love songs

on our way home Sunday, we caught a re-run episode of This American Life that explored the topic of 'break-ups'. I'd heard it before and I love this episode, mostly for the first segment in which Starlee Kine describes a horrible, painful breakup between she and her boyfriend, how this event culminated in a burning desire to write a torch song about it, and how this decision ultimately led her to seek the advice of Phil Collins himself (whose music had become a part of the fabric of she and her ex's courtship/relationship in that way music does). I love that Phil Collins actually talked to her and was gracious, I love the snippets of various love/break-up songs played... it's just a great segment.

**insert phil collins tangent** I may mis-remember parts of this story, so B2 - feel free to correct me. when M and I first started dating, the subject of mix tapes came up. do you make a mix tape of songs selected because the mix tape-maker loves them, or should the song list reflect songs you think the receiver will like? I talked with B2 about this dilemma as well, and I sort of forget how it all came about but we ended up discussing Phil Collins and Genesis (she likes both entities), which I later mentioned to M. when B2 and M met - which was a big deal, as dudes I dated rarely met the important people in my life. wrong and telling, I know. - B2 and I were hanging out at Agora on Westheimer. I'd asked her to help me know what normal, healthy dating looked like, because I really and truly didn't know. in walked mgb wearing a t-shirt that said 'I'm really into Phil Collins' on the front and 'and Genesis' on the back. he'd made it, and I'm pretty sure it endeared him to B2 instantly. when we parted company later, after getting Korean food, I think, she looked at me and said 'that's what it looks like'. that was a great day all around.

so love songs. amidst the awesome angsty slow ones, here's a peppy one I always love:



a new one that's great:



fun and endearing:



and if I were making a break-up mix, this would be in prime first position:




love!

-m.y.

from my hotel room

I'm working out of town, spending my first night away from the baby. I miss her, but I'm imagining it could be a lot worse. I'm thankful that she's successfully weaned and I'm... um... pretty much physically recovered from that, too. we tapered off like everyone says to do, but I was still surprised it seemed to take so long (to me) for my body to get the message.

anyhoo. facetime is a lovely thing - thanks, apple product, for letting me see and talk to my family on the phone tonight.

we've been in our car a lot lately. for all the travel, I think we've all done extraordinarily well. we've managed to stay both pretty genial and mostly healthy, and we've really had a lovely time seeing family and making the most out of opportunities for work. huge thanks to mom & dad, mrs. mary, and grandma for putting us up. thanks to you all, we had nice places to collapse at the end of the day. :)

hotel shots:

I started my new eating plan right before this stretch of travel, and I feel really good about the choices I've made. I'm also feeling better in general... I think the combination of eating more regularly, making a few adjustments in food choices, and being physically challenged is helping me stay very 'level'. it's kind of a lame word, but that's how I feel. on-kilter. kiltered? level.

we were at Kevin and Linda's when we flipped the channel and learned that Osama Bin Laden had been killed. the public's varied response to his death has sparked a lot of conversation about how Christians should react to things like this. I think these are things worth talking about. I have more to say, but I'm so sleepyyyy...

a phew photos. (I wrote it that way with the 'ph' without thinking and decided to leave it. just so you know that I REALLY KNOW HOW TO SPELL.)

miss kaitlin michelle

did I mention that MY middle name is 'michelle'?

my brother's is 'michael'... we're both named after our father.

my rockstar sister-in-law and her girls:

a quick snapshot of the three girls after church last Sunday:

Kev and I, and our pretty progeny:

bath time!

kaitlin was very good about looking at aunt lu:

meggie peeping from the carseat:

munching on another favorite blanket... grandma made a bigger one for her and this one for her dolly for christmas:

our first doll baby:

I just like this one for the great view of all four teeth:

we got to go celebrate opa's birthday @ hickory hollow:

and pause to do a little cuddling on our brown couch:

we took brother J to see Arcade Fire last night for his birthday, and it was one of the best shows I've ever seen. the music was great, the band is fun to watch, and their visual show is cool, odd, and ofttimes mesmerizing. I'm really glad we got to see them. note to self: when mgb and I form our band and tour, we simply MUST have a rad visual element. I would also like to wear a twirly, sparkly, majorette dress sometimes.

a fun clip... they only sold seated tickets (so there was no crowd back on the hill), and everyone there seemed to have a blast. I saw distinctly unhip, older people out there clapping and singing along with all the hipsters, and I think that's a testament to the band's appeal.

