Writing Prompts

Saw a book at Barnes and Noble today chock full of writing prompts. I have got to remember to refer to my "Writer's Block" for ideas when I can't think of anything to write about. I put the aforementioned book on my Wish List at Amazon so I could remember it. One of the prompts was, "You're a father taking you're daughter to buy her first bra." Hysterical. I may have to tackle that one. All in all, this entry is to remind myself to write more. Debbie gave me the idea to write about the things I draw. What a great idea! I'm an idiot for not thinking about it. Instead of trying to create interesting cartoon characters by writing them, draw some interesting characters and then assign a personality to them.

Online Graffiti

Cool site. Let's you create your own graffiti. Go forth and be rebellious!

http://thewall.msn.com/?wallid=11&GT1=7480

King of the Hill Quote

Don't you just love it when pop culture makes fun of religion. They get it. Why don't we?

HANK: Can't you see you're not making Christianity better, you're just making rock n' roll worse.
PASTOR K: You people are all alike. You look at us and think we're freaks. Come on, even Jesus had long hair.
HANK: Only because I wasn't his dad.

KT's Family

Here's a recent photo of Kathy with her sons Jesse and Jeremy and her niece and nephew.

I've Got Gas!

Just filled up for $1.99 a gallon. How long has it been since it's been below $2? I can't remember.

Booklist

Dance of Death by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child - Yet another Preston/Child novel chronicling the adventures of persnickety FBI Agent Aloysius Pendergast. This is the second in a supposed trilogy (beginning with "Brimstone") dealing with Pendergast's criminally insane brother Diogenes. Diogenes is pretty ticked at Aloysius for something and is looking to kill all of his brothers friends. Along for the ride are a few characters from previous novels.
This one was pretty good. It does make me want to read the third. In my opinion, however, it's been a long time since Preston/Child have written a satisfying novel. I'm a bit tired of Agent Pendergast. I wish they'd kill him off and start with something fresh. None of the Pendergast novels have been outstanding...only so-so. I wish they would return to the days of books like "Thunderhead, Riptide, The Ice Limit, and Relic." Those were outstanding books. I haven't given up on them completely but they have slipped down on my popularity list. None of my faves are writing as well as they used to. Crichton slipped a while back. Rollins is trying to be Dan Brown. Reilly's still doing okay but I haven't read his latest. Jim Butcher is still kicking butt and taking names although "Dead Beat" wasn't his best.
Oh well, I'll shut up now. Guess I'll just have to keep hunting for new writers who will satisfy my thirst for adventure. If you have any suggestions, let me know.

Christmas Sarah

Thought this was a great picture of my beautiful bride-to-be standing next to one of two trees in the apartment. She and her family do Christmas in a big way. Her mom and dad have up to 7 trees up at a time, all with a different theme. One is all flamingoes. Scary! Anyway, grab some Christmas spirit from this wonderful photo and have a Happy Holiday!

Thanksgiving Day

Here we are at Adam and Heather's house for Thanksgiving. It was a great day of food, fun and fellowship with friends. (dig the alliteration)

Kitty Paws!

Once again, Mickey being himself. He loves to cuddle under the covers next to his Mommy. (That's Sarah)

Mickey the Christmas Cat

We started a fire in the fireplace the other night (unaware of the burn ban due to pollution) and Mickey found himself transfixed. He is a constant source of entertainment, this gray and white Maine Coon of a cat. This picture is priceless.

My Favorite Guitar Players

In no particular order:

Steve Lukather
Eddie Van Halen
Neal Morse
Phil Keaggy
Steve Vai
Joe Satriani
Andy Timmons
Eric Johnson
Stevie Ray Vaughan
Ty Tabor
John Petrucci
Alex Lifeson
Larry LaLonde
Vernon Reid
Robin Trower
Pat Travers
Jimmy Page
Jimi Hendrix
John Frusciante
Tom Morello
David Gilmour
Neal Schon
Steve Morse
Lindsey Buckingham
Trevor Rabin
Frank Marino
Michael Roe
Derri Daugherty
Dann Huff

Where Have All The Guitar Gods Gone?

Excuse an old man for pining for the good old days of rock and roll. This morning, I am struck by the realities of the postmodern generation. The guitar players that they revere and try to immulate just don't play as well as the guitar gods of old. In the old days we had Eddie Van Halen, Robin Trower, Pat Travers, Stevie Ray Vaughn, Steve Lukather, and many, many more. Nowadays, we have the acoustic meanderings of Dave Matthews, Trey Anastasio and their ilk. These guys are good in their own way but it's a far cry from the Jimmy's (Jimi's) Page and Hendrix from our glorious past. It's great that some of the old guys are still around kickin' it old school style. Steve Lukather continues to blaze with Toto. Steve Vai has created a guitar players venue with his Favored Nations label. John Petrucci kills as the lead guitarist for Dream Theatre. Joe Satriani, Eric Johnson, Andy Timmons and the like are still out there shredding the fret board like it's going out of style. (which it is) The worst thing about this is that since the new guitarists are listening to wimpy licks, their licks are wimpy as well. There's not a single new metal band out there now that has a guitar player that can actually play a decent lead. It just doesn't exist anymore. There's some hard driving stuff like Korn, Creed, Disturbed and that whole genre but you won't find a good lead guitar part anywhere on any of their recordings. Why? Because the guys are power chord jockeys and they can't play lead. They have no one to look up to these days. It really makes me sad and it makes it difficult to find good music to listen to. I'll keep searching and hoping that the guitar gods of old will awaken once more in hearts of the young. Someone needs to carry that torch into the future. Don't let it die, man!

Art News

HUGE HENRY MOORE SCULPTURE STOLEN IN BRITAIN
LONDON (Reuters) - British police hunted for three men on Saturday who stole a huge bronze Henry Moore sculpture worth up to 3 million pounds ($5.30 million) and a spokesman said they feared the piece would be destroyed for scrap.
Police said the 3.5 meter long (11 ft 5.8 in) sculpture, "A Reclining Figure," was stolen from the Henry Moore Foundation in Hertfordshire, north of London, on Thursday night by three men who drove it away.
"This is a very valuable statue and we are working closely with the Henry Moore Foundation to ensure its safe return," Detective Sergeant Graeme Smith said, adding that the Foundation was offering "a substantial reward."
"We're keeping an open mind at the moment," he told Reuters. "It could be anything from an organized theft for persons in the art world, down to an opportunist theft for the scrap value of the bronze.
"It would be extremely difficult to sell it on as it is ... (and) that is what the people at the foundation fear."
British sculptor Moore, who died in 1986, is renowned for his large-scale, abstract work.
Moore made the sculpture in 1969/70. It was acquired by the Foundation in 1987.

To steal a painting is one thing. To steal something of this size takes lots of hutzpah. What do they think they're gonna do...sell it on Ebay? Postage and handling alone will bankrupt someone.

Finding Monique: The Zoo

Sarah and I spent this frosty morning at the zoo with Monique and her son Alex. It was so great to see Monique again after over 10 years. Alex is quite the animal expert. He's only three and yet he knows his way around the zoo better than we do and he expertly identifies animals so quickly that you would swear he's channeling Marlon Perkins. To me, they are just monkeys. (if it swings from a tree and eats bananas...it's a monkey) Alex corrected me on this mistake. He showed me gorillas and maquacs and I don't know what else. It was quite educational. The weather was a bit nippy. Some of the ponds were frozen over and much to Alex's chagrin, many of the animals were no shows. (his favorites, the leaping lemurs, were nowhere to be seen) A fun time was had by all and hopefully there will be many more since Monique and her family live in Bellevue. I know she and her husband are going to try to see the show at Taproot the week after Christmas. I can't tell you how wonderful it is to have old friends nearby. It gives me a sense that I'm not really that far away from home.

Stephen King on Reading

"A friend of mine sold her first novel this fall. She said the good part was finally being allowed into the playground where the big kids play. The bad part, she said, was that her book was tentatively scheduled for publication in 2007. She asked me if I thought people would even be reading novels in 2007, with so many other entertainment options available. I had to laugh, because novels are still the best entertainment option. Even a hardcover is cheaper than two tickets to the local multiplex, especially once you throw in gas, parking, and babysitting. Also, a book lasts longer and there are no ads. Need more? No tiresome ratings system to keep you out if you're under 17, the special effects are always primo (because you make 'em up yourself), and although I read nearly 80 books this year, I never ran across the Olsen twins a single time."

Welcome Home

I can’t stay.
I won’t stay.
You don’t know what I want
What I need.
I disown you.
I don’t love you anymore.
I hate you.
...Don’t go.

See, I told you.
I’m doing fine.
Things are working out for me.
I have new friends.
I’m having fun.
I told you.
...Come home.

I’m lonely.
My friends are gone.
I’m sick.
I’m hungry.
I don’t have any money.
I’m scared.
...Come home.

I told you
That I disown you.
That I don’t love you anymore.
That I hate you.
I was wrong.
I miss you.
...Come home.

I see you.
You waited for me.
I’ve done you wrong.
You forgive me?
I fall into your arms.
You love me.
...Welcome home.

Copyright 2005 Marty Gordon

Tell Me

Tell me;
Did you ever leave the only home you’ve ever known?
Did you ever say goodbye to a loved one for a little while?
Did you ever cry like a baby?

Tell me;
Did you ever grow up poor, having to work with your hands to make ends meet?
Did you ever alienate those around you because you were different?
Did you ever almost get killed by the people you grew up with?

