched out on the cedar planks. Nice. Then a lady walked in. AND STARTED TALKING TO ME. I was naked. She was naked. It seemed like an odd time for a chat. But we did. About the temperature of the room, and how much she wanted one of these things at home. And other inconsequential matters. And after a few more minutes, I was warm enough. I braved the showers a second time, and got dressed.

But for a few minutes I was reveling in it.

Happy Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

We spent all day yesterday cooking for an early dinner today. Tomorrow is Kunzepalooza!