A Rambling Raconteur

Before I share this list with you, I’m gonna need you to understand something:
I watch a lot of movies. A lot. And there are still many great films and flicks from the past ten years that I have missed. Because of the sheer volume of movies I’ve seen, I’m going to give you a much abbreviated list. These are the movies that stayed with me beyond the roll of the credits. The ones I constantly quote and reference, the ones I throw in my DVD player on a rainy day (or a sunny day, or a sad day, or a happy day, or a… I think you get the point.) Here’s my Favorites of the Decade and the reason behind my choices.
(Oh, and this list is based on purely personal preference. Nothing technical.)


Shaun of the Dead – Aim for the head! This movie opened up the world of Zombie flicks to me.
- Honorable Mentions: Zombieland, Dead and Breakfast

Hot Fuzz - A buddy cop/action flick that is an homage to buddy cop/action flicks. And it’s *hilarious*. I quote this movie all the time, often without realizing it.

Stranger Than Fiction – I often put this movie on in the background when I write. To me, this film was ridiculously true to life, but I think you have to be a write to understand how I mean that.

XMen – In 2002, I dyed my hair to look like Rogue. In 2007, I had a poster of Wolverine in my bathroom. That’s all I have to say about that.
Honorable Mention: The Punisher – I think I rented it then watched in 8 times.

Batman Begins – I had always thought Michael Keaton was the best Batman. Then in walks Mr.Bale. I know some people prefer the Dark Knight, but enjoyed Batman not being upstaged by his villain. It’s his movie after all.
Honorable Mention: The Dark Knight – Because dorks weren’t the only people to take a comic book movie seriously!

Snatch – Made me realized that I really like English films. And it introduced me to Jason Statham.
Honorable Mentions: RockNRolla, In Bruges, Lucky # Slevin

Dodgeball – Ridiculously quotable. Side-splittingly funny. “If you can dodge a wrench, you can dodge a ball.”

Elizabethtown – I liked this movie when I first saw it. Then it happened to me. After that, I realized I *loved* this movie.
Honorable Mention: Almost Famous – I automatically started singing along with “Tiny Dancer” when they were all on the bus.

Kung Fu Panda – An awesome Kung Fu movie with an animated panda, the animal which I personally believe would be my totem animal if I had one.
Honorable Mention: Chicken Little – Because I totally *got* that little chicken.

Serenity – This movie made me proud to be a science fiction fan. I still firmly believe that the best sci-fi isn’t one that’s drowning in gadgets and space suits, but one that is grounded in characters that *believe.* And this movie is all about belief. And it’s awesome. Like, space-western, gun-slinging, cool-heroes, everything-the-Star-Wars-prequels- weren’t awesome.
Honorable Mention: Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy

Lord of the Rings – If you’ve ever been to my house, then you have undoubtedly met my life-size Legolas cut-out. Call me whatever nerdy names you want, I stand by my opinion that these movies are the best that this decade produced. Epic doesn’t even *begin* to cover the feel of these movies. I started crying about 2/3 of the way through the first one, and didn’t stop crying until a few hours after the credits rolled on the third one…3 years later. I honestly think Peter Jackson got inside my head. Minas Tirith, Edoras, Hobbiton… all of these were exactly like I pictured them in my mind. (sigh)


There you have it. My list. Please leave me your opinions and anything you think I left out, that should have made the short list. Although I warn you about arguing over the last two with me. That is a battle where many a brave warrior has made their last stand. :)

"For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb.
I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well." - Psalm 139: 13-14

I love to tell the story,
'twill be my theme in glory,
To tell the old, old story
Of Jesus and his love.
- I Love to Tell the Story, hymn

I love to write. If you've ever met me, it probably took all of 30 seconds to realize this of me. I have the tip of an ink pen tattooed on my right wrist. I sometimes confuse things occurring my novel with current events. I've had to refrain from mentioning my fictional characters when someone asks for prayer requests. I write. I tell stories. It's what I do.

But why do I do it? I write because I am inspired to write. I am writing stories because my God did so first. I wasn't there when he made the universe, but I don't think he put pen to paper to do so. I doubt he even had a typewriter. Even so, you've got to hand it to him: he can tell an awesome story.

The world as a whole, sans humanity, would be an epic story in and of itself. But God added us to the mix. Billions of individual stories, all interweaving and linked yet unique and separate. They say that every writer has a set cast of characters in their minds. Shakespeare supposedly had about 20. I think I've got about 5 or 6. God? Yeah, he's had several billion - and he's not through yet. Amazing.

Tonight I was working on a new scene in my novel. Two of my characters were in a new place, having a discussion. My main character said something that could have been pulled straight from my own life. I realized that I am writing a story as a way to pay homage to the one God is writing for me. My life is an adventure. For that, I am thankful. I want to share the amazing adventure my God has blessed me with. He's given me a great way to do so.

To put it one way: I write a story, because he first wrote mine.

Much love,
Sarah

It’s 2AM and I'm awake. Awake, but not writing. (Unless you count this, of course.) I managed to get some much needed work done to the novel today yet my word count didn’t budge. Housekeeping, I suppose one would say. It felt nice.
Part of me knows that I should be working on my novel. If I'm going to be awake and alert at this time of night, shouldn’t I be putting it to good use? Alas, my mind is elsewhere.
Tonight, I'm thinking of past. Well, Pasts, actually. We all have one. We all come with something else included. We’re all packaged deals. Some of us come with spouses. Some of us come with children. Some of us come with mountains we have climbed, struggles we have faced and battles we have fought - including some we lost. Accepting the extra weight, the “baggage” is what makes a friend a friend, right?
Me? I come complete with a loving mother and sarcastic brother. But I also am followed by the ghost of my father. If you want me you get all of my enthusiasm and gusto, my playfulness and humor, my creativity and imagination. With all of that you also get my mood swings and my tears, my bouts of immaturity and stubbornness, my manic periods and my off-kilter sleep cycles.
“No man is an island.” Yes. But I would also add that, “No person is simply a piece. We are all a puzzle, to which every event, person and personality quirk contribute.” To love, we accept - past and all.


“Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.” Romans 15:7

Monday was groovy.

Usually it takes all the patience I can muster just to sit through a 50 minute lecture, listening to a professor drone on and on about Russian Formalism or The past exploits of WB Yeats. On Monday morning I sat through 3 hours of the same speaker and was simply left asking for more.

Steven James, who's written some apparently good fiction that I've never read, spoke about hoe he crafts stories and works action, adventure, mystery and suspense into his Christian novels - and keep them from sucking. He was a very intriguing speaker. Thankfully I brought my voice recorder along. I fully intend on listening to all three hours again when I have some time.

I've made some lovely friends as well. Sarah, from Colorado. Lily-Bea, from Indiana (I think) and Angie, from a tiny town in North Carolina. We've already begun exchanging emails and such. It's good to know other writers. :)

Also on Monday, the fog rolled in. You couldn't see more than 50 yards in front of you the moment you stepped outside. When it lifted a little the mountains surrounding were stilled swathed with fog. It's eerily beautiful to see the fog rising from the mountains. You feel for a moment as if you were the only person on Earth.

Good morning! I'm blogging from beautiful Black Mountain, North Carolina today. This afternoon will see the beginning of the Blue Ridge Christian Novelist Retreat and I must admit and I am a tad excited.

There will only be 50 to 60 writers attending the retreat, for which I am very thankful. Things will be able to be more personal this way. If many more people were attending there would bound to be some of us that got lost in the crowd. I hope to be able to personally introduce myself to every writer here.

I'm trying to be a good girl. I have a bad habit when it comes to being around other writers, I'll be honest. I guess you could say I have a "Highlander" mentality to the whole thing. "There can be only one." :P I'm just not used to competition. Sure, some of my good friends are writers, but we are all in different places with our writing. I'm researching publishers while another friend of mine is just casually going through story line in her mind. Here, it's going to be a bit more even. We'll all have a novel that is currently being written. Should be interesting.

