Dreaming of a White Christmas

Today I bought my first Christmas CD of the year. Starbucks - Winter Wonderland. It has a wonderful variety of Christmas tunes from KT Tunstall performing 2000 Miles by the Pretenders to Vince Guaraldi Trio performing Greensleeves. At the moment I'm listening to White Christmas as performed by Diana Krall. Memories come flooding through my mind: Four of my guy-friends singing an up beat a-capella version at a Christmas party; a true White Christmas at my home last year; the annual watching of White Christmas starring Bing Crosby; watching a Charlie Brown Christmas with a mug of hot chocolate (picture shown); waking up at 9am to open presents in our pajamas and not finishing until the afternoon; a tremendous pile of bacon waiting for us after the presents are all open... Beautiful, beautiful memories.

Christmas is my favorite holiday and not for the reasons you may think. Yes, the presents are a huge bonus. But the best part about Christmas in Oregon is walking through the freshly rained apon parking lot at the mall with my family. We all go in and split up according to who we need to buy for. Later in the day, we'll gather for dinner and then split up again. Decorations cover the mall and the stores all show wonderful gifts in abundance. I love shopping with my family.

To add even more joy to Christmas, everyone gets nice, long breaks from school. Christmas music is playing on every radio station, and everyone is walking around with a certain light in their eyes.

Christmas music.

The best part of Christmas is the music. The music can take you in and give you joy, sadness, and peace all in one bittersweet moment. It reminds you of Christmases past and makes you hopeful for many more to come.

Christmas music.

I love Christmas.

My photography and art!

Here is the link to my flickr site.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/muse3/

I would appreciate any constructive criticism. :)

More of my Art

Blue and Silver Storm of the Past

A Hand in the Storm

Charity in a Blur

Ice and Rain by the Docks

Art & Paint.net

Recently my dear brother Ben has been creating images of art using photos saved to his computer, imagination, and a little downloadble treat called Paint.net. (The picture heading this post is his.)After seeing all of his highly interesting, beautiful, and sometimes dark peices of art, I decided that I would try this nifty gadget with some of my favorite pictures. I've created (so far) three new photos, two of which are artsy and one of which is simply there because I love my brother. Unfortunatly, Blogger won't let me upload one of them, but here are the other two:

- Death Caught in a Web of Rain

- Ben and Charity in the Keys

The Adventure - Poland

I've been in Poland for a week now. My dad is here for several conferences and to preach at two churches. I got to come with. :D Its been extremely fun. Right now I'm at Mercure Hotel in Wroclaw. Its very nice here, but the elevators are very small. ;) I think I will write more tommorow or later this evening for those who are interested in what you do when in Poland. (Also, we have been at a few places in Germany and will be spending a couple days there) One thing I would like to mention now is that I went to Chopin's house yesterday and bought a cast model of his hand. Its extremely small compared to most people's. Shocking, as he was probably the greatest pianist in the world. This gives me great hope as my hands are not the best for playing as they do not have a large reach. But Chopin used odd fingering and had great reach on the piano. So I just need to practice and stretch my hands!

Easter: A Time for Friends, Family, Chocolate, or God?

Today is Easter Sunday, the celebrated day (for Christians) when Christ was risen from the dead to sit at the right hand of God the Father. It is also a time for family and friends, for fun and games, for egg hunts, for chocolate.
To unbelievers, a time for thinking about a new spring filled with new life in the form of baby chickens and bunnies. But why think of new life? Several reasons. First, the Spring brings with it the start of new life in the form of plants bursting into bloom, animals peeping out from hibernation, and other animals giving birth to more little creatures. Second, and more important, Christ has given us new life. But how many pagans think of that?

So here I am, listening to most of my family (extended and all) trying to re-construct the Easter story with small ziplock bags filled with symbols from the Bible: A cross, a sponge, two dice, a crown of thorns, etc. etc. But what is the real point? Of course we know what it should be: Christ, and what He did. However, most of the time, its just people having fun, trying to celebrate with the family or friends, eating a LOT.

I personally think that we should all just sit down with some vinegar and unleavened bread and watch Mel Gibson's "The Passion" until we're all crying.

After this, we should all eat, soberly, our dinner of ham. Then we can celebrate that Christ went through a lot more than just drinking some liquids that make you sick and then enduring a giant ham. We can celebrate that he died for us, and then we can celebrate the fact that he rose again, and showed Death what's what. For as it says in the amazing movie "Wit", Death only gets a comma.

"Death be not proud, though some have called thee
Mighty and dreadful, for thou art not so,
For those whom thou think'st thou dost overthrow,
Die not, poor Death, nor yet canst thou kill me.
From rest and sleep, which but thy pictures be,
Much pleasure: then from thee much more must flow,
And soonest our best men with thee do go,
Rest of their bones, and soul's delivery.
Thou art slave to fate, chance, kings, and desperate men,
And dost with poison, war, and sickness dwell;
And poppy or charms can make us sleep as well
And better than thy stroke; why swell'st thou then?
One short sleep past, we wake eternally,
And death shall be no more; Death, thou shalt die."

-- John Donne

For Elijah (and an explanation)

First of all, I would like to say that in my post "feeling and thought, family and home" I didn't mean that I don't know my family at all. It's just that at times I wonder what family really is. That was the point of the post.

For Elijah:

Today you leave us,
Today your gone,
Today we must trust,
That you'll be fine.

We love you so much,
We'll miss you so much.

I wrote you a song,
It has no words,
No title to go along,
Except 'For Elijah.'

I love you so much,
I'll miss you so much.

It may seem sappy,
This whole poem and post,
But I hope it makes you happy,
We hope for that the most.

We hope you'll be happy,
We'll miss you so much.

I think the song is sad,
But I think it is beautiful,
I think you might get mad,
but still love it true and full.

I'm glad that your happy,
In your new home,
I'm glad you think this is sappy,
And you haven't changed your tone.

I'm glad that your happy,
I'll miss you anyway,
I love you my brother,
And I'll e-mail every day.

-Charity Tuuri

My Favorite Commmercials

These are two of my favorite commercials: One, the Berries and Cream Starburst ad. "Berries and cream, Berries and cream, I'm a little lad who loves berries and cream!" Two, the Dell laptop commercial featuring the song "The W.A.N.D." by The Flaming Lips.

Berries and Cream


Dell

Feeling and Thought, Family and Home.

My feelings change every moment. My emotions vary with the weather. But my thoughts seem to stay the same. I keep thinking the same things, even when the world goes topsy-turvy. Why is this? Mabye Einstein was right in saying, "Common sense is merely the deposit of prejudice laid down in the human mind before the age of 18." Or mabye he wasn't. I suppose no one really understands the mind. Either way, I've been thinking about home and family lately.

What is home? Is it the place where you grew up? Is it the place you live now? Or is it just a mindset? A subconscious feeling of comfort? I think it is your mindset. I know that I often say that I miss home... the place I grew up. But lately I've been feeling more and more at peace when I just sit down in our living room, eating dinner while watching a movie with my parents. Sometimes, however, I feel as though there's somewhere else for me... a home I've yet to find. Perhaps someday I will find it. But until then, I suppose I'll be at peace here.

Family. This is just like home. Sometimes, even if you have a brother/sister who you've lived with your whole life, you find someone outside of your blood-relations who seems to fit the catagory or impression of a brother/sister better. I know that at times I've felt as though I don't know my brothers at all, and that I feel more comfortable with some of my friends, who now feel like brothers or sisters to me. I sometimes feel as though I don't have much connection to my blood relatives, and I do have connection with those who are in no way related to me. But then, I hear about my brother getting a job in a different area. I hear that he'll be moving. Suddenly... I feel more distant from him than ever. And yet, I know. He is my brother. I cannot explain this... it was the reverse with my other brother. When he moved, got a job, I felt as though he was no longer my brother. I didn't see him, didn't talk to him. And now, he's still a brother to me, but I don't know him very well. It's the same with my sisters, they got married and moved. I don't know them very well. I don't know either of my brothers very well.

So what defines family? I know it doesn't matter if they're blood-relations. But I feel as though it should. I love my brothers, and my sisters. But sometimes I don't know how to talk to them, and I feel as though we're strangers. Therefore, I think that family is another subconscious mindset. An idea, a thought. A desperate desire to talk to them, to know what they do, to love them. A desire to be able to relate and connect with them. Sometimes you can't relate, sometimes you can't talk. And it is at those times when you feel as though they are not your family. It is at those times when you wonder what family is.

Hope is in the Light(Light is in the Snow)

Hello there, Do you hear
The sound of snowfall,
Muffled yet clear?

Oh, My dear, It takes years
To train your ears
To disapear.

*Hello my friend
Won't you sing again
About all the good times we had?
Oh, My friend
We'll just listen
To the sound
Of it coming down.
Like golden crowns
On a Glassy sea
For you
For me. *

_And if we come undone
We look at the brightness of the Sun
And see the light._

Please, I know it can be so hard
To believe, but believing gets you far.

Please, Why aren't you listening?
Everything, was made to sing to
I'll sing for you...

*Chorus*

_And now we've come undone
What happened to the Sun?
It's gone and.
The night is begun...
But the Sparkle of hope
Shines in that snow
Feel the flow
And just let go..._

Night time, coming in the form
Of a bad sign, the monster and the swarm

Darkness, will it ever end?
Dark Sin, why did we ever begin?

*Chorus*


_And now we're all undone
Where is our Sun?
Sparkles Hope
In the Snow
I let go
And the Light... flows._

Ah, peace.

