Summertime and the living is easy

Things I've enjoyed/thought about lately:

1. Went to see "Inception" a few days ago-not THE best movie ever, but still fun to try to figure out and good acting. I like Ellen Page and can't wait to see more from her.
2. "Despicable Me"-my friend Chris and I saw this and laughed out loud so much it was kind of tiring. It was kind of short on character development but all in all it's a very fun movie. It's kind of like eating a big cupcake with lots of frosting-it's nice when you enjoy it in moderation.
3. a pretty new purse, paid for with my reward money from work.
4. a soft new towel! It's light blue and fluffy like a cloud. :)
Sometimes I worry that I like stuff too much. I think about what I would do if I lost everything in a fire or had to sell all my stuff and it makes me sad, which is kind of sad in itself. But should we try to deny our desire for things that appease/appeal to the senses? I don't necessarily think so. I tend to think that we should just show restraint in those desires. But I guess there is a difference between appreciating "stuff" and being so focused on acquiring things that we ignore other things that need our energy and attention more. Maybe that is easier for some people than others.
5. I saw a trailer for "The Social Network" with Jesse Eisenberg. I really like that guy. I also loved the choice of song for the trailer: "Creep" sung by a Scala, this Swedish? choir. Good stuff.
7. Through Youtube I found this violinist named Paul Dateh,.. I like this hip-hop violin sound.
8. I like my parents. I like that my mom knows all the ladies in her office's birthdays and that my dad knows the names of constellations in the sky, and that they notice things like what plants are in bloom around town. I like that they consider seeing a hawk or an owl an interesting occurrence worth sharing with me and that they bring me watermelon and peaches as gifts. I'm just thankful for them.
9. I'm about to re-read Rich Mullin's biography. Knowing that people like him have been/are in the world comforts me.
10. I'm thankful for summer! I'll end this post by sharing this quote about summer from John Lubbock: "Rest is not idleness, and to lie sometimes on the grass on a summer day listening to the murmur of water, or watching the clouds float across the sky, is hardly a waste of time."
Here are some more summer quotes for you to peruse.

Things I've liked lately:

-The Simpsons-I can relate to Marge and Lisa and Ms. Crabapple and yes, the cat lady. And sometimes Grandpa Simpson. Haha.
-Willa Cather's "Death Comes for the Archbishop"-I love most literature set in the southwest and Cather is lyrical without being pretentious. And I like stories about good priests, maybe because I admire their stoicism and ascetic lifestyle.
-Lev Grossman's "The Magicians"-If you ever wish that magic was real and that you could really find your way to Narnia you'll like this book. I don't know the next book in the series is out yet but I want to get it.
-KXT 91.7 for letting me hear good good music from old and new artists alike. I love hearing new voices and ideas and songs that aren't dumb or crude or totally cliche.
-Psychology Today-for being interesting and positive
-action movies!!! They make me hyper!
-the movie theater-it's like church for me...I love the whole experience of going-the anticipation, the dark theater, the total break from reality, the emotional reaction to the story...
-reading about my great aunt's son's wildlife center in Arkansas...He "rehabilitates" animals to be released back into the wild and he is a trained falconer and honorary member of some Indian tribe because he rehabed one of their bald eagles...he just seems like a real-life Grizzly Adams and I want to go visit his "zoo" and see his animals....
-realizing all the time that I'm thankful to be alive and to be learning and growing everyday.

Do you ever wish you could wear about half a dozen different hats instead of having just one career? If I had endless resources of money and time and energy I would like to: get a degree in environmental studies/ecology/resource management, attend the Iowa Writer's Workshop, own my own little boutique, be an artisan and learn to weave and do metal work, etc. etc.