There's something about Alberta, there's always snow by Oct 31. In fact in Calgary I think there are more white Halloweens than there are white Christmases. Now that's scary.

- Peace

Elemental Lego!

When I first told Steve I was getting an Element, he asked is that the one that looks like it's made out of Lego? Well tonight I can say yes. Here's a great lego element, and the same guy who built that links to a CGI comercial showing an Orange Element being built out of lego. I love my Element!

- Peace

He was rich, young and powerful
She was used to being an outcast
He was upstanding, moral and right
She had five husbands, now with an other's
He was looking for answers
She was thirsty
He walked away
She brought a whole village into the kingdom

- Peace

One Wed Oct 22 I has the pleasure of hearing Measha Brueggergosman give a recital at the Jack Singer Concert Hall. Measha has become quite the name on the Opera circuit both in North America and in Europe. Before going to hear her I read the blubs on her web site and other reviews I could find, including this review from the CincinnatiBeat

Cincinnati audiences adored Measha Brueggergosman in last year's Dead Man Walking. This season she returns as the servant girl Liù. Her casting in this particular role at first seems odd: Her power-packed stage presence brings something new to the role of the long-suffering servant girl. But the formula works. Brueggergosman shows herself truly capable of a wide range of roles, and her singing is exquisite. When she opens her throat, her soul pours out. For the audience, the experience is at the same time thrilling, intimate and deliciously tragic.

And I'm glad to report that Measha gave a recital that was all that. What the reviews did not prepare me for is Measha's amazing sense of comedic timing. While listening to songs in German and French I found my self laughing out loud at the punch lines, simply from Measha's expressions, in her voice and on her face. This made for a much more light hearted evening than I was expecting.

At the end of the evening I felt she a delivered a 10 out of 10 performance, but in her encore she cranked it to 22 for the black spiritual Where You There. This is becoming Measha's signature song, she delivers it with a passion and power that makes the rest of the evening pale in comparison.


Measha Brueggergosman is an opera diva with pop accessibility, if you have the chance to hear one of here recitals, I recommend you take it.

For backgroud you can read my previous post about Measha.

- Peace

I passed the 1200 km mark for the year yesterday while biking the elbow trail in kananaskis country. 1200 km was my goal for the year, first anounced when I made last year's goal of 1000 km. My goal for 2004 is 1600 km, 2005 is 2000 km, making 2006 the year I return to the 2500 km / year level. Well at least that's the plan. 2500 km was my best year ever.

My bigest issue is what to do over the winter to stay active. We're in the Trym Gym program run by the U of C. That will keep me active through Decemember, but I've got to find something to do with Jan - March. If I'm going to make the 2500 km level I can't be starting from scratch each spring.

- Peace

THE CONFESSIONS OF SAINT AUGUSTINE BOOK X

"What then have I to do with men, that they should hear my confessions- as if they could heal all my infirmities- a race, curious to know the lives of others, slothful to amend their own? Why seek they to hear from me what I am; who will not hear from Thee what themselves are? And how know they, when from myself they hear of myself, whether I say true; seeing no man knows what is in man, but the spirit of man which is in him? But if they hear from Thee of themselves, they cannot say, 'The Lord lieth.' For what is it to hear from Thee of themselves, but to know themselves? and who knoweth and saith, 'It is false,' unless himself lieth? But because charity believeth all things (that is, among those whom knitting unto itself it maketh one), I also, O Lord, will in such wise confess unto Thee, that men may hear, to whom I cannot demonstrate whether I confess truly; yet they believe me, whose ears charity openeth unto me."

- Peace

Love

You're familiar with the old written law, "Love your friend,' and its unwritten companion, "Hate your enemy.' I'm challenging that. I'm telling you to love your e"You're familiar with the old written law, "Love your friend,' and its unwritten companion, "Hate your enemy.' 44I'm challenging that. I'm telling you to love your enemies. Let them bring out the best in you, not the worst. When someone gives you a hard time, respond with the energies of prayer, Mat 5: 43-44

Yeah, I'll get right on that. but right now I'm just having trouble loving the guys in my Church.