...aaaaand, I can't get the video to play. sigh. oh well.


home again tomorrow night. I can't wait to totally unpack my bag and go buy vegetables to cook with the hubs. this was me today, in my arcade fire t-shirt:

borrowing The List from JR:

I'm thankful for abundant blessing, and ample opportunity to use gifts.
I need to do more cardio.
I think I'm allergic to walking lunges.
Mother's Day's coming up!
why is it so hard to remember to drink water?
tomorrow's session is almost guaranteed to be a throat-ripper. I'm glad it's almost the weekend.
I have about ten phone calls I need to make. I'm failing in personal communication.
I wish the scale would reflect the way I feel. for now, I'll just enjoy my looser clothes.

-m.y.

what does one do?

when it's been too long between bloggings and there's too much to say?

POST A VIDEO.
we saw Robyn a couple of weeks ago at Warehouse Live and it was totally, totally fun. she's my favorite workout music right now and I wish she lived next door to us.



more stuff to come, thoughts and words and things. at least the ice is broken now.

-m.y.

a 'personal' day

after waking up with the baby at 6a and waffling for about an hour, I made the super-best-most-awesome-and-unexpected choice for today: I rescheduled my audition and 4 hr session this afternoon to stay home and rest. which doesn't actually mean I spent the day on the couch or anything, but I *did* rest my voice and have a lovely, relaxing day at home drinking lots of hot things and leisurely puttering. which, I'm fairly positive, is the total opposite picture of the day I *would* have had had I gone and slug it out. *quick edit: I needed this day 'off' for more than my scratched up throat - I was reminded Saturday night at my meeting that the first, first, first thing is to take care of myself, and I'm suddenly aware that I've not been working my program very well. the evidence is in my mood swings, my thought processes, everything. here's to a step in the right direction.

this afternoon brought a sad note as I learned about the passing of a friend's dear grandmother, and I'm reminded of PaPa's passing last year. it almost seems trifling to blog about babies napping and pulling up and a lovely pile of bacon-y, shallot-y greens on days like this, when life reminds you how hard it really is to participate in the living of it. I'm thinking maybe that's why we do post about the sweet things and moments both important and inane, of kitties and 'bitties, because at the end of the day we want to hold onto connection and hope and memorialize those things we hold dear while we can. in that spirit and with deep, deep gratitude for the day I've been given, here are some things I'm happy to share today:

preparing to nap with musical seahorse! usually she's not this happy to be put down for a nap... I'm pretty sure she started bawling as soon as I walked away and was asleep in about 10 minutes.

out cold this afternoon. before falling asleep, she tends to fuss and cry and 'talk' and scoot around the bed, rubbing her face in the sheet, until she finally finds a comfy spot to settle.

playing in the kitchen while mama does dishes and makes lunch.

look what I can do! I ended up picking her up pretty quick after taking this photo, afraid her hands would slip and she'd bust her face on the cement floor. we spoke today of needing to crawl around and officially babyproof the house now. the other thing about babies crawling around on the floor, aside from making sure they don't hurt themselves, is that you're constantly looking for gross things for them to stumble upon. I mopped and Swiffered today. again.

discovering Daddy's record collection:

and now, because I really do like you guys, I want to share this recipe for delicious swiss chard. grab a couple of slices of bacon and chop them up (we love our Pederson's Farm Uncured Apple Smoked variety) :

roughly chop some shallots - you can use regular onions, sure, but shallots are milder and sweeter and way better in this dish, to my taste buds:

and chop some garlic, as much as you like:

your swiss chard should be washed, drained, and patted dry if needed. this was two bunches:

I take my knife and cut out the hard stem, stacking the leaves. I don't know what to make out of the stems and usually toss them - does anyone have another idea?:

splitting the pile into two bunches, I chop 'em all up:

in a large pan with a lid, cook your bacon and shallots, adding a little extra virgin olive oil if you need to (the bacon might render enough oil, might not). when the bacon is cooked and the shallots translucent, add in your garlic, and after a minute or two throw in the chard:

*do not be alarmed at the disembodied bear head in the photo above. it's Magz' pacifier clip that we now use to keep her from throwing her spoon to the floor at mealtime. so, you've put the chard in the pot. now for the extras... go ahead and season it with salt and pepper, add a good pinch of brown sugar, and a nice drizzle of sesame oil. the sesame oil makes it awesome and delicious!! careful, though, depending on how much oil you used back at the start it can get TOO oily, so take care in the beginning and remind yourself to leave room for the sesame oil:

mix it up, cover, and cook on med-low heat for, oh, five-eight minutes. you can always taste it to see if it's ready... it should be wilted and have lost any bitterness. sometimes, if I have a really strong, tough green, I'll cook it down and then add in some spinach to lighten it up, but this chard was delicious all on it's own:

voila. this was the plate mgb and I shared for lunch. yes, those are crunchy fish sticks. not pictured is the sriracha ketchup for dipping. gourmet all the way.

and now it's time to get ready to celebrate husband's birthday by eating at one of our favorite restaurants and then walking across the street to see this band's show. they're one of mgb's favorites; from my limited listening I'm under the impression that the lead guy just yells alot. :)

love, everybody.

-m.y.

it's friday! get your funky milestone on...

have a good weekend, everyone!






-m.y.

'baby' music

so magz seems to enjoy Sigur Ros, an Icelandic rock band. some of their lyrics are in Icelandic but most are made up and are just gibberish. fun gibberish. maybe that's why she's into it.

I woke up at 5a to her grunts and little almost-cries, got up to change and nurse her, and felt a draft. whoa! there was a huge wet spot on the front of my nightshirt. I'd forgotten to wear my nursing pads to bed, and was leaking all over the place. now, I haven't had a big problem with that, just every so often, so I went in to change her and was all, 'what's that on my foot? oh, milk is dripping ON MY FOOT'... and squirting onto the changing table, and the baby. what the-?! I got her fed and put back to bed, and got to pumping. over 4 ounces after she ate! cuh-razy. I honestly didn't anticipate that it would be such a process, breastfeeding. I mean, I knew there was some working out to be done, but I think I thought your milk would come in and there would just be a lot of it, or your supply would grow really quickly and that was that. here I am 8 weeks in and I'm just now experiencing this terrific overflow and understanding what some people are talking about in these books I've read.

and since I was up (and dry - I did change my shirt), I did the dishes. :)

have a good one, all!

-m.y.

the flaming lips.

we had SUCH a good time at the concert Sunday night! though it was super muddy and we got there right before the show started, we ended up with a sweet view of the stage from the top of the hill (thanks to borrowing the church's wheelchair) and we all really enjoyed watching Wayne and the boys rock out. they didn't play as many old songs as I wanted (no Race for the Prize! oh well, I'm sure there comes a point when every artist would like to move on and perform new things), but their new stuff sounded great, too, very psychedelic and fun.

here's us:



and M's brother J and our friend Whitney... fyi, I don't know why J looks so crazy. Whit, I think you look so chipper and adorable here!:



and here's how they closed the show... I think I've mentioned it before, but if we were going to have a song to dance to at our wedding it would have been this one. M and I met in the same park the Lips performed in Sunday night in early December of 2006, and one of the first things we bonded over was the Yoshimi album and our love of this song. I DID get some video of them doing an acoustic version of Yoshimi, but I'm singing like a crazy woman in the background (sorta like I am in this vid, only more and longer) and I thought I'd spare you that today.



in other news:

- we went to the specialist on Monday and were told my fluid level was almost 8... which is okay, and consistent for me. not horrible, not really good. but the baby looks great, and she (Dr. A) didn't want to see me again. she said if the baby doesn't come on her own this week, she's recommending we deliver early next week. I'll be past 39 weeks (Saturday), and your risk of amniotic fluid levels diminishing increases the closer you get to your due date, and really can go down if we go past the date. my body has already been prepping itself for labor, so if my regular doc chooses to follow her advice and induce it shouldn't cause us to have increased risk of C-section. I see Dr. H tomorrow and am assuming we'll formulate a plan. a plan to bring a baby home! of course, she could come on her own anytime, too... I've started cramping a little and my uterus tightens up every so often (Braxton Hicks, I presume), and I *think* the baby might have dropped or something, because last night whenever she moved it was PROFOUNDLY uncomfortable and felt a lot lower than usual. I was a little more physically active yesterday than I've been in the past, oh, week or so, and felt straight up broke-down last night between my back, hip, and the baby moving and making me wince. I was so glad to eat a good bowl of homemade veggie soup and get a pretty good nights sleep (thanks to sticking pillows between my legs and under my belly and anywhere else I could reach).