I'll post again tonight after we've had our first session thingy. Have a great day!

Much Love,
Sarah

PS I'm also posting the obligatory travel photo. I'll post more pics as I take them.

I Give This Poem 4 out of 5 Stars

I’m tired of playing critic.
It’s time to come clean.
I’m done playing it cool with my movies.
I’m done melodramatically yawning
when the hero tells the girl he loves her.
Now more pretending my heart isn’t
a puddle of goo in my chest.
I’m don’t playing high-brow
when another cliché is on the screen.
I’m done.
I’m tired of pretending I’m cooler
than the movie reel.

Let me be frank with you.
I’m throwing down the gauntlet here.
If anyone dare snub their nose at me
I’ll gladly break it for them.

I love movies!
Summer blockbusters.
Low-budgets.
No-budgets.
Indies.
Comedies.
Dramas and
dramadies.
I love sappy romance flicks
and big-budget epics.
I love comic book movies
and novel adaptations.
I love clichéd ending,
heroic speeches
and robots that know kung-fu.
I love slow-motion fist fights
and awesome one-liners I can quote for days.
I love wizards
even they act emo and angsty.
I love vampires too!
I don’t care how much their acting sucks.
I support the phenomenon
that got a whole new generation
of 14 year old girls to read!
Sparkle on!
You won’t catch me
laughing at anyone else’s fandom.

Two thumbs up to anyone
who ever asked
for a lightsaber or phaser
for Christmas!
Because if the hero’s got the right swagger
I don’t care about the plot holes.
I don’t care if the effects budget
was 5 bucks
or 5 billion.
Just give me the money shot:
dawn,
breaking on the horizon
and into the frame
come a helicopter
or the hero
or the villain
or the plucky sidekick.

I love plucky sidekicks!
I love punch lines
and bad guys
and superheroes!
God bless the superheroes.

I don’t care if the movie
is intellectually stimulating enough
for the Academy.
The Academy
can kiss my butt.
When I pay my money
and park my rear
into that theater seat
I don’t want reality
projected on the big screen.
Spoon feed me fluff
if you have to.
If I wanted reality
I would have stayed at home.

I love movies
and if you have a problem
with my taste
take it up with someone who cares.
But for now,
just shut up.
The previews are about to start.

Things Lord of the Rings Fans Think Twilight Fans Ought to Know
written by Sarah Wofford, a supporter of fandom diversity

- You thought we were weird at the time but we were right about the magic of books, weren’t we?
- If you stop laughing at our elf costumes, we’ll stop laughing at the body glitter you made your boyfriend wear.
- If you *don’t* stop laughing at out elf costumes, one of us is liable to shoot you with an arrow.
- Be warned, our arrows tend to be handcrafted. And sharp.
- Legolas may prance a bit, but he doesn’t sparkle. Trust me. Our fangirls are very much okay with this.
- There is something inherently beautiful about a good death scene. We’re sorry that you’ll never get to experience that. It’s not because your characters are immortal. It’s because your author is kind of a wimp.
- There is a very good reason no member of the fellowship was described as being a “klutz.” Klutzes tend to die really quickly.
- I can’t say that any of us feel very sympathetic when people make fun of your fandom. We’ve been putting up with it for 60 years. Suck it up.
- We know you think Edward and Bella are really sweet and self-sacrificing, perhaps they are, but Arwen gave up paradise to be with Aragorn. And Aragorn, he put his own heart on hold to - you know - save all of Middle Earth.
- Be careful before you try testing our patience. We’re the people who have sat through 12 hours of Extended Edition DVDs. Often in one sitting.
- If you do happen to reach the end of our patience, remember: we have several languages to choose from in which we can call you some very nasty things.
- Do not try to outwit us. We learned from Gollum and a whole Shire-full of hobbits. We really enjoy making people sound like fools.
- Be wary of any Rings fan that wants to show you their “pointy hat trick.” I can’t explain to you why, but believe me when I say that it will be unpleasant.
- We’re pretty certain that Samwise Gamgee could kill a vampire whilst armed with nothing but a cooking pot, relying just on the strength of his heart.
- You may think you’re a fan. You may think you’re a fanatic. You may even think you’re obsessed. You have no idea.

