This is unusual for me…

I am officially no longer doing the 30 day blog challenge. 

I am bored with it.

Don’t worry, I’ve got a plan.  A plan which, hopefully, will involve blogging more regularly.  Although, Sunday/Monday I’ll be able to better explain my sporadic presence.

But now, let’s explore my most recent activity….chess.

This is me.  I am learning.

I have a very patient brother.  He tried to teach me once, four years ago – I even started winning!  That was because I set my chess pieces up wrong every time.

Ethan (my brother) has once again taken me on as probably the most challenging student you could imagine.  I have called the knight a horse, the rook a troll, and have proudly proclaimed a win by completing a series of illegal moves.  He gently corrects me each time, and the game goes on.

Me again. 

This time, I’m concentrating. 

See, the piece in front of the camera…that’s his king…that’s what I want to capture.  The king can only move one square at a time.  This seems like a pathetic constraint for such a powerful figure.

 

I asked my brother what the queen can do…he paused, and smiled.

“Whatever the heck she wants.”

I think I like this game.

11. Favorite Piece of Artwork

I last posted on Saturday.

Today is Thursday. 

Fail.

Anyway, today I’m sharing my favorite piece of artwork with you.  This was a fairly easy decision…until it came down to choosing between my top two pieces.  I think they show two sides of my personality, so I’m going to post them both.

Pink and Yellow Hollyhocks; Red Canna – both by Georgia O’Keefe.

The piece on the left appeals to me because of its peacefulness and gentle shading.  I love the soft and quiet colors.

The piece on the right appeals to me because of its vibrancy.  It is bold and colorful, with unexpected form. 

They’re both gorgeous. 

10. Songs you listen to when you are happy, sad, bored, excited, and mad.

You will now get a peek into my music library. 

I don’t think my song choices for these moods are particularly shocking :)

TaDa!

9. Books you're reading…

 

These two choices might seem a little odd.  Trust me, I can change your mind.

I picked up Among Schoolchildren at the Used Book Superstore.  (For $1.99, thank you very much.)  I’ve read Kidder’s work before, and I really enjoy his style.  As a teacher, I don’t think  I could have chosen a better book to prepare me for the next school year.  Needless to say, I love it.

My brother finally talked me into reading Harry Potter. I hadn’t jumped on this band wagon until a few days ago.  What finally got to me was my his reasoning:  Lots of kids are going to be excited about these books, and I should at least get acquainted with them.  I just finished the first book, and I already have the second in my possession.  Score one for the brother…

So, SEE, the two are kind of related after all.

Up next, is a peek into my music library!  Lucky you :)

Update…

Okay, people.

I’ve been slacking a bit when it comes to posting. 

This 30-day challenge is kicking my butt a bit.

So, I’m going to double post on some days.

Because I know you all miss me.

8. Short term goals for this month and why.

For me, goals can go the way of New Year’s resolutions.  Out.the.window.

But I keep trying.  Because sometimes, I prevail. 

So, short term goals for this month.

1. Work out more consistently…as in, try to acquire some sort of muscle.
2. Become more organized…in other words, be able to see the floor.
3. Take more pictures…it’s the only way I’ll get better.
4. Take better pictures…because I want to get better.
5. Eating healthier – those of you who know me best, know I didn’t write this of my own free will.  My brother made me write it.  I love chocolate.  And I’m not even a little bit sorry.

I would say that I’d keep you all informed of my goal progress…but if I fail, I won’t want to advertise it.  So you all will never know if I achieved this goals.

I will now leave you with a picture of a dead jellyfish, and a crab shell with a smiley face on it.

 

Aren’t they loverly :)

7. A picture of someone/something that has had a big impact on you…

 

It took me quite some time to come up with an answer to this question….an answer that wasn’t super obvious.  Finally, I came up with an answer that should have been obvious to me:  The ocean.  I’ve lived near an ocean for almost my entire life – I can’t imagine leaving it.  Why, you ask?  Give me five minutes, and I’ll try and convey my reasoning as succinctly as possible. 

I have a picture of my childhood.  I’m holding my mom/dad’s hand, walking.  It doesn’t matter where…I didn’t care.  Because I knew that no matter where we went, they were there to take care of me.  I was small, and safe, without a care in the world.

These days it’s different.  I don’t think  I need to go into why.  You all know the struggles and frustrations as well, or better, than I do. 

It can be difficult for me to grasp the power and sheer magnitude of God.  I remember one day, going to the ocean and realizing that this must be what it’s like to be in His presence and feel it….really feel  Him.  I felt small, and not in a bad way.

When I slow down long enough to take a breath and look to God, I feel like I can breathe for the first time in a long time.  The ocean makes me slow down…it’s size and power are unavoidable, it confronts me in the best kind of way.  My problems are not the end all.  The God who made this ocean must certainly be greater than the worries that cling.  He can protect me with the ferociousness of the crashing waves.  He can soothe me like the cool breeze, and the gently swirling salt water that gathers at the sandy edge.  He is as steady as the chorus of the waves coming in and going out.  In the face of change, He remains the same. 

 

All that from a day at the beach ;)