share....unless you're on a bike

something i learned in the first grade is that sharing goes two ways. if only one person is doing all the sharing, then it's called mooching. while driving home from class today, i realized that people on bikes are always demanding that we share the road, but never offer us what they have: the sidewalk. and when we do share the road with them, they break what we gave them: the flow of traffic.

now, i don't know how much it costs to build miles and miles of sidewalk, but let's just say it's not free. so if you are riding your bike on the street and notice traffic building up behind you, please, use the sidewalk. unless you want to trade.

Escuela del Verano, II, ii

i know i've already mentioned this to some of you, but even at the risk of beating the dead horse i'd like to give a visual illustration. i'm taking a class on the late plays of shakespeare and my professor is, i guess, very visually oriented. perhaps too much so. above is what rescue 911 would call a "dramatization" of what went on the chalkboard in class yesterday. it may be hard to tell, but this is the likeness of how professor Wall attempted to explain shakespeare's hamlet. the funny thing is that when he's lecturing, his visual representations of speech make just enough sense to be understood in that magical moment. however, if you were to take notes the way that he does, you would never be able to look back and understand what your notes mean. also, he spent half an hour talking about why buying pre-worn blue jeans is a dumb idea. the man loves a good tangent.

i must say that i am enjoying the class, though. so far we've read hamlet, twelfth night, and the beginning of measure for measure. i've been surprised at how many biblical references there are in shakespeare's plays. i wonder if he was a christian, or if it was just trendy to include those kinds of references. so far, twelfth night has been my favorite play, because, unfortunately, i found myself mirrored in the character of malvolio. i'm not really proud of that, but it was a good opportunity to get a bird's-eye view of myself, which was helpful.

today in fitness walking we hit the exercise bikes, and then the indoor track. let me tell you, there's nothing like speedwalking past a window of gym honeys...with your arms pumping like a mall-walker and almost a whole drop of sweat on your forehead. you can just tell they want your number. while we were on the exercise bikes, we were supposed to follow the progression of 60%, 70%, 80%, 90%, 60% (and so on) of our maximum physical effort. when asked how we were supposed to determine these levels, coach said "just ask yourself what percentage you think you're at. if you feel like your at 50% when you should be doing 60%, you should pick it up." thanks coach. how 'bout i just pedal until i'm tired?

my nano is called iTom

in this technologically advanced era, it has become easier for us to find music that we like, without having to pay for what we might consider "filler songs" on cd's. so, since it is so easy to find and buy single songs, i have put together a list of 20 songs that i think everyone should hear. you should be able to find all of them on iTunes or on myspace. of course, my tastes are as different as anybody's, so you may not like every song. but i recommend that you at least check them out. oh, and not all the links lead to the song i've suggested, so you may have to do a little searching. well, here goes, in no real order:

1. Poses - Rufus Wainwright
2. Black Stars - Jolie Holland
3. I Just Don't Think I'll Ever Get Over You - Colin Hay
4. White Daisy Passing - Rocky Votolato
5. I Will Follow You Into The Dark - Death Cab For Cutie
6. Every War Ends Up The Same - Lucas Reynolds
7. Stars And Boulevards - Augustana
8. Please Turn Red - Andy Davis
9. My Mystery - Edwin McCain
10. Love Story - Gabe Dixon Band
11. Heard 'Em Say - Kanye West
12. Black Sheep (Live) - Martin Sexton
13. The Big Show - Popvert
14. Measuring Cups - Andrew Bird
15. The Holidays Are Here (And We're Still At War) - Brett Dennen
16. The Last Time - Gnarls Barkley
17. Believe - Hanson
18. Sunday Morning Song (Live in Salt Lake City) - Howie Day
19. Hide and Seek - Imogen Heap
20. Carousel - Will Hoge

if anyone has a song to suggest, let me know...

i have been trying to post something for the past week or so, and every time i sit down to write it out, i just can't seem to put my finger on it. in the past couple weeks i have revisited my past through old friends, and realized that the future keeps coming. people are getting married left and right. i still find it hard to believe my younger brother is getting married in 3 weeks....i'm really excited for him, but holy smokes. i must have a lot of "growing up" to do, because i never really expected things to change so much. people ask me what i want to do after college, and i find it hard to believe that there is an "after college". but i do want to graduate, because i'm finding that i know less and less people who are in college, and that just makes me feel old and useless. i've also noticed that i seem to be losing what some refer to as the "social skills".

i used to think that if i could just be in a relationship with this one girl, i would be happy. we seemed to have a lot in common, and it was just fun to be with her. now, i feel pretty different. i have heard so much lately about how people and relationships and things won't make you content that i have lost the desire for those things. it's funny how things work out, i guess, but here i am: single, available, and disinterested. i know that there are many great christian girls out there, but, well i don't know what to say. it's not that i think i'm such a great catch that they're not worthy of me. i know who i am, and honestly i'm not impressed.

or maybe i'm on a selfish streak. maybe i'm a little kid, resisting the blue popsicle because i wanted the red one. or maybe i just have a "ridiiiiculous obseeession with loooove", and need a satine to cure me of it, though i feel like i've already had my share of cures.

and somehow i still haven't managed to get to what i meant to write. i meant to show my heart and my life, but i think i ended up just painting with emotions. i just want to be able to get a cup of coffee with someone and be able to think "this is nice." or to really know that my life is worth more than a college degree and some respectable career path. i want more than a safe american family life, and more than the seemingly coveted humility of an undercover third-world missionary. i want answers to questions that i'm almost afraid to ask. i want to know why i can't remember the last deep, meaningful conversation i had. i want to know why love goes unreturned. or why long posts get skipped over. or why a girl can like a guy who likes another girl who likes another guy. can love be wrong, or is it just that hard to distinguish between love and other motives? or when people say "heart", "mind", "spirit", "soul"....what do they really mean? do i have so many invisible parts?

i don't think i'm gonna get to it this try.

to type--perchance to post

Viola: Art not thou the Lady Olivia's fool?

Clown: No, indeed, sir. The Lady Olivia has no folly. She will keep no fool, sir, till she be married; and fools are as like husbands as pilchers are to herrings -- the husband's the bigger. I am indeed not her fool, but her corrupter of words.

- Willam Shakespeare, Twelfth Night

good old bill shakespeare. what a funny guy he was.

i'd like to let everyone know that jolie holland will be playing at the pour house on july 18th. check out her music, and if you like it you should join me there.

i'm sorry that i have not been updating (upcourting?) my blog as much as usual. as i have much reading to do, i must focus on that. so forgive my slackness for a short while. oh, don't cry. please. you know i'll come back for you. love never fails, always hopes, always trusts.

hasselhoff rocks the mic

not too long ago i heard that david hasselhoff is not only our beloved michael knight of knight rider, but also (1) german and (2) a very popular pop singer in germany. when i first heard this amazing news, i was, as you are now, both stunned and itching with curiosity to hear his music. well, you kids are in luck. i am posting here not just a song, but a music video for your viewing (dis)pleasure. i would say "enjoy...", but i'm pretty sure you have to be high on believing/drugs to do so. :)