I Vant to Suck Your Blog: December 2011

Wow, I think this is one of the prettiest songs ever. I am a recent discoverer of Eva Cassidy. Great stuff.

You left in Autumn
The leaves were turning
I walked down roads of orange and gold.
I saw your sweet smile
I heard your laughter
You're still here beside me every day.

‘Cause I know you by heart,
‘Cause I know you by heart.

I've been considering the word bittersweet. Feeling that bittersweetness is harder really than just feeling sad. Strange how one thing, one act, one conversation, one person can create such a duality of emotion. Confusing to feel happiness and richness and uplifted and at the same time feel so blue and hurt. Bittersweet. And yet, it's hard not to take that strong dose of bitterness in order to experience that lovely sweetness. But with time the melancholy afterglow dissipates and life moves on....until the next time....

In the midst of some of these feelings, I tried to find some poetic expression of these feelings. Found some specific lines that spoke to me:

I will complain, yet praise;
I will bewail, approve;
And all my sour-sweet days
I will lament and love.
-George Herbert

Twas pretty, though plague,
To see him every hour

I know I love in vain, strive against hope;
Yet in this captious and intenible sieve
I still pour in the waters of my love
And lack not to lose still. Thus, Indian-like,
Religious in mine error, I adore
The sun that looks upon his worshipper
But knows of him no more.

O, then give pity
To her whose state is such that cannot choose
But lend and give where she is sure to lose;
That seeks not to find that her search implies,
But, riddle-like, lives sweetly where she dies.
-W. Shakes.All's Well That Ends Well

That time was like never, and like always.

Why will the whole of love come on me suddenly
when I am sad and feel you are far away?
-Naruda

I decided to do some photo catch up here from my activities over the Summer as I hadn't posted any of these. I got to see and do some fun things. It's a lot of photos, here we go:

Summer's mean interns at WB. This Summer I got to meet and hang out with some really fun folks.
This was from a concert at the Hollywood Bowl. I love going there. This was a jazz concert. I managed going to a classical/Rachmaninov night and the John Williams night as well.

WB has a skybox at Dodger stadium, so I got to attend as an honorary legal intern. This is Sherrod, who had an awesome roving internship with WBTV (and who became my great friend as you'll see), and Jonathan and Mellinda who were our legal interns all Summer and who were fantastic and also became my friends.

I spent lots of time with these two fine Southern gentleman (both here from Ole Miss): Sherrod and Brent. Nicest, most positive guys ever. We were the Three Amigos. This was a Saturday that we went walking around the Hollywood Reservoir and then got as close as we could sneak to the Hollywood sign.

Me looking thrilled to be there, ha:

While hiking we decided to go to San Francisco! It had been discussed but as soon as Sherrod found out I had an Aunt we could stay with in Napa - we were on our way! We ran home, showered, threw some things in a bag, met back up and we were on the road. I loved the on a whimness of this all. It was exciting to end up in Napa that night and be with my wonderful Aunt and Grandma. The next morn we drove up the 29 and I got to share my beautiful Napa with Sherrod and Brent. Sherrod adores his wine, so this was heaven for him. We went on a tour at Berringer Bros., which is a great one as it's old and impressive. I hadn't done a tour in years. We also stopped at Suttor home and then Mondavi. These two boys sure enjoyed their sampling - I mean they are Southern after all! Good thing they had me as their DD. (We took lots of photos over the weekend, but I'll just share a smattering)

Proper technique:

Good to the last drop:

And the results! (I'm sure he'd love that I posted this pic, tee hee):

Aunt Elaine & Grandma:

All these years and I'd never walked across the Golden Gate bridge, but we went, we walked, we conquered:

We went to a Giants game. This was the most beautiful stadium I've been in, with the greatest views.

We ate some good food, did some exploring, packed lots in two days.
And sites on the way out:

The three amigos also hit up Disneyland. I'll forever be sad we didn't get to the Muppet show before it closed for the night.

A couple of Sherrod's Mississippi friends were in town and we went to Catalina Island. I had never been and have always been curious. It's funny that living here I don't explore enough, but having out of towners come in meant I got to do some new things. I really just saw a teensy bit of the island.

Sherrod's turn to look thrilled:

A cool old huge theatre:

And I love this picture. We went to a Rodgers and Hammerstein concert at Disney concert hall - another place I'd always wanted to go, but hadn't. This was my I'm getting squished in the elevator face; it amused him so:

Here are a few pics I took when I went back to the Reservoir one evening - so gorgeous at twilight time:

And Hollywood Bowl John Williams night with my dear John Beach:

I went up to see the fam in Utah over Labor Day weekend, which meant I was there to celebrate Alex's birthday. I went with the Nighs to Park City and rode the Alpine coaster - it's so fast, so fun!

Carter night up the canyon, lovely and great:

Mom playing on Alex's new piano. I did my best to teach her "Heart and Soul":

And finally, I was the camp leader for the Young Women's camp at my church. We went up to Big Bear, another place I'd never been. It was beautiful and spiritual and fun. These girls are really wonderful young ladies.

A few of the girls on my boat out on Big Bear: