Happy New Year!

Van Dusen Garden
Originally uploaded by Jet Of Hearts.

Happy New Year to all my friends and blog readers!

What a year it has been.... I grieve all that's lost and count myself lucky with all that's been found. Thank you to all my friends, I would not be here without you.

I hope today finds you with loved ones - know that I'm thinking of you.

Look at the stars,
Look how they shine for you,
And everything you do,
Yeah they were all yellow
-- Coldplay, Yellow

When I think of the year... year and a bit, really.... There are moments that stand out, filled with love, filled with peace.
There are moments that stnad out, filled with loneliness, filled with pain.
I climb on the griffon and let it carry me up high, so high that the grass no longer cuts my ankles and the bitter taste of Eve's apple washes away in the sunlight. What is, is. I let it wash over me and not touch me. What was, is past. I hold it out in my hand and examine it but don't let it cling to me.

Lights go out and I can’t be saved
Tides that I tried to swim against
Brought me down upon my knees
Oh I beg, I beg and plead
-- Coldplay, In My Place

O no, I see,
I spun a web, it's tangled up with me,
And I lost my head,
The thought of all the stupid things I said,
O no what's this?
A spider web, and I'm caught in the middle,
I turned to run,
The thought of all the stupid things I've done,

I never meant to cause you trouble,
And I never meant to do you wrong,
And I, well if I ever caused you trouble,
O no, I never meant to do you harm.
-- Coldplay, Trouble

Another year over...

So this is Christmas
And what have you done
Another year over
And a new one just begun
-- John Lennon, So this is Christmas

What have I done? Last year's resolutions same as this year's.... has to make me wonder.

Be a better friend. Love more. Believe.

Jeanne says - learn learn learn.




I wonder if I ever will. I hope so.
'cause I do know what's good for me. And I've done what I could for you....

How many times can it escalate
Till it elevates to a place I can't breathe?
And I must decide, if you must deride
That I'm much obliged to up and go
I'll idealize, then realize that it's no
Sacrifice, because the price is paid, and
There's nothing left to grieve
-- Get Gone, Fiona Apple

Wii bit of fun

So - had the Wii for 2 days now and *so* much fun! The sports disc it comes with - bowling, baseball, and yes, boxing - has already endanged everything that dares to come underfoot and in the way of a strike. Zelda is magnificent, galloping through a narrow path I find myself ducking to avoid the branches.

I think this calls for a Wii party. Vancouver game geeks unite!

Santa

OK Jeanne, I believe in Santa :-)

Wii FTW :-)

Xmas service was very moving, listen to us sing and Don preach at the podcast site.
There are also pictures from our Friday concert there.

Now where is my recipe for oliebollen.... Happy New Year!

Faith

In my place, in my place
Were lines that I couldn't change
I was lost, oh yeah

I was lost, I was lost
Crossed lines I shouldn't have crossed
I was lost, oh yeah
-- ColdPlay, In My Place

Know that place inside where the tears pool? When I look in that pool I see a reflection, and I feel the cold creep up along my neck till it makes my lower lip tremble.

Didn't we once think it was real? Saskia believes Santa to be real, because she wishes it to be real. Maybe it is as simple as that.

I reach out for Presence but find only Emptiness. Only my own reflection staring back at me and behind me the sharp edges of the cave wall.
Barrie said, talk to God on the top of the mountain when you can see all around so far, all the way till tomorrow. I will try, Barrie, I will. Just wish the rain would stop.

Maybe God is busy. It is a busy time of year, after all. In the mall, hurried people on their quest for the One Present That Will Make Everything Alright do not look at each other in the eye any more.
I believe in God, even when he is silent. I believe in love, even when feeling it not.
I'll believe in Santa. Maybe under my tree, too, is the One Present That Will Make Everything Alright.
If not, I'll be looking for that gift-receipt.