Tell me;
Did you ever get tempted to be rich and famous?
Did you ever go hungry?
Did you ever feel like the Devil was breathing down your neck?

Tell me;
Did you ever laugh at a wedding and cry at a funeral?
Did you ever trace a child’s cheek with your finger?
Did you ever hug a friend?

Tell me;
Did you ever embrace a man with an infectious disease?
Did you ever see a dead man rise?
Did you ever forgive a whore?

Tell me;
Did you ever share a meal with someone you love?
Did you ever pray for an escape from death?
Did you ever get betrayed?

Tell me;
Did you ever get put on trial for something you didn’t do?
Did you ever get beaten within an inch of your life?
Did you ever die?

Tell me;
Did you ever feel the coldness of a grave?
Did you ever descend into the depths of hell?
Did you ever see a dead man rise?

Tell me;
Did you ever see hope in the eyes of the hopeless?
Did you ever help a doubter believe?
Did you ever promise someone that you would return?

I did. For you.

Copyright 2005 Marty Gordon

Journal Woman

Back in my seminary days, I kept a journal pretty religiously. (Thanks alot Dennis) This page came out of those years. When you compare Sarah with what I was looking for...it's almost an identical match. Mostly the physical things are a bit different. The pic I drew looks a bit like Lindsey Lohan. (before she went blonde) This was obviously back before I outgrew my "dirty old man" phase.
It's cool to look back on this (done sometime between '93 and '95) and see what's the same and what's different. I almost wish I hadn't drawn the little picture because without that, it is a 99% accurate description of Sarah. Pretty cool, huh?

Truth in Advertising

Art Quotes

"What is the life expectancy of an art product? Ten years? Twenty, thirty? Certainly never longer. I’m for clean sweeps. After each meal, brush away all the crumbs and set the table afresh. Are you really going to hang three-hundred-year-old steaks and muttons in your dining-room? Bon appetit!"- Jean Dubuffet

"Art, by it’s very essence, is of the new. And views on art must also be of the new. There is only one healthy diet for artistic creation: permanent revolution."- Jean Dubuffet

"Art is man determined to die sane." - Bernard DeVoto

"A painting is never finished - it simply stops in interesting places." - Paul Gardner

"No great artist ever sees things as they really are. If he did, he would cease to be an artist." --Oscar Wilde

"Through art we express our conception of what nature is not." --Pablo Picasso

"Art doesn't transform. It just plain forms." --Roy Lichtenstein

"Art does not reproduce the visible; rather, it makes visible." --Paul Klee

"Art washes from the soul the dust of everyday life." --Pablo Picasso

"We have art in order not to die of life." --Albert Camus

"Art is not a study of positive reality, it is the seeking for ideal truth." --George

"Art is the demonstration that the ordinary is extraordinary." --Amedee Ozenfant

"There is no must in art because art is free." --Wassily Kandinsky

"Art evokes the mystery without which the world would not exist." --Rene-Francois-Ghislain Magritte

"No amount of skillful invention can replace the essential element of imagination." --Edward Hopper

Aslan Is On The Move!

Sarah and I saw the new "Chronicles of Narnia" movie yesterday. It's very good. Very much a children's movie (although the battle at the end is kinda rough for the young ones) but good nonetheless. The one thing that I left the movie with is that the Aslan/Christ comparisons are very much intact. Knowing all that I know, I was moved during the scene of Aslan's sacrifice. It made me think of Christ. I wasn't as happy with the resurrection scene. They moved too quickly and totally left out the part when Lucy, Susan and Aslan rejoice together in play after the great lion comes back to life. It's a great moment in the book. I was also a little miffed that Aslan didn't "leap" during the run to the battle. In the book it describes him as almost flying. I would have liked to have seen that. These changes compare with the changes Peter Jackson made to the "Lord of the Rings" movies. Some are major, some are minor but none take anything away from the enjoyment of watching a good movie.

Finding Monique

Well, after many months of searching, I finally found my friend Monique. Marty Melvin (the other white meat and my good twin) told me she lived in Bellevue but couldn't provide any contact info. I emailed every Company member I could but no one knew how to contact her. Finally, when I sent out my wedding announcement, Amy (Fullington) Walterman answered so I inquired if she and Monique remained in contact. They did, I got her number and called her. She's still the same "goofy-in-a-good-way" Monique. Sarah and I are going to meet her at the zoo on Friday. I'm so glad I found her. Thanks for the assist, Amy!

Feed Your Head

The pastor at the church we visited today said one thing I agreed with. He mentioned the fact that he was an avid reader and that it was a lost art in today's culture. (true enough) Then he stressed the fact that one must read to feed your head so that one can truly approach creativity. (very true) I've taught this concept for many years. I call it "Filling the Creative Well." But in my book, it extends beyond reading. To be truly creative, one must be able to draw something from the Creative Well inside them. If the well is dry, nothing will come from it. If the well is full, the possibilities are limitless. So "Feed Your Head" with books, theatre, movies, dance, games, art, comic books, nature, etc. Julia Cameron (in her book "The Artist's Way") tells us to take "Artist's Dates." That is, time for ourselves to play and be artistic and feed our head. It can be as simple as cutting up magazines for a collage or as elaborate as a painting that keeps you occupied for weeks and weeks. Whatever it is, whatever it's called...feed your head or it will remain empty and useless.

The Church of Conformity

"Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will." - Romans 12: 1-2

Ah, the postmodern, emerging Christian church. Crusaders of Non-Conformity and Creativity. And yet, the most conforming, least creative animals that wander this mighty globe of ours. Case in point...I've attended services at 2 separate churches on separate coasts but they are part of the same overall movement. Not much of a difference. People dressed the same. The music was the same. The language was the same. The messages were the same. This mighty church movement has spawned countless churches all over the globe but apparently they are little clones of themselves.
And this movement is certainly not the only place it's happening. Take Willow Creek. Many years ago, Willow Creek was at the cutting edge of doing church. So naturally, most new churches popping up copied Willow Creek. But after a while, the Willow Creek way became stale and old fashioned. Willow Creek is savvy enough to change with the times but these copycat churches are just plugging along using the same old models, same old songs, same old dramas, same old everything. Try as they might, the church of today cannot be called creative or non-conforming. What they can be called are copycats.
We (meaning leadership) need to be more concerned with training the new church to be independently creative. They can go to conferences and buy material to help them do church but do any of these resources train them to be creative on their own? I don't think so. If we were properly training these folks we wouldn't be seeing the same things over and over again. What I long to see is a truly creative move of God among the church. People who love God but can think for themselves and not conform to the church culture that is provided for them.
So, do not conform any longer to the pattern of a particular church but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to be creative.

David Newton Revisited

Hooked up with David the other night. We couldn't remember when the last time it was we saw each other. Doesn't matter really...we had a great visit. He and Sarah got to meet. They got along marvelously. There's a chance he may be out this way again in March. Hope so...it would be nice to visit again. Although, I think I could skip the chick flick this time. I don't know how David and his compadres chose to want to see "Pride and Prejudice" but Sarah didn't mind and so we went. I'll just say, Jane Austen ain't my cup of tea. Speaking of tea, we had to go get coffee after the movie because...well...it's David Newton, the coffee junkie! Anywho...great time with an old friend. Send more of them out here. I love visitors.

Scrooge Review

Another review mentioning Sarah's work.

Bar Humbug - A Dickens of a 'Trial' at Taproot
By Nancy Worssam
Every year about this time, old Ebenezer Scrooge drops by to dampen our Christmas spirits. I'm here to tell you that he's back yet again. But this year, that crusty old curmudgeon has had the audacity to bring charges against Marley and the Christmas ghosts, those well-meaning individuals who showed him the error of his ways and brought joy into his heart.The crotchety old man is here to participate in a trial that is being held at Taproot Theatre.
Audience members sit as spectators in the courtroom as Judge Steve Manning presides over this somewhat out-of-control hearing. Scrooge, played ably by Nolan Palmer, represents himself with muttered asides, antagonistic postures and unacceptable outbursts. Solomon Rothschild, lawyer for the accused, is a gentleman through and through. Those against whom Scrooge has brought charges of kidnapping, assault and battery are well served by Rothschild as played by Kevin Brady. He is both gracious and friendly and treats all witnesses with respect. His conduct is in sharp contrast to that of the unpleasant Mr. Scrooge.One after another, the witnesses are brought forward. First, of course, is Bob Cratchit, a modest Mr. Peepers sort of guy who, though overworked and underpaid by the firm of Marley & Scrooge, doesn't complain. He tells the truth about his boss, and that is damning enough. Cratchit has been living on a salary of 15 shillings a week for 10 years, no raises, no opportunity to become a partner in the firm. Somehow, he's supporting a family of six children on that paltry sum. More damning evidence against Scrooge comes from his nephew, who every year invited Uncle Ebenezer to Christmas festivities only to be greeted by a dismissive "Bah! Humbug!" When Marley and the Christmas spirits testify, they make it clear that their visit to Scrooge last year was motivated by the best of intentions. They were only trying to save the man from himself.One would think that there's nothing in this case to favor Ebenezer Scrooge. Yet other witnesses attest to his sad childhood and forlorn love life with such fervor that the old man is reduced to tears. Maybe there's a reason for his penurious and mean ways. You'll have to attend the trial to find out whether Scrooge is successful in his lawsuit. I will, however, tell you that it's a disorderly courtroom, which eventually turns into a cacophonous melee. The bailiff is a buffoon. The witnesses can be quite unruly. One of them doesn't even show up. Others arrive with clanking, howling, flashing lights, or puffs of smoke.Although the play itself is only modestly funny and in need of a little tightening, director Scott Nolte has pulled out all the stops to turn it into a festive seasonal frolic suitable for the whole family (except for really tiny tots). He's assembled a clever company, which makes it all work.In a cast of good actors, the standout is Lindsay Christianson. As the Ghost of Christmas Past she's a winsome coquette. She also plays a sweet, naïve sister and a gracious lady. She's terrific in each role. Keep your eye out for this young lady, who's a senior in the University of Washington School of Drama and an intern at Taproot. She has the makings of a rising star. Sarah Jane Burch's costumes are charming evocations of 19th-century England. Men wear caped cloaks and long scarves, top hats and spats. The women carry furry muffs and wear poke bonnets and voluminous skirts. Mark Lund transforms the theater successfully into an English courtroom. His sound design and Jody Briggs' lighting work well in replicating the harsh brightness of a municipal building and then transforming the scene to create the creepy atmosphere needed for the apparitions of the ghost of Christmas Future and the dead Mr. Marley.This is not the traditional "Christmas Carol," but it's a refreshing take on an old standard. And it certainly captures the essence of the Dickens' story: the spirit of Christmas is about caring and generosity, and it should be in our hearts all year long.

