Gimme Moore

So, on other people's blogs I find it annoying when they quote authors and I just skim it. But I am still compelled to post Lorrie Moore quotes on my blog:

"Is there a secret world of knowledge that adults know, that gets passed on from one generation to the next, the way there is with children? I think not. I think your blurped out into the world, you get a few jumprope rhymes, and from there on you're on your own. Nobody tells you anything. Nobody shows you how."

"She insisted that she loved him and would go mad without him or at least have a hard time grocery shopping."

"You cannot be grateful without possessing a past. That is why children are incapable of gratitude and why night prayers and dinner graces are lost on them. 'Gobbles Mommy, Gobbles Grandpa...' George races through it. She has no reference points. As I get older the past widens and accumulates, all sloppy landlessness like a river, and as a result I have more clearly demarcated areas of gratitude. Things like ice cream or scenery or one good kiss become objects of a huge soulful thanks. Nothing is gobbled."

Two beautiful posts stand before me, but I have only one topic in my hands...

So, can we discuss the fact that MTV insists on showing reruns of America's Next Top Model 24 hours a-freakin'-day? Now, don't get me wrong. I love nothing more than to hear Tyra call people "fierce" who are so tiny a light breeze could knock them over. The uncontrollable eye-rolling brought on by listening to yet another lecture about how "being a model is more than just a pretty face" is a great guilty pleasure. And let us not forget the beauty that is the elimination ceremony. "So who goes home? The girl with aaalll the potential, but who just isn't quite ready? Or, the girl who takes beautiful pictures, but who the judges just aren't sure WANTS it enough?" Oh, I love it.

BUT, even I cannot watch that much ANTM. After I've seen Nicole's horrified face when Tyra says they're "all going to LONDON!!!!!" like four hundred times, I'm done. I guess I'd rather see that than A Shot at Love with Tila Tequila, but still. Not to sound cliche, but how about some music videos? (I know, I know...it's been said.)

It's started again...

I am stress dreaming again. See, whenever there is something in my life I am worried or nervous about, I start dreaming about it being a disaster. It happens with events, relationships, work, everything. I have re-occurring "nightmares" before the first day of school every year. Nightmares is a little strong, because I'm not actually scared, just frustrated usually. Actually, the overriding theme of most of my dreams is frustration. What does that mean?

Anyway, the other night I dreamed that the yearbook distribution party was a total disaster. It was in this maze-like warehouse and the books were missing. Then, when I finally found our yearbooks, the pages were all out of order, there were pages I had never seen, missing images, really bad photos, etc. I was so upset and frustrated. And then I woke up and realized that I have about a month's worth of yearbook-themed dreams to look forward to. Awesome.

So, does everyone stress-dream, or is that just me? I wish I had re-occurring dreams about making out with Dave Grohl or something. That would be WAY better.

Life is fleeting...

So make it count.

My favorite paragraph of Anagrams (so far!)

"So I comforted myself with Gerard's faults: He was infantile; he was always losing his keys; he was from Nebraska, like some horrible talk show host; he had grown up not far from one of the oldest service plazas on the I-80; he told jokes that had the words wiener and fart in them; he once referred to sex as "hiding the salami." He also had a habit of charging after small animals and frightening them. Actually, the first he did this it was with a bird in the park, and I laughed, thinking it hilarious. Later, I realized it was weird: Gerard was thirty-one and charging after small mammals, sending them leaping into bushes, up trees, over furniture. He would then turn and grin, like a charmed maniac, a Puck with a Master's degree. He liked also to water down the face and neck fur of cats and gods, saying it make them look like Judy Garland. I realized that life was too short for anyone to honestly and thoroughly outgrow anything, but it was clear that some people were making more of an effort than others."

Church

Here's what I like about church:

*singing

*that the pastor quotes authors, and NPR occasionally, and current articles and things

*being reminded that even when I am unsure about what I believe and what the Bible says, I am still a Christian

*being reminded of grace and God's presence in the world

*being around people smarter than me who are believers

*being around people who are just unbelievably nice and friendly

*the honesty I see at Grace

*the moment in the sermon where something is said that I frantically scribble down in my notes, hoping that it will stay with me, even after those notes are long gone

*that they recycle the bulletins

*saying the benediction together at the end, and then saying "now go in that grace" which is the part only the pastor is supposed to say, but I can't help but recite along with him