I keep watching for signs of all these things increasing in intensity, hoping to know when I'm actually in labor... I do understand why people would think somethings happening and rush to the hospital. plus there's always the little worry in the back of your head about the baby being in distress somehow - how would you know?? what would feel different, with all of the weird feelings and sensations you're already trying to distinguish?? I still maintain that as long as she's moving regularly and there's not a difference in any discharge, things are probably okay...

today's agenda:

trip to the grocery store
find the 406 note pad
meet with (hopefully) our pediatrician
take a nap
work at finishing off the armchair (which is about 95% done!) - this requires sitting and stitching, so it's blessedly low-impact
church-hizzle. have I mentioned how awesome it is to live around the corner again?

maybe more, but honestly anything else is gravy.

-m.y.

a few photos... and happy birthday, betty ann!

today is my Grandma's birthday! woo-hoo! I'll be seeing both she and my Yaya, betty jo, this weekend to celebrate both of their birthdays. I'm looking forward to seeing the fam - M will stay here and slave away at our house. you go, honey!!

speaking of the house, the iphone captured these moments last weekend... first up, the wonderful and exciting discovery of original tile under two layers of crazy linoleum in the bathroom:



and husband tearing into the two-layered-linoleum in the kitchen... which is on sticky concrete, as we expected. since taking this picture, he's torn up almost all of it! now all we have to do is clean up the floor and make it less stick-to-your-shoes so it can ultimately be painted and sealed.



a photo taken at the Tegan & Sara concert at Warehouse Live... I was trying to capture all of the illuminated camera phones in the crowd:



grainy concert love.



-m.y.

jknapp in march!

while perusing the Houston Press last night, we discovered that Jennifer Knapp will be going on tour with Derek Webb! she's been out of commission for awhile, and I'm SO looking forward to getting to see her play the day after my birthday. as I said earlier, the lady writes songs that reflect mostly unspoken prayers of mine. Bethy, remember when you sang Faithful to Me in the talent show at Rockcleft?! am I remembering that right?!

this is a song off of the Kansas album that has a deep memory for me. there was a point where I felt I'd really come a long way, but had gotten my nets totally tangled in a dating situation that was making me crazy. I was so confused and felt so out there, completely exposed and floundering. I had the clear sense that it wasn't right, but couldn't seem to keep from being involved... the end result being my increasing discomfort and, like I said, craziness. I put this song on while I was in my car and before she got to the second verse I was bawling my eyes out. I pulled over onto the shoulder of the road and sang the rest of the song, crying in the ugliest way. then I called two friends, confessed my craziness and fear of being alone, and asked for prayer to turn away from things that aren't good for me. it was a big deal, let me tell you. those kinds of prayers and choices were crucial for me, because only by learning to say no to certain things I'd let myself grow accustomed to was I able to break free and be ready for so much... well, so much better.




and this one is just great, that's all. it's off of her next album, Lay it Down:




bring it, Jennifer! now I need to brush up on Derek Webb's last album... I really liked The House Show, which is the album I know best, but his latest one is more electronic.

-m.y.

something to look forward to...

barring any surprises, like, oh, a baby showing up early, we will be seeing the flipping Flaming Lips in Elenore Tinsley Park in early June! this is rad for a few reasons:

a) we like them.

b) one of our first musical commonalities discovered on the set of the short film where we met was this band, specifically the album 'Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots'

3) I'm staring across into the library at the wall art husband made of the robot/Yoshimi image from the album, long before I met him.

cuatro) their shows are supposed to be an absolute blast, and I've never been before.

so here're two songs that have me pumped up today. Wayne Coyne's not the best singer in the world and their studio songs are definitely cleaner, but I love the energy of these.

the yeah yeah yeah song on Letterman!




and this is the song that I imagined we would have danced to at our wedding, if we'd done that sort of thing. I plan to hold my sweaty, pregnant belly with one hand and wrap the other one around husband when they sing this (I'm just going to assume they will. please, lips??). how fun does this concert look?!:

happy day. :)


I'm not regular about reading my various meditation books AT ALL, but picked one up this morning and thought this was a very appropriate thought for this week in the wake of Jenny B.'s death, the death of a peer of M's office manager, etc.