Purveyors of Stupidity

Well, the Christians are at it again. Our poor president is under fire for sending out Christmas cards with no Christ on it. Good Lord! People are dying, starving, homeless, etc. and all the Christians can do is wail because our so-called Christian president didn't have a manger scene on his Christmas card. Grab a clue, people! Is there no limit to your stupidity? You're making the rest of us look bad.

Blue Like Jazz: Another Take

Jeff Berryman comments on "Blue Like Jazz" by Donald Miller. I love what he has to say:

"I told a friend of mine yesterday, I feel like I'm in the process of leaving the Old Country headed for the new, but there is a long dark journey to be made inbetween. I wonder how many people decide to stay on the shores of the Old Country even though they know there is no real life there anymore. They stand longingly at the banks of an ocean they have to cross. God is calling them to cross that ocean, even providing a boat that He says would rival the ark of Noah. Problem is, he's making no promises about the weather, or about just who will survive the journey.
But it's pretty sure the old you won't.
Donald Miller's Blue Like Jazz is a message from a man at sea. But by God, he makes me think there's a New World out there after all.
Anybody wanna go?......"

Angela's Baby Update

Seems little Colton is doing much better now and may get to go home as soon as Saturday. He does not have meningitis and that is good news. Thanks for all the prayers. Keep them up for Colton and his parents. I know Brandon and Angela could use some rest.

The Trial of Ebenezer Scrooge

Would Judge Judy be on Scrooge's side?
By Jeff Shannon
Special to The Seattle Times

Like any good sequel, "The Trial of Ebenezer Scrooge" offers a fresh spin on beloved characters, revealing new facets of their personalities while honoring familiar source material. As an inspired continuation of Charles Dickens' 1843 classic "A Christmas Carol," Mark Brown's holiday comedy is a welcomed companion to ACT's annual performance of the Dickens original: It's a sequel worthy of Dickens' approval.
Getting its West Coast premiere at Greenwood's Taproot Theatre, Brown's well-written "Trial" opens exactly one year after that miserly curmudgeon, Scrooge, had his Christmas cheer so joyously revitalized in Dickens' timeless tale of holiday redemption. As it turns out, Scrooge's yuletide spirit was in short supply after all; now he's grouchier than ever, filing charges of kidnapping, assault and battery against the chain-laden spirit of Jacob Marley and the ghosts of Christmas past, present and future.
"The Trial of Ebenezer Scrooge," by Mark Brown, runs Wednesdays-Saturdays through Dec. 17 and Tuesdays-Fridays Dec. 20-30, at Taproot Theatre, 204 N. 85th St., Seattle; $23-$30.
The clever conceit of Brown's play is that Scrooge (defying the adage that anyone who represents himself in court has a fool for a client), has built a pretty strong case: With a litany of grievances against his spectral tormentors, he holds his own against Solomon Rothschild, the defense attorney who calls a host of Scrooge's relatives and associates to the witness stand.
Mark Lund's handsomely appointed courtroom provides a perfect one-set showcase for the ensuing parade of lunacy, brought to life by a dream cast of skillfully comedic players under the direction of Taproot veteran Scott Nolte, whose attention to detail results in big laughs enhanced by small but important bits of business.
As legal rivals Scrooge and Rothschild, Nolan Palmer and Kevin Brady preside over chaos with an abundance of flair. Lindsay Christianson and Sabrina Prada play three roles apiece with impressive versatility. But it's pointless to single anyone out in a uniformly excellent cast — suffice it to say the ghosts are a highlight (both Marley and "Christmas Future" have their voices delightfully amplified), and Sarah Jane Burch's costumes are sheer perfection.
What's the final verdict? We wouldn't dare spoil the fun. Let's just say that Brown's play, and Taproot's entertaining ensemble, inspire good will that goes well beyond the holidays. God bless 'em, every one.

What a great mention for Sarah. The costumes are stunning. By the way, I am running sound for the show.

Antjuan's Show

Forgot to write about Antjuan's show down at the Alibi Room. Sarah and I wandered around aimlessly for a while trying to find this place. It's in an alley in Pike Place Market. (Right across from the gum wall...don't ask) We finally arrived and found Antjuan and company sitting in the corner. Man, it was fantastic to see him again after all these years and the new artwork is phenomenal. Our visit was shortlived but I'm hoping he'll be back up this way soon and we can get together then for some quality time together.

David Newton

Mark informed me (via email) that David was in Seattle at this very moment so I called him this afternoon. Really great to talk to him after all this time. We are going to try and hook up tomorrow afternoon. Really hope it happens.

Andrea's Mishap

Chuck sent me this pic of Andrea's mishap with the garage door. We had a good laugh about it outside the Seattle Aquarium one day. You really gotta watch out for those garage doors. They'll jump right in front of you.

Angela's Baby: Charles Colton Candee

I call him "Triple C" for short. And it sounds cool. Seems the little guy is having some trouble. He has amniotic pneumonia, jaundice and the doctors suspect he may have spinal menengitis. If you read this, say a little prayer for Colton and remember his mom and dad, Angela and Brandon.

Booklist

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C. S. Lewis - This book needs no introduction. I just read that it is the number 2 selling children's series after Harry Potter. This is a re-read in preparation for the upcoming Disney film. Fingers are crossed that it will be a great adaptation. I also read that C. S. Lewis was opposed to a "live-action" version of his books. He didn't believe it could do it justice. Well, Mr. Lewis...obviously you didn't predict the development of CGI. If it can bring Lord of the Rings and King Kong to life, surely Narnia will be no challenge.

Going to the Chapel!

Well, Sarah and I have set a wedding date. Feb. 19th is the fateful day. We've asked Randy Rowland (the voice of the Seattle Seahawks and our pastor) to officiate the ceremony. We are in the process of gathering addresses for invitations. Sarah is frantically looking for a dress. Me? I'm doing nothing. I don't know nothin' 'bout birthin' no weddin'!

Snow in Seattle

Yes, we had a bit of the white stuff today. Snowed pretty good all day. I kept blinds pulled back from the sliding glass door so I could watch it as I collaged at the dining room table. Snow has a way of covering up our flawed environments and making it all beautiful.

Booklist

Paths Not Taken by Simon R. Green - John Taylor and company continue their trek through the weirdness that is the Nightside. In this one, John discovers his mother's plan to destroy the Nightside. Since she's Lilith, the first wife of Adam and creator of the Nightside, it is well within her power to do so. John and his comrades, Suzie Shooter and Tommy Oblivion, travel thru time to stop Lilith's destructive plans.
This series is growing on me. I have really liked the last few books even though they are strange. Strange but pretty easy reads nonetheless. I believe this is the 5th one and as urban fantasies go, they're not too bad.

Angela Gives Birth

Got a message from Kim about Angela's bouncin' baby boy...

"I don’t know if you have heard yet, but Angela had the baby today around 4! She went to the hospital Monday and they gave her some meds to try to induce her. She starting going into labor last night, and today was in a lot of pain. Brandon said the epidural didn’t work! They ended up doing a C-section. I think she had a pretty rough time. She is resting now, and hasn’t even gotten to see Colton yet! He is NINE POUNDS! Brandon said he is beautiful and doing well. PLEASE keep Angela in your prayers as she heals, and the whole family in your prayers as they adjust to parenthood!!! I’m sure they will send us all a more detailed update."

Rent

Sarah and I saw the motion picture version of "Rent" yesterday. I've got to admit...it was tough to watch. Don't get me wrong...it's a well-made movie but the subject matter is tough. And it all seems just a bit dated to me. It's all about the bohemian lifestyle in NYC during the late 80's. Being an artist, I can relate and yet, I can't. I didn't go in for that self-destructive suffer-for-your-art kinda lifestyle. I'm a fairly normal person who just happens to be an artist and a talented one at that.
I spent the 80's in art school. Several to be exact. It was quite the experience hanging out with all the tortured would-be creative types. It amazed me that more than half the people enrolled had no business being there. I guess they too had bought into the whole artistic lifestyle thing. I did not. I didn't (and don't) have to be a heroin/coke addict who experiments with alternative sexual lifestyles while living in squalor with a crossdressing voodoo priestess. I didn't buy into it and I did okay. (More than okay actually but I am not here to toot my horn today)
If not for the BS slung around NY during the 80's, some of my favorite artists might be alive and making art today. But as it is, Keith Haring died from AIDS and Jean-Michel Basquiat of a drug overdose. Heck, even a guy I knew in high school and later at Memphis College of Art died from AIDS. The lifestyle that folks were selling back then killed people. They were lead to believe that it would feed their creativity but all it did was feed on them until there was nothing left. So, perhaps I'm a mediocre artist (which I'm not) but at least I'm alive and still working. I may not be famous but I'm breathing and making art. That's a good thing.

Downtown Fun

Monday night, Sarah and I went downtown for a bit of shopping and Christmas cheer. The lights were not as impressive as I has hoped but it was fun nonetheless. We saw the snow at Pacific Place. (they shoot the foam snow at you) We went to Macy's and talked to Santa for a moment. It was a slow night for him. To be Macy's, their Santa set-up was unimpressive. Nordstrom's has them beat by a mile. We ate dinner at P. F. Chang's and it is quickly becoming one of our favorite places to eat. The food is excellent. Sarah found a few bargains at Old Navy and I bought a magazine at Barnes and Noble. (I spent a lot of money at Target earlier) So...it was a fun night.

Booklist

Tyrannosaur Canyon by Douglas Preston - A thriller involving the race to discover the fossilized remains of a T-rex. I was pumped about reading this one since I enjoyed Preston's last solo effort "The Codex." I didn't enjoy this one as much. The whole thing disintegrates into a chase with your typical villians, government agents good and bad, and a reluctant hero. Something tells me Preston and his writing partner, Lincoln Child, have run out of ideas. I haven't found many of their novels involving Agent Pendergast to be very good. I'm hoping they will break from tradition soon and go in a new direction. Their first few books were outstanding but they've lost the edge they used to have.

Booklist

Map of Bones by James Rollins - "Hooded men invade midnight mass at the Cologne Cathedral and slaughter almost everyone present, then break open a gold sarcophagus and steal... the bones of the Three Wise Men. Grayson Pierce, top agent in the Department of Defense's covert Sigma Force, takes a team to Rome, joins up with love-interest Rachel Verona, a carabinieri corps lieutenant, and her Vatican official uncle, Vigot. It seems that the Dragon Court, a medieval alchemical cult-cell that still operates within the Catholic Church, is to blame, and it also seems that the bones of the Magi aren't really bones, but the highly reactive Monatomic gold that the group plans to use to accomplish its ultimate goal—Armegeddon."*
This book is very Da Vinci Codish which is not a bad thing. The action is fast paced and the characters are likable. Unlike his last book (Sandstorm) I enjoyed this one alot. I understand he is going to write more Sigma Force novels. That sounds good but I can't help thinking that the Sigma Force crew bear a striking resemblance to Matthew Reilly's Scarecrow and company. Seems there's a lot of similiar ideas floating around. I'm so glad authors don't copy one another. (ha!)
* Description from Publisher's Weekly

Summersalt Writing

I spent the week in Rock Hill, SC with the scriptwriting team from the SC Baptist Convention (Angela, Steve, Cory, Kim). I believe we were productive. We got about half the week written and will work on the other half over the next few months (with a finish date in Feb. - we hope). It was nice to see everyone again and to see Angela 8.5 months pregnant. Little Colton could arrive any day now. I flew back to Seattle today and I am beat. I've been up since 12:30 am Seattle time. I just may fall asleep when my head hits the pillow tonight...something that never happens. I start work on Taproot's Christmas show tomorrow night so...gotta be rested.

Jean Dubuffet on Painting

Lay It On Thick
"A painter's basic action is to besmear, not to spread tinted liquids with a tiny pen or a lock of hair, but to plunge his hands into brimming buckets or basins and then rub his palms and his fingers across the wall offered to him. He has to putty it with his soils and thick paints, grapple with it, knead it, impress upon it the most immediate traces of his mind, of the rhythms and impulses that drum through his arteries and course along his innervations. He has to employ naked fists or else, if they happen to be available, improvised instruments (a chance blade or small stick or stone chip) as good conductors that neither cut off nor weaken the currents of waves. After that, it scarcely matters whether you find few or many colors there or which colors they may be! How trifling an issue whether the white is a bit dirty or the yellow a bit drab. All you need is mud, nothing but a single monochromatic mud, if you really want to paint, and not just color some silk neckerchiefs."

Little Women

Sarah and I were fortunate to get tickets to see "Little Women" last night at the Paramount. (Thank you, Anne!) I was skeptical. Louisa Mae Alcott's seminal book set to music? Well, it was pretty good...even though it was like watching a chick flick. Sarah enjoyed it a lot more than I did. But it's cool to be able to see all this theatre. We began our evening with an upscale dinner at Mickey D's. (wow) It was a "white trash goes to town" kind of night. Oh, Maureen McGovern was in it. (of "The Morning After" song from "The Poseidon Adventure" fame) So, it was a fun evening, a cheap evening. I could get used to this.

Green Bean Review

This is a review of the coffee house run by Sanctuary Church. (where Sarah and I are attending) It's next door to Taproot Theatre.

Friday, October 28, 2005
With the Green Beaners, kids -- and adults -- will find a happy scene
By REBEKAH DENN SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER REPORTER
There's already plenty of good karma to go around at the Green Bean Coffeehouse, but the supply just increases each time we walk into a radiantly friendly greeting from the counter barista, or hear the storyteller at 10 a.m. Tuesdays exclaim, "I'm so glad you came!" to complete strangers. Don't even worry about overstaying your welcome; flowery chalkboard script on the wall instructs customers to "sit long, talk much."
The real do-gooding is endemic to the coffeehouse's existence, though. It's all organic, free trade ... and dedicated to using its money to help others, with plans to become a registered 501c3 organization. Proceeds from the tip jar, for instance, go straight to the cause of the month, such as the $2,400 sent last month to the Salvation Army for Hurricane Katrina victims.
The artwork on display benefits those in need -- and is sometimes created by them, such as the fabric aprons assembled by women in the Amani Ya Juu program -- a training project, as the Green Beaners explain, for African women affected by wars and ethnic conflicts.
There are connections throughout the store to both local and international causes; one line of greeting cards benefits a downtown non-profit, another benefits schoolchildren in Sierra Leone.
"People are going to buy coffee anyway, right?" said Lisa Etter, who conceived the business with friend Hayden Smith. "Why not do something with it that's going to help people, and raise awareness?" The business is loosely associated with the Sanctuary church, which meets down the street at the Taproot Theater, but none of the money generated by Green Bean goes to the church, she said.
Neither cause nor comforts would matter, of course, if Green Bean's coffee wasn't good. Fortunately, it is: Beans come from Brown & Co. in Shoreline, lattes are well-made, there's a short list of decent food (quiche, soup and the like).
Bakery goods are better than average, with the big plus of being freshly made (some premixed), so that we sometimes walk in just in time for muffins or scones that are hot from the oven.
Decorations are warm and charming, from the china teacups and plates built into the corner fireplace to the colored prisms dangling from the ceiling lights. And, while all this positive energy could induce guilt among customers for their own shortcomings (remember that peanut butter jar that went to the trash instead of the recycle bin?), it seems to spread goodwill instead.

Summersalt and Other Writing News

Well, it's almost confirmed. On the 6th I will fly out to South Carolina to help write next year's Summersalt script. I was skeptical. I didn't think it would happen that they would actually fly me all the way from Seattle back to SC for this. I am humbled by the thought that they believe I contribute so much to the process that it's worth it to fly me across the country. What a boost for my flagging self-esteem. So, I should leave on the 6th and come back on the 10th. And then I start tech rehearsals for "Scrooge." Things are about to get busy.
Related to my writing, I just sold another script to Lifeway. I am very appreciative of Matt and his interest in my writing. Of course, it's important for me to maintain my present attitude which is that I don't do it to sell scripts...I do it because I have to. I write and make art in general because this stuff is inside me and it has to come out. If it doesn't, there will be found a stain of blood and letters where I exploded. Nice imagery, huh?

Booklist

Blue Like Jazz by Don Miller - "I never liked jazz music because jazz music doesn't resolve. . . . I used to not like God because God didn't resolve. But that was before any of this happened." In Donald Miller's early years, he was vaguely familiar with a distant God. But when he came to know Jesus Christ, he pursued the Christian life with great zeal. Within a few years he had a successful ministry that ultimately left him feeling empty, burned out, and, once again, far away from God. In this intimate, soul-searching account, Miller describes his remarkable journey back to a culturally relevant, infinitely loving God.*

I liked this book. It was a simple read, a bit weird at times but pretty satisfying. I will admit, at times, it seemed as though he was writing as if to say, "Look at me. See how weird I am. So that must mean I'm cool." But I got past feeling like this and made it through the book. I really hope he's legit because it would be great to know there are folks out there that feel the same way I do about some things that have to do with spirituality, God and the church. Honestly, I can't believe this got published by a Christian publisher no less. Usually they only publish politically/spiritually correct stuff. So, Don Miller, if you are listening...Keep on truckin' and I'll pray that you don't get blindsided by the religious right some day.

*Book description from Amazon

The Total Dependency of Artists

My friend Matt Tullos put this up on his blog. I'm copying it here so I can contemplate it.

most can never explain how they do what they do. There is no formula. I teach at writer's conferences but i don't believe in them. it is a mysterious process that occurs somewhere between the prefrontal cortex and the motor association cortex. Athletes work out, scholars go to class, but creators are at the mercy of something no one but God understands. like little children at supper, we say grace over it but can take no great credit for it's existence. it's something that causes great emotional tremors from time to time. it causes lack of sleep, lack of time, brief moments of tunneling, frustration on the behalf of spouses, and the inability to focus on other people and things during moments of artistic production. most artist have low self-esteem even though some may appear egocentric. Their low self image is rooted in the principle of muse. They are at the mercy of the muse because they don't know how the muse works. Much like most people don't understand the inside of a CD player and how it produces sound from digets.

i use the term muse even though i don't like it. all good gifts come from God but not everything artists write or say is God breathed- (IE Hollywood)

The constant thought of many artists who are living paycheck to paycheck is what if the thing i do, yet don't understand, stops working. what if i can no longer live off this insane gift. i have no other real marketable skills!

This is the thought of mostly writers and composers. (acting, directing, singing, preaching, and painting are aquired crafts that utilize artistic skills.) I would claim that the mortality rate for writers is much lower. Their brain's treadlife is much shorter.

so the nervous, emotional, artist continues to do what he can't put his finger on. He or she lives in a state of panic or grace totally dependant on God or some infinitely
lesser being to survive.

Sweeney Todd

Sarah and I attended "Sweeney Todd" at the 5th Ave. Theatre last night. After returning some costumes and saying hello to a few folks, we headed to the Pike Street Market to look at dollhouse stuff and find some food. Most stores were closed so we left there and made our way toward the heart of downtown. Finally decided to eat at P. F. Chang's and it was sooooo good. I had honey chicken and Sarah had the asparagus. (why, oh why, does asparagus make your pee smell funny?) We then headed to the theatre, got a sneak peek at the Producer's Club (where all the hoity toity's hang out) and got settled for the show. The production was really good. The one I saw in Ft. Worth was good and this one topped it by a mile. Not a bad singer in the cast. The set was better than the one before. All in all, a top-notch job. Sarah said she didn't care for the costumes. (she would notice...since she's a costumer) I must say the velvet job on Beadle had me a bit concerned. So, an enjoyable evening for us. A little food, a little theatre and a viewing of "The Great Pumpkin" when we got home.

My Giant Spider Pet

I had a giant spider
Tried to keep her as a pet
I really tried to hide her
But that was no safe bet
I hid her in the chimney
I didn't think and pause
On Christmas Eve she got hungry
And ate up Santa Claus
I put her in the basement
She thought that was a bummer
To get me back, she had a snack
And gobbled down the plumber
Next it was the toolshed
The perfect place, bar none
But little Tommy came to mow
And now his days are done
I checked her into a hotel
With room service and a view
The maid came by with towels
And now she's spider stew
I finally tried one last thing
I took her to my school
By end of day and last bell ring
I felt like such a fool
She ate up all the kiddies
She ate the teacher too
She fled to other cities
I don't know what to do
Her appetite will be her end
That eight-legged walking stomach
I really just wanted a friend
Not a pet to run amok

Copyright 2005 Marty Gordon

Halloween

Howl and scream, it's Halloween
Craziest night I've ever seen
Ghosts of white and witches green
Let's get ready for Halloween

Pumpkins orange and cats of black
Decorate your goodie sack
Light your way with Lantern Jack
Hope you find your way back


Paint your face and dye your hair
Friends and neighbors hope to scare
Knock on that door if you dare
The house is haunted, have a care

Monster mask and witches hat
Hey, there goes a vampire bat
Looks just like a flying rat
Maybe I'll go get my cat

We'll have fun with friends we meet
As we hollar, "Trick or Treat"
See what goodies we can eat
Getting candy sure is neat

Bob for apples, that's so fun
Candy corn for everyone
Cotton candy by the ton
Belly aches when we get done

Tell ghost stories in the dark
By the fire in Moonbeam Park
Hear that werewolf howl and bark
Think I'll feed him my friend Clark

Mummies rap and gargoyles play
'Round the fields and bales of hay
Come out at night but not by day
The sun returns, they run away

I hope you pick a costume soon
I started mine the 6th of June
I'm going as a grisly goon
Hope I don't look like a loon

Midnight tolls and Halloween's through
No more bats or ghosts that "Boo"
Costumes gone and candy too
Til next year when Halloween's new

Copyright 2005 Marty Gordon

Pics of Seattle

The Pics: Max and Mickey in a rare bonding moment atop the quilt rack, Sarah on the ferry to Kingston, Marty checks out the skyline aboard the Bainbridge Island ferry. (the Space Needle is farther to the left)

The Rock Church

Sarah and I tried the Rock Church yesterday. I enjoyed it. It was the most consistently well-done service we've been to since coming to Seattle. The worship was good and the band talented. They suffer from sound problems but they stem from the room they are in. (all hard surfaces) All in all, a nice service. They even attempted drama, something we have not seen in a long time. (they did ok)

To Think About...

"If a man is called to be a streetsweeper, he should sweep streets even as Michelangelo painted, or Beethoven composed music, or Shakespeare wrote poetry. He should sweep streets so well that all the hosts of heaven and earth will pause to say, here lived a great streetsweeper who did his job well." -Martin Luther King, Jr.

"Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving." - Colossians 3: 23-24 (NIV)

NW Arts Ministry

Sarah and I attended a meeting of artists at NorthWest Church on Friday night at the invitation of Jeff Berryman. It was really, really enjoyable. So nice to sit in a room full of artsy folks and talk about issues and know that they "get it." How refreshing. I know we'll be involved more as time goes on.

Theatre

Working at the 5th Ave. Theatre has me thinking about all the shows I've seen. I helped move some posters the other day and while we were going thru them I was like, "I saw this one, I saw this one." Here's a list that I'm sure I'll update from time to time.

Les Miserables (4), Cats (5), The Lion King, Beauty and the Beast, Chicago (2), Mamma Mia, Jesus Christ Superstar, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (2), Phantom of the Opera, Phantom(the other version), Sweeney Todd (2) , Into the Woods, The Scarlet Pimpernel, Chicago (2), Dracula (the ballet), Will Rogers Follies, Stomp, On Golden Pond, Greater Tuna, Tuna Christmas, Hello Dolly, Arthur: The Hunt, Last Train to Nibroc, The Fantasticks (3), Story Theatre, William Shakespeare: The Complete Works Abridged, Art, Magdalene, Pippin, An Inpector Calls, The Foreigner, Voice of the Prairie, The Complete History of America Abridged, The Wedding Singer, The Trial of Ebenezer Scrooge, Night of the Iguana, L'eliser D'amour, and Evita.

Bainbridge Island and Other Fun

Not being able to access a computer when I want is a pain! Oh well, you deal...you move on. Sarah and I went to Bainbridge Island a couple of Saturdays ago. I love riding the ferry. Just being on the water is the main thing. It's nice. There was a group of preadolescent football players on the boat. On the way back, they discovered that if they spit into the wind, it came back at them. They, of course, delighted in this grossness. Once on the island, Sarah and I explored the various shops and such in a town called Winslow. Lunch was at the Streamliner Diner where they only take cash or checks and the waitresses roll their eyes at you if you don't order fast enough. To your left is a picture of the view from the ferry of the skyline. We haven't gotten our pics developed yet so this one was snagged off the internet. I'll post some of our pics when I get them back.
After a nice day there, we came back, hit a gallery or two downtown, then went to Adam and Heather's new house for prawns. (We calls 'em shrimp down south) It was a nice time and their house has a kickin' view of the surrounding area.
This past Saturday, we met my friends Chuck and Andrea at the aquarium. (with their two kids, Tommy and Chrissy) It was fun but too short a visit. They invited us up to Whidbey where they live for a weekend. Here's hoping we can find the time to go sometime.
We're doing our best to see all the sights and sounds that Seattle has to offer a couple of financially challenged folks. One day we'll get it all done.

Booklist

Pop Surrealism: The Rise of Underground Art (Edited by Kirsten Anderson) - I enjoyed this book but it's a bit dated. Although it just came out, due to publication schedules and such, the artists represented are "old hat." I have discovered many new artists in this movement that I enjoy so much more. I suppose these are the pioneers...the ones who got it started and drew attention to "lowbrow" art. I hope they will continue to publish books on this material so I can round out my library...when I can afford it.
The Paper Doorway: Funny Verse and Nothing Worse by Dean Koontz - Surprisingly charming, these poems are in the vein of Shel Silverstein (the undisputed master) . I enjoyed this book but it was uneven. Koontz should stick to horror and leave the poetry to others who are better at it like...
A Pizza the Size of the Sun & It's Raining Pigs and Noodles by Jack Prelutzky - Very funny and closer to approaching the quality of Silverstein's stuff. Loved it!
Making Friends with Frankenstein by Colin Mcnaughton - I love this guy! He's nuts and very warped. My second favorite after Silverstein. His book "The Aliens are Coming" is also great.

Last Train to Nibroc

Here's a review of the most recent play at Taproot. Sarah's name is mentioned.