I started writing my current novel, Solomon's Light in November of 2007. Today, June 2009, I have completed the outline for the end of the book. As it stands now, I should be done writing it by the end of the summer.

Wow.

But this means that the hardest part is coming up:
The last sentence.

I could write opening lines all day long, but the last line? That's a whole other ball game. I don't want it to be hokey or cliche. I want it to be a good ending. I know, generally speaking, how the book will end, but I don't know the specific scene that will take place. I've also got the strike that precarious balance between a solid ending and something that leaves you wanting to know what happens next.

Well, I suppose the only thing there really is to do is to get writing.

Here goes nothing.

Last Monday I visited the Hemingway Museum in Piggott, AR. A few of my friends chipped in gas money with me and we made a day of it. It was fun, to say the least.

I doubt you'll find many English professors that will not praise Hemingway's various literary works, but walking through his house I had to wonder what had become more important: his writing or his legend?

Some people couldn't tell you the name of any of his short stories but could tell you how he died. His suicide and alcoholism have bolstered his persona to near-mythic proportions. Does this legend of an adventuresome, boozing womanizer outshine his literary feats? I hope not. Although this does bring up an interesting point.

I'm not a Hemingway scholar by any means, but it seems to me that being a writer was only second in ol' Ernest's life. He was alive first a foremost. I may not agree with all of his practices, but you can't tell me the man was boring.

I think that this is where a lot of modern writers are falling short. They do nothing but write and publish. They've missed a very important step: living. How can you write about a great adventure if you've never had one yourself? How can you write a romance if you've never fallen in love? How can you write through the eyes of a character if you've never stopped to see the world from another person's point of view?

So, tonight I raise my glass to you Mr. Hemingway. May I live a life worth writing of.

We have a new edition to the Wofford family! He's a goldfish. His name is Bruce! He's named after three very awesome people: Bruce Wayne (aka Batman), Bruce Campbell and Bruce Springsteen. (Bruce was also the name of the big mechanical shark on the set of the movie Jaws. How appropriate!)


He's so cute! (Don't you think?)

Long-time, no-post. Sorry about that. But school is done now so hopefully I'll be updating more again soon.

I've been getting a lot of writing done lately. I feel like doing a little victory dance after every paragraph. I usually refrain, for victory dances take up quite a bit of time. :)

While working on my novel yesterday I was hit with an idea for a new short story. I just put a pin in the idea at the time and carried on with what I was doing. But when I took a break I pulled out a blank sheet of paper and jotted down a few sentences to see if the idea would go anywhere. Oh, has it ever.

What was originally an idea for a new short story has somehow morphed into the bare-bones outline for my next novel.

It's the story of a guy who dies and, instead of ending up in heaven immediately, finds himself in The Library. This novel will pose the question: What would you do if you were given the chance to rewrite your story?

It turns out that Heaven's library is full of people's life stories and his might just not make the cut. But first the Librarian is giving him the chance to rewrite his life story. But our main character doesn't know where to start. Luckily he's in the greatest library in all of creation, with every great story ever told right at his fingertips.


So? What do you think? I'll still be focusing on finishing Solomon's Light first, but I'll definitely be working on The Library as well.

- the author

Writer Waiting

Oh this shiny new computer ---
There just isn't nothin' cuter.
It knows everything the world ever knew.
And with this great computer
I don't need no writin' tutor,
'Cause there ain't a single thing that it can't do.
It can sort and it can spell,
It can punctuate as well.
It can find and file and underline and type.
It can edit and select,
It can copy and correct,
So I'll have a whole book written by tonight
(Just as soon as it can think of what to write).


