What to read, what to read...

One of the most fun parts of getting ready for a trip is deciding which books to pack.

I've already decided what fiction book I'm taking to England - "To Green Angel Tower, Part 2", as I should have finished part 1 by Sunday. That's the only fiction book I'll take, because aside from the epic length of the book which should hold me, I have some fiction book shopping plans, namely the rest of the Stephen Booth series.

So, for nonfic I have three choices, freshly arrived from Amazon yesterday.
They are:

"A Community Called Atonement" by Scot McKnight
"Interior Castle" by St Teresa of Avila
and
"Flirting With Monasticism" by Karen Sloane

What to take, what to take...

Bagpipes in church!

Tonight my worlds collided. In a good way. I get to church and am sitting there, reading the bulletin, quieting my thoughts, as one does, when the music starts.

My first thought - this sounds suspiciously like a reel. This is Irish. It *is* a reel. Then the pipes started. I look up. Wait a minute, I know that guy! The dude playing uilleann pipes I've met before. A couple of times at various traditional sessions around Manhattan. All Ireland pipe champion. What in the world is he doing playing in my church??

I know I shouldn't be as surprised as I was to realize I was not the only fan of Irish music sitting in the building. I tend to assume that all Irish musicians are either Catholic or Pagan, even though I am neither.

I confess my toe might have been tapping a wee bit too much *blush*. It was a completely Irish night. Reel mixed with a hymn for prelude, jig mixed with a hymn for postlude. Offertory was Amazing Grace, with the melody of "She moved through the fair" intertwined (might sound awful, but trust me, it worked.). And we also sang the hymn that has the same tune as "The Foggy Dew".

It was wonderful, and another vote in favor of joining this church. Unfortunately I didn't have a chance to go talk to the dude after, not that he would remember me. I hope he comes back!

Quote of the day

"God appeals to us through other good people, through sermons, or through the reading of good books." ~ Teresa of Avila

Big Fun Scary Goal Post

Copied from my entry on the nanowrimo website, my Big Fun Scary Goals for 2008:



1. Fill in the Grand Canyon of Plot, and finish my nano novel.
2. Complete a triathlon for Team in Training.
3. Learn to use my new sewing machine, and make something I can wear outside the house.
4. Play the tin whistle in an outside the classroom setting.
5. Pick a church and stick with it.
6. Marry Richard Armitage. (oops, how did that one get in there??)

And so it begins...

The post Diane was waiting for *grin*.

I have a Robin Hood fanfic pounding my brain, but I need to get all my New Years posts done first while it is still New Years Day. So, here goes:

(drum roll please)

Today marks day one of the Year of No Clothes Shopping! And I didn't even buy coffee today, so we're off to a good start.

Exceptions:

-gifts, gift cards
-souvenirs, tho they must be real souvenirs, not "oh what a gorgeous sweater and hey, I'm in London." Nope. It must have a British flag, and or a cheesy slogan like Mind the Gap. (and don't worry about me, I can find plenty other things to buy in London. Books. DVDs, SuperPoseable Guy of Gisborne Action Figure *ahem*)
-anything I make, once I figure out how to use my new sewing machine. Which means fabric and patterns are fair game.
- any remaining gear I need for my Team in Training Triathlon. I hear rumor of something scarily called "tri-shorts"...

I am looking forward to all the new and exciting things I will do this year, and wearing old clothes to do them! :D