The boy scouts might have been right!

Not to disagree with Doug, because I know that seeing Betty is incredible by itself, but the sun came up right as I left Jazzercise this morning... Lord God! What glorious colors!

The light purple clouds were brilliant fuchsia underneath, capping a bright yellow sky, covering the dark line of the mountains with the tall shapes of firs strikingly interrupting my view of the horizon. Mount Rainier, covered with snow, stood out huge and blindingly white... and I continued down the road to work. My goodness, would I like to just sit around and look and photograph!

Jp

Like Night and Day

It was a little shocking to walk outside after work at the regular time yesterday and find it pitch black, when on Thursday last week, it was still sunlight. Amazing what one hour back (I had to think for a moment - darn that Scott! LOL) and a couple days can do to the sun.

Last night I did some reading and watching Mission:Impossible with my sister before I fell asleep in the chair and woke with a shooting pain in my neck and a right hand fast asleep from sleeping with my head leaning on my hand... (what the heck was I doing?)

Tonight is the first of two quizzes in my class. I think I'm going for Julia Margaret Cameron as my favorite photographer so far, but William Henry Jackson's work in the untamed West is almost as entrancing for me. We'll see how my short essay will go.

Jp

Glorious

There's nothing quite like a beautiful fall morning, where the light peach of the sunrise seamlessly blends itself into the pale dark blue of the night over the dark line of fir trees on the opposite ridge of the valley. Ahhhh. It's a beautiful morning!

Jp

Sunday is Sunny

I'm not really used to all this heat, but I guess it is good for mildly adjusting to what it will be like in China. I hope I don't pass out when I get there. They say to drink tons of water even before you go so that you start out hydrated. Uh-oh...

I had a lovely time this afternoon, watching some Monk with my friend, and then starting reading 'Mere Christianity' with her. I haven't read it myself yet, and so far it is awesome! He starts out describing the Law of Nature and gives strikingly original examples for his arguments. Gosh, I love C.S. Lewis!

We watched "Mr. Monk Gets a New Shrink", because of the stages of grief scene. What hilarity! Oh, my! I remember when I first watched it, I had freshly come out of a period of grieving... It is so clever! and well done! I love Monk.

I'm off to go house-sit for my friend... I almost forgot that it started tonight. EEEK. that would have been bad if I didn't remember.

Until next time,
Jp

Whales and Tales

I hope I can blog when I'm in China. I'm not going to bring my laptop because I think it's a little too risky. They will have computers available, but I don't know if I'll have much time. I'll try...

I've been listening to Moby Dick at work these last couple days. It's such a long book, I've been taking breaks between groups of chapters. I'm on chapter 103 at the present time. Ahab has finally found a sea captain that had seen the white whale! I just love it! It's a combination of marine biology, philosophy, history, religion, and fiction! What a mammoth work! What a contribution to science and literature! Herman Melville was definitely a literary genius. And it's a great way to get through a long workday as well.

Yesterday, after work, I went with a friend to Discovery Park in West Seattle. We got lost because they don't mark the roads very well and we ended up at the Indian Cultural Center. After asking directions there, we finally found the visitor's center in time to buy a map before we had to go meet a friend for dinner. It was a bright sunny day, something that we, in Seattle, are not used to. Most of our days are partly cloudy. I think that's the reason that I-5 was so backed up; becuase everyone realized at the same time: "It's bright sunshine outside... and it's the weekend!" So, we're going to go back another time to walk the trails and see the Olympic Mountains from across the Puget Sound at the tip of the park by the lighthouse. The park has quite the history. Back in the days of World War I and II, it was all part of Fort Lawton. The 70th Infantry Division still has US Army Reserve sites at the park, but they are isolated, for a very good reason, I'm sure.

Anyway, after picking up another friend at the UW medical center (she is doing grad school in Physical Therepy), I backed into a parked Jeep. Thank the Lord that the driver was a nice person! There was no damage, but you never know with some people. We then went to dinner at the Spaghetti Factory in Lynnwood and then saw Kung Fu Panda for a few laughs. (the plot line was slightly predictable, but overall it was enjoyable)

Until Next Time,
Jp