On the Sunny Road

So, I have had an interesting last couple of weeks (if interested see foreign heart blog). Interesting is a good word, because I can't say that it's been bad. I can't begin to list the good things, so I'm going to start small.

I have recently found two artists that keep making their way onto playlists and as background music for my very, very strange days.

The first, Emiliana Torrini, grew up in Iceland. Of course, in many circles this already makes her an expert at life and beauty. She grew up in the wild and let loose her voice singing in opera school. As her musical tastes expanded, so did her skill. Her style is refreshingly un-American. In no way do I say this to be un-patriotic. Rather, I say this to welcome a 'new song' that has merit outside of the broken records and well-worn grooves of Western music.

Her new CD, Fisherman's Woman, is about loss. It's almost hard to feel all the emotions it brings, while at the same time trying to figure out her heart in between the lyrics. I have really only listened to two of the songs - Sunny Road and Today Has Been Okay. But, as always, I couldn't keep my wonder away.

She says about the album, "Fisherman's Woman is a letter I wrote to a person that I lost at that time. I coped by thinking I was with a fisherman. They can go on sea for months like my friend's dad. Her mum saw him twice a year maybe for a fortnight at a time. It was a little bit like Alice in Wonderland. The falling into a hole, the madness of it all."

The description is enough for me. I like the way you think, Emiliana. I like the way you think.
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The other artist is Molly Jenson. I sort of happened upon this one, but what fun its been! She seems to be what I love about "indie" ... and she's for real. She's doing her thing in San Diego, playing at coffee shops and wherever she can get a gig.

I watched a video of Molly before she played in the early morning hours at a radio station and I decided, "Self, this Molly girl seems like a good conversation." The next thing I knew, I ordered two CD's and befriended Ms. Jenson, especially after I saw that her dear mom wrote her bio. Her music belongs on road trip CDs... it's the kind friends sing out loud to each other ... it's the sort I might theme a gift around.

It's a good kind, this Molly is. a good kind.

Seattle - who could ever sleep?

It's not all rain. And I would question anyone suggesting sleeping past 8 am in this beautiful city!

Here are just a few pictures of my trip to the sleepless city:)

There IS fall in Texas!

It's true - there really are seasons in the South!

I woke up on Monday morning to cold, rainy, brutal rain and wind. The trash can I had set out the night before was spread across the road and the rain made little, ice cold rivers. My friends back in the Midwest may disagree when I argue the Texas fall season, but it's for real. ... At least until about 11 am. That's when it jumps back into the mid-70s. :)

The people are crazy here with their below 80 degrees excitement. I think I saw Ugg boots, scarves, and sweaters within days of sun-bathing in the backyard! I've got to be honest, though, it's hard to not jump in with the rest of 'em. Monday evening when I got home, all I wanted to do was slip into a sweatshirt and have something warm to drink; and that's exactly what I did!

A sweatshirt, a cup 'o joe, and the last Philip Pullman book in the "His Dark Materials" series. Now that's a good Monday night! Especially when it's followed by hanging out with the girls to make fun of yet another ridiculous Bachelor episode.

These days are happening so fast!

Update on my current book list

So, I've been reveling in the delicious adventure for new reading material. It's not as if I don't have as much to read as it is: it is easy for me to get involved in several books simultaneously and experience reader's ADD before I've finished. Such is my case currently, but nonetheless, I have found and am excited about the new books on my shelves.

What is Reformed Theology? by R.C. Sproul
Jesus Among Other Gods by Ravi Zacharias
Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin

Still working on:
Life Together by Dietrich Bonhoeffer
numerous John Piper

fiddles, folk, and mandolins

I have found a new world of music: folk roots. I should say first that I have found a magical way to explore the untapped world of music: Pandora. My friend Pat told me about the radio website a couple years ago, but my computer was never fast enough or smart enough to make something like that work (it could have been the operator, I suppose).

I was recently in a staff meeting where the professional development topic was technology. One of my colleagues mentioned Pandora and I finally found a reason to take interest. You essentially identify an artist or a collection of artists and then the program (they call it the music genome project) connects the similarities in the styles and gives you streaming music in that genre. Needless to say, my musical tastebuds have had quite the adventure!

I cannot possibly capture all the musical terrain I have covered in the last couple weeks, but I have come to love the folk stylings of Erin McKeown, Paul Cardall's original piano numbers, and I finally found the music of the Peasall Sisters (they recorded "Down to the River to Pray" for O Brother Where Art Thou?).
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I also had the chance to see a couple shows since I last wrote. In honor of my friend Pat, I went to a David Bazaan concert. It was a spectacular experience that began and ended way too late for my working-girl life, but it was well worth it. The show was at a place called Emo's, so you can imagine the tight-jeaned, bearded, spiked, and extremely 'independent' crowd that gathered in the rootsy space. During the opener, I was swaying along with the other admirers and when I looked to my left and saw Bazaan himself swaying right with me. I'm pretty sure my friend Pat would have soaked his pants at that point, but I kept my cool.

Bazaan's music is a taste you first have to understand to appreciate. Each song has its own character, but they are most all hurtfully depressing. He pulls you into his journey of frustration, confusion, and pain, and it's all very real. I'd say that's the best part. He is singing to turn his heart inside out and I felt that when I was listening. I felt a bit turned inside out.

The other band I saw wasn't from any sort of fame, but it proved the kind of talent you'll find in any old place here in Austin. We went in because there was a fiddler. The group looked like three friends with day jobs who weren't quite ready to let go of music's hold. And they were good! I love a good fiddle, I've found.

I also went to a small show last weekend that was put on by a group called "above grounds." The group sponsors Christian artists and promotes shows. I heard a girl named Sarah Monteen who reminded me of Allie Rogers and Bethany Dillon in a pre-mainstream kind of way. Her voice was truthful and possessed a naivete that somehow also spoke of deep life experience. It was easy to rock a bit in my coffee chair seat to her original melodies.

Well, that's it for now, but there will be more:)

Gonna Have to Serve Somebody

So I was recently in morning church and a nice, young girl stepped up onto the stage to share special music during the offering. The song, "Gotta have to serve somebody" by Bob Dylan made me double-take when I saw it printed in the bulletin, but looking at the meek girl in the green sweater on stage, I convinced myself it was some other rendition. But then she opened her mouth to sing and nothing but conviction come out! Here's a little taste of the oh-so-typical Dylan lyrics for a good Wednesday ponder:
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You may be an ambassador to England or France,
You may like to gamble, you might like to dance,
You may be the heavyweight champion of the world,
You may be a socialite with a long string of pearls

But you're gonna have to serve somebody, yes indeed
You're gonna have to serve somebody,
Well, it may be the devil or it may be the Lord
But you're gonna have to serve somebody.

You might be a rock 'n' roll addict prancing on the stage,
You might have drugs at your command, women in a cage,
You may be a business man or some high degree thief,
They may call you Doctor or they may call you Chief

But you're gonna have to serve somebody, yes indeed
You're gonna have to serve somebody,
Well, it may be the devil or it may be the Lord
But you're gonna have to serve somebody.

You may be a preacher with your spiritual pride,
You may be a city councilman taking bribes on the side,
You may be workin' in a barbershop, you may know how to cut hair,
You may be somebody's mistress, may be somebody's heir

But you're gonna have to serve somebody, yes indeed
You're gonna have to serve somebody,
Well, it may be the devil or it may be the Lord
But you're gonna have to serve somebody.

Might like to wear cotton, might like to wear silk,
Might like to drink whiskey, might like to drink milk,
You might like to eat caviar, you might like to eat bread,
You may be sleeping on the floor, sleeping in a king-sized bed
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I practically had to hold on to the threads of the church seat beneath me, for the strength of her voice seemed to come like an earthquake from a deep-down place. It was so...honest, I guess. And, though I felt off-balance in hearing a proposition to serve the devil, I knew in my bones that it was true. We do serve someone - every day. Whether a conscious choice or an afterthought, I serve something - I give worship with the choices I make. That girl - Betty Sue was her name and I will tell you I have never heard anyone sing like she did.

Yes Bob Dylan, I "gotta have to serve somebody" and Lord have mercy when it's not my Savior!

Austin sights and sounds

Whoa... Texas is a wild ride!


These guitars are up all around the city... and this one is on the bat bridge - where every night at about 9 pm the bats make an exodus into the night. It's quite a spectacle.


The lower Colorado River... yes I did at one time think it was the same Colorado River from up north, but it's NOT. Man, did I feel silly!





My wonderful students who dedicated their Labor Day to paint at Sierra Ridge apartments - they are so great!

This is the Main Building at St. Edward's.

The Record Machine...and other melodic memoirs

So, I have stumbled upon many wonderful, refreshing sound surprises since my move to Austin. Indie, eclectic... call it what you will, I can't describe the connection I have with music that is so strange and new that it seems completely familiar. It's almost as though I'd forgotten the notes, but I'm oh-so-grateful they've found their rightful resting place in the beats behind my ribcage. At a small label in the heart of the Midwest, several bands have found their home. I would invite you to listen to two in particular and make your own judgment. I like to play these sounds at work, especially the song "The Sower " by Every Gentle Air. It's what life soundtracks are made of!

Winston Jazz Routine and Every Gentle Air

Living in Poorland

I think I understand Mel Gibson's fascination with the book "Catcher in the Rye" in the movie "Conspiracy Theory." My situation is slightly different because I wasn't programmed by the government or chased by secret hitmen, but I think my desire for 'normal' is similar. As Doug at Carter's Transmission was poking and clanking around under my hood, compiling a page-long litany of necessary repairs, I desperately wanted something normal.

And normal ended up being a cup of black coffee with cream and Splenda at Kerbey Lane. There is something that happened when I wrapped my fingers around that faded white mug and exchanged pleasantries with the waiter. Nothing life-changing - just normal.
...and so enter I into my life in Poorland - that's the endearing term I've given to this year of service. Don't be fooled - I'm convinced it's going to be every magical and charming dream I have in my newly minimalist heart. When it comes down to it, living in Poorland really just means being creative. Let's be honest - people are living in far worse situations, but creativity (a marvelous thing about being made in the image of our Creator) has quite a way of bringing joy from sadness and hope from fear. and laughter. YES laughter! So, here are a few lessons I've learned in my first weeks in Poorland. I'm sure there will be many, many more.

Entertainment
My newest form of entertainment requires less than a gallon of gas ($2.69) and a certain level of stealth. I have always been a bookstore and coffeeshop junkie. I need no good reason or invitation to sit in an overstuffed chair and smell roasted coffeebeans mixed with new book pages. Now, living in Poorland, buying books and coffee is a bit of a problem - err, let me rephrase: it's not in the budget. So, instead of getting down, I drive to Barnes and Noble, pick a book from the shelf, scour the store for an unassuming hideout, and read to my heart's content (careful to not bend the pages). Then, when I'm finished (or the store is closing), I stealthily return the book and remember my page. I politely leave the store, always making sure to turn on the friendship vibes with all the workers. I'm not sure this is exactly ethical, but you've got to admit Barnes & Noble set themselves up for this! All the books - tables - comfy chairs - what did they expect? And, I can tell you there are others like me. Is this justification? maybe. In any case, I'm somewhere in the middle of Ted Dekker's RED (second in a series) and I'm thoroughly enjoying it.

Shopping
In Poorland, "shopping" is a very interesting word and it can have several definitions. For me, it means perusing thrift stores, yards, and verbalizing my needs in hopes that someone will say, "Oh, I've got one of those sitting around that I don't use - you can just have it!" Since moving here, shopping also means craigslist. Craigslist is a free, independent online market where people buy/sell items ranging from lamps to houses to carpooling (they even do personal ads!). Because I drove down with only a trunkful of furnishings, I needed to find a chair. But, not just any chair - a reading chair that would be my ticket up mystical mountains and onto philosophical freeways. After frustrating searches at IKEA, Target, and Walmart, I ended up emailing someone named Erin about a papasan chair. They wanted $25 and I eagerly moved to seal the deal. Thanks to the skillful mapping of my hosts Darin and Adela, we found Erin's house and without as much as a question regarding quality I whipped out the $25 and that was it. I am not much of a bargainer, to say the least. Actually, I'm quite the sucker when it comes to these things. I realize I probably could have offered $20, but the important thing is I have since spent hours in said papasan chair, to the content of my Poorland heart!

That's all for now. There will be more. Oh, yes - the stories just keep coming!

long story... short?

Okay, now for a hopefully short explanation.

See, my car had developed a stutter since its arrival down here in Austin.

(By the way, I hate that this is the first story I'm writing since my arrival - I hope to follow this woeful tale with many more wonder and magic-filled ones that involve laughter and peaches, among other fuzzy things! [see other blogs])

Fortunately for my car, I am extremely cognizant of every shake and shinndle (I made up that word just now and it refers to a funny noise just behind the front tire and in front of the engine). I have my grandpa to thank for this. He doesn't own vehicles - he has a relationship with them. He talks to them, pets them, and is always provides for their needs, because he is convinced they will reciprocate. So maybe I inherited it or maybe I'm just modeling what a very wise man does. Either way, unfortunately for my car, I started to notice things. I noticed things about Bonnie (the 1995 silver Bonneville SE) after driving a week or so in the hot, humid, hotness of Austin, Texas.