The beauty of the world has two edges, one of laughter, one of anguish, cutting the heart asunder. - Virginia Woolf

Anguish is undoubtedly more familiar to us than the beauty of laughter. We feel anguish over our failings, we feel anguish over our losses; we feel anguish over the attempts to succeed that beckon to us.
Anguish comes of fear. And we so hope to avoid it. However, it seasons us; it enriches us even while it momentarily diminishes us. It is a major contributor to the sum and substance of our lives. The anguish we experience prepares us to help others face their own particular anguish.
Our laughter, too, must be savored and shared. And laughter builds more laughter. Laughter lends a perspective to our anguish. Life is made richer, fuller, by the ebb and flow, the laughter and the anguish in concert.
If only we could remember, when the anguish is present, that it is making our spirits whole. That it, along with laughter, is a healer of the soul. That it lifts our load at the same time that it burdens us. That it prepares us to receive life's other gifts.

I saw that my SIL posted these words of Jesus on facebook... they really are comforting, and whenever I hear or read them they are a salve for my brain, heart, and spirit:

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. - John 14:27

commercials in the can!

oh yes, Fiesta and I (and baby) tangoed today and it was mostly lovely. a long day - 6:30 call out in Tomball, and I got home around 7:15 tonight - but so very good overall. the spots all went well, my brain held up like a magical trooper, the client/director/crew seemed really happy, and my wicked girdle kept everything from jiggling around too much (not pleasant, but effective). the biggest boo of the day was that the store was FREEZING. freezing, I tell you. consequently, I'm still cold. my bath will be so delicious, it almost hurts to think about it.

husband just brought me dinner! asian noodles with mushrooms and veg! he totally treats me right. I dedicate this song to all the ladies out there who show up with their game faces and push through 'til the end of the day.

the afternoon sleepies

it's been a long day so far. long, but good. I'm eating a sliced jazz apple and wondering if I should work in a nap before husband gets home for Indian food/DVRd Castle night. the song of the day is inspired by our Sunday morning Bible class - we're currently looking at the life of Peter, and I really enjoy Sufjan Stevens' take on The Transfiguration:



our Bible class stretches my brain, and I really appreciate that.

I'm shooting four Fiesta commercials tomorrow, for which I'm very thankful. that means an early call time and a packed day of quick changes and shooting. I got my scripts today and am fervently hoping my pregnancy brain will be able to focus and spit the lines out all awesome-like, because that's the name of the game if you're me and trying to make the nice people who hired me happy. seriously, the worst thing ever is when you're on a deadline, the lights get set, the camera is set, everything's finally ready to go, and the actor gets flustered and blows the lines. my goal is to try to always be the opposite of that guy. thoughts to banish: 'do I look fat in this?' and 'is this the last commercial I'll shoot?'. begone self-conscious, fearful, and generally unhelpful thoughts!

Christmas gifts are falling into place... just a few more, and we're home free. while shopping for additional items, I picked up my first $10 maternity shirt/sweater - it's a gray, v-necked, lightweight sweater thing that's roomy, longish, and loosely gathered on the sides. It's sort of classic looking, totally comfy, and I liked it a lot... plus I LOVED the price. :)

I had other things to write, but sleep is taking over.... one more handful of caramel popcorn (high-five, write softly!) and I'm over and out.

-m.y.

ahh, the lips....

commence dancing around.

the postal service and ninja baby

so this was the opening song on one of my favorite albums ever by The Postal Service...



seriously, this cd lived in the player in my car for a loooooong time.