It's hard to believe that playwright Arlene Hutton wrote this charming and thoughtful romantic comedy only five years ago. Last Train to Nibroc, currently playing at Taproot Theatre, hearkens back to a simpler time when a play could succeed without offering eye-bleeding spectacle, verbal pyrotechnics, or the definitive answer to the meaning of life. The small but surprisingly entertaining Last Train to Nibroc has far more modest intentions, offering the audience only the pleasure of watching two well-drawn characters on a mostly bare stage as they navigate the eternal mystery of courtship. It's 1940 on a train bound east from California carrying the bodies of Nathaniel West and F. Scott Fitzgerald. Raleigh (Timothy Hornor), a young soldier with ambitions of becoming a writer, takes a seat next to a pretty but very proper girl (Charity Parenzini) who dreams of doing missionary work in far-flung locales. But the soldier has just been mysteriously discharged and the girl isn't quite as prim as she seems. For the next three acts—spanning three years—they talk, they laugh, they flirt, and they argue. In less capable hands, it could have been insufferable. But director Karen Lund has carefully marshaled every element of stagecraft—evocative scenic and sound design by Mark Lund, lovely costumes by Sarah Jane Burch, and strong but subtle lighting by Andrew Duff—to lift the story and let these two heartbreakingly talented actors take flight. It's the darnedest joy to watch. TAMARA PARIS

Booklist

Monster by Frank Peretti - A "monster" is killing people in the wilderness of the Pacific Northwest. A woman, out hiking with her husband, is kidnapped, presumably by the beast, and soon a manhunt begins. What is the "monster?" Read the book and find out. I found this to be a fairly slow read. Some parts were more enjoyable than others. I find it hard to talk about it without providing spoiler info. I'll just say it involves evolution, creationism, and the legend of the Sasquatch.
The Magician's Nephew by C. S. Lewis - The beginnings of Narnia are explained in this book as Digory and Polly embark on the adventure of a lifetime. It's interesting to start with this one. I've read "LWW" but I am re-reading it and reading all the others that I never read. Although interesting, it's not necessary to know how Narnia began or how the witch came to be there. It's just enough to revel in the magical world of Lewis' creative mind.

Catch Up Time

Here are just a few things that are going on right now.
- I'm temping at 5th Ave. Theatre in downtown Seattle. The plus for this is I get paid hourly and I'm getting comp tickets to "Sweeney Todd." That's good because Sarah and I wanted to go but couldn't afford it.
- I had a job interview at Bethany Community Church yesterday. The position is Admin. Asst/Receptionist. A very uncreative job but pays ok with benefits and it's full-time. They wanted to know if it would bother me to do mundane stuff and not be creative. Heck, I just need a job and working for a church for $10/hr is better than working for some crappy corporate retail hell more or less the same. At least it is a job of substance and eternal reward. I hope I get it.
- Sarah's cat, Max, has been acting weird of late so we took him to the vet yesterday. He seems healthy enough but they did blood work and will let us know today. He's hiding out alot and eating little and won't let Sarah have anything to do with him. (And he's an affectionate kitty usually)
- I've signed on to run sound for the Christmas production at Taproot which means my free time until the end of the year will be nil. It will be fun and good experience but it will stretch me (perhaps farther than I want to go) and burn my candles at both ends. (unless I don't find a day job for some reason)
Guess that's it for now. I miss blogging on a daily basis. I am journaling at night before bed but it's hard to get much done because I'm so tired and I want to leave time for reading. SIGH. I need more time for creativity in my life.

Church

Sarah and I tried Bethany Community Church yesterday evening. It was okay. The music was pretty good. The preaching was so-so. As far as I'm concerned, he never said anything. Kinda rambled...got off track. Entering the service, there was no music playing. Just dead silence in a dreary old church. Not a good start. There was a guy painting while the pastor spoke but it was pretty dull. The end of the service was good. Communion and a couple more praise songs. All in all, it was only okay. Sarah wants to try it again sometime but we are going to check out some other services around the area.

Computer Access

Well, it's becoming increasingly difficult to blog right now since I don't have computer access as much as I used to. I will continue to write in my journal, preserving the lost art of handwriting. When possible, I will transfer things of note to my blog. It's been tough. I love to blog and journal but I think better in front of a computer so my hand written journaling has fallen by the wayside. Perhaps this is a good thing...get the old hands back in shape and actually see some ink hitting the page. One day I hope to be able to afford a laptop computer. That would be sweet! Until then, we do what we can with what we got.

Booklist

Every Which Way But Dead by Kim Harrison - A witch bounty hunter deals with demons, vampires, elf crimelords and obstinate pixies in this third book of "The Hollows" series. This one was hard to get through. Very difficult. Not much happened in the beginning...at least not enough to keep me interested. Too much lovy-dovy crap with the Kisten character. I mean, this is supposed to be a supernatural thriller not a Harlequin romance. Look at the cover. All it needs is Fabio dipping the heroine in preparation for a lover's kiss. Give me a freakin' break. The first 2 books were surprisingly good. Good action. I was skeptical because most female authors scimp on action and go for the romance. Well, it took her to the third book and now she's pulling out the romance. Don't need that. I read to escape. I want action and characters I can get into. That's it. I'm not too fussy. It's not like I read philosophy or theology texts to show how smart I am. When I read...it's to get away from the world for a bit. That's it. So c'mon you writers out there...give me something I can escape into.

Beware of Limbo Dancers

Written with care
on the bathroom stall
Much more profound
than words penned on a wall
As I squat in the mists
of my mexican lunch
I'm at my most vulnerable,
pants down in a bunch
Paranoia creeps in,
I look left and right
The gray painted partitions
are all that's in sight
Am I in danger?
My mind doesn't know
Then faintly, through plumbing,
I hear calypso
It builds in it's timbre, the volume grows high
Then under the door
I hear a small cry
The scuffling of feet
then the tip of a toe
Before too much longer
a whole leg will show
His body, this dancer,
contorts like a twig
Bent backward grotesquely
in his gymnastic jig
By now, I see torso,
then shoulders appear
His arms flail like windsocks
Skilled balance without peer
The last of this human
comes under the door
Six inches to clear
from bottom to floor
His tightly wound face
tells the story of strain
Once done, he'll be spent
He can't do it again
With one final grunt
And a sigh of relief
He clears the six inches
and grins like a thief
He jumps with a start
as my person he's spied
I lean on my knees
and say soft, "Occupied."

Copyright 2000 Marty Gordon

2 Poems called "Wow"

Wow.
Lots of things are wow.
Life is.
Love is.
Art is.
Faith is.
And on and on.
Too bad today
Was an anti-wow day.

Wow.
Wonder of worship.
The joy of praise.
The celebration of creation.
Wonder
As in child-like.
Eyes wide open
Seeing things in a new way.
Wonder
As in, "What is it?"
Leads to discovery
Or more questions.
Wonder
As in miracles.
An act of wonder.
Wonder
As in innocence
Curiosity.
Eyes wide
Mouth open
Blood rushing to our head.
We discover
Witness
Ponder
The incredible
And all we can say is
Wow!

Copyright 2000 Marty Gordon

Jackhammer Clock

Time keeps on
Slipping
Slipping
Slipping
Into the future.
Slip it does
But not quietly.
Time is a noisy passing.
It throbs with cardiac pulse
Like a jackhammer clock
In your head.
The staccato
Click
Click
Click.
Comforting?
At times.
Mostly maddening.
Pounding insane rhythms,
Reminding you in 4/4 time
Your life is wasted
If only you had tasted
Faith
Hope
Love.
But no.
Those are false.
Truth is
Fear.
Existence.
Loneliness.
The jackhammer clock
Beats on
With cardiac pulse
Until
Misfire
Misstep
Mistake.
The jackhammer clock
Beats no more.
Peace at last.

Copyright 2000 Marty Gordon

Nathan Olivera on Art

"All art is a series of recoveries from the first line. The hardest thing to do is to put down the first line. But you must."

Chuck Close on Art

"Why make art? Because I think there's a child's voice in every artist saying: 'I am here. I am somebody. I made this. Won't you look?' The first painting ever was by some artist at Lascaux or Altamira or wherever, who put his hand on the wall and then blew soot through a straw around his hand. What is it about people that since the dawn of time we've wanted to mark our presence so that other people will see it? I man, people always wonder how paintings get made. How do they magically transcend their physicality? How do you take a stick with hairs on it, rub it in colored dirt, wipe it on a piece of cloth wrapped around some wood and make space where it doesn't exist? I am no closer to understanding it today than when I began."

Antuan

Found my friend Antjuan. I sent emails to 3 different addresses I found online. He responded. He's living in San Fran now with his fiance with a baby on the way. He says he may be coming back up here before Dec. so maybe I will get to see him. I haven't seen him since '97 when I lived in Birmingham. He lived next door. Being a black man, he was scared to approach me because he thought I was a biker. (I had long hair then) He finally approached to borrow a broom and he said he was an artist and I said I was an artist and -boom- we clicked just like that. I have 2 of his paintings and he has one of mine. I keep up with his work online. I hope we get to cross paths again.

Inspired by the Movie "Contact"

A bolt from the blue
Has struck you
And no one else.
A light from the sky
Hits your eye
But you can't tell.
There are no words that can prove.
You can't deny your heart is moved.
No one believes but that can't sooth
The dawning faith that's come to you.
Contact.
It's a message from above.
It's believing in the love
That has gripped you.
The force that has tripped you
Into taking that path
You've never seen before.
Contact.
It's a joy you can't explain
Falling down on you like rain
That will soon dry.
They can't see with their eye
The life-changing flood
That you're diving into
After something much bigger than you makes
Contact.