Today I've written two new posts. Mabye I'm bored. But its nice to relax and just write. Its nice to not be unhappy. Its nice when your saying "Ah, peace." So now I will say it over again... but in the form of a poem that has just popped into my head.

Ah, Peace:

Ah, Peace.
Why do you come now?
Why not before?
Why were you so slow?
Ah, Peace.

It seems to be,
That peace is something not always found,
Peace is something to be held close now,
This seems to me.

Ah, Peace.
We welcome you,
With welcome arms,
Ah, Peace.

The world lies on your shoulders,
You hold it up so easily,
Sometimes its nothing on your shoulders,
But you let it fall anyway.

You let it crash down on us,
You leave for only God knows what,
You let us hold it up ourselves,
And mabye learn what's in ourselves.

And I think I have learned,
Why I'm here, why I'm there,
Perhaps you left for something good,
But please, don't disapear.

Please don't leave us all alone,
Don't leave us in our empty homes,
We have nothing left but strife,
Pulling us apart, cutting with knives,

Ah, Peace.
Why so slow to return?
Ah, Peace.
You let our minds burn,

With pain, with anger,
With useless strife,
Why can't we fight,
For something worthwhile,

For something true,
Something good,
Something pure,
Like our Saviour would?

But at last you've returned,
For your shoulders we have yearned,
To lean on, to rest, to sleep,
Ah... Peace.

Music

Recently I've been listening to several new bands. I thought I would jot down a few notes on these new bands, songs, or albums.

Shiny Toy Guns - We Are Pilots: I really enjoy this album and band. They're an electronic rock band. The songs not only have a good tune, but are also about very interesting things. One of my favorite songs on the album is "When They Came For Us" which is (I think) about Vietnam... however, in a literal sense, the song is about robots and their children being taken away. But I think it has deeper meaning. Anyway... I like the idea of robots being sad and etc.

McFly: This band has several albums. My favorite so far is called 'Motion in the Ocean' but all of the albums have their strong points. I think my favorite songs are "Transylvania" (off Motion in the Ocean) and "She Falls Asleep pt. 1" (I'm not sure which album). Both songs are catchy, and She falls asleep is more of an orchestral peice. I also really like the song "Little Joanna." The best part is the last 30sec. It's well written, I think.

Elton John - Billy Elliot:The Musical. : I just bought this album/musical yesterday. I have heard good things about it, and I think the music in itself is pretty good. However, most of the album makes me sad or angry. Why? Its all very anti-God and pro-Do-Whatever-Makes-You-Feel-Good. This makes me very unhappy. One of the songs on this album is called "Expressing Yourself" and has lyrics such as:
"What is wrong with dressing up in satin and lace?
Get some earrings, some mascara, heels and a fan.
Pretty soon you will start to feel a different man."
This is disgusting and makes me very sad. I suppose this is what I get for listening to Elton John. Ah well, at least the tune is catchy.

Magnet - The Day We Left Town: This is a song a friend of mine showed me. I really like it. It's very interesting and smooth. I think it would be difficult to meld the electronic sound like they do in this song, but Magnet has done a great job.

Kanye West - Graduation: The album Graduation is pretty good as far as I've heard. My favorite tracks are Flashing Lights and Good Morning. Both are somewhat sad, but very nice. Flashing Lights is more mellow and Good Morning is sort of a song about proving ones self. Mabye I'm wrong, but that's what I think of.

So there's some of the music I've been listening to these days.

Family

Today I'm staying home from school because my mom was too tired to take me up and I had a dentist appointment. So I've been pondering.

My brother Elijah has an interview today. Hopefully that goes well. He's been very organized about all the job interviews and possibilities. It's sortof strange for me to see him these days. He's a real man, and that's weird since I remember when he was just a child. He's older than me though. The other day he made some sort of oyster/clam dinner with horseradish and (perhaps) ginger. I (unfortunatly) was gone to dinner at a different family's house and was unable to eat his dinner. However, when I came home, the house smelled delicious. Elijah is now cooking dinner almost every night. And honestly, he's a very interesting cook. Very creative, and though I might joke around (perhaps too much) about how its gross, the food is actually quite good. (most of the time that is ;D)

My mother is on the phone right now. Lately I've been talking to her quite a bit. I'm enjoying her company a lot more than I used to. I think I just appreciate her more.

I suppose I appreciate everything a bit more than I used to. I think mabye its because I'm growing up. Maturing. Or mabye not. I don't really know. What I do know is that the little things in life are much easier to be happy (or sad) about than they used to be.

I went to the park yesterday with my two sisters(Lana, Joanna), my mother, my nephew(Levi) and my two neices. Technically, Charlotte(neice) was first and then Ariana(neice) joined us later.

It was very fun... my brother-in-law(Jonathan) came after a while as well. We got to feed the ducks, watch a muskrat swim around, get very sick on the merry-go-round, and have a very fun time. It was a perfect President's Day.