- Shel Silverstein

“Every man dies. Not every man really lives.” I don’t know how many times I have heard this said, either directly from the movie “Braveheart” or from my brother who loves to quote said movie. Either way, it’s a truth; but are we really living like we believe it? Many people I know have a list of things they want to do or accomplish before they die. That’s good and all, but what about helping everyone else out? Life is fleeting. Shouldn’t we be trying to pass on any knowledge or wisdom that we might have? I believe every generation has something to learn from every other generation. So this is, among other things, is my gift to the world. If Jesus comes to get me tomorrow this is what I want you all to know. Alright kids, listen up. I’ll try not to be overly maudlin. Please keep in mind some of this stuff is what worked for me and some of it comes from mistakes I’ve made.

- High school is something you overcome. But it doesn’t happen until after it’s done. While you’re there, try to enjoy yourself and not do anything too stupid.

- Doing a few stupid things isn’t the end of the world. As long as you aren’t being overtly dangerous, just try and have fun.

- A driver’s license doesn’t make you an adult.

- Drinking doesn’t make you an adult.

- Smoking doesn’t make you an adult.

- Sex doesn’t make you an adult.

- I have no idea what makes you an adult.

- Being an adult is somewhat overrated. Enjoy not being one while you still can.

- Take life one day at a time. If that doesn’t work, take it one hour at time. One moment. Don’t rush it.

- Get a job in high school/college. Even if it’s crappy. Learn to spend your own money.

- Write down your ideas, your goals, your dreams, your fears. It makes a lot of things easier to sort out.

- Do your homework.

- It’s okay to go through “phases.” Take your time figuring out just who it is that you are. Not all change is bad. Just don’t make fun of people who look different from you at that moment. You probably look like a dork to them, too.

- Read. Read a lot. Find a style or an author or a genre you like. Ignore what your peers say about it. It doesn’t matter if it’s cool or trendy or not. Just read. If you aren’t sure where to start, ask a librarian. They are awesome people.

- Be nice to your substitute teachers.

- Don’t grab a knife by the business end.

- It is not wise to make fun of someone’s tattoos. Doing so is simply asking for a fight with someone who enjoys pain.

- There is right and there is wrong. Do and stand up for what is right.

- If you have a point to make, be heard. You’ll never change the world sitting in the back whispering to yourself.

- You *can* change the world.

- If something is funny, laugh. If it’s sad, cry. Don’t let someone else tell you how to respond.

- Even those born to be leaders must sometimes learn to follow.

- Obedience is not a sign of weakness.

- Falling in love is absolutely foolish and often leads to nothing but heartache. Do it anyway.

I suppose I could go on and on, but I will refrain myself. I will, however, leave you with one last thing:

- SEIZE THE DAY – So simple, yet so daunting. Give it a try.

We are children of a risen Savior!! Hallelujah!

I've been thinking a lot about my blessings today, especially since we will soon be celebrating one of the greatest ever, and I decided to make a little video. Some find the song to be a little bit of a downer, but I think it's rather hopeful. Here's a look at some of the blessings in my life. Enjoy.

I was only 19 when we dug the plot
of land where you would finally rest.
And just like all children I never had thought
you would leave us somewhere less than the best.

Death was always tomorrow, never today,
or simply never for someone like you.
We picked our stories and the songs we would play
then cried a goodbye that never would do.

You were too much for this world to handle
but too little for this world to care.
Just a little Jesus with a broken sandal,
just some angel with the wind in your hair.

You never knew perfect, but never knew hate
and you left us all wondering why
a good man like you would daily fight fate
when in the end you got only to die.

You were more of a blacksmith and less of a hero,
melting our soft hearts to steel.
I guess you knew when your life fell back to zero
iron would would be easier to heal.

Yeah, I was only 19 the morning you died.
Who knew a dead man was hard to forgive?
But now I know, through the tears that I've cried:
your death taught me how to live.

This week one of my bestest friends is staying with me. Kelley is in grad school in Texas so we don’t get to see each other very often any more. Which is a bummer. She’s really groovy. This week she is on her spring break and is staying at the Hotel Wofford while she is in town. It’s some awesome to get to be around her again. She’s one of my favorite people.

