some Clive wisdom...

So I've been reading Clive Staples "The Four Loves" this week, and I am in awe that I have never read it before. I am just about finished, and I am quite certain, once I flip the last page, I will turn back to the first one. It makes my mind spin with ideas...(as Clive is wont to do). So here is a quote from today, because it's a good one:

There is no safe investment. To love at all is to be vulnerable. Love anything, and your heart will certainly be wrung and possibly be broken. If you want to make sure of keeping it intact, you must give your heart to no one, not even to an animal. Wrap it carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries; avoid all entanglements; lock it up safe in the casket or coffin of your selfishness. But in that casket - safe, dark, motionless, airless - it will change. It will not be broken; it will become unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemable. The alternative to tragedy, or at least to the risk of tragedy, is damnation. The only place outside Heaven where you can be perfectly safe from all the dangers and perturbations of love is Hell.

- C.S. Lewis from The Four Loves

Don't worry, I'll probably try and lighten the mood for the next post. I see the direction this blog is taking. ha.

Here we go...

Normally, this isn't something I would post on the blog, for fear that it might be misintepreted.

So I offer this disclaimer:

I am neither advocating nor rejecting the claims in this article. Instead, I am attempting the impossible: to present the article without my opinions attached. I will tell you this - there are parts I agree with, and parts I don't (oh shoot, I already ruined it, didn't I?)

Just read it, and see what you think. Just by reading the title, I am sure some of you are already gasping and calling me names. I hope not. Mostly, I am just interested in this conversation on having and not having children. And I am interested in the way society treats this issue. If you are too, take a read. If you want to punch me, please reconsider.

The Case Against Having Children - Anne Kingston - "Maclean's Magazine"

*And one more disclaimer - if you are a mother, I respect and admire you. You are doing something amazing and selfless everyday. I promise, I just like the conversation.

summer music...

I always love a good soundtrack. It's a good way of pretending you know what's hip & cool, by listening to the songs that other music-loving people pick.

And now, we have the soundtrack of Summer 2009. (500) Days of Summer*

The entire track-list is good. That is not an exaggeration. It is a rare thing to be able to say that. It's got some of my favorites (Regina Spektor, Feist, Simon & Garfunkel) and some new things. Two new ones I am loving are "Sweet Disposition" by The Temper Trap and "Here Comes Your Man" Meaghan Smith. And Zoey Deschanel sings on there too. Pretty great.**

So, you should probably go check it out. I am pretty sure I will be listening to it on repeat for the rest of August.

*Just to be clear, I am not necessarily recommending the movie here. I am still kind of undecided about it. Originally, I was pretty sure I didn't like it. And that's not because of the anti-romance ending (no, I didn't give anything away there, its in the preview). It was something else, their relationship or something. But it's inspired quite a lot of conversation. Which makes me think I might be starting to like it. Now I sort of want to see it again.

**I have been doing some serious music geeking, and have gone to another blog where Marc Webb (the music director) discusses all his music choices, both on the soundtrack, and just on the film. It's actually quite a funny little dialouge about cynicism, and tug-of-war between pop and indie music. If you are interested, take a read.

I usually wait until I am inspired to write....

No. this is not my photo. but it was titled "Back to the Future" in White Rock.
Thanks Flickr.

..but the inspiration seems to come in bits and pieces. And never whilst near a computer. Sometimes, I write random things in the moleskine, and then it never seem to make it to the screen.

Today, I saw on some one else's blog-roll that it's been four weeks since I have written. Although that is probably the worst motivation I can think of, it is causing me to write this.

So, I'm home.

I have been for a while now. But in truth, I am still coming to terms with it. It's strange really. Because most times I come home and I am ecstatic. The first sight of YVR makes me grin ear to ear. I don't know what was different this time. I don't love home any less, but it just seemed too soon or something. Or maybe that I had more "real life" to return to.

That being said, quite a few moments this week have signaled the return of

White Rock Love:

.being "missed" by my tea shop lady at Clancy's Tea Cosy in White Rock.
(this is a great story, more later perhaps)

.sunset at crescent beach.

.sunday morning farmer's market with locals selling fresh fruits & veggies.

.outdoor movie yesterday on the beach with the train passing in the background.

.flowers planted around the base of a lightpost at the beach.
(acutally, that was Laura's, but it's a good one isn't it?)

I feel quite consoled that it's returning. I am not loving suburbia yet. But, I am loving the suburbia August long weekend events happening this year. I think it's quite safe to say, I'll been back to normal in no time at all.