". . . whose ape-descended life forms are so amazingly primitave that they still think digital watches are a pretty neat idea"

After my first top ten list, Donna made the suggestion that I make a list of my favorite top ten books published before 1975. Well, being generally perverse and relishing a challenge, I decided to first attempt a list of books from after 1975. I thought it might be hard to even think of ten things I've read that were that contemporary, let alone that I could really call "favorites." Mostly I read stuff from before 1900. Also, a series definitely only qualifies as one entry, so I can't just fill the list with Harry Potter. Well, I've been working on this list for a while now and come up with what I think are some interesting and diverse books (in no particular order) --

1. The Bean Trees by Barbara Kingsolver
2. The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver
3. Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling
4. Fight Club by Chuck Palahniuk
5. A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving
6. Freakonomics by Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner
7. The Friendly Shakespeare by Norrie Epstein
8. The Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley
9. The Harper Hall trilogy by Anne McCaffrey
10. The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy series by Douglas Adams

Here are a few comments on my choices --

1 & 2. Yes, both by the same author, but extremely different books and both exceptionally good. I may have Bean Trees memorized by now.
3. Pick a favorite? Maybe Prisoner of Azkaban or Half-Blood Prince.
7. If nothing else, all high school students should receive the "No-Holds Bard: A Glossary of Sexual Slang." Trust me, they'd enjoy those plays a lot more.
9. Dragonsong and Dragonsinger were staples for me growing up and still favorites today.
10. Like "Futurama"? Read this book! The blog entry title is a quote from book one. Other highlights -- "Ford, you're turning into a penguin. Stop it." and "Who - the man with the five heads and the elderberry bush full of kippers?"

"I got ashes on my forehead"

Well, I had ashes on my forehead on Wednesday, but I suppose in some sense I still do. The big news here of course is that for the first time in three years, I received those ashes at church. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, for the first (and second) time I have left the house and rejoined society. Allow me to explain . . .

On Saturday, Feb. 2, I went to the coffeehouse held after our church's Saturday night service. This marked the first time I had gone anywhere other than a hospital or doctor's office since I had surgery in January of 2005. I stayed a little less than an hour and heard a few different people sing. In fact when I walked in, Shoof was playing, "I can see clearly now the rain is gone . . ." which seems eerily appropriate. Anyway I got to see a lot of people I haven't seen in forever. Kinda weird actually, to be back out in the world, but good weird.

Since Saturday's excursion went well, I decided to attend the Ash Wednesday service at Hope as well. This was a bit more taxing, but I'm glad I went. Lent is my favorite season of the church year anyway, and it felt really good to be back in a proper sanctuary, singing hymns, and being with all the other church folks. I don't think I realized how much I had missed it until I got back to it.

This finally brings me to what was intended to be the point all along -- Lent. I mentioned already that it was my favorite season, and I think that's because it's very introspective. I know a lot of people give something up for Lent, but I never really have. I guess I just never felt that forgoing chocolate would bring me closer to God. Well, this year I would like to take a Lenten journey, although it's not exactly giving something up. I would like to find the quiet. I'm not sure where it's gone. My TiVo and my iPod seem to fill in all the gaps nowadays and without the silence, I think I'm forgetting how to listen. So, for the next forty days, I'm going to spend less time with tv and music running for background noise as I usually do. I'm afraid all this multi-tasking may be killing my creativity. I hope to spend some time communing with my new blank book, and maybe even hearing God . . . in the quiet.

"And I will follow out of love
'cause there is nothing I can earn
I got ashes on my forehead
and I'm trying hard to learn"
~Jonathan Rundman, "Ashes"

Someone else's funny story

Well. . . it's too late to start writing my own blog entry tonight, but you should all check this out -- made me laugh! More from me personally soon.