Today was an absolutely beautiful day so Kelley and I decided to take a trip to Craighead to play. I had a kite I had purchased but never used so we attempted to make it fly. There wasn’t much wind but we still had a blast. It was one of those moments when you remember that it’s not what you do with someone, but who you do it with.

After the kite, we sat at the edge of the water and threw in rocks. Kelley has the amazing ability to skip stones. I, unfortunately, do not. I’m not too upset though. I’m easily amused. It’s enough for me to just chunk rocks into the water and listen to them ker-plunk! It was a beautiful day.

 

Psalm 23:2
He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters,

Psalm 33:7
He gathers the waters of the sea into jars ; he puts the deep into storehouses.

Psalm 78:15
He split the rocks in the desert and gave them water as abundant as the seas;

Psalm 93:4
Mightier than the thunder of the great waters, mightier than the breakers of the sea— the LORD on high is mighty.

Psalm 147:18
He sends his word and melts them; he stirs up his breezes, and the waters flow.

Matthew 10:42
And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is my disciple, I tell you the truth, he will certainly not lose his reward."

Mark 14:13
So he sent two of his disciples, telling them, "Go into the city, and a man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him.

Luke 5:4
When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, "Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch."

John 4:14
but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life."

John 7:38
Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him."


Water is a blessing. This is made clear in the Bible. While there are plenty of references to being in water too deep, water is primarily used as a blessing. Sometimes metaphorically, sometimes literally.

It rained today. I was sitting on our porch tonight, watching it rain. I have a tendency to think of everything poetically and tonight it was bothering me. I didn't want to see this rain shower as anything but rain. I asked God to just let my mind shut up for once.

Instead, he whispered: "Sarah, rain is falling from the sky."

Poetically speaking, God rains his blessings down on us.

Literally speaking, God rains his blessings down on us.

Look at the clouds and listen as he speaks: "My rain falls from the sky."

I suppose there are many poets who would never say this, but I'm going to: my childhood was fun.

It wasn't until I was exposed to parents that aren't around very much that I realized how much my parents were there while I was growing up. Both worked full time, but they always had time for Matt and I.

My mother always talked to us. I'm referring to actual conversations. Yes, we may have only been six or seven but we always got to voice our opinions an thoughts on things. We were constantly talking and discussing, even if it was just the latest Ninja Turtles episode.

My father was a "do-er." An adventurer. I remember him, my brother and I all on our bicycles making the trek to the library. Or going swimming. Or laying in the floor with him watching TV. I don't remember what we would watch, but I do remember curling up behind his knees when he would lie on the couch.

I had an awesome childhood.

To this very day the sound of certain Motown songs gives me the urge to vacuum. This is because on "cleaning days" my mother would play music while we worked. One of her favorite CDs was "the 20 Greatest Hits in Motown History". We listened over and over.

I don't remember all of the cool toys that I had or every cartoon I ever watched. But I remember my parents being there, and being awesome. And really, I couldn't have asked for anything better.

I Will Not March

If I hear one more person
in the free world
whining
and clamoring for their
rights,
I may cry.
We have no rights.
I have no rights.

There are children,
sweating,
making our shoes,
scarring their fingertips
with every seam.
There is war.
And disease.
And so many horrors
that I'm too weak-stomached to mention.
We have no rights.

I can only drag my meager self
across campus
waiting
for that time I'm deemed strong enough
to go out into this world
without it eating me alive.
I am comfortable
and ashamed.
I have no rights.

Our homeless live better
than the richest of some.
We have no rights.
No gay rights.
No straight rights.
No civil rights.
No uncivil rights.
No liberal rights
No conservative rights.
No political rights.

Children-
babies, for goodness' sake, babies!
-are crying.
And dying.
While we protest our rights
and whine.