- Peace

Yahoo! News - Want a Raise? Standing Tall May Help

"MIAMI (Reuters) - Tall people earn considerably more money throughout their lives than their shorter co-workers, with each inch adding about $789 a year in pay, according to a new study."

If this is true, its offset by the cost of clothing, stuff at Big and Tall aint cheap, size 14 EEEE shoes don't come for $40 at wall mart either. And at 6'4'' finding a car to fit is always a challenge.

As seen on /.

- Peace
Dave

Update: after posting this I realized it was the perfect intro to 1 Samuel 16:1-13 the anointment of David.

When [Jesse and his sons] arrived, Samuel took one look at Eliab and thought, "Here he is! GOD's anointed!"
But GOD told Samuel, "Looks aren't everything. Don't be impressed with his looks and stature. I've already eliminated him. GOD judges persons differently than humans do. Men and women look at the face; GOD looks into the heart."

3500 years later and we're still impressed by tall people.

I'm thankful for a new strip from the creative mind of Kevin Frank: Zed.

- Peace

I've added two mp3's from PatseMusic to my collection, both by Jonathan Rundman Tape and Carol Of The Bells. Folk/Rock Americana. Thanks to the Rablin Man for pointing these out. (On the left hand side of his blog)

- Peace

You are the Fourth Doctor: A walking Bohemian
conundrum with a brooding personal magnetism
and a first-rate intellect concealed somewhere
beneath your charmingly goofy exterior. You are
perhaps the most terribly clever of all the
Doctors, though your occasional bouts of
childishness get you in trouble. You never go
looking for a fight, but when someone messes
with you... good heavens, are they ever sorry
they did.


Which Incarnation of the Doctor Are You?
brought to you by Quizilla


I used to wat the 3 to 4 hours of Dr. Who in one shot on PBS. By the end of the night I had a bad English accent. Thanks Richard!

- Peace

Just a snap shot of the moose that was on the Dimond T trail when we went biking last week. One of the great things about going biking in brag creek / kananaskis country is getting up close with nature. We were happy he choose to walk away, instead of charging us.

update: 20:50 We just back from a walk in Fish Creek, we saw a huge owl perched on a sign. He didn't move till Sarah shined the flashlight on him. He dove into the high grass. We couldn't have been more than two meters from him. One of the great things about where we live is how easy it is to get to some great biking or hiking. Fish creek is 2 km from my house, brag creek / kananaskis country is about a 40 minute drive from my house.

- Peace

Questions for Suzi

Is the Twins – Yankees series a big deal in your house?

In hosting exchange students, what part of American culture has been the hardest to explain?

Have you traveled internationally, if so where?

Where would you like to go and why?

What book would you recommend to help your exchange students understand America?

- Peace

A quote I just don't understand from EducationGuardian.co.uk Research paper claims gay people can be 'straightened out'

A spokesperson for the gay rights campaigning group Stonewall said: 'This is dangerous, sinister, nonsense, there's no evidence that gay people can be 'cured' as if it's some kind of illness.

'We're in favour of free speech. I don't think we would say repress it, but we would say it was flawed and flimsy research. It would be interesting to see research on whether straight people can be made to be gay.'

Ok so why is research showing gays can become strait sinister, but research that would show straits can go gay would be interesting? Wouldn't that just show that human sexuallity is more mutable than we like to admit? Just wondering.

- Peace

eMinders

"Members of A-Channel.com can set custom reminders to watch any show on A-Channel.com. A-Channel servers will email your SMS enabled wireless device or send you an email just before the show starts.

Ok, I don't think I need to be reminded to watch more TV. I think I can remember to watch Enterprise without a reminder thank you.

- Peace