other miscellany:

we went to the doctor today for the nuchal translucency test, which is essentially a chromosome test that's told in ratios... they take pictures of the baby in certain positions to measure an area behind it's neck, draw my blood, and factor in my age and come out with a ratio of how likely our baby is to have a chromosomal disorder. it's very non-invasive and is meant, if the results are satisfactory to the doctor and patient, to keep you from getting an amniocentesis (which carries more risk). when the technician started the sonogram the baby was sleeping there, all curled up and comfortable, so she started jiggling it around to make it move. it took awhile (heavy sleeper??), but finally as she was dragging the whatever-it-is across my abdomen the baby bucked like, 'whoa, okay fine!'. it was kicking like a little ninja with it's little skinny legs, it's little hands were stretching and moving around, and then it did a flip and ended up on it's head facing the other way. how fun to see that! and what a wild thing to not feel it at all! our doctor was pleased with how everything looks, and we're headed back in 3 weeks (we should get the results of the test in about a week). if anyone is counting, I've gained about 4-5 pounds so far, which is right on.

have you heard the phrase 'an idle mind is where the devil works'? I think it's true... or maybe I just think we're meant to do something and not lay around all day. I say this because, after our doctor's appointment, M and I came home to just enjoy the rest of the day since we'd gotten our work-work done early, and after watching a couple of X-files episodes, eating lunch, taking a nap, catching up on SYTYCD and an episode of Glee, I felt... bored. not bored really - I actually really don't like for adults to talk about being bored, as though we don't have the power to go do something - I just felt in need of action. cleaning the kitchen and doing some laundry made me a new woman. I guess I like a little accomplishment in my day, it makes me feel better.

as to the question from yesterday... I appreciated the comments, ladies. when it comes to trying to see things from the perspective of others, I suppose it all depends on what our intentions are. I do believe that, on a very basic level, if a person wants to effectively communicate with another person or group of people, learning where they're coming from has obvious benefits both interpersonally and informationally. you simply have a greater chance of being heard and understood and creating a receptive space if there's a bridge of understanding and respect between you. sadly, I think sometimes we decide that the message as-understood-by-me is more important than the hearer. I've been there, and it's not a good feeling. I've also been on the opposite side, where I felt I didn't say enough or wasn't bold enough because I didn't want to offend someone.

from my own experience, I can easily spend my time taking in information and formulating my own beliefs about things and then looking for an outlet or soapbox to express them... for example, my family's always been very open about discussing all manner of things, and debating politics, current issues, and faith has always been a part of our fabric. I'm glad of it and I enjoy the sharpening, but I'm also aware that sometimes my feelings about various topics and the way I want to express them have the potential to get in the way of my respecting and loving others... usually not horribly or hurtfully, but I'm aware of it anyway. I want to be known more for my love, my faith, and my spirit more than my opinions, but that's tough when everything gets so easily intertwined.

our world seems so polarizing now.. it doesn't appear to be very popular to try to lay aside your own opinions and thoughts to try to comprehend that of people you disagree with... or, just lay them aside out of respect and to avoid fruitless argument, when that's the inevitable outcome. maybe to some it might smack of weakness. I see it like this... I have some ideas based on information I have, but I'm guessing I don't have the full picture. others are looking at other puzzle pieces on which they've founded their ideas. it's not weakness to be open to more potential picture, even if what I learn and hear muddies my own water a little and makes me have to re-think. critical thinking is so necessary, especially now that there's so much information and mis-information at our fingertips - we must keep testing and verifying what we learn. I thought of this excerpt from Robert Kiyosaki's book 'Rich Dad Poor Dad', when he's discussing investing in education:

'I love audio tapes. the reason: I can rewind quickly. I was listening to a tape by Peter Lynch, and he said something I completely disagreed with. instead of becoming arrogant and critical, I simply pushed 'rewind' and I listened to that five-minute stretch of tape at least twenty times. possibly more. but suddenly, by keeping my mind open, I understood what he said. it was like magic... I gained tremendous depth and insight into the vast resources of his education and experience. the net result: I still have the old way I used to think, and I have Peter's way of looking at the same problem or situation. I have two thoughts instead of one.'

he goes on to say that the only way to accumulate more information in this way to be humble enough to seek it out or listen to it, and that 'listening is more important that talking'. financial matters are his specialty, but I got a lot out of this book when I read it, oh, three years ago... just pulling it down to look up that quote makes me want to reread it.

not that I think you can't hold personal Truths that are unchanging. I certainly don't believe everything is relative. but in terms of dealing with the rest of the world, the questions for me at the end of the day sound like: 'is how I'm living speaking that Truth? do others get it by how I behave, the words I say? what's really important to me, and am I communicating that?' honestly, parts of me still feel splintered, like there are some areas that are still sort of renegade and reactive, flapping in the wind and not doing anyone much good. but I do know when I hit the Spirit groove, when I feel that I'm operating in the way I'm meant to in my convictions, and the freedom, peace, and control of that place makes me want to conform all of my life to that channel.

thanks for reading... if anyone has more ideas and food for thought, I'd be happy to hear them.

