Music I am Listening To

I've been listening to 3 albums over and over: 2 Brad gave me for Mother's Day: Jake Armerding's (Folk-Fiddle-Lyric-driven) self-titled album and Susan Tedeschi's blues album Just Won't Burn. The third is a re-discovery: Beethoven's Pastoral symphonies: My mom used to play these and also alot of Debussy -- especially Afternoon of a Faun -- when Aaron and I took naps as kids. There are also some other classical pieces off the Fantasia soundtrack that I'm planning to re-look up. Now that Atticus is taking naps next to me or in the next room, I've really wanted to play him some music I haven't listened to for too long.

I also recommend a movie Brad and I recently saw called Friends with Money. A pretty lame title, but the character driven story of four middle-aged women who have been friends for a long time and are each re-assessing their lives in some fashion was excellently written -- probably considered a drama-genre. The characters are not flat and the story is not without hope though it doesn't tidily bring each story within the story to a trite little conclusion. You enter the story in the midst of their lives and leave a little later with enough revealed and resolved to satisfy and give you a few days of thought and conversation, but not leave you feeling lied to or stolen from by giving a couple hours of your time to listen in and meet these people. Brad and I were both happily surprised that this movie was worth our time and thought. It does have some bad language and some frustrating ethics, so make sure you read a few reviews beforehand if your conscience and/or taste requires it.

Besides the architecture primer I mentioned earlier, I have just begun reading Kent Hughes' (Pastor of College Church in Wheaton, IL -- where my friends Lisa, Jason & Ian Carriere and Jeff Wencel attend church) commentary on Genesis. It is on recommendation from Jeff Wencel after eluding to an on-going discussion Brad and I have had concerning Genesis 1-3. I am through the introduction and into the first chapter. Very well written...I think I will be reading the beginning parts a few times and really be thinking through them -- hopefully helping me understand Brad better and not be "afraid" to really talk and listen through the issues.

Well, Atticus is waking up from his nap. We are planning a second walk today -- this one around Lake Nokomis with our friends Leah and Calvin Miller.