I can't sleep...listening to Kaki King...her music is so soothing.

Here is another list, this time of books that have been interesting, important or comforting to me over the last 2-3 years:

1. Go Tell it on the Mountain by James Baldwin
2. The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver
3. Some Thoughts on Faith by Anne Lamott
4. Surprised by Joy by C.S. Lewis
5. Ceremony by Leslie Marmon Silko
5. Julie and Julia by Julie Powell
6. Beloved by Toni Morrison
7. Arabian Nights and Days by Naguib Mahfouz
8. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
9. Watership Down by Richard Adams
10. The Long Walk by Slavomir Rawicz

I'll post more as I think of them...

Mistakes

"The more open and forgiving you are with regard to your missteps, the less likely you'll feel doomed or defined by them."
-Terry Trespicio, "The Magic of Mistakes"

I am really trying to take this idea to heart today.

Here are some things I'm thankful for today:

1. Madeliene L'Engle's thoughts on God and life in her Crosswicks Journal-a kindred spirit
2. the beautiful white and purple flowers sitting on my desk thanks to my roommates
3. "Wicked" the book-very well written
4. Joanna Newsom's beautiful harp music and creative lyrics
5. vegan food-yum
6. pretty new bra-yay

Things I've prayed for today:

1. Mr. Gustafsson-he's lonely
2. a friend I'm concerned about
3. myself-for strength and hope
4. the hurting people in Haiti

Can you tell I love lists? As one of the kids at work would say....delicious lists! (He says delicious before everything)

I hope everyone is doing great...

WH Auden

WH Auden recommends that you do this:

"O plunge your hands in water
Plunge them in up to the wrist,
Stare stare in the basin
And wonder what you've missed."

I like kind of cryptic poems and lyrics sometimes, and hopefully that isn't pretentious. This somehow spoke to me. Today was an ok day. I went to work like a good girl and tonight I plan to hang out with my roommates and make nut and cranberry muffins and maybe watch Grey Gardens. It's a documentary from 1975 about some of Jacqueline Kennedy's relatives who live in this decaying mansion in the Hamptons. Kind of weird but weird is what I go for. I got lots of hugs today from kids so the day can't be all bad, right? I just try to remind myself that this job is a stepping stone to something better-being a teacher with my own classroom. Hope everyone is doing well....