-m.y.

while my face is full of noodles...

this is a shins song called 'sleeping lessons' that, frankly, just rocks. musings about the meaning of the lyrics can be found here.



I was prompted to think about this while reading Godgrown's latest blog... how important do you think it is to try to understand where other people are coming from while engaging in the world we live in? whether we're talking politics, faith, family interactions, social issues, what have you? husband has rented more X-files and I need another helping of this delectable chicken & noodles he made, so I'll reserve my thoughts for tomorrow... but I really think the question has merit. the actor in me wants to rephrase the question as, 'how important should my audience's opinion be to me, and how much should that change my communication choices... or is it about what I have to say from my worldview, regardless of how others feel?'

happy Lord's day. everyday.

-m.y.

if I fall, would you pick me up?

this song will always make me think of the mix cd mgb made me when we started dating... he put both this song and 'San Francisco' on the playlist, and that was my first introduction to Hello Saferide (and his soft spot for Swedish pop singers).



my other favorite from this album is probably 'Get Well Soon'... great song.

two more gifts bought today! plus a ton of groceries, as our cupboard was bare, the dog is almost out of food, etc. going to the market this morning was fun - it was so cold, but outside there were still a couple of booths of vegetables with gorgeous greens and gorgeous red/yellow carrots, the meat and eggs booth, the knife sharpener people, and some crafty things. inside were the usual suspects, and everyone seemed happy to be there. we got into a fun conversation with one of the farmers and learned a few new tricks. did you know that the best bird deterrent for your garden is a big blow up snake? for real, they sell them at Wabash Feed Store. after t'afia, we headed to Central Market for a few things (which was miraculously not crazy crowded) and then rounded out the trip at the newly renovated Kroger on Buffalo Speedway. that Kroger is seriously awesome. I'm not ashamed to admit that I found some organic Frosted Raspberry Toaster Pastries... or A Sorta Better Pop Tart... that almost made me do a dance, they looked so good to me. I haven't really craved specific foods, but I do want something sweet every now and then and boom! this fit the bill today. Most of the time right now, food is just sort of ho-hum more than anything. I can eat most anything and I'm definitely eating enough (and, I think, a pretty good variety), but if I think about it too long not much sounds awfully appetizing.

between outings, we finished watching the movie version of 'Rent' that M brought home... we'd gotten to talking about it one night, and I tried to describe the waves of excitement some of us in the theatre community experienced when that musical opened back in the early 90s, and why it was a big deal. I think it reads pretty dated now, but it was a new thing to have a show that openly dealt with AIDS and alternative lifestyles as Rent did, and the message of bucking the system, artistic freedom, and seizing the day while you've got it was powerful for a young, emotional actor. I never saw it live - or the movie, for that matter, because I was skeptical of it translating to screen - but I totally owned the original cast recording, and while watching the film I was surprised to remember so many of the lyrics. thought of you, Bethy. have you seen Neil Patrick Harris as Mark try to save Broadway on SNL??? AWEZOME.

I get to go to my meeting tonight and rejoice with my family there in happybabynews. woo-hoo! the only downside to the cold weather is that I can't seem to get my feet warm enough.

-m.y.

in honor of the white stuff...

I'm trying to figure out how to bribe my hubby into watching White Christmas with me again. :)

happy Friday, everyone! and happy birthday, ms. mc d!

it's a new dawn, it's a new day, it's a new life for me...

go nina!



quite a few things on the dance card today. corporate voice work and another VO gig, then I'm doing a shoot for a teaser for a film being produced locally - the only catch is, the audition was by personal request last week before we'd made it publicly known that we're expecting (so I didn't feel wholly comfortable saying 'oh, you should know that I'm pregnant, just in case that monkeys with any schedule issues or whatever - but don't tell my folks, 'cause they don't know yet), but I figured that since it was shooting this week it wouldn't be a big deal. sooo... one more day of trying to suck in my stomach for them, but after this I'm not playing for anyone else. or if I do, it's with my whole belly.

