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Friday, September 30, 2011

Life at present (15)

Last night Tigga raided our cupboards. She managed to find a box of choc chip muffins, a taco kit, a bag of almonds, a packet of rice crackers, a bar of Whittaker's dark chocolate and the remnants of a Cadbury's Old Gold bar. This is the face of shame.


Thursday, September 29, 2011

Life at present (14)

I am at home today with my daughter, cats and dog (not pictured). We are playing 'girls go games,' sleeping and writing an essay. Who is doing what is up to you to work out.


Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Tuesday, September 27, 2011

Life at present (12)

I am having a tea break from Arius and Origen. Beetroot is having a long soak in her reality.


Monday, September 26, 2011

Life at present (11)

Today I took my daughter and her friend to the Smurf movie. Not the best movie I have seen, but not the worst.



Sunday, September 25, 2011

Linda Rich



Linda Rich was a Christian folk singer who recorded three albums: There's More to Living than I Know So Far (1969), Patterns (1970), and Apple Tree (1975).

All three albums are fantastic: melancholy, spiritual, sparse, gentle, rich, and luminous. her voice is somewhat like early Joni Mitchell (1968-71) but more mezzo-soprano, with fewer melissmas. her guitar playing is functional, but delicate. When there are arrangements, the strings are tasteful. On several tracks on both Patterns and Apple Tree there is some fulte work that gets some spacey-echo happening. It's not quite psych, but very close.

Her lyrics are very Christian, but she also ventures into some searching territory, particularly "An Agnostic's Prayer" from Patterns. I particularly appreciate her more atmospheric lyrics:
"Sun streaming through stained glass windows,
coloured shadows in a darkened room,
red on brown,
make colours sound,
and give the peace of knowing You"
"Stained Glass Windows" Apple Tree



You can download all three of these albums here: The Ancient Star Song


I highly recommend these albums to anyone, Christian or not. There are moments of pure sublime beauty on all of these records, and you can hear the questioning and joy of Linda's faith in all her songs. She doesn't package up Christianity into a neat, happy box; rather she asks questions and admits her failings, yet she also expresses her love of Christ in a gentle joyousness that is sincere and real.



Life at present (10)

This is where I am today.


Friday, September 23, 2011

Life at present (9)

This is a photo from the same spot as this time last week. I look at the clock and work out when I can have my next break.


Life at present (8)

This is the infamous library. I will be in there in a minute, researching Arianism and Origen. I may also be listening to Steve Hillage. I may also be depressed and cranky. I may also be snoozing.


Thursday, September 22, 2011

Life at present (7)

This is my friend Jody. She is driving us to Cessnock for a clergy conference. What an exciting life we lead.


Wednesday, September 21, 2011

Life at present (6)

There is a disco ball on the foyer at the bottom of stairs in front of the toilets. I have never seen any dancing there, but I must admit to having been a bit fleet footed on my way there after a day of drinking those green tea drinks.


Life at present (5)

There are positives and negatives about this bridge. On the good side, it means it is very nearly coffee time, or when approaching from the other way, it means library time is over. On the bad side, it means library time is about to start, or when approaching from the other way, it means I start think about how little I achieved while at the library.


Tuesday, September 20, 2011

Life at present (4)

Most mornings I drop my daughter of at school, then wander, as to the gallows, to the library. Between the two there is this woodland wonderland. No elf sightings as yet, but I have seen some lost students.


Monday, September 19, 2011

Life at present (3)

Another part of daily life is picking up mu daughter from school. In front of the church the school is attached to is a statue of Mary. I have beem struck by how this looks on hot Australian afternoons against a backdrop of gum trees, powerlines, and rusty rooves and cars.



Life at present (2)

Another brief installment of what I hope doesn't become a regular series. This is a photo of pre-study: coffee and music. I was listening to Rush 'Power Windows' (1985).


Friday, September 16, 2011

Life at present (1)

This photo is a very accurate representation of life at present: library, laptop, headphones, green tea drink. The fact that I am taking a photo of it and blogging about it suggests the reality: procrastination and distraction.