Copyright 2002 Marty Gordon

Leaving Ruin

Saw this wonderful one-man show the other night. I was mesmerized. Having been a minister who was "kicked out on his ear" I totally understood where this whole story was coming from. It helped me too. I don't know how but it did. Here's a synopsis of the play.

LEAVING RUIN, a warm, poignant tale of a small West Texas church in the nowhere town of Ruin, centers around Cyrus Manning, preacher for the First Church of Ruin--Church of the Bible. In his eleventh year at First Church, Cyrus has come on difficult times. He and his family--Sara, his wife of almost twenty years, and his two young sons, Wayne and Richard--face an unhappy congregation, with an impending congregational vote on the horizon. Cyrus believes "the nays have it" and he cannot make heads or tails of the situation. A thoughtful, prayerful man, Cyrus grapples for some sense of God's leading. His once vibrant call seems distant, but he wants to serve. Is his ministry over? Must he face a new life, a new home, a new career? And if so, how?

LEAVING RUIN chronicles the tough, often humorous battle of a man chasing the will of God in a time of what seems to be divine silence. Cyrus rummages through memories and old dreams, but the characters inhabiting his past offer no answers, and his frustration is ever on the verge of spilling into a shouting match with the silence. Through his humor, his lament, and his faith, Cyrus wrestles with God, hoping for a break in the silence, hoping finally to hear that elusive word of blessing and affirmation, a word that sometimes comes only with quiet. Finally, he must speak to the congregation. Should he fight, yield, or be silent? A surprising gift offers no easy solution, but Cyrus may yet find the faith and courage he needs to go on.

LEAVING RUIN is a story-telling adventure calling us to love and faithfulness, even in times of God's silence, trusting that His call and wisdom will come, though it may be murky, and not necessarily what we had in mind.

Pearls To Swine

Verse 1
Don't be flip.
You're not hip.
You're just throwing caution to the wind.
Reducing God's word to a slogan.
I can't help but think that's a sin.
The world's quite used to gobbling up swill.
There was no gourmet bistro on Golgotha's hill.
Chorus
You're throwing pearls to swine.
You're just wasting time.
A pig is smarter than a dog
And they've made up their mind.
They're doing just fine
On the slop on which they dine.
So don't waste your time
Throwing pearls to swine.
Verse 2
Serving drinks
To what stinks.
You'd best save that vintage for another day.
You're a fool.
Go to school.
Learn the lessons that keep the pigs at bay.
The hogs are thrilled to wrestle down in the mud.
But you best be careful or they'll drag you down, bud.
Repeat Chorus

Copyright 2002 Marty Gordon

There is a Light

There is a light
Called the one true thing.
It shines
Like a golden ring.
It shimmers
Like a song we sing.
And it will never
Go away.
No.
It is here to stay.

Get Smart (A Call to Learning)

I hate dumb.
Mind numb.
Knowing zip.
What a rip.
Never read.
Never feed.
Brain dead.
Empty head.
Open up.
Fill the cup.
Drink it down.
Go to town.
Use it
Or lose it.
Don't waste
The taste.
Take heart.
Get smart.

Filling the Creative Well

Teaching.
Reaching the bleached brain.
Tabula rasa.
The blank slate.
Chalk up the cue.
Make a mark
To start
The learning.
One stroke of the pen
Followed once again
By another
And another
And another.
Filling the blank canvas
Of the mind
With knowledge sublime.
Ignorance fades.
Wade in the pool
Of knowing.
Fill up.
Teaching.
Reaching the bleached brain.
Color the mind.
Learn.

Romans 15:13 (Bovine Version)

How now brown cow?
How low can you mow?
If the grass won't grow
No green can be seen
Where once green had been.
It's brown.
Big frown.
Head down.
Where will you meet to eat?
Shuffle your feet.
Move around.
Look around.
Still brown
All the way to town.
What now brown cow?
Lose hope?
Sit and mope?
Learn to cope?
Stand by?
Moan and cry
Until you die?
No.
Stay
And obey.
Yield.
Be healed.
Soon there will be
Green fields.
Hold up your chin.
Grin.
Begin again.
How now brown cow?
So much hope
You can't cope.
Peace
That will never cease.

Copyright 2002 Marty Gordon

Fall in Seattle

While the rest of the country swelters in record heat and deals with hurricanes of catastrophic proportions, we in Seattle are enjoying some nice Fall weather. Temps are in the 60's daily and fall to the 40's at night. The air is crisp and cool but the trees seem to be a might confused. Some are turning while others have turned. It's an uneven beauty unlike the breathtaking views one can see in the mountains of NC. Still, the weather's fine and I'm enjoying it. I know Winter in Seattle is said to be a dismal, misty mess so until then, I will enjoy the Fall.

Church

I seem to be having doubts about where Sarah and I are attending church. It's a great little church and the people are nice but we are having trouble connecting and it meets at the theatre where Sarah works so that is not so good for her having to be there another day of the week. The trouble is...how to find a church that is right for us. My doubts stem from my recent involvement with the worship band. I really don't enjoy it. I don't seem to be connecting with the other folks and I don't like the disorganization related to getting ready for services. I've always been one to value my time and the time of others. I don't like to feel my time is being wasted. My sense of humor seems to fall flat with these people and my experience doesn't seem to matter. There doesn't seem to be a desire for excellence among them and a "status quo" attitude seems to be prevalent. Last night, one of the members seemed put out to be flexible in a situation where a guitarist is needed but not available. If there's one thing you have to be if involved in church music it's flexible. I don't know what to think. Is it them or is it me or is it a combination of both?

More Weird Poetry

Johnny Rot is full of snot
He blows his nose with style
He has a tie dyed handkerchief
To deal with all the bile
So now he's making sculpture
Some people think it's vulgar
To shape and pose things from his nose
He's a clever little booger

Minnie Merle's a hula girl
She shimmy's, shakes and dips
It takes a lot of stamina
To tell stories with one's hips
A lightning storm, which was the norm
Knocked down the power wire
She lit some wicks to practice kicks
Now her grass skirt is on fire

Jacob Gax has chronic wax
That builds up in his ears
He tries to clean them constantly
But more just reappears
Those globs of goo start to accrue
You really ought to see 'em
So what he's grown is now on loan
At the local wax museum

Copyright 2005 Marty Gordon

Weird Poetry

Jackie boy's favorite toy
Is a headless doll named Al
Jackie boy loves his toy
It is his best-loved pal
The head is lost, we don't know where
It popped off on the rug
Perhaps young Jackie shouldn't squeeze
So hard when he gives hugs

Jimmy Keen lost his spleen
In a freaky accident
He ran too fast into the woods
Tripped on a log and went
The doctor put it in a jar
He keeps it on a shelf
And when he's feeling incomplete
He looks upon himself

Willy Wee is 8 foot 3
A tad bit short of 9
He's quite content to be that tall
The weather up there's fine
But Willy Wee went up to ski
The mountains on a date
He fell real bad and now he's sad
'Cuz now he's 3 foot 8

Becca Boo is such a shrew
To everyone she's mean
She scares the witches off their brooms
On every Halloween
But Huey Hoo loved Becca Boo
He loved her strong and true
It melted her heart, that angry tart
And now she cries, "Boo-Hoo."

Neddy Bock has dreadlocks
In Jamaica he's a hit
But soldiers in the army
Well, they don't give a spit
Neddy Bock met Sgt. Mock
"You look a sight," he called
Sarge took him to a barber
And now old Neddy's bald

Sammy Spud just loved the mud
In dirt he'd play and play
His mom would try to clean him up
But he stayed the color gray
One time he played real near the pond
And on him crawled a leech
It breached the crud and sucked his blood
Now Sammy bathes in bleach

Pammy Bam ate nothing but jam
On toast and bread and spoon
Strawberry, grape and marmalade
Morning, night and noon
Eating jelly, she grew a belly
And soon began to sneeze
Now Pammy Bam's on insulin
'Cuz she has diabetes

Lemmy Slug is such a bug
The people want to squish him
He dodges shoes all day long
And soon he started wishin'
"I wish I was a giant
With shoes on big, old feet
Then I could squish the people
That I might chance to meet

Bessie June went to the moon
She dwelled inside a crater
The Moonie Men who lived there
Soon began to hate her
She swept up all the moon rocks
And put them in a case
But Moonie Men, the like moon rocks
To decorate their place

Timmy Thicket is a cricket
He plays accordion
The other crickets tease him
For not playing violin
The teasing hurts poor Timmy
But he's too proud to beg
Besides, he can't play violin
Poor Timmy's got no legs

Poltice Fig danced a jig
He liked to sway and swing
He cut a rug, that graceful fig
He was a prancing thing
Someone lost their marbles
And Poltice rolled and slipped
Now he doesn't dance no more
With his light fantastic tripped

The King of Mole lives in a hole
But it's cozy, bright and clean
He moved aside the dirt and mud
And trimmed the roots between
It rained one day and half the night
His home began to flood
And so the mighty King of Mole
Is now the king of mud

Daffy Nate went on a date
With Loony Nora Lum
She laughed at all his crazy jokes
Although they were quite dumb
Now Daffy Nate and Loony Lum
Are married with 10 tots
Their dating life was lots of fun
But married life is not