-m.y.

december musical shenanigans...

so, whilst driving back to Houston from Dallas tonight, I was shuffling through songs on my iphone (too loud, but that's how I roll) and had such a good time I decided to bring the funk to my blog this month. I know I've been remiss in posting, but for awhile there it felt hard because I couldn't talk about *whisper* 'thepregnancy' *end whisper* yet, and to NOT talk about it seemed weirdly semi-duplicitous, so it was easier to not post much at all. anyhoo, it's all out in the open now, so let's kick off the month with the title track from The Young Machines, an album by Her Space Holiday.



items of note:

I've eaten more junky today and last night than in the rest of the past 11 weeks. yikes, it really does make a huge difference. sorry, baby, I'll do better for both of us.

our little bambino is the size of a fig.

we've bought two - count 'em - two Christmas presents so far.

tomorrow night we have a date to go get the tree!

it's hard to live fully in the present right now... I keep wanting to think ahead and plan...

my sister-in-law is seeing New Moon as I type this... did I mention that, based on the movies alone, I'm totally on Team Jacob? I think it's just because Edward is so hard to translate to film well... and, for me, Bella is profoundly maddening in print or on screen... Jacob gets to be a good, interesting, character-driven dude with personality. and then there's how he's totally gorgeous and all in his boy-werewolfdom - oh, sorry, I'm WAY to mature to think of such shallow things... especially about children so, SO much younger than myself...

but don't get me wrong. Bella and Edward are 4-ever. fated. sealed. done.

I LOVE the stuff with the Volturi.

Mama needs some new books.

I'm thinking of starting the Mark of the Lion series by Francine Rivers. I put the first book on my Christmas List. and I asked for Crazy Love by Francis Chan. I'm currently rereading my well-worn copy of Little Women, and it's like visiting old friends.

husband is singing 'where's my wife' in the other room. must fly to him.

-m.y.

kicking off november thanks...

rather than make some excuse for my lack of blogging insight lately, I'm going to plunge right into a list of current blessings. enjoy this happy song while you read! may there always be joyous public dancing.




to begin... my husband! I know it's hard to hear me blather on about his awesomeness, but really... he's the cat's meow. he's fun and good and takes such great care of us. plus he brought me two presents recently - some killer rubber rain boots that look like riding boots and a darling blue hat - for no reason at all, both of which blew my mind and made me squeal.

work! I had a slow September and October, which was both good and a challenge, and God has been bringing me some really great projects and people in the last couple of weeks to the point where I'm a bit overwhelmed. I'm so very thankful for it as well as for the downtime, and more aware than ever that everything comes from Him. I must learn to accept what's given and take it all in stride... I can really be the Queen of Wigging Out when things slow down OR speed up.

Chino! who's so funny and a precious lamb... and even more dear to us since Ripley isn't here.

by the way, I got a very sweet cremation certificate in the mail today from 'Fond Memories Pet Cemetery and Crematorium' today (which is the facility my vet uses to dispose of deceased animals). I sobbed for 2 minutes and then it was over.

Simply Apple Juice! I just can't quit you.



Flexibility! I know it's not a noun, but I'm still so thankful that my life is fairly malleable and people will usually work with me so everyone wins.

Mad Men! you turned out to be a truly wonderful third season. sniff. sorry you didn't make this photo, Betty, but I'm peeved at you right now anyway.



SWC! right now, I feel our church is teaching me ways to serve and develop better interpersonal skills, and I'm grateful for it.

M's homemade stuffing (the recipe was in Cuisine at Home this month)! for real, he even made the herb bread that ended up being toasted to go into the stuffing, and it was the freaking bomb.

Baby Step 3 is ALMOST complete! come on 3-6 month emergency fund, we're almost there...

the 'holidays' are almost here! I totally need family and parties and presents and gift lists and Bing Crosby and general merriment. I want to bake cranberry pistachio biscotti and cranberry coffee cake. I want LC's monkey bread. and Grandma's fudge.

there's more, but I'll stop for now. can't use up all of my praises all at once now, can I? off to record one more radio spot that dropped out of the sky today (thanks again, Lord!).


-m.y.