Ode to a boy

When did I become the man?
Why am I doing the chasing?
Where are the flowers delivered to my door?
Where is the poetry written for me?

This is not love,
at least not the love I'm looking for.
You can write your own ending.
My story lies elsewhere.

Someone else's art

I had to write a book review for work today, so I thought I'd share the product of my work with the relatively few complete strangers who stumble across my blog (where did all my friends go?). It's all just silliness anyway. I hope you enjoy my first foray into book reviewing.

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by J.K. Rowling

Book 6 of this controversial series sees Harry back at Hogwarts for his sixth year. The wizarding world is now fully aware of Voldemort’s return and the Muggle (non-magical) world is also at risk. Safe within the confines of the school, Harry and his friends, Ron and Hermione, can only read about the atrocities happening out in the world. But is Hogwarts really safe? Voldemort’s supporters are everywhere and Harry’s convinced his nemesis, Draco Malfoy, is among them. Book 6 is much lighter in tone than book 5, but the story doesn’t lose any of its momentum.
In Harry’s sixth year, the lines between good and evil seem to be clearly drawn, and Harry learns more than just the standard curriculum. Dumbledore gives Harry private lessons, teaching him the secrets of Voldemort’s immortality and how to ultimately defeat him, setting the stage for the final book in the series. The ending is shocking and distressing for regular readers of the series, but like all good coming of age stories, the ending makes sense in the greater context.
Harry Potter continues to be a fan favorite, making The Half-Blood Prince a must read for any Harry Potter fan.

Elephant Stew

I went to Chicago this weekend for a wedding. A traditional Filipino Adventist wedding. It was beautiful, if not a bit bizarre. And the part of Chicago we were in was gorgeous! Dayton doesn't have money like that! I hate Chicago, though. I hate driving in Chicago. I hate the toll roads. I hate the traffic. I hate the lunatic drivers. I was so excited to go, because I haven't been in years, then I got there and remembered why I stayed away for so long! I didn't do any sight seeing at all, so I'll eventually have to go back, but I need time to mentally prepare for it :)

On the drive, I listened to one of my new cd's that I've become absolutely addicted to. The artist is Rachael Yamagata. She is being compared to Fiona Apple, Norah Jones and Sarah McLaughlin, which are 3 very distinct artists in their own right. So, yeah, she's a chick with a piano and a sultry voice. That's about where the comparisons end. Her music is kinda funky, jazzy, pop-y, bluesy and even a little country. It's not quite as mature as Sarah, not as rough around the edges as Fiona and not quite as jazz inspired as Norah, but if you like the genre, then definitely check her out!

The things we do to keep ourselves entertained at work.

Back to normal, if that's what you call this...

Thanks to those of you who expressed concern about my mother. I shouldn't have left that sitting there for so long without following up. Last week was horrific! My mom spent 2 days in the hospital, but no one knows why she was having pain. Her heart is perfectly healthy. That's the good news! She now has to follow up with several doctors of varying specialties to figure out what's wrong. Meanwhile, she has this mild pressure in her chest that's almost constant now. She's not concerned, though. She feels as long as her heart is healthy she is a step ahead of her family history!
This week is much better comparatively. I just spoke with the instructor who will be teaching my independent study in poetry. I'm very excited about this class. I think I'm actually going to learn something! I have entirely too much on my plate for fall, a full-time job, 9 semester hours and a potential part-time job, not to mention choir, Hebrew lessons and other Temple related activities. If I'm not already crazy, I will be after September. Strangely enough, I'm looking forward to the chaos. I want to be so busy I don't have time to think about anything extraneous. It will either be good for me, or I'll be writing these during my breaks from my rubber room!
Something I learned this past week, and it shocks me that I am capable of understanding this, is to find joy where I can because if I wait for it to find me I'll be miserable forever. Yes, I know it sounds like a hallmark card, but it's really a revelation for me. I guess the anti-depressants are working.
2 days of work, then I'm off to Chicago for the weekend. More later...