Mimsy Moore sits on the floor
Arranging peas and flowers
Although the combo seems quite odd
She whiles away the hours
She wants a pea and flower shop
Her dream for quite some time
But peas and flowers just won't sell
Not even for a dime

Howie Nows loves white cows
Their color gives him cause
To paint them in an earthly hue
With brushes, pens and gauze
He is quite famous in the land
From Kalamazoo to Laos
His gallery's name, it seems quite right
Howie Now's Brown Cows

Parker Gack has the knack
For talking to the mice
He doesn't like the squirrels too much
But rodents he thinks nice
He had 100 in his home
1000 in his attic
And 23 in his TV
Now all he gets is static

Peter Fleen loves Halloween
He decorates every room
In orange and green he can be seen
Donned in his pumpkin costume
He treasures most his friend the ghost
And a black cat name of Whiz
They trick or treat in rain and sleet
No matter what day it is

Tex McRoy is a cowboy
More cow than boy they say
He's mounted horns upon his hat
And he eats alot of hay
He fell in love with Bessie
A lovely heifer chick
He's milking it for all it's worth
But it's really udderly sick

Jacques LeMoo runs a zoo
For chickens, pigs and ducks
He doesn't like the other sorts
Just those that oink and cluck
One windy day, a cow blew in
It caused alot of grief
Jacques solved the problem with his axe
And now their set for beef

Eb and Flo are twins you know
They live next to the ocean
The tides move in, the tides move out
Based on their least emotion
One day Eb was feeling cold
But Flo was getting hotter
They fought about the temperature
And now they're underwater

Nikki Nell has gone to Hell
To visit Uncle Scratch
She lights her pipe upon the rocks
She doesn't need a match
Her Uncle Scratch is not at home
He won't answer the bell
So Nikki has to turn around
And get the hell out of Hell

Toffee Sote had a goat
It ate up cans and weeds
The goat, it's name was Saffron Sue
And followed Toffee's lead
It followed her to school one day
And ate up all the books
Now when Toffee does homework
Inside the goat she looks

Hurricane Ned has a big head
It's full of heated air
Everywhere that Ned does go
The people point and stare
All eyes on Ned, he hates his head
And wishes it would shrink
Suddenly, Ned burps real loud
Small head, but what a stink

LaLa Baines sings in the rain
And dances in the puddles
The ducks all swim in rhythm
And the worms all coo and cuddle
LaLa's notes are perfect pitched
Though good, she never gloats
And after singing, gargles
With raindrops down her throat

Skully Boo has one tattoo
It covers head to toe
He's painted like a skeleton
So he looks rather dead
At Halloween, he looks real keen
No costume does he wear
He wins the costume contest every year
Now, that really isn't fair

Copyright 2005 Marty Gordon

Blast from the Past

Sarah and I watched this movie tonight. I had seen it years ago but had forgotten how good it is. The thing that struck me the most during tonight's viewing was the concept of innocence versus innocence lost. When Adam's father ascends from the shelter after 35 years, he enters an area of town that is run down and crime ridden. He immediately thinks the world hasn't recovered from the bomb and that mutants walk the earth. In seeing the world as it is today, that isn't far from the truth. The world is in a ghastly state and it gets worse everyday. But I love the way Adam faced the new world. He didn't compromise. He stood up for his values and morals. (I love the scene where he chastises a man for using the Lord's name in vain) In one scene, he sits in a rainstorm. Eve walks out to cover him with an umbrella and he says something like, "There's a miracle in everything." It's the same when he sees the sky and the ocean for the first time. He revels in it. He doesn't take it for granted like we do. Sure, everyone thinks he's a weirdo and they even try to have him committed but he stands firm in his integrity. Wow. More Christians should see this movie and glean the lessons it teaches in an entertaining way. Adam stands up for his beliefs. He loves people unconditionally. He greets each new day as an opportunity. Good gosh! This movie is a sermon.

Booklist

Dead Beat by Jim Butcher - Jim Butcher's Dresden Files novels have been compared to Harry Potter with an adult tone and attitude. Now, in his first hardcover adventure, Harry Dresden must save Chicago from black magic and necromancy-all in a day's work for the city's only professional wizard. I have read all of these. This is book seven. Although "Dead Beat" isn't as good as some of the others, I still find the whole series very enjoyable. It throws just enough supernatural and just enough reality into an urban landscape to please me. I don't like hardcore fantasy or sci-fi. I need it blended with a little bit of everyday normalcy. Anyway, I hope Jim Butcher keeps cranking them out because I'll keep reading them if he does.

Car Show

Here we are at the Car Show that was some time back. I just wanted to post this pic before I lose access to a convenient computer. Gary is to my left. I've been staying with him and his wife Sheri. That's Margaret to my right. She works at Taproot. And of course, that's me and the lovely Sarah in the middle.

Seattle Stuff

Yesterday, Sarah and I visited the Seattle Aquarium. It's nice but not as extensive as I had hoped. They are undergoing construction so maybe it will be expanded in the future. It's so difficult to find affordable parking downtown. We finally found a spot for $5. At the aquarium, we did get the treat of seeing someone examine a pregnant shark. She's going to deliver in the next couple of weeks. Sharks stay pregnant for 2 years. Whew! Long time. After the aquarium, we perused the shops in that area. We found a "pirate store" (Arr!) and Ye Olde Curiosity Shop. It should have been called Ye Olde Crappe Shop. It was full of few curiosities but lots of touristy junk. Later, we went to my storage unit and grabbed my big Jesus paintings. I'm donating them to Taproot for their yard sale which is this Saturday. Hope they sell and they get a decent price out of them. Today, it's back to the temp job. Maybe tomorrow as well. Thursday I'm supposed to observe an art class and see about teaching myself.

Alina and the Bear

Got an email from my friend Alina in Asheville. Here's what she had to say:

"A tree fell on my car last Tuesday thanks to Katrina. It was one of the smaller trees so it just dented the roof, hood and the passenger side door. Jerry saw the whole thing. He just heard a crack and a whoomp and it was done. Jerry and I went hiking today at a place we go all the time and never had any problems. This time we saw a black bear with two cubs just sitting across the trail we were heading to cross. I don't think I've ever run so fast. If I didn't want to draw attention to myself I would have screamed like a little girl while I was booking it."

(I would have paid money to see her running away from that bear. Priceless.)

Washington Wal-Mart

Arrgh! Wal-Mart is the same everywhere you go. We made the mistake of finding one after our relaxing Edmonds trip. Our relaxation soon turned to frustration. Wal-Mart seems to draw the dregs of society, like bugs to a light on the front porch. We wouldn't have gone but my allergy medicine is so much cheaper there. So, along with the other dregs, we fought tooth and nail to find our merchandise and then headed to the long lines at the front. The cashier said it was like that all the time. We soon made our purchases and made it out of the parking lot alive. I really don't understand why Wal-Mart has to be the scary place that it is. What is it about discount retail shopping that brings out the worst in people? I wish I knew. I just hate going there. My preference is Target but, alas, they do not carry my allergy medicine. Perhaps I'll just order it on the Wal-Mart website next time. It drives me bonkers to go there.

Edmonds

Yesterday, Sarah and I visited Edmonds, Washington, a quaint village nestled next to Puget Sound. We first headed into town, checking out a few shops and antique stores. When it was time for lunch, we soon learned that there are no bargains to be found on food in Edmonds. We settled for an overpriced mexican place where the food was so-so. Next time we come, we're packing a picnic lunch to eat by the water. After strolling through the street market after lunch, listening to the teen jazz ensemble on one end and the "ghost girls" playing violin on the other end, (they were talented but very pale) we headed to the ferry for a ride over to Kingston. The ferry ride was fantastic! It was so great to be on the water. I was so glad I took my jacket because it was downright cold on the boat. But a refreshing cold. I loved it. After finding that Kingston is a very, very small place (translation: nothing to do) , we got ice cream and boarded the ferry for the return trip. It was too short. Being on the water was really great. The smell of the salt air was very, very good for us. Since I am without job and we are on a budget, a longer cruise is out of our reach right now. We hope to take one of the lake cruises in Seattle sometime. Being on the water is so nice. I want to do more of that.

Booklist

The Rift by Walter J. Williams - A monster earthquake devastates the delta area of the United States. Rising from the rubble, opportunistic evangelists and racists take advantage of the situation and form their own idealistic communities. An unemployed engineer and a teenage boy survive the elements and rebel against these and other monstrous conditions in a world gone mad. What a long book. Almost 1000 pages. Took me a while because I would get a little bored and put it down. It was an okay story but nothing to write home about. The italicized accounts of an earlier earthquake were boring and unnecessary. So, if you enjoy disaster novels, this one is just so-so.
Tales to Astonish by Ronin Ro - An account of the early days of comics focusing on Stan Lee and Jack Kirby. Not the best book I've ever read. The tidbits of info were disjointed, the narrative would fracture from time to time. I guess the one thing I got from this book was that all was not a rosy paradise in the comic book world. One would think that folks who spend their lives entertaining us with fantastic characters and ever more fantastic stories would be happy about that. Not so. Stan Lee is painted as an egotistical, controlling schmooze-hound. Jack Kirby is shown as a stalwart, if not whiny, workhorse. Apparently, Marvel has mistreated many, many folks over the years (DC not much better) and this book tells it all.