viva Verdi

Last night, I had the chance to see my second Verdi opera in Seattle.  Wrenching opera, beautifully done.  Also finally got the chance to dine at Chez Shea, not wrenching but equally beautifully done!

Friday

 

"There is neither happiness nor unhappiness in this world; there is only the comparison of one state with another. Only a man who has felt ultimate despair is capable of feeling ultimate bliss. It is necessary to have wished for death in order to know how good it is to live.....the sum of all human wisdom will be contained in these two words: Wait and Hope."

~Alexandre Dumas, The Count of Monte Cristo

back in the world!

No, it's not gold-plated with diamonds, but it still feels fabulous to have my improved laptop back!  The blessing is that it was all under warranty.

brightest and best

Sang my favorite Epiphany hymn this morning...it helps to be 'in good' with the hymn chooser :)  To be fair, I do have an Excel data sheet on Google docs, so that the entire congregation may see that I utilize the entire hymnal over the year....

Had a pleasant dime-finding stroll down to Elliott Bay (which is moving to my neighborhood this year!) and got a new crossword book to stave off Alheizmers.  A good day, all in all.

little blessings

I know potatoes are on all the bad-foods lists, but 10 lbs. for $.99 was too good to pass up.  Now to find ways to present them without the cream and butter and cheese!

$.11 was the sum of the day's walking

Friday's poetry

The Speaker

by Louis Jenkins

The speaker points out that we don't really have much of
a grasp of things, not only the big things, the important
questions, but the small everyday things. "How many steps
up to your front door? What kind of tree grows in your
backyard? What is the name of your district representative?
What is your wife's shoe size? Can you tell me the color of your
sweetheart's eyes? Do you remember where you parked
the car?" The evidence is overwhelming. Most of us never
truly experience life. "We drift through life in a daydream,
missing the true richness and joy that life has to offer." When
the speaker has finished we gather around to sing a few
inspirational songs. You and I stand at the back of the group
and hum along since we have forgotten most of the words.

In honor of my academy classmate, Trina Gonzales who died last Saturday.

sunrise and Thoreau

"To affect the quality of the day,

that is the highest of arts. 

Every man is tasked to make his life,

even in its details, 

worthy of the contemplation of his most elevated and critical hour."