Go out into the world in peace
And whatever you do,
do it for the sake of love
-- United Church blessing

and the wheels just keep on turning
the drummers begin to drum
i don't know which way I'm going
i dont know what i'll become
-- Coldplay, till Kingdom Come

Happy Birthday to Me (to Me)!

Thank you Jeanne for your love and kindness. It means the world to me. :-)

I see a cookie fuelled Mah Jong victory in my future!

Music ftw

Things I have to listen to I'm told:

Paradigm
TV on the Radio
Tokyo Police Club

And of course, the WoW theme songs!!! (Thanks Kev)

Things that make me giggle

Thanks Kev, for "Furry Happy Monsters"

Wow auditions

Harry Belafonte and the Muppet Banana Boat Song

Around and Around

Gravity wins, no matter how hard you run.

http://cache.gizmodo.com/assets/resources/2006/12/rollerfeeder.jpg



So... All I Want For Xmas is...

Something I can never have
A Wii
A better camera (a real one with a lens that comes off only when you want it to)
A guitar

Surrounding me, going down on me
Spilling over the brim
Waves of regret and waves of joy
-- U2, Until the End of the World

Changes

In Chinese, there's a saying: 长痛不如短痛
(better to have a short pain than long pain)
-- Renbo

In Dutch, the proverb is "zachte heelmeesters maken stinkende wonden" -- "gentle healers make stinking wounds".

Jeanne will say, tough love. Be cruel to be kind.

Relationships don't die suddenly; they suffocate slowly.
Every time I say "oh nothing"
Every time you are silent when you shouldn't be
Every time I forget to say I care
Every time you forget to ask how my day was
Every time I have no time
Every time you have no time

To be honest with yourself is the hardest thing. To recognise ourselves as an actor rather than a spectator sucks, it means we have to take responsibility.

My New Year's resolutions are what they are every year.
Be a better friend
Love more
Be more gracious
Believe

Soon it will be Christmas. Time of new birth, time of longer days, time of turning back towards the sun.

I'm not the only one starin' at the sun
Afraid of what you'd find if you took a look inside
Not just deaf and dumb i'm staring at the sun
Not the only one who's happy to go blind
-- U2, Staring at the Sun

Believe

Concert coming up in two weeks! December is so filled with music. We're also practising for Xmas eve midnight service. During rehearsal yesterday practiced one of my favourite pieces, "Magnum Mysterium" by Morten Lauridsen.

IMG_0013.JPG
Originally uploaded by Jet Of Hearts.

Love, lift me out of these blues
Won't you tell me something true
I believe in you
-- U2, Elevation

From this arises the question whether it is better to be loved rather than feared, or feared rather than loved. It might perhaps be answered that we should wish to be both: but since love and fear can hardly exist together, if we must choose between them, it is far safer to be feared than loved.
-- Machiavelli, the Prince, ch.8
-- encountered in: The Ascension Factor, Bill Ransom and Frank Herbert

Left by the roadside all alone
I turned to speak to you right there and you were gone
You stood and cried and wondered why
You can't return from where we came
Why are we born to fade away?
-- Mobile, Dusting Down the Stars

I'll never be your beast of burden
My back is broad but it's a hurting
All I want is for you to make love to me
I'll never be your beast of burden
I've walked for miles my feet are hurting
All I want is for you to make love to me

Am I hard enough
Am I rough enough
Am I rich enough
I'm not too blind to see
-- Rolling Stones, Beast of Burden

Snow

Originally uploaded by Jet Of Hearts.

Spent the weekend at Whistler with the kids, absolutely wonderful. This is also my first post directly from Flickr.

Covetting

Ok I admit it. I want it. Want it badly. Can't wait to hold the tubular control in my hand. Use it until the sweat drips down my body. Exercise and won't even have to leave the room. You know what it is, don't you.... I'm sure you want it too.

Now I've just been alerted to the dangers... That clinched it for me. If it feels good and has the edge of danger - I Need It.