So, being newly on my own, I decided I should have the oil changed - that always gives me a measure of reassurance. I would at least know that someone had looked at it and given me the roadworthy nod that you get from a friendly mechanic. I did what anyone with empty pockets in a new town does: I found a coupon for a $17.95 oil change on the back of a grocery receipt and tracked it down. When the young man walked into the waiting room and said, "Caroline?" I saw that he didn't have a bill in his hand, instead he said, "I've got some things I need to show you." Hmm. First clue that this first oil change did not go quite as planned. As we stepped under the car and he began pointing out this and that, I gave a knowing grin and a few, "umm hhmm"s to show that I appreciated his thorough assessment, but a detailed quote would do for the day. You see, I have been brought up to always take a mechanic's assessment as kind of the first step of a dance. They say, "You need to fix ..." and I say, "write up an estimate" and then we go on our merry ways. Well, come to find out those issues that I listened to very respectfully were actually problems. Which was when the shudder started.

So (because I'm remembering this was intended to be short), I ended up driving around unfamiliar Austin in search of an Auto Parts store that was open at 8 pm on a Thursday. No surprise, none were found and I set out to finish the task on my own (with no short of 24 phone calls to my dear father!). I found Automatic Transmission Fluid at Target without too much trouble. But before I could pour it into the right opening under my hood, I remembered that in order to open my hood I needed to first drive over bumps while pulling the release. This is one of those times where it's good to have that relationship with the car!! I managed to get the hood open, find the opening, and pour the sticky liquid through the funnel.

And off I went, amazed that the car hadn't exploded or broke in half. That's when I realized the blessing of things working!

Today was another story - finding a respectable shop (which I did successfully!) and then hearing their idea of estimate, to the dancing tune of way more than I could pay.

I guess I'll write next about my cup of coffee: the medication for normal, I've decided.

the city of live music

I've finally wandered to the ultimate of all live music scenes: Austin, Texas. And not just for a pit stop - oh, no - you better bet your best wurst (famous bratwurst vendor downtown) that I'm planting some southern roots... long enough to hear some amazing music.

I guess this is just a little update to say the music selections (not that they were widely publicized in the first place) will now be garnished with a little extra southern flavor.

:)

Overload

There is absolutely no shortage of wonderful, fresh sounds out there. ... It's actually something quite dangerous to get lost in - especially when as you are sinking, the line between wonderful, fresh and popular, sell-out blurs. I always think it's good to go back - way back to the music that David must have danced to - so willing to be humiliated and undignified in front of the Lord.

But, as long as we're here, we are fooling ourselves to think we aren't moved by the melodies and rhythms drifting in and out of ipods, laptops, and stereos. At the moment, I have been inspired and encouraged by Josh Garrels (www.joshgarrels.com), Missy Higgins (www.missyhiggins.com), and a spectacular mix CD that my friend Patrick sent in a most wonderful cardboard-taped package a couple weeks ago.

I happened upon Josh Garrels while perusing the Relevant Magazine online store. I immediately scoped out his website, read his history, and fell hard for his quirky, fearless sound. The combination of guitar, harmonica, well-blended harmonies, and truly inspired lyrics was enough for a couple days of continuous play and a few bike rides. He is one of those truly independent artists - not independent as in "indie," but he does his own thing without a label...probably better that way. His older CD was available on his website, but his new one is coming in the mail and should be here soon.

Missy Higgins, well, she's been a long-time favorite (to say the least) - let's just say my friends have watched me many times belt her songs at the top of my lungs. She has a new CD out too - On a Clear Night. It's great - every song. I listened to it streaming online and read all the lyrics...I'm that type of music junkie. I have to know all about the artist, their background, their family, the way they view the world. And then I feel like I can sing a long and really know how they are feeling.

Well, there's that.

Beginning

Well, I have a blog for my crazy thoughts and I have a blog for my crazy travels (which is still waiting to be unlocked!!), but I wasn't really finding a place to write about the fun music, arts, and other random things. So, I guess that will be here! We'll see how it goes!