We have no rights.
I have no rights.

the poet-disciples descended
rubbing elbows
with the muses,
those angelic beings
offering coffee
and whispering inspiration,

they, the poets,
gathered 'round the Messiah
awaiting their words

this was their moment of truth
their commission
their calling
their coronation
into the halls of the prophets

here they would be equipped
with pens
paper
and soapboxes
here they would be equipped
with their words

I often find myself contemplating what the soundtrack to my life would sound like. This list was inspired by the Reddicks. Let's rock and roll.

1. Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band - The Beatles
2. Everyone's Beautiful - Waterdeep
3. Sam's Town - The Killers
4. Graceland - Paul Simon
5. Nebraska - Bruce Springsteen
6. London Calling - The Clash
7. Till The Sun Burns Black - Ray LaMontagne
8. Third Day - Third Day
9. Take Me To Your Leader - Newsboys
10. IV - Led Zeppelin
11. Underdog - Audio Adrenaline
12. Joshua Tree - U2
13. What You Don't Know - Don Chaffer
14. Whole 'Nother Deal - Waterdeep
15. Runnin' On Empty - Jackson Browne
16. The Songs of Leonard Cohen - Leonard Cohen
17. Bullet - Mat Kearney
18. Supertones Strike Back - Supertones
19. Live at Wembley '86 - Queen
20. Bloom - Audio Adrenaline
21. 20 Greatest Hits in Motown History - Various Artists
22. The Cars - The Cars
23. Songs You Know By Heart - Jimmy Buffett
24. Lifesong - Casting Crowns
25. Born to Run - Bruce Springsteen
26. Within A Mile of Home - Flogging Molly

"I tried to take the ring from Frodo," he said. "I am sorry. I have paid." His glance strayed to his fallen enemies; twenty at least lay there.
- The Two Towers, Chapter 1 - The Departure of Boromir

Boromir, the favorite son of Denethor, wanted nothing but the rescue of his people. He saw before him a small token of gold hat held unimitable power. Perhaps even the power to save Gondor from slaughter. He wanted the ring in order to save his people. That is a very honorable thought but the problem is that Boromir was under the assumption that strength and power were the key. He was a warrior, after all. He thought armies and arrows would bring victory. His pride in his strength blinded him to the truth that his only real hope lay with a halfling, a creature with no great strength or prowess. A hobbit whose only weapon was a great deal of heart.

It took only a small seed of this emotion to capture Boromir. In the presence of the evil of the ring he went mad. The ring used that small big of doubt and pride and tried to kill him with it. Boromir tries to take the ring from Frodo. Frodo escapes. The madness leaves Boromir and he immediately jumps to the aid of the other hobbits as the orcs descend.

"I have paid," he says. Does he mean the dead orcs at his feet or the fact that he is dying? I believe it to be a little of both. He has slain some of the orcs that were attempting to capture the hobbits. He has given his life to a cause he wasn't sure of until it was almost too late. He has redeemed himself.

It's a great metaphor for the Christian life. Our redemption comes through death. We die to the world, die to ourselves and our sinful natures. In this death we live through Christ. We are redeemed. We are saved.

I think in this moment Boromir gave the only thing he knew he had: his life. His strength was fading. His noble birth could not help him. His life was all that was left so he gave it up. That is our own story, too. We have nothing to offer Christ but our lives. Everything else is superfluous. We can only life for him and use whatever gifts he bestows upon us during our journey.

"For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain." - Philippians 1:21

Sigh.

My computer, Eddie, is currently in comatose state. I'm hoping that the good doctor Erk can fix him. If not, I'll soon be investing a new machine. I'm kinda bummed. I like *my* computer. That and I don't want to have to spend money on a new one. That would be most uncool.

On the bright side of life, I have a new job! Starting Monday, I'll be picking up four kids from school, taking them to their extra-curriculars and home. It's a pretty sweet deal. I'm looking forward to it.

Sorry I don't have much to say today. Not too talkative.

Off to read a book!
- Sarah

1. Books smell really good.

2. There was a time in my life when I thought the only person who understood me was a fictional girl named Harriet M. Welsch. Because of this attachment, I've read Harriet the Spy over a dozen times. It inspired me to get a notebook of my own.

3. In the end, the only peace Frodo really got was found when he finally sailed to the Middle Earth equivalent of Heaven. But he knew he had done what he had to do. I believe that's a little how my father felt as he passed through the pearly gates.

4. We didn't do a lot of traveling in my family as I was growing up. Books were the only way I could see the world. I could probably find my way around the Heart of Gold or Hobbiton just as easily as I can Jonesboro.

5. I've read my share of trashy romance novels. I've even read Twilight. After all that, I can only conclude this: if I ever find a man that is a subtle blend of Aragorn and Mr. Darcy I will marry him *immediately*. And that is no lie.

6. Escape.

7. My own decisions didn't seem so hard when I realized that Ender had been fighting the aliens the whole time.

8. I thought I had a pretty good handle on the narrow vision of "the south". Then I read "To Kill A Mockingbird".

9. After "Wringer" I knew I wouldn't have been able to kill the bird either. And I also knew I'd never back down when my own time came.

10. No book of mine has ever crashed, gotten a virus, refused to open or randomly deleted all the words within it.

It has been brought to my attention that I buy a lot of books. I've got a personal library that consists of two 6ft bookshelves that are packed to within an inch of their lives and overflowing. I haven't read them all but I have every intention to do so, honestly. I've never bought a book without wanting to read it. I'm just not exactly sure when I'll get around to reading them. Someday, hopefully.

The other day I picked up a book written by someone who seems to have the same affliction that I have. He buys tons of books and hasn't gotten around to reading them all. But he wants to...eventually. The Polysyllabic Spree by Nick Hornby is a collection of his articles from the UK lit mag the Believer. I'm going to follow his example and list, at the end of each month, the books I've bought and the books I've read.

For this first book post I've combined the months of December 2008 and January 2009. With Christmas break these months kind of blended together and I can't quite remember which month I bought which book in. *Note: this lists does not include books I received as gifts.

Books Bought:
December 2008 - January 2009

Time Traveler's Wife - Audrey Niffenegger
Polysyllabic Spree - Nick Hornby
Shakespeare Wrote For Money - Nick Hornby
Short Stories - F. Scott Fitzgerald
Poetry and Prose - Walt Whitman
Blackbird Singing - Paul McCartney
Inkheart - Cornelia Funke
Electric Koolaid Acid Test - Tom Wolfe
Residence on Earth - Pablo Neruda
Dandelion Wine - Ray Bradbury
Biography of Tolkien - Carpenter
Coffee with Hemingway - Kirk Curnutt
The Trouble With Poetry - Billy Collins
Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (2) - Douglas Adams
The Memory Keeper's Daughter - Kim Edwards
I Am Third - Gale Sayers
The Bell Jar - Sylvia Plath
Tiny Yarn Animals - Tamie Snow
*Edit: After posting this, I went to a flea market and bought a few books.
Bridget Jones's Diary - Helen Fielding
Arabian Nights - some dead guy
Death of A Salesman - Arthur Miller

Books Read:
Polysyllabic Spree - Nick Hornby
Shakespeare Wrote For Money - Nick Hornby
Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen
the Illustrated Man - Ray Bradbury
Coffee with Hemingway - Kirk Curnutt
the Trouble with Poetry - Billy Collins
Inkheart - Cornelia Funke

From inside the womb
was heard a rhythm,
a gentle thump
that sounded like
Nebraska.

She emerged from the darkness
into a familiar stranger's
waiting hands.
Callused palms that cradled her
as he swayed and sang
about a dead dog
who existence
would always bring a tear to her eye.

Together they would
sing the songs
of this six-string guitar god,
some lower deity
descended from Elvis's Mt. Olympus.
They sang of velvet rims,
yellow men,
and racin' in the street.
And no one could touch them.

Not illness or death,
nor the thick Jersey air.

They were tramps.
